The Power Review

State of the PSP: April 2009

Now in the fifth year of the portable console’s lifecycle, the PSP has made huge strides over the years.  From humble beginnings, Sony has become the first console to successfully survive against the reigning portable industry juggernaut, Nintendo.  With each iteration of the PSP, Sony has improved its functionality:  internet interface, VOIP calling, PSP Plus (Resistance Retribution) just to name a few.  But just as people are starting to doubt whether this console really has the legs to make it, Sony has turned their lineup into high gear.

Let’s just review quickly.  These are the games that have been announced to come out for the PSP in the near future:

o     Final Fantasy Dissidia

o     LittleBigPlanet Portable

o     Gran Turismo Portable

o     Assassin’s Creed Portable

o     Dante’s Inferno

o     MotorStorm: Arctic Edge

o     FFXIII : Agito

o     Square Enix titles: Parasite Eve, Kingdom Hearts

o     Rockband Unplugged

There have already been a couple of blockbusters released this year: Patapon 2 (which just got a 9.5 from IGN) and Resistance Retribution.  Despite the console’s age, these are still two of the most important titles that have been released for it, and here’s why.

Resistance Retribution is an incredibly demanding singleplayer and multiplayer experience on a portable console.  Sony Bend managed to create this shooter on a console that only has one joystick, yet the multiplayer is still amazingly fun and balanced.  Not only that, but with this title they released the concept of PSP Plus, where gamers can actually use a Duelshock 3 controller with their PSP to play the shooter with a controller that might feel a little more natural to them.

Patapon 2 was innovative in an entirely different sense.  This game not only is one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in years, but it also shows Sony’s roadmap for the future of the PSP.  Everyone has talked about digital distribution being the future of gaming in the next generation.  Well the fact is that it’s already here, this generation, and it is going to become more and more prevalent in the portable consoles.  I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see the majority of the titles listed above to be available as both digital downloads and retail games on UMD.

Lastly, let me touch on the rumors of the PSP2/PSP4000 that is supposedly coming out before the year’s end.  There is a distinct possibility that it may come out, and I fully expect Sony to release it without a UMD drive.  The only way for this to work and still have the ability to play all of the existing games in the PSP library would be to have the entirety available via the PSN.  Wouldn’t that be an amazing E3 announcement?  No more battery sucking UMD drive, and the entire game library would be available for download.  Don’t expect this to happen, but it definitely is something that Sony should be working towards.

Please leave your comments after the post to let me know what you think!

**** EDIT*****

Also, after I published this article, Tekken 6 was announced to be on the PSP as well.  Thanks for the tip… Also, thanks for IGN for breaking this story!

Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny is also part of the list… thanks to Dustin for leaving a comment on this one!