With so many exciting games being released for home consoles, including the Nintendo Switch and upcoming Xbox One X, it is easy to forget about Handheld consoles. The PS Vita was declared dead on arrival when it released a few years ago, mostly due to how quickly Sony decided to give up on it. However, the handheld device it is still quite popular with third party game developers, especially Japanese ones.
Surprisingly, Sony's console has more games scheduled to be released in September than Nintendo's 3DS, which has only one.To be fair, the solitary scheduled release for Nintendo's console is the most exciting release of the month.
'Metroid: Samus Returns'
Developed by MercuryStream and Nintendo, "Metroid: Samus Returns" is a re-imagining of the 1991 Gameboy title "Metroid II: Return of Samus". The legendary franchise has struggled in recent years, and it was starting to feel like the gaming company had decided to let it die for good, but this new 2D remake shows that Nintendo still believes there is some life in Samus.
With the recent lackluster revival of "Star Fox", "Metroid: Samus Returns" might be the safest bet for long term fans. The story will mostly remain unchanged, with the visuals and gameplay being updated to suit modern standards. Some new features will be introduced, including a proper melee attack, but it should not stray too far from the standard formula.
'Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony'
The popular visual novel series returns to the PS Vita, PlayStation 4, and PC; "Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony" remains true to the style and content of the original two games. The gameplay is divided into two sections: School Life and Class Trials. The former sees the player interact with the other students to gather evidence for the later trials, usually involving a murder of some sort.
A few new mechanics have been added, including the possibility to use false statements in a trial. The first two "Danganronpa" titles are a blast to play through, filled with unique and mischievous characters, so this really should not be any different.
'Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA'
It feels like we end up listing "Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana" in every single list.
The popular action RPG franchise is a stable on the PS Vita, so it is no surprise to see the new game released on the handheld console. "Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana" will be available on PC and the PS4, with these having new content added to them not included in the handheld version, so it might be worth considering one of those platforms.
