Published on February 21st, 2012 | by simeon

Unit 13 Preview for PS Vita

Soon after the launch of the Vita, Zipper Interactive will release their newest title, Unit 13. Amara got a hands on preview of the game and wrote about her experience.

This third person shooter offers the feel of a good console or PC game on in handheld form with sharp attention to tactical and scoring capabilities. The game was made to reward players not only for achievement of objectives but also for quality play such as head shoots, melee kills, and tactical sneaking. If a high score isn’t enough, the game announces player’s scores and achievements to their friends via a live stream at the top of the game.

This system takes social playing with a handheld shooter to a whole new level by offering various forms of multiplayer interaction. A pickup game can be created with people located in proximity to one another or a group of friends from around the world can play together. And worries that this single or multi-player game play will get stale are resolved by the daily challenges offered by Zipper, so no two days with Unit 13 will be the same.

However, players seeking the creative story or characterization elements that define shooters like Resistance or Dead Space may be underwhelmed. This is not a game where players are likely to feel tightly bonded to the characters but it was crafted with hardcore gaming fans in mind. Unit 13 was built to reward creative and tactical playing strategy by motivating play in new and exciting ways. This attention to tactical detail is unlike anything else on the market, even when compared to popular shooter titles on consoles and PC.

While the story and characterization are not quickly engrossing, for score driven competitive players, this game is almost as good as the bonus for a headshot combo. And yes, in Unit 13 that can happen can.