Best Vita Game - PSLS Game of the Year Awards 2018

2018 is quite possibly the last year we’ll be honoring the Vita, given the current slowing pace of releases for Sony’s handheld. Currently the platform is home to a ton of small indies and a bunch of Japanese otome visual novels. (Otome means they are games made for women and contain dating elements, for the uninitiated.) People still love the handheld that many considered well ahead of its time, so we wanted to honor the games that did release this year. Which one did we love the most Here are the PlayStation LifeStyle nominations for Best Vita Game in 2018.

Best Vita Game 2018 Winner

Stardew Valley

Read our review.

The game may have originally come out more than two years ago, but it finally made its way to the Vita this year, and the Harvest Moon-inspired title really encapsulated all of the best things about the handheld. Our original PS4 review best says exactly what’s so great about this game.

“Stardew Valley represents a major break from reality. It’s a game where things are simple, but there’s always something new to do. It’s a collector’s haven; a lover’s respite (at least until co-op arrives in the future). This will represent many things to many gamers. Yet the one thing it will remain for as long as people are around to play it, is a magnum opus of the indie developer. Stardew Valley is a game so completely full of content, that it is hard to fathom that it was created by a single person. With a ton of secrets to discover, and fishing, farming, mining, smelting, and even dating as activity options, this feels like a perfect mix of life simulation games of the past, with a decidedly modern take. Hopefully ConcernedApe continues in his relentless march to build the perfect game for this genre, and we can all share in the fruits of his tireless labor.” Cleary, he did continue and it gave us the best Vita title of 2018.

Reader’s Choice Winner

Stardew Valley

There are a few niche titles that people really love, but nothing quite speaks to everyone like Stardew Valley. It’s a lasting game that has persisted for years, and it was your pick for best Vita game this year too. Is it a worthy send off for the handheld?

Don’t miss our full lineup of nominees for the PlayStation LifeStyle Game of the Year awards. We’ll be revealing more winners all throughout the week, leading up to the Game of the Year on Friday December 21.