Smart As: PS Vita Review

Smart As: PS Vita Review

Released by Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform: PS Vita

Brain games are always fun, right?

A chance to beat a computer at its own game and to brag to others about how smart you are. Well, it looks like Sony's got in on the act as well with this portable little noggin tester title, aimed at luring you back daily and connecting to the worldwide web to show off your prowess in competition with the rest of the world.

Taking in challenges involving logic, vocabulary, maths and observation, your daily training is divided up into four tasks - and as time goes on, you're given the chance to unlock mini games within. Sure, developers have used the whole PS Vita experience by getting you to swipe, write and fiddle on the touch screen as well as the rear pad too. The games start off relatively simply too - with 4 different levels within each of the mini games, you get the chance to improve your own skills. Games are finding the lost letter to complete a word, maths sums, working out if things are the same or different in observation and some fiendishly tricky to master logic games (until you work out what's needed)

But the real draw will be the chance to improve on your daily score - or until, you fail to radically do so.

That's when the game starts to lose a little of its novelty as you realise you're not actually garnering many new skills by playing the same levels time and time again. And while the developers have realised this and thrown in a depth of games, the reason to go back daily, if I'm honest, soon wanes.Initially, I began this with the push to beat it daily, but a few days went past and I didn't go back in - that's not anything against the game itself but does demonstrate there's not a huge pull once all the games are unlocked.

Also, there are a few frustrations on the recognition tool - which, when you're against the clock is extremely irritating. Sometimes, the computer mistakes a R for a N in the letters, and a 4 for a 7, which is utterly unacceptable in a game when you're a) against the clock and b) being ranked on wrong answers.

Throw in some use of the AR cards and token use of the camera, and at least the designers have attempted to take on the facilities offered by the VITA.

With a voiceover from John Cleese, Smart As isn't a bad title - it's fun and initially quite a tantalising proposition - the chance to brag against the rest of the world and show off to your mates. And despite looking graphically clear and sharp, it's a very basic title, which while playable may be one of the PS Vita's first truly disposable titles. It's good for a few days or maybe a challenge at a party (a la Buzz or Singstar) but I'm not convinced this title has the longevity it needs - even for a platform that's supposed to be all about bitesize entertainment.

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