Back in the PS1/early PS2 eras, I was an unabashed Sony fan. I was a product of the "can-only-afford-one" mentality of superiority; a raging fanboy with little care for the logistics. Later on, I bought my DS before my PSP and my 360 long before my PS3, ending that. But as time goes on, I find myself spending larger and larger percentages of my gaming time on Sony platforms. So if this simple, best-of list comes across a little gushy, it's because I feel like I'm holding the future in my hands when I play my PSP.

The PSP is in the middle of a renaissance. For quite possibly the first fall ever, there are more PSP games worth getting than DS ones. There are three recent releases that I've been playing the hell out of; the only reason I put one down is to play one of the others. Here they are.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite - 29.99



Monster Hunter is a series that goes woefully unappreciated in North America. The premise is jaw-drop-ening-ly cool: you hunt giant monsters, slay them with a combination of skill and tactics, then skin their bodies and make them into armour. Just playing a demo or the first few hours of the game don't do it justice; Monster Hunter is for the long haul. It will take every shred of your ability to beat the first wyvern you fight, and when you make that Khezu Shock Sword you've been hankering for, you'll feel like you deserve it.

Not only that, Capcom has made a real effort with this entry to bring it to a North American audience. The localized version features better beginner training, and since North Americans are woefully antisocial when it comes to portables, provides Felyne companions to help you solo.

Even as a re-release of a year-old title, Freedom Unite looks beautiful on a PSP screen and reminds you what the platform promised in 2005: console quality experiences everywhere you go.

I know Demon's Souls gets a lot of hype around here for it's unique, hard-as-nails skill-based progression. As far as I'm concerned, that's an experience that's been available in Monster Hunter for years... IN YOUR HANDS.

Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny - 39.99


The game actually looks this good.

I know Soul Calibur is one of the less popular fighting franchises these days. Street Fighter is forever; BlazBlue is beautiful; KoF is... excessive? But to me, Soul Calibur is first and foremost. For the first time, you can play Soul Calibur on your handheld. Not a port of the PS1 version of Soul Calibur Alpha 2 Climax, or some such nonsense - no, this is a bona fide entry in the series, taking everything great about IV to the next level.

First, Broken Destiny has the best AI in the series. Quick Match opponents actually have strategies, combos and tells. Second, it has a new mode, The Guantlet, which is the most effective character training tool I've ever seen. It fixed 8-way run from IV and makes it genuinely useful. It looks gorgeous on a PSP screen.

Finally, the new characters are amazing. Running out of standard weapons has forced the SC devs to be clever with their weapons; first there was Tira with the hoop, then Hilde with sword and spear. Now we get Dampierre with hidden blades and an element of chance to his fighting style. Kratos' Blades of Chaos fit perfectly into the Soul Calibur roster. Both characters have genuinely interesting new stances and combat styles that change up gameplay significantly.

This is the definitive Soul Calibur experience and it's only on PSP. Do yourself a favour and pick it up.

Motorstorm: Arctic Edge - 39.99



It's hard to believe Motorstorm could make the transition to the PSP. Now that it has, it's hard to believe the entry could be a good one. Contrary to all disbelief, Arctic Edge is more than just adequate - it's excellent. Much like Broken Destiny, it's not just a port either; it's a progression of the series with new mechanics and elements that will no doubt make their way to the next console version.

Using it's frigid setting for inspiration, the environmental effects of Arctic Edge are the major game-changer. You'll find yourself sliding across an ice field, falling through a collapsing ice bridge and narrowly escaping avalanches. In general, Arctic Edge is more slippery and chaotic than Pacific Rift; crashing is an omnipresent risk when you're barely in control, sliding across the ice with a tanker soaring over your head.

The courses are obviously the most important part of the Motorstorm experience. Arctic Edge delivers in spades. Some of the tracks have already become series-favourites of mine. Particularly, The Chasm and Vertigo are as good as the best of Pacific Rift.


Honestly, it's an amazing time to be a PSP owner. These three are just the games I've been playing now - I have eight more loaded on my Memory Stick and more tempting me from the store. Honorable mentions worth playing now include Persona, Disgaea and the Peace Walker demo (yeah, the demo is that good). In 2004 Sony announced the PSP and promised I'd be playing the best of my console games wherever I went. It took five years but it's finally happened. It's an exciting to be a gamer - anywhere you go.