Unit 13 is developer Zipper Interactive's final game. When they were shut down in late March, I was actually sad to see them go. Not because they developed SOCOM, but because it means there will never be a sequel to the awesome Unit 13. It is the first military shooter on the handheld, filling a void in the Playstation Vita's launch lineup. Unit 13 is an excellent way to showcase how well the Vita's dual analog sticks work, and just how powerful the system really is.
In Unit 13, story takes a back seat. The game plays out through a series of about 36 missions that aren't connected in any way besides the enemy you face. There are quite a few different mission types in Unit 13, and each one offers up a different gameplay experience. Direct action missions are normal mission where you are tasked with an objective and must achieve it by any means necessary. In Covert missions, you're tasked with completing objectives while remaining hidden. The Deadline mission type pits you against the clock and your enemies. More time is aquired at each checkpoint, but it still keeps you moving for fear of the clock hitting zero. Elite missions are the toughest of them all, because they remove regenerating health and checkpoints. When you complete a mission, your performance is rewarded with stars. When a certain amount of stars are obtained, a High Value Target mission is unlocked. These are basically assassination missions where you wake out drug lords, weapon dealers, etc. If your NEAR functionality is on, you can find another persons unlock HVT missions and play it with them, even if you yourself haven't unlocked it. Each mission has multiple ways to approach the situation at hand, and it really adds to the games replayability as the same thing never happens twice. There are also daily challenges where you have only one shot to post the highest score on the leaderboard. This makes up for the game's lack of competitive multiplayer. Even though it lacks story, Unit 13 makes up for it in the vast amount of content that is offered.
Although there is no competitive multiplayer, online co-op gives the option of playing with one other friend. Having a partner adds even more options to the way missions can be executed, and pulling off synchronized headshots with your partner is a blast. The one problem with co-op is that covert missions can be a little hard at times. If you aren't playing with a close friend, you may get paired up with a run and gunner who blows your cover constantly.
The Vita's second analog stick is a dream come true and this is never more apparent than when playing Unit 13. Gone are the days of just locking on and pulling the trigger (I'm looking at you Fireteam Bravo). The camera is now fully under your control and it feels great. Aiming is precise and the touch screen controls like grenade throwing and reloading work great. The reload and grenade icons are unobtrusive and a easily accessible. I was also pleasently suprised at how intuitive using the rear touch pad to switch shoulders is. The controls of the Unit 13 work incredibly well and show off the Vita's ability to have a console like gameplay experience in the palm of your hand.
Visuals are another high point for Unit 13. Character models look great, and textures are generally very detailed. Environments are very detailed for the most part, but they don't all have a distinct feel to them. The game as a whole has a generic visual feel to it, lacking any personal style. Considering that this is a handheld game, the visuals are gorgeous, I just wish Zipper had created it's own style for this title.
Sound design in Unit 13 is good at best. Lines are delivered well occasionally, but mostly come off as being cheesy and ham fisted. Guns don't really have any distinct flare to them. Don't get me wrong, they sound fine, but I just wish there was a difference from one assault rifle to the next, no matter how small it is.
There is one major drawback to Unit 13; the AI. The enemies in this game are, for the most part, on two opposite ends of the intelligence spectrum. Sometimes you can stride into a room and wipe every baddie out without any resistance. But in the next room, there's a pack of supersoldiers waiting to blast you away. Enemies either present themselves for execution or outmanuver you like Navy Seals. The inconsistency in AI makes this otherwise fun game occasionally infuriating.
Being the first military shooter on the Vita, Unit 13 had a lot of expectations to live up to. It has exceeded my expectations with a huge amount of content, great use of the Vita's controls and impressive visuals (although they lack any unique style). The experience is only marred by unpredictable AI, but even that isn't enough to make me want to put Unit 13 down. Anybody who is looking to scratch their portable shooter itch should give Unit 13 a try (Just don't expect a sequel. Ever.)
Kevin Webb: "While one of Sony's main goals with the Vita was to produce experiences that felt like playing on a home console, the Vita produced a number of unique games that were later brought over to more powerful hardware. And as the Vita got older, independent developers began to take advantage of the console's strong hardware and dedicated player base. For example, PC games like "Stardew Valley" or "Minecraft" that had earned an indie following could be moved to the Vita at low cost, letting players take their favorite games on the go.
The PlayStation Vita may not have been a smash hit, but there were plenty of gems to be found on the handheld if you spent enough time looking."
Frobisher Says was one of the best games on the Vita. There was just nothing like it. It's such a shame that Sony didn't see fit to invest in the Vita long term.
Agreed. Admittedly I brought the console only to travel with (a 41yo gamer here) finished killzone liberation and just started Uncharted odesey and Resistance games. I really only got it to play the games that just never came to ps3/4and surf the net. Its a handy console and it's a shame if has come to an end especially with no replacement in sight just yet!
Yeah, I loved the Killzone Liberation. Although I have to say that since Sony have dedicated their focus only on the PS4 it has gone from strength to strength. I hope they keep supporting VR though - that might be a game changer for them next gen if they do.
Some excellent choices there. I spent so many hours on Soul Sacrifice and Persona 4
As much as I love the Uncharted series I couldn't come to terms with Golden Abyss. It felt like a few steps back in the series
Danganronpa, Stien Gate, and especially Persona 4 are some of the best titles that available on the Vita.
I will miss this console.
No Freedom Wars or Killzone Mercenary?
Both deserve remakes. Mercenary is cannon and Freedom Wars is just one of those ultra rare JRPG games I found fun and think could appeal to a wider audience.
VGChartz's Adam Cartwright: "Thanks to some solid late-in-life Japanese support, and a sea of backwards-compatible games, the Vita’s library of third-person shooters is a lot better than it first appears, covering a variety of sub-genres from horror to stealth to tactical, all the while providing games that are a tonne of fun to play."
Missed so many games.
Also backwards compatibility differs from region to region.
Literally some stores like the NZ/Aus store will allow syphon Filter 1 and 3 but not 2 and the USA store is different again
I haven't done it in a while so unsure if it has changed, but you used to be able to download any PS1 or PSP game to a PS3 and then transfer it to the Vita and it just worked - regardless of whether it showed as something you could buy in store for, or download directly to, the Vita. It opened up a huge library of back-compat titles that way.
The PS Vita has a plethora of titles, that plethora does not contain many shooters on the PS Vita. However the shooters the PS Vita does have can offer gamers a mixed experience. All of the shooters on the system will leave fans teary eyed but not always for a great reason. To prevent fans from dealing with post purchase crocodile tears, the VitaBoys have decided to lay out the best PS Vita shooters.
I hope you enjoyed the review! Any feedback is welcome, just keep it civil in the comments, thanks!
Good review, apart from a couple of typos :P
I played the demo and the controls were definitely a high point. It was about 2 minutes before they felt comfortable and i knew how to use them.
I get the feeling (much like MAG) that this game is probably a bit better than the reviewers state.
Certainly feel bad for those at Zipper who lost their jobs. As least they went out with a bit of dignity with this game instead of SOCOM 4, which seemed to raise a bunch of complaints with fans of the series.
Sorry I can't talk much about the game itself; I haven't owned a handheld since my Gameboy in the...late 90's. lol
I thought Unit 13 was pretty bad because the camera, controls, maps and AI were really bad. I know it's a handheld, but I was expecting better since Socom 4 is far superior in every category.
I remember the camera being really bad in Unit 13 when you sprint, same as the cover system, not as smooth as Socom 4's.
I enjoyed Unit 13 at the beginning. I played through the 36 missions and that was enough for me. I think the stealth missions and the busted mp were the biggest let downs. I'm happy I have it, but can't give it a strong recommendation. I agree the dual analog sticks work great.