Upcoming Handheld Titles for 2014 - PART TWO: PS Vita 2014 Releases..

Hello! Welcome to the second of our Mini Gamers posts about the exciting new handheld games that we can expect to see throughout the coming year. Last time we had a look at the some of the best new 3DS titles on offer in 2014, and today we examine some of the best titles that Sony will be offering us on their PS Vita console in 2014. Indeed, we have unearthed a few surprises...

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z is the first Dragon Ball Z game in over two years. It will launch on January 28th 2014 for PS3 and as a digital download for PS Vita. The game will feature battle and co-op missions. It also allows players to create their own team of up to four players, and it will be the first game of its kind to feature Online Multiplayer.

Characters can now be heavily customized via 'unlockable cards', and players can team up any of the characters that they wish from those available. Players can also alter their battle style by changing Regulations in the online team battle settings.

This game also delves deeper into the historical backstory of Dragon Ball Z. If you were a fan of the original game or indeed a fan of the TV series, then this is definitely a worthy new title for your collection.

Danganronpa:

Trigger Happy Havoc

Essentially, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is a murder mystery game. Exclusive to the PS Vita, the game plays like an interactive novel. Gameplay is similar in style to the Ace Attorney series, revolving around investigating different areas of the main location, and finding contradictions in witness accounts, but this time, the main action takes place in a High School where one of the students has been murdered.

The game has several different elements that can be enjoyed. For example, Class Trials allow players to discuss who they think the culprit is with the other 'classmates.' Class Trials consist of  four main styles of gameplay: Nonstop Debate, Epiphany Anagram, Machinegun Talk Battle and Climax Logic. The most common of these is the Nonstop Debate, where characters will automatically discuss their thoughts on the case, with potential 'weak points' highlighted in yellow.  In order to break the debate, the player must find a lie or contradiction from the displayed weak points and shoot it with a  special 'truth' bullet, which contains evidence that a statement is false.

If you like murder mysteries, then Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is likely to provide you with hours of engrossing entertainment. The game is scheduled for European and North American release on the 11th of February 2014, with a follow-up title Danganronpa: Another Episode being released later on in the year.

Toukiden: The Age of Demons

Toukiden is a third-person monster hunting game. Groups of up to four players (Via wi-fi or Online Multiplayer) or a single player with three other Non-Playable Characters fight together against various monsters during quests. 

 Players can customize their choice of weapons, armor and skills. Special abilities can be obtained through special 'souls' known as mitama, which can be collected during the progress of the game. These mitama can level up by gaining experience from battles, or by paying a certain sum of haku, which is the in-game currency.

At first glance, Toukiden: Age of Demons could be mistaken for a copy of Monster Hunter, but the games emphasis on co-op play gives it a great advantage. The game was released in Japan last year and it became the second single biggest-selling game in the country in 2013. 

If you fancy a bit of monster-slaying with your mates, then you should not have too long to wait as Toukiden: Age of Demons is expected to be released on the 11th February 2014.

Playstation Vita Pets

At first, Playstation Vita Pets could be mistaken for being an ordinary pet simulation game but we have to say, that this game does offer a lot more than the usual care, feed, wash, train and play format of most simulation games currently on the market to date.

Players can choose from one of four different breeds of puppy, each with his or her own personality. This is where the game immediately makes its own distinction from other games in the same genre, because your puppy can actually talk to you and share its thoughts.

It sounds mad - and it is! it is also strangely appealing as rather than having to guess at what your puppy is thinking, they can simply tell you. Players will of course be expected to complete the standard 'care' tasks of looking after their pet, cleaning it up and playing with it, but the game then goes one stage further, and adds an almost action-adventure element to the game.

Players and their chosen puppy can explore outside environments where you can work together to find clues and hidden objects that can help uncover the secrets of the mysterious Castlewood Island. There has also been hints of some special Augmented Reality elements, but no further details have emerged about this yet.

This sounds like a fun and original concept of a well-loved gaming genre, and Mini Gamers cannot wait to see how the game develops in the next few months. No specific release date has been announced yet, but the game is definitely expected to be released before the end of 2014.  A Youtube trailer showing the game's major elements can be viewed below:

So, that marks the end of our special look at some of the best PS Vita games on offer in 2014. Be sure to keep checking in with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more new releases. We look forward to bringing you all the updated information on these games as it occurs.