An old man awaits at the entrance of a dungeon. Stricken by a mysterious curse, he urges you to return after the sun has set, to free him of the madness that has infected his body. So you spend the day amid the grassy splendor of Terraria, surveying caves, slaying rabbits and slimes, as the hours tick by. Once night has set, you return to the old man, to free him of his curse and reap whatever rewards he wishes to give you. It turns out that the little curse transformed the old man into a demonic skeleton, a hovering monstrosity that unleashes holy hell upon your poorly equipped explorer. The battle rages for 10 seconds, maybe 20 if you run away at the onset, and then you're left staring at your corpse and wondering how you could ever defeat such a beast.

But there's no reason to be deterred by such a thorough beating. Terraria uses an empowering sense of discovery to grab you, and that unrestrained freedom is a double-edged sword. Free to explore the untouched lands, you may happen upon a monster much more powerful than you, or you may find a chest filled with precious treasures. You're never sure where your travels will lead you, but your curiosity is always rewarded. You may gain knowledge, such as knowing not to talk to old men at night, or happen upon a cache of gold, which can be used to forge a powerful sword. It's a world bursting with possibilities. Terraria is an incredible adventure that continually excites your imagination with the endless secrets that await.

Be prepared to die a lot when bosses make an appearance. Every battle is against a massive beast that dwarfs your feeble adventurer, so you have to be smart and well prepared if you're going to come out on top. If you collect enough shooting stars beforehand, you can craft mana crystals that let you use magic. It's much safer to shoot magical strikes from a distance than to get up close with your warhammer. Still, there are many different tactics to take out the various bosses. And, who knows, maybe you won't have a chance to plan out a strategy at all. The Eye of Cthulhu randomly appears once you've become powerful enough, and it's crazy to fight this flying beast while in a subterranean jungle. Always be prepared for a fight; you wouldn't want to lose your hard-earned money because you forgot your bow at your home base.

Terraria is a perfect fit on the Vita. Playing this adventure on a handheld is a huge bonus to a game that was already incredibly well made. Now you can mine for hellstone while sitting on the throne or on a bus, so you're always making up an excuse to play for five more minutes. But watch those minutes spiral into the thousands without you even realizing it. And once you go as far as you think you can, you unlock hard mode, and there are even more items to craft and bosses to defeat. Terraria includes the updates to the PC version, so there are lots more bosses, items, and even biomes than when the game was first released. It takes a special game to make you fully care about all the little activities you're taking part in while still keeping your eye on a faraway prize, and Terraria deftly balances those ideas.