PSP Blogger - PlayStation® Portable Fansite

Besides the recently released action adventure game God of War: Chains of Olympus, the PSP has been mostly overwhelmed with Puzzle and RPG titles. Even though Puzzle games such as Loco Roco and RPG’s such as Monster Hunter and Final Fantasy are fantastic games, it still doesn’t really fill out the missing PSP games gap.

There are plenty of titles available for all genres on the handheld but very few of them actually make it into the top spots. Let’s look at survival horror for example; Silent Hill Origins seems to be the greatest title for the genre but on the other hand it’s the only survival horror title on the PSP. Platform adventure titles are also currently in the low with Daxter and Rachet & Clank being the only really worthwhile candidates. RPG fans however are really overwhelmed with great titles (Final Fantasy, Gurumin, Monster Hunter, Tales of the World, Star Ocean) and a pretty much never ending list of games to look forward to. Same thing also applies to puzzle gamers still jamming it out with Lumines and Loco Roco. If we look at the titles we played on the PSX/PS2 and then at the ones currently being played on the PSP you will immediately notice the change.

Even though the PS2 also had plenty of RPG and Puzzle titles, other genres were just as blooming with great titles. All over the web you’ll find gamers literally begging for PSP releases of titles such as Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, Hitman, Gran Turismo, James Bond, Max Payne, Legacy of Kain, Shadow of the Colossus, Timesplitters, Die Hard, Dino Crisis, The Italian Job, Onimusha, Rez, Okami, ICO, and even Red Faction for the handheld. What you’ll however notice about this wanted list is that almost none of these games are RPG’s. The RPG and Puzzle titles crossover between the PSX/PS2 and PSP has been pretty much filled but genres such as action, adventure, stealth, racing, strategy and even FPS are the ones still most asked for.

Looking at IGN’s upcoming PSP release list you’ll however discover that all this should be remedied in the near future since half of the upcoming titles are action, adventure and platform based. Just hope that some developer will hear the cries of horror survival fans.

Reviewed by DarCowAlways

This game has been notorious for its abstract simple and enjoyable gameplay since it was first created as a playable game on the creator's website. Since then, it has undergone a port to the PS3, and now has come to us PSP owners with great results.

This is a seamless game with amazing graphics, and the aliasing issues are all to do with the difference in resolution. The music is very calm and relaxing and keeps you wanting more, while not getting in the way of the game or becoming annoying.

The gameplay itself consists of you, a microscopic organism, feeding off of other such creatures to grow and become more powerful. This happens through either eating tiny creatures directly, or defeating other very similar organisms by eating their health orbs. You yourself have these orbs, and can see at any time how much health you have through them. Once you have eaten these orbs, the enemy will break into several tiny creatures which can be eaten to either restore health or make you grow, depending on the type of creature.

Each of the six organisms you can control over the game has different abilities, different looks, and different levels. Some move fast, others lure in enemies, and others yet poison them. This adds enough variety to the game to keep you going strong through it.

The game is extremely self-explanatory, with a very simple yet fleshed out system for moving though levels, changing organisms, and playing locally with friends. There is one screen with a very limited set of basic instructions when the game starts- but thankfully, that is all you will need.

Once you beat the levels (by eating red orbs to get to deeper layers) with one organism you are given the option to play as that organism in their evolved form giving you a new, arguably improved creature to play with.

As you progress through the game the background changes from a light blue to a dark and cloudy black with lighting effects, and several various effects in between. There are different backdrops for each creature you play as, so if you find one boring, the next will definitely change things up for you.

The game itself when you eat all of the creatures, is about 4.5 hours long. Further enjoyment can be found replaying levels and playing with friends over ad-hoc.

If you have a little patience, flOw is a very immersive and rewarding game.

This title can be played directly or downloaded onto the PC (free) from here.

Reviewed by GrapejuiceGamer

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is the newest in the series of Final Fantasy VII spin-offs that also includes the film sequel Advent Children, the Japanese mobile game Before Crisis, the RPG shooter Dirge of Cerberus, and several supplementary short stories. Compared to the somewhat disappointing Dirge of Cerberus and the delicious but too short Advent Children, the criticisms of Crisis Core are relatively minor. It tells the captivating story of a likable and compelling character, and retains the Final Fantasy VII atmosphere that was lost in Dirge of Cerberus.

If you've played Final Fantasy VII, you're familiar with Zack Fair, who had a brief but significant appearance in the original game. If you haven't, I strongly encourage you to play the original game first. Otherwise you're likely to be lost. Don't worry that the original game will spoil this one for you. This game is about the journey, not the destination, and there are plenty of surprises along the way. You'll get a lot more out of Crisis Core if you've played Final Fantasy VII.

The gameplay is one of the most unique aspects of this game. Combat is fast and fun, but unlike anything you've ever played before. The action RPG elements are pretty basic although they work, but the really innovative part of gameplay is the "Digital Mind Wave," or DMW, a slot-reel system that randomly spins up limit breaks, level-ups, and beneficial status changes. As the Gamespot reviewer said, it sounds dubious at first, but it works, and it ensures that your battles will be full of dramatic twists and turns. It'll take getting used to, but it ends up being a cool and interesting system.

The graphics in the game are great. Never before have I been so convinced that the PSP really is a portable Playstation 2. The graphics quality is equal to later PS2 games like Kingdom Hearts II, and the character design is great. New characters like renegade SOLDIER Genesis and a Young Turk from Before Crisis named Cissnei look as great as the many returning characters. The in-game graphics are attractive from beginning to end, the cut-scenes are - despite a few detail issues - great, and the pre-rendered CGI scenes are as gorgeous as they were in the eye-popping Advent Children.

The voice acting is on par with the other instalments in the FF7 compilation, and the actors are retained as well, with the exception of Aerith who has yet another voice actor. If you've been satisfied with the voices in other instalments this won't disappoint. A few stand-out voices include Rick Gomez as Zack, George Newbern as the notorious Sephiroth, and Oliver Quinn as Genesis. And the music... is amazing. With the exception of a somewhat unpleasant main battle theme, this game combines music from the original game with completely new tunes to create one of the best video game scores in recent memory. It truly lives up to the musical standard set by Nobuo Uematsu in Final Fantasy VII.

The main story of the game is rather short. Thankfully, Crisis Core includes a huge number of side missions and secrets that can double or even triple your play-time. One of the biggest criticisms is the uneven difficulty of the game. Crisis Core is incredibly easy for the first half of the game, with a few frustrating bosses thrown in toward the end. For those who like long boss fights, the final(ish) boss alone took me a full hour. The one great annoyance of the game is that you can't skip cut-scenes, and since the places where you're most likely to die, the boss fights, are usually preceded by extremely lengthy scenes, this can be quite a pain.

This game will shine for lovers of Final Fantasy VII. Although the basic plot-line is interesting enough, the thing that will really absorb you is the character interaction, the character development, and the feeling of melancholy inevitability for those who know how the story ends. Crisis Core is truly one of the most poignant gaming experiences I've ever had. The scenes between Zack and Cloud, Zack and Aerith, Zack and Angeal, are emotional and effortless. And the final scenes of the game are truly powerful. I'm not prone to crying as I play games, but if you're the kind who sheds a tear at a particularly poignant moment, the ending of this game will probably get you.

Overall, Crisis Core is a great package for die-hard or casual fans of Final Fantasy VII. Almost every aspect of the game shines, and the overall experience is a truly satisfying one. This is the Final Fantasy VII spin-off you've been waiting for.

It’s only April but what a year it’s been for PSP gamers this far. We found ourselves performing deadly combo attacks with God of War: Chains of Olympus, reviving past memories with Final Fantasy: Crisis Core, controlling odd looking but dangerous little creatures in Patapon and even took our current music collection to the next level with Beats. It’s without a doubt been a truly spectacular year for the PSP (as seen by the recent PSP sales figures).

P.S. The new firmware update 3.95 can now be automatically downloaded via the network update feature on the PSP.

So is this the end of all spectacular PSP events for this current year? Well we're glad to inform you that it’s just the beginning.

Note: Some of the following titles have already been released in certain countries.

Let’s start by looking at PlayStation Store titles still scheduled for 2008.

• Cool Boarders 2
• Cool Boarders 3
• Destruction Derby 2
• Gauntlet Legends
• G-Police
• Klonoa
• Kurushi Final
• Metal Gear Solid
• Motor Toon Gran Prix
• Namco Museum Series
• Omega Boost
• Ridge Racer
• Ridge Racer Type 4
• Roll Cage
• Tekken 1 & 3
• Vib Ribbon

Then there are of course some major PSP titles we can look forward to such as; Secret Agent Clank, Lego Batman & Indiana Jones, R-Type Command, Space Invaders Extreme, N+, Destroy All Humans, Star Wars: TFU and Iron Man.

There are also a couple of rumored PSP titles for 2008 floating around including; Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Oblivion, Cannon Fodder, Dino Crisis, etc. We do however have no idea of how true these rumors are.

Other things that's also worth mentioning are bigger memory sticks (which will also reduce the pricing on the smaller versions), Firmware release 4.0 (which hopefully includes the long awaited DivX functionality), Qwerty Keyboard and some other secrets that Sony doesn’t want to reveal at this point and time.

All and all, PSP gamers can rest assured that 2008 is still packed with goodies so stay tuned for more information.

Even though the PSP is blooming with great titles lately there’s always the bad apples that makes it to every gaming platform. The following list of games should simply stay in the bargain bin or even better…the rubbish bin. We won't go into much detail as to how horrible the games are. Rent it if you really have too and see for yourself.

Beowulf

Even though this game might look semi-ok the rest is pretty bland. The story sucks, the fighting sucks, everything else sucks too.

Bubble Bobble Evolution

The visuals are broken, the soundtrack is awful and the great old school gameplay has been replaced with some mindless puzzle garbage.

Dave Mirra BMX Challenge

Crappy sound, choppy visuals, unstable controls and far too easy gameplay is all the ingredients required for a must avoid title.

The Golden Compass

Extremely poor graphics, horrible platforming, crappy controls and awful camera angles is enough to make anybody commit suicide.

The Legend of Dragon

Nice name - crap game. This title is just too easy and far too repetitive. Avoid.

Napoleon Dynamite

This title is suppose to be all about the mini-games and frankly they all suck. What makes things even worse is annoying and frequent load times.

Pimp My Ride

Boring gameplay, frame rate issues, bugs and more waits you in this ridiculously repetitive and pointless title.

Pocket Pool

Lame doesn’t even come close to explaining this game. Rubbish

Need for Speed Pro Street

I’m a real fan of the NFS series but EA really messed up this title. The career mode is boring, the events are boring and to top it off, the controls as crap.

Transformers: The Game

Even though the movie was pretty ok the game itself goes beyond horrible. Avoid at all costs.

Other crappy titles that's also not worth your hard earned cash.

Pocket Racers
TMNT
Warriors of the Lost Empire
Xiaolin Showdown
Ghost Rider
Street Supremacy

Warriors Orochi

Yesterday evening I was attacked by some forum member and this is what he had to say: “Dude, everybody knows that the DS is more than capable of running PSP games”. This just proves my point that drugs are bad for you. DS and PSP gamers are well aware of the technical differences between the two handhelds. The thing is how big is the graphical difference really? I’m fully aware that visuals alone do not make a game great but eye candy is always nice to have. Imagine you’ve purchased this new RPG that offers 4 million hours gameplay but the graphics is butt ugly. You’ll be seeing this visual representation throughout the whole game so in my opinion graphics does indeed have major impact on games.

The following list of screenshots is not a competition between the two handhelds since the games where created for two totally different systems, but more to give gamers a general idea of what to expect visually when purchasing any of the two handhelds. I know some people might reckon that the comparison is really unfair but if you think about it, the DS is latest handheld from Nintendo and the PSP the latest from Sony.

The top screenshots are from the Nintendo DS and the bottom widescreen shots are from the Sony PlayStation Portable.

Ridge Racer

Sims 2

Need For Speed: Pro Street

WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2007

Burnout

Crash of the Titans

Well there you have it. So if you’re planning on buying a new handheld then this should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect visually.

As we all know the PSP is filled with great titles such as God of War, Final Fantasy, Patapon, Wipeout, Monster Hunter and Metal Gear Solid. While these games currently own the PSP there are some real true gems that people tend to overlook. After hours of forum discussions and reading user reviews we narrowed it down to the ten following games:

Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast

This racer comes straight from the arcade to the palm of your hands. It’s fast, it’s fun and you can play it online.

Silent Hill Origins

If you don’t have this title in your collection then now is the time to go get it. Brilliant graphics, suburb sound effects and chilling monsters make this the one and only PSP horror survival game.

Brave Story: New Traveler

One of the best looking RPG games on the handheld that offers all you’d expect from a RPG and more. If you like Tales of World then you’ll love this.

Beats (PlayStation Store)

Do you have music on you PSP? Get Beats…nuff said

Thrillville: Off the Rails

Build, manage and even crash your own theme park in Thrillville where there are simply no boundaries. Hundreds of different rides, shops and more await you in this jam packed title.

Valkerie Profile Lenneth

If you’re a fan of Final Fantasy then this title is for you. Great story, awesome cut scenes, varied gameplay, crisp graphics and much more can be found in this hidden gem.

Megaman: Powered Up

The original Megaman gets reborn on the PSP. Cute graphics, varied difficulty levels and extra modes make this title one platformer you just must have.

Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure

In this action RPG you play a cute little girl and that’s probably why people overlook this title. Don’t let the looks fool you though because this game has more style and challenges than you think.

Metal Slug Anthology

The title is self explanatory. If you like side scrolling action platformers then you’ll love Metal Slug Anthology.

Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony

This RPG title is based on the extremely popular PC version and offers hours of gameplay, three different story lines, tons of weapons, excellent control system and crisp clear graphics. If you’re a fan of Dungeon Siege or just hack ‘n slash RPG's in general, then you might want to give this title a go.

Review by Ynfive

I've always been a fan of the Wipeout series since I played Wipeout XL back on the PSone over 10 years ago. Wipeout has been the only game that gets the formula of combat racing just right. The Sci-fi concept of anti gravity rocket ships has always been refreshing to the overdone rubber on asphalt, allowing an excuse for insane speed, and eye-popping racetracks. The design of the game still will satisfy the technophile. It has been a while since the movie Hackers was the most awesome movie ever, but Wipeout Pulse still flies out of that era to this day keeping some of that techno heart beating.

Pulse keeps the tradition started with XL for the most part intact. That tradition is all in the track design. The tracks are quick and require an actual intimacy with each confining turn to master. They are fun and pretty to look at. Pulse's tracks can feel a bit too confining at times like they are one size too small. I tend to spend a lot of time scrubbing the walls compared to Pure, the previous in the series. Pulse also introduces magnetic strips that cling the ships tight to the track, allowing the track to turn upside-down and sideways. Some of the times these mag strip turns can be confusing when the turns are so tight the track is not much visible past the nose of the ship. They work well in situations that keep your ship from flying off into the horizon for going over a small hill. And one creative use of the strip is having it placed only on one side of the track letting you have the choice of flying over a jump for an alternate route or sticking to the track. Hopefully in future downloads we get to see more creative uses of the mag strip.

The familiar ships of the series are there, and thanks to the trickier turns of the tracks in Pulse, I tend to choose a more varied selection of ships to compliment the track I'll be racing on. Pure had me racing mostly with Triakis, a fast but cumbersome ship. Now in Pulse I tend to have to pick the more manoeuvrable yet slower ships. In fact I've been using the ones I originally enjoyed in XL, mostly Qirex and Feisar, and not just for nostalgic reasons.

All the favourite weapons return. Seeking missiles, plasma beams, and the legendary quake are some of the compliments making a welcome return. There's leech, which I think may have originally been in the less popular Fusion, and allows you to steal energy from your foes. Some new weapons enter the mix like the repulsor, which sends a deadly omni directional blast away from your ship heavily damaging surrounding foes.

The campaign is set up less straightforward than previous in series. They have attempted to mix up the pacing by mixing up the race types. Progression follows unlocking parts of a hexagonal grid. Getting enough medals in one grip unlocks the next of sixteen progressively more intricate grids. This method feels a little experimental, is interesting, and fits the design of the game well, but I could take or leave it. A "Racebox" mode is included that lets you design your own grids. This is a good way to create a collection of your favourite races all in one spot.

Wipeout Pulse includes some nice technical features that make full use of the PSP hardware. Full use of the Wi-fi includes Internet access to the Wipeout web page to download add-ons, and online and ad-hoc multiplayer. Custom paint jobs can even be created on the web page and downloaded. The online painter is even less complex than Microsoft paint, but should still get the job done for someone with a good eye. Up to 30 of your own songs can be included to the music playlist. I put on the original Wipeout XL soundtrack in there just for kicks with a little Prodigy and I feel like its 1997 all over again. An in-race camera mode is also available. The pics are saved to your memory stick as jpegs for later viewing. The camera always centers on your ship though, keeping from making many artsy shots.

Wipeout Pulse is an excellent polished game that uses its platform well. As much of a fan of the series I am, I hate to say it’s starting to feel a little tired. Pulse doesn't offer much new in the series. Maintaining the formula for this series is important, as Fusion proved deviating too much can easily break the game. However Studio Liverpool could have played a little less safe and made more creative uses of the new mag strip, and also come up with some other interesting track concepts like that.

Reviewed by Rooster44

Although the story takes place after the first Jak game, you don't have to play the first game to jump right into Daxter and have a great time. The story is pretty simple, Daxter (Jak's sidekick) finds himself with a bug exterminating job. Daxter goes around doing his job, leading up to the events to save Jak, who is in prison. The story is not to great, but it has enough twists and turns to keep you interested throughout the game. Also, good voice acting and likable characters doesn't hurt.

The gameplay is the main attraction. This game is a Platformer, and has everything you want in a Platformer: different weapons, missions, extras, the whole nine yards. Daxter first starts off with an electric fly swatter, which is the main weapon. Daxter soon gets a gun with different attachments which are useful throughout the game.

Daxter also has a multiplayer mode, in which you play rock paper scissors with bugs. How this works is you can find different combat bugs and upgrades for those bugs throughout the main story. This mode is not very impressive, but it is a fun little extra.

The graphics in Daxter are amazing for a portable system, wrapping up a PS2 experience and putting it in your hands. The only problem in Daxter that brings it down is how short it is. It will probably take you 6 to 8 hours to complete the main story. Overall Daxter is a great PSP game you don't want to overlook.

Reviewed by Hades the Prowler

The Simpsons are a dysfunctional family, and America's most well-known bunch of plain retards. What lured the general audience was the show's unstoppable humorous clips, moments and lines. Because of the show's popularity, games were heavily demanded. Finally, the family goes to the PSP.

The Simpsons Game is heavily based on the series, using the voice-overs, characters and settings found sometime in the show. The existence of various Simpsons one-liners can also be found, as well as other typical Simpsons situations. However, the game caters heavily to fans of the series and not much to those who play casually.

The Simpsons Game is, at its core, a platformer. The typical teamwork run-and-jump mechanics and the kill-the-enemies-no-matter-how-many is also found. Graphics are decent, although the cel-shaded approach isn't exactly a great thing for the PSP.

Cutting to the chase, the best part about the Simpsons Game is the humor. Many collectibles and secret items can be found that is reminiscent of the show. Comic Book Guy represents all the Video Game Cliches that are found in the videogame, Bartman segments are pretty fun and the environments all shout "The Simpsons". Not literally, of course.

All in all, the Simpsons Game is fairly solid. I say so myself since I'm a fan of the series.

PSP gamers seem to constantly talk about custom firmware and the benefits of having it on the console. You’ll find hundreds of forums and websites containing guides, tips, tools, and downloads on CFW all over the web.

Here are some of the main features provided by CFW:

1. You can watch movies from all regions.
2. Run emulators for old console platforms such as NES, SNES, Genesis, Atari, etc.
3. PSP games can play directly from the memory stick.
4. Custom XMB themes can be installed.
5. Full support for third party homebrew applications.

Now while playing movies from all regions and being able to run emulators sound really nice the problem seems to be point nr. 3. Running PSP games directly from the memory stick is quite handy since you don’t have to constantly swap UMD disks but this feature also opens up the door to piracy. Even though the PSP is not that popular in South Africa I was still curious to see how big the effect was CFW had on the gaming community.

PSPSA interviewed local MBB forum member Cerealkilla about CFW and this is what he had to say:

PSPSA: How long have you been in the custom firmware scene?

CK: I’ve been using CFW for about a year now.

PSPSA: Do you think Dark Alex is a genius or just someone who wanted to promote piracy?

CK: I’d go with genius! As for promoting piracy, No! If you download a ripped game, you'll notice in the read me that it's for preview purposes, at the end of the day, it comes down to you as an individual... buy it or be a sad sap.

PSPSA: Is custom firmware in your opinion the main reason for the reasonably low PSP games sales?

CK: I certainly hope not. I think the reason for the low sales rate is marketing and cost related. Firstly, games take ages to reach SA shores. Secondly, some titles are overpriced and last, you don’t see any ads for PSP games!

PSPSA: How many PSP systems have you “hacked” with CFW?

CK: I’ve hacked 3 PSP consoles to date, 2 of my own and a close friend’s console.

PSPSA: Have you experienced any problems while using CFW on PSP’s?

CK: Personally I’ve never come across a bug in the system.

PSPSA: Does running CFW void with the PSP’s warranty?

CK: Yes, it does void the warranty, but you can always reload the original PSP firmware before taking it in and you're good to go. You haven't physically opened the unit.

PSPSA: What’s the main reason you use CFW for?

CK: I use CFW for the homebrew! There are lots of great apps available for the PSP such as using it as a remote for my TV. I love it! Gets my girlfriend really mad when she has the remote and I channel hop!

PSPSA: Do you believe the rumor that the Pandora Battery fix will be patched in the upcoming firmware 4.0?

CK: You know the PSP hackers... anything is possible with time,

PSPSA: What do you think about torrent sites promoting free downloadable PSP ISO images?

CK: I think there should be a fee involved apart from just using your bandwidth. The game should be a full version trial... play it half way, if you dig it, buy the original!

PSPSA: Anything else that you would like to tell us about CFW?

CK: Like I said, I'm a fan of CFW, in my opinion, it rocks. I'll never go back to original FW because my homebrew won’t work.

From what I understand it seems CFW does have its benefits even though games are still being downloaded illegally. The question is who’s to blame. Is it the creators of CFW for allowing the PSP to play pirate games or the users downloading the torrents?

Gauntlet Legends is another title hitting the Playstation Store this year, so let’s go see what this classic is all about…

Originally released on arcade machines by Atari in 1998 the title ported itself to the Playstation, Nintendo 64 and (gasp!) Sega Dreamcast. Gauntlet Legends is a hack ‘n slash RPG (yes, another one) that doesn’t really offer much than the usual killing, collecting, and leveling RPG gamers have gotten pretty use to over the years. Interestingly enough the original title named Gauntlet was released in 1985 and also had an expansion that made it to the Xbox, Gamecube and PS2 as Gauntlet: Dark Legacy.

The Nintendo 64 version was reviewed by IGN in 1999 and scored a pretty decent 7.7 although the score seem to have been focused more on the multiplayer functionality of the game (which obviously won’t work with the store titles). Here’s a quote from IGN:

“This is a very accurate translation of an arcade game to a console and that's a nice accomplishment but how much you'll like it depends on what you thought about it in the arcades. I for one think it's worth a rent first but don't pick it up if you don't like multiplayer co-op games or have no friends.”

Well I’m not really sure if I should get excited by this release although I might just give it a go to see what I’ve missed. If you’re a Gauntlet Legends fan however then this is your lucky day.

Do you sometimes just stare at your fish tank for hours wondering how it would be like to actually be a fish? I guess the biggest nightmare for fish must be to get caught by a nice sharp hook. What on earth does this have to do with the preview? More than you think my friend so let’s get started.

Kawa no Nushi Tsuri aka Legend of the River King is a RPG developed by Natsumi (the same guys that created the Harvest Moon series). Ok fine, I have a confession to make. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of Legend of the River King and was quite surprised that the series was released on various consoles such as NES, SNES, GB, PSX, PS2, and GBA. Either these games where really bad or I’ve been missing something the past couple of years.

The prime object of this game believe it or not is fishing. Your mission is to go find this big fish known as Guardian. Your sister however has been infected with some deadly disease and the only cure is provided by this so called Guardian (sounds like a real sad story to me). The usual RPG elements like collecting stuff, buying stuff, selling stuff, upgrading stuff and chatting to the town’s locals about stuff is also present.

But wait, there’s more! Also included is the very cool fish tank mode (aka Raise) which allows you to raise, breed and feed… fish! Tamagotchi fans should be thrilled. The title is planned for release somewhere throughout the course of the year. ><))’>

The PSP has turned 3 and everywhere on the net you’ll find articles on how the sales figures improved this year. With new features such as Skype, Go!Messenger and games like God of War, Final Fantasy CC and of course Patapon, the PSP has really made it name for itself. PSP fans all over rejoice with the resent success and DS fanboys are still using the same old PSP complains (hey! Stop throwing tomatoes at me!).

Here are some of the PSP highlights for 2008:

1. Not only is the PSP slimmer but it’s also available in new funky colors and special edition box sets.
2. New bigger memory cards have been announced.
3. God of War, Final Fantasy CC, MH 2nd G, do I need to say more?
4. PSP is currently the second best selling console worldwide!
5. Skype, Go!Messenger, and other new firmware upgrades have been added.
6. PSP manages to out sell the Wii in Japan.
7. PSP sales figures are almost reaching 32 million!

Besides the above mentioned highlights PSP gamers also have some great titles to look forward to like Star Ocean, Secret Agent Clank, R-Type Command, N+, Devil May Cry, Phantasy Star Portable, Metal Gear Solid DGN2 and Echocrome just to name a few.

You might have however been wondering what PSP titles have been bringing in most of the sales. Well according to Wikipedia the best selling PSP title seems to be Daxter. Let’s take a look at the sales figures shall we.

1. Daxter (2 Million units sold)
2. Gran Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (1.95 Million units sold)
3. Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (1.95 Million units sold)
4. Monster Hunter Freedom (1.15 Million units sold)
5. Need for Speed Most Wanted (1.04 Million units sold)

In the next couple of months we’ll see GOW, Wipeout Pulse, Final Fantasy CC and even Patapon added to the list. The question is if Daxter will still remain the PSP king.

Reviewed by Hades the Prowler

It's no doubt difficult to take a simplistic masterpiece and dissect it into easier-to-digest chunks, because it's impossible. It's one thing that the game is too simple to even dissect. Another is that its premise is so plain. But with Patapon, these are the good stuff.

Enter a world where you play as a formless deity, commanding a group of simpletons known as the Patapons, as they go through their hunts, missions and the like. And commanding them doesn't take you through cavernous menus and complicated controls. No. Instead, you'll just push buttons like any kid. But there's a catch: you must time your button presses into the rhythm, making it quite addictive. It's so much fun learning what's going to happen to your little people.

And learning gets better, as the graphics contribute to your eagerness. Created by talented French 'artiste' Rolito, the graphics are simple but effective. Subtle movements blend in with the background, character designs are a marvel and every little bit of the special effects make for a very fun sightseeing. All playing on a 2D graphics engine. Yes, Patapon is that great.

And being a rhythm game, of course Patapon has some great musical pieces. The drums you beat are easily recognized, the background music can be easy to get into and the singing of your teeny Patapons are brilliant.

There's also that addictive, charming thing going with it. Even as you play it over and over again, Patapon never gets tiring. It's THAT great.

So, it seems that this review may be on the short side, but expect to see Patapon be on the higher ranks of the PSP games. Don't get left behind. Get Patapon and see how amazing simplicity can be.

On a side note, PSPSA would just like to welcome Hades to the team and would personally like to thank him for his contributions. Hades (also known as AmaterasuFan13) has been writing blog posts and reviews on Gamespot for some time now and his excellent knowledge of PSP is a great addition to our site. Once again we’re proud to have you and hope you enjoy your stay here with us.

Davin Warner
PSP Blogger – South Africa

The PSP (Playstation Portable) was released in Japan on December 12, 2004. The console is already on its way to 4 years! (Where does the time go?) Even though the PSP celebrated a new design and some great titles the past couple of years including familiar names like God of War, Final Fantasy and Silent Hill, there’s always been some emptiness in the PSP gaming market. I was shocked to see over 50 PSX and PS2 platinum titles not showing any signs on the PSP. Well after some research and hours of chatting on forums I narrowed it down to the 10 platinum titles that PSP still needs to be a real Sony hit.

I now present to you the…

Showdown! The 10 Games PSP still needs to be a called real Playstation.

Coolboarders

Yeah, the PSP needs snowboarding, and lots of it. Coolboarders 2, 3 and 4 all hit the platinum series on the PSX and therefore will be a great addition the PSP library.
Spyro The Dragon

Who could possibly forget this little cute fire spitting dragon? This game made it to the PS2 greatest hits range and received the Gamecube player’s choice award. It’s a fun little platformer that caters for everybody.

TimeSplitters

With three titles released on the PS2 and excellent gamer feedback this title might just be the first person shooter the PSP really needs.

Hitman

This game has its own damn movie and has not even touched the PSP console. What on earth could be better then killing people with style in the palm of your hand? Platinum status on PS2 is more than enough reason for a PSP version.

Yeah I know it has been announced but it’s seriously taking too long. To make matters even worse it seems that Capcom is planning on releasing a port rather than an original title. What a shame that would be.

Resident Evil

Another so called announced game that’s just not making any progress. Three movies, 2 million versions and still no PSP release.

Gran Turismo

No comment, seriously.

I honestly don’t know if we’ll see any of these titles soon if ever. Hopefully with the resent jump in hardware sales the developers must just surprise us. We can only hope.

Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony is an Action RPG game we won’t recommend you to play while visiting the toilet (read the name again). If you’ve played Dungeon Siege on the PC before you’ll pretty much know what the game is all about. The most similar PSP game we could find was Untold Legends although Dungeon Siege PSP is better in many aspects.

So you start the game off by hacking and slashing, then after awhile you’ll find yourself still hacking and slashing, so that pretty much gives the idea of what 90% of the game is all about. Unlike the PC version you control your character directly with the analog stick which works surprisingly well. HP and MP potions get triggered by the shoulder buttons and inventory as well as spells with the d-pad. The control layout is actually one of the best we’ve used on the PSP. The game however is not without flaws. (Why does that part always end up in reviews?)

Even though the graphics are pretty sharp and full of texture the frame rate does tend to hinder the game play. You’ll eventually ignore the problem but it would have been a much “smoother” title if it wasn’t for the occasional slowdown. The story itself is nothing to freak out about (even though there are 3 different stories to follow) but luckily it does keep you going until the end. Unfortunately you can’t create your own custom warrior but have to select from 3 game created characters (weird looking crazy blind chick with dual blades, some giant ogre grunt, and a Walt Disney style battle mage). The various locations you visit, monsters you battle (each with their own sound effects) and quests you do does however make up for most of the flaws.

There is plenty and we mean millions of items you can loot and sell even though most of them are pretty useless. Overall if you’re a fan of Dungeon Siege or just looking for a hack ‘n slash game for your PSP then I would recommend checking Dungeon Siege out. The game will last you a couple of hours with the only downside of it being relatively easy (harder modes get unlocked after completing the game).

Anyway I’m off to go test my new Sword of Zaramoth!

Well for those who aren’t familiar with Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus (what a mouth full) here’s a quote of what the game is all about.

“Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus is a standalone follow-up to last year's award winning stealth action title Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. Focusing on a portable multiplayer experience, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus players will be able to enjoy more maps, more missions, and recruit a talented crew of war heroes for battling real opponents in online arenas”

The title has recently been released in Europe and is currently err…out of stock in SA (Take 2). The PSP is however not that popular in South Africa and that makes me wonder how good the multiplayer based games are doing here. I probably only know two people who actually own a PSP which is quite sad. I would really like to buy the title but due to the lack of PSP gamers here I might just hold back for awhile. For the lucky MGS fans that have buddies with PSP’s I would fully recommend purchasing the latest installment.

Don’t tell me you never heard of Klonoa! Well this game is really similar to that pink cute monster called Kirby if you ever played that before. The title is a side-scrolling action type game with a Pseudo-3D appearance.

Throughout the game you’ll do the usual Super Mario stunts by jumping around, ridding the world of baddies and collecting various items etc. The title did very well on the PSX and even received a 9.2 and editors choice award from Gamespot (God of War only received 8.5!) so check the review there for more information.

There is currently no ETA on the store arrival but should show up in the next couple of months. (Hey, it’s better than waiting for GT Mobile)