Summary
- Bizarrely, the maligned Black Ops: Declassified PS Vita exclusive still has an active multiplayer scene.
- Twitter user @realradec reports being able to find matches “instantly”, despite it being over a decade old and often regarded as the worst entry in the series.
Before the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck and their many, many competitors, we had far less powerful handheld consoles like the DS, Game Boy, and, of course, the PS Vita.
Since they couldn’t run the same games as home consoles, they’d often get their own unique versions. Max Payne launched on GBA as a pixelated, isometric shooter; Persona 3 had its iconic ‘Portable’ version for the PSP, which even introduced a female protagonist; and Call of Duty joined in on the fun with a few interesting handheld variants.
Modern Warfare: Mobilized was an impressive technical feat that brought one of the most iconic Call of Duty games to DS, and Black Ops’ own adaptation for the dual-screen handheld was a surprisingly good spin on the fledgling series with a more condensed version of the famous Zombies mode. Black Ops: Declassified… well, that’s a slightly different story.
This PS Vita exclusive launched to an awful score of 33 on Metacritic, slammed by reviewers for being an “unfinished” and “passionless” cash grab. Several outlets went as far as to label it the worst entry in the series. Yet over a decade later, it still has an active enough playerbase that Twitter user @realradec was able to find matches “instantly”.
Cult Classic, Or Is The Vita Just That Powerful?
Looking at the game’s recent reviews over on Metacritic, there’s a lot of praise for its multiplayer. The big problem seems to be more with its brutally difficult and rushed campaign, rather than the online scene. Even negative reviews, like 7oriiol’s 5/10, say that it’s a “MUST HAVE VITA GAME” for its multiplayer.
This is a sentiment that @realradec also shares, “[not gonna lie] the multiplayer is fun for what it is”. The fact the servers are still up, and they’re still able to find games, is a testament to that. But at this point, you’re only going to match with diehard fans clinging on to a hated game. Odds are, you’re gonna get crushed.
Black Ops: Declassified still having a surprisingly active multiplayer scene has stirred up a lot of emotion in the comments, with many reminiscing about the PS Vita. Some have been inspired to rummage around for their old charger, while others are even on the fence about buying one outright. Do it. Give into that inner Vita demon.
As @royal_bobby24 commented, “nobody gives the Vita the respect it deserves”. And what better way to show that respect than playing a match or two of Black Ops: Declassified? Well, there’s the Uncharted game, Persona 4 Golden, Steins;Gate, Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper, God of War, Metal Gear Solid… Okay there are a lot of better games you could be playing.
