Review

PSP’s Greatest Hits: Portable Perfection You Missed.

PSP’sGreatestHitsPSP’sGreatestHits:PortablePerfectionYouMissed AForgottenPowerhouse:TheInitialSparkandSubsequentFading Rememberthatlittleblackbrickthatfitsnuglyinyourpalm?TheonethatpromisedPlayStation-qualitygamingonthego?Yeah,we’retalkingaboutthePSP,Sony’sfirstforayintothehandheldconsolearena.WhiletheNintendoDSdominatedthemarketshareandgarneredmostoftheattention,thePSPquietlyamassedastellarlibraryofgames,manyofwhichremaincriminallyunderrated.Prepareforatripdownmemorylane,becausewe’redivingintothePSP’sgreatesthits–theportableperfectionyoulikelymissedthefirsttimearound,andwhyyoushouldseriouslyconsiderrevisitingthemnow. WhenthePSPlunchedin2004,itwasarevelation.Boastingagorgeouswidescreendisplay,powerfulprocessingcapabilities,andthepromiseoftrue3Dgamingonthego,itfeltlikeaminiaturePlayStation2inyourpocket.Theinitialexcitementwaspalpable.Gamersflockedtoexperiencetitleslike*GrandTheftAuto:LibertyCityStories*and*RidgeRacer*,finallyexperiencingconsole-qualityexperiencesontheirdailycommute. However,despiteitsimpressivehardwareandsomestrongearlytitles,thePSPslowlylostground.TherelianceonUMDdiscs,susceptibletoscratchingandlimitedinstoragecapacity,provedcumbersome.Theriseofmobilegaming,withitscheaperandmorereadilyavailablegames,begantochipawayatthehandheldmarket.Andperhapsmostsignificantly,thePSP’spricepointwassignificantlyhigherthantheNintendoDS,makingitalessaccessibleoptionformanyconsumers. Theshort-termimpactwasafeelingoffrustrationformanyPSPowners.Theyhadinvestedinapromisingdevice,onlytoseeitovershadowedbyitscompetitor.Gamedevelopmentshiftedfocus,andthePSP’slibrary,whileimpressive,feltsomewhatstifled. Long-term,thePSP’sstoryisoneofunrealizedpotential.ItintroducedinnovativefeatureslikeintegratedWi-Fiandmultimediacapabilitiesthatwereaheadoftheirtime.ItpavedthewayforlaterhandheldconsoleslikethePlayStationVita.Butultimately,itbecameaforgottenchapteringaminghistoryformany. RediscoveringtheGems:AHandfulofPortableMasterpieces So,whyshouldyoucareaboutthePSPnow?Becauseburiedbeneaththesurfaceofthemarketsharebattleliesatreasuretroveofincrediblegames.Let’sshinealightonafewstandouttitlesthatdeserveasecondlook: CrisisCore:FinalFantasyVII:Manyconsiderthisamust-playforfansof*FinalFantasyVII*. *CrisisCore*tellsthestoryofZackFair,aSOLDIERoperative,leadinguptotheeventsoftheiconicPS1title.Withstunningvisuals,agrippingnarrative,andaninnovativecombatsystem,*CrisisCore*offersauniqueandemotionalexperiencethatstandsonitsownmerit. GodofWar:GhostofSparta:Takingthebrutalactionofthe*GodofWar*seriestothehandheldscreenseemedimpossible,yet*GhostofSparta*delivers.It’savisuallyimpressiveandrelentlesslyviolentadventurethatexpandsKratos’sloreandofferingsatisfyinglyvisceralcombatexperience. Patapon:Atrulyuniqueandquirkyrhythm-basedstrategygame,*Patapon*willborrowintoyourbrainandstaythere.Youcontrolanarmyofadorable,one-eyedcreaturesbyinputtingrhythmiccommands.It’schallenging,addictive,andutterlycharming. Persona3Portable:Whilearemakehasnowarrivedonotherplatforms,*Persona3Portable*wasalandmarktittleforthePSP.Acompellingblendofsocialsimulationanddungeoncrawling,itboastsacaptivatingstory,memorablecharacters,andastylishaesthetic. MetalGearSolid:PeaceWalker:Afull-fledged*MetalGearSolid*experienceonahandheld?Absolutely....