Ten of the Best… PSP Games

Little Big Planet

It may lack a lot of what makes its big brother on PS3 so brilliant, but there is planty to enjoy here. The fact that a whole new set of LBP levels exist is reason enough to own it. The charm and fun remain, and the new soundtrack may not quite reach the greatness of the PS3 version, but it comes surprisingly close. Sackboy remains fully customisable, and it’s still as much fun to dress him up halfway through a level. The game is incredibly good fun, but the level editor doesn’t quite cut it. The lack of local multiplayer is a hindrance too, but it’s still a great single player experience.

Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

A prequel to one of the best-loved games of all time is always going to be popular, but open to criticism, but Crisis Core is best enjoyed as a very different experience. With a more action-oriented approach to the PS1 classic, it tells the story of Soldier member Zack, whose story interweaves with those of Aerith and Cloud. Battles are real-time, and levelling up is based on chance (to a degree). The system is surprisingly enjoyable, and while it’s not perfect, and can be a bit easy at times, the story is nostalgic fun and the gameplay is different enough to allow this game to step out from the shadows of VII and be enjoyable on its own merits.

Patopon 2

A rhythm game in which you lead an army of tiny cartoon soldiers sounds like a fairly awful proposition for a game, but Patopon, and it’s even better sequel, are a joy to play. The simple, rhythmical thumping of buttons early on gives way to a strategic title, in which you build an army and try to make it as strong as possible to get through the often challenging levels. There is a real charm to Patopon 2, and the music and visuals are top notch. Combined with some great gameplay and the occasional humourous moment, Patopon 2 is one of the best original titles for PSP.

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions

Yes it’s a remake, but looking past that, it’s also one of the greatest strategy RPG’s ever made. FFTactics passed European audiences by on the Playstation, as it only saw an NTSC release. This travesty has finally been corrected and now one of the deepest, most well crafted games of the 32-bit era finally reaches our shores. With an excellent story (and improved translation to match) and extremely cerebral battles, FFT will suck hours from your life, as you try to build your team and reach the end of what is a very tough game, but also an incredibly deep and rewarding one.

Everybody’s Golf

Somehow the sedate world of golf translates wonderfully onto the PSP. A few quick holes quickly becomes a full round of 18 in what is one of the PSP’s more addictive titles. Brilliantly simple since it’s PS1 origin, Everybody’s Golf takes a simpler approach to that most dull of sports. With anime styled characters, gorgeous visuals and a simple, classic swing style, the game is a soothing way to kill a long journey. Even if you hate golf with a passion, there’s still a certain addictive quality to the gentle music and pacing of Everybody’s Golf, and while it may not have the depth or originality of other games on this list, it never seems to get boring.

Half Minute Hero

Taking its cue from classic RPG games, Half Minute Hero condenses the grinding, fetching and boss battling of an old-school dungeon crawler into a race against time. With only 30 seconds to level up enough to defeat the boss, each stage is about managing time effectively, as you must be strong enough to beat the boss, but can only reset the clock if you can afford it. It’s simple and immensely entertaining, with plenty of humorous nods to older RPG’s. With a selection of game types on offer, each a very different beast to the others, there’s plenty to do, and the game is perfect for a portable platform.

LocoRoco

You are a giant yellow blob, an unlikely hero indeed, in this addictive puzzle/platform hybrid. Controlling the level around you, you roll your yellow avatar around stages, growing as you collect more ‘locoroco’ – the aforementioned yellow blob(s), this game is a truly unique prospect. Featuring some of the catchiest music in videogame history, great gameplay and a sumptuous visual style, which exudes character, Locoroco is one of the most charming titles on any system, and while its sequel is probably the better game, that first meeting with the locoroco will always be special.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Somehow managing to pack the vast majority of the GTA experience onto a handheld is an incredible achievement. LCS does very little that it’s home console brethren don’t, and despite some slow load times, it’s very hard to fault. The core gameplay remains, driving, shooting and generally being a nuisance to the citizens of Liberty City are the order of the day. It has a unique story, and despite re-using the setting of GTA3, it feels fresh. There are some excellent missions, and just being able to sit on a bus or train and play a fully 3d Grand Theft Auto title really shows the power of the humble PSP.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

many gamers were let down by Metal Gear Solid 4, disliking it’s over-complicated and somewhat ridiculous plot. Thankfully Peace Walker takes the series back to the excellent style of MGS3: Snake Eater. The stealth mechanic works really well, the controls have been honed specifically to take advantage of the PSP’s setup, a blessing for a game like this, and it has the classic Metal Gear Solid gameplay. The game is separated into missions, perfectly tailored for a handheld. Some features have been stripped back, but nothing that takes away from a fantastic overall experience.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable

A re-release this may be, but what a game this is. One of the greatest RPG games ever, Persona 3 mixes dungeon crawling, turn based battling and lifestyle simulator to tremendous effect. With an impressively deep battle system enhanced by cultivating ‘social links’ the game becomes a compulsive, as players are drawn into their characters world, trying to gain as many social links as possible in order to gain better ‘personas’ (sort of like summons in Final Fantasy) for use in battle. The characters are engaging and well written, the setting unique and the gameplay almost flawless. There’s probably about 70-100 hours of gameplay here, and every second of it is compelling. Not playing this would be a travesty, so if you missed it on PS2, beg borrow or steal to play it now on PSP.