So basically I’m looking for titles that are either so unique or so timeless or have such modern gameplay that you would recommend them to someone not neccessarily looking for a retro experience with the PSP.
These are the ones I’ve already compiled:
- SSX On Tour (Wintersports, more zen than arcady)
- Metal Gear Acid 1&2 (Tactics-focused deckbuilder, ahead of its time)
- LUMINES (Tetris from a different timeline)
- Chili con Carnage (Shoot-Em-Up that kinda controls like og Doom but 3rd person, tbh the humor is where it shines)
- Armored Core Formula Front (You’re some kind of arena robot mechanic, the battles can play out with or without your input and you mostly customize the robots in between fights)
- Thrillville (You manage themeparks, unspectacular concept but pretty unique execution)
- Me & My Katamari (A classic, you roll a ball that grows in size as it accumulates various objects)
- Dead Head Fred (Action platformer with a few flaws but decent mechanics and story)
- GTA Chinatown Wars (Drugdealer Simulator before it was cool)
- Gladiator Begins (You’re a gladiator fighting to pay off your debts and later the story can branch into several directions, very satisfying gameplay loop and makes the most of its small scale)
- LocoRoco 1&2 (The sidescroller for people who don’t like sidescrollers)
- Daxter (Classic 3D platformer, many little features to keep you hooked)
- MediEvil (Classic Hack & Slash, nice atmosphere and some high quality jokes)
Personally, I believe games are timeless regardless of nostalgia, simply requiring a bit of adjustment time. I still actively play games on older platforms quite frequently.
I still believe these games hold up; With playing for either their unique story/gameplay/mechanics. Here’s some good PSP games:
- Gitaroo Man
- Kenka Bancho
- Pursuit Force
- Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice
- Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
- Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus
- Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
- Rengoku II: The Stairway to H.E.A.V.E.N.
- Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2: Innocent Sin
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable
- Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
- Phantasy Star Portable 2
- PQ: Practical Intelligence Quotient 1 & 2
- The Warriors
- Puzzle Guzzle (
- Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman
- Patapon 1/2/3
I’d also recommend:
- Sims 2
Simply because the gameplay differs from the usual games.
The Sims 2 recommendation is no joke. Honestly picked it up hoping it would be like he pc game. Kept it since it’s a wacky story game with aliens, cults, robots and vampires.
Patapon, all 3. Sort of a rhythm game but with combat and a lot of depth.
Brave story: new traveler. A great jrpg.
Jeanne D’Arc and Silent Hill Origins were pretty good.
Jeanne D’Arc is by Level 5.
They have never disappointed IMHO.
-Patapon (Personally I thought 2 was the best) -FF7 Crisis Core -MGS: Peacewalker -Dissidea -RType: Command
Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This?
Really unique game that didn’t get favorable reviews. Def check it out!
PixelJunk Monsters - tower defence game with a fantastic soundtrack
Patchwork hero’s - fun puzzle game where you take down giant airships
Everyday Shooter - twin stick shooter with a unique soundtrack
Persona 3 Portable - even atlus remastered this game as is.
I would also throw in GTA Vice City stories - love the story and it holds up better than liberty city stories
- Patapon
- Prinny Can I really be the Hero?
I adore the PSP! I know a lot of titles feel kind of weird or like they’re having to make major compromises due to the lack of triggers and a second stick. Many games felt sort of stuck in-between handheld and consoles because of it.
In no order here’s a list of some of my absolute favorites on the system:
- No Heroes Allowed!
- Amazing, funny dungeon building game where you play the bad guy. Like Japanese dungeon keeper with ecological systems and 16-bit inspired graphics.
- Cladun: This is an RPG
- Fun, simple action RPG. Has a sequel that was also really fun.
- Half-Minute Hero
- Light-hearted parody RPG where you play in small bursts.
- Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman
- Sentai parody mystery dungeon game, and does both very well.
- Tactics Ogre
- A very very impressive remaster of the SFC game. One of the best SRPGs ever made! The PSP version of Final Fantasy Tactics is also good, but I prefer Tactics Ogre by a wide margin myself.
- Ys Seven
- Really all the Ys games on the system are really good. Ys Seven is the most modern feeling and gives you multiple characters to swap between. Fun series of action RPGs if you like that sort of thing. Kind of Zelda-y but with less puzzles and more combat and RPG elements.
- Super Stardust Portable
- Really fun shmup published by Sony.
- No Heroes Allowed!
I should have gotten a psp, maybe there’s still time
Probably easier at this point to get a Deck, or other portable gaming rig, and emulate.
The discs are not cheap, and we’re fragile even back in the day.
Get a Vita. It basically has a PSP built in. It’s super easy to hack too which will give you a ton of improvements and options (like remixed controls for some PSP games so you can enjoy them with twin sticks) - it’s awesome.
The digital store might still open. I know you can buy games off the Vita’s store still (but you have to use an older style WIFI that is sometimes relegated to guest WIFI and you have to preload the money from another source).
PSP’s store closed a looooooong time ago. Used to be that you could purchase stuff from the PS3’s store and use a USB cable to transfer the license, but after Sony enabled 2FA that route closed as well.
OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast: perfect on every platform
Amazing for its time. Having a portable version of it was extra great
Mega Man Powered Up.
Maverick Hunter X too, but I feel that one holds up slightly worse than Powered Up.
Edit: I played both in the 2010s btw
Sorry to have nostalgia in a post about games not needing it, but wow - the enjoyable hours I put into LocoRoco! Totally agree though - unique mechanic, and chef’s kiss execution.
Obscure The Aftermath multiplayer is actually pretty impressive for the PSP.
Monster Hunter Unite, if you want to experience old Monster Hunter, animation locks and all.
Coded Arms and its sequel are pretty interesting shooters.
Rengoku and its sequel are pretty good as well.
Chili con Carnage (Shoot-Em-Up that kinda controls like og Doom but 3rd person, tbh the humor is where it shines)
Chili con Carnage mentioned? And on Lemmy? The weirdest thing I’ll see today here 🤣
I love this game, I have finished it like 3 times I guess, and yes the humor is top notch, even when it is a 3rd person shooter I don’t think I faced any issues with the controls while playing it on the PSP.
A lot of good titles have already been mentioned but holy crap no one said MotorStorm: Arctic Edge? Such a great racer, very polished and it has unique mechanics and a ton of fun vehicles to make it worth your while.
Also: Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception. If you’re looking for an arcade flight sim, this one is for you. (I’d steer clear of it’s successor Joint Assault though.)
