The PlayStation Vita may be getting plenty of love from indie developers these days, but the AAA experiences that some gamers crave are few and far between. That’s going to change somewhat as we enter the final months of 2013, and the first big Vita game from Sony is hitting this month.

On September 10, Vita owners will be able to see how a first-person shooter is truly done on Sony’s handheld with Killzone Mercenary. The title is being positioned as a title that captures the experience of the Killzone franchise on the PS3, but with a number of new additions that make it play better on a handheld device. It also takes advantage of the Vita’s unique functions – including touch screen controls for melee attacks and quick-time events.

Beyond gameplay, Guerilla Cambridge says that Killzone Mercenary will continue the franchise’s fine tradition of being some of the most visually impressive games on Sony’s platforms. They were able to achieve this on the Vita by bringing over the Killzone 3 engine to the handheld.

If sci-fi reimaginings of World War II aren’t your thing, Sony has something that you may enjoy coming later in the year. On November 22, Media Molecule’s delightful Tearaway will launch on the PS Vita.

[Image: psvita/YouTube]