Even though the PSP is one of Sony’s most forgotten consoles, some of its best games have been remastered.Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7redid a classic prequel starring Zack whileKingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleepalso filled in some gaps with a prequel. Even first-party games likeLocoRocoandPataponhave received remasters.
There are also some enhanced versions of PSP games available to purchase on the PS5 or they are free with certainPS Plus levels. They clean up the visuals and add some bonuses too like save states. How many PSP fans know about this secret project? Let’s get to some hidden gems Sony has helped push on the PS5.
Daxter was one of the earliest PSP games which was a spinoff to theJak and Daxterseries. It took place in-between the first and second game, right after the pair warp into the future and Jak gets kidnapped. In his search for Jak, Daxter meets new friends in the city and becomes an exterminator, fit with a little electric flyswatter.
It may seem like a weird premise but the action and platforming mechanics were good. Also, Daxter was hilarious as always, ranking up there as one of Sony’s funniest sidekicks. Fans of the PSP and this series should also check outJak and Daxter: The Lost Frontieron the PS5 which was the last game in the series.
Jeanne d’Arcis finally brought back to prominence which is great since it is one ofLevel-5’s best games. It’s an alternative history game about Joan of Arc fighting with France against England just like in the history books. The twist is that she gets a magical armband that lets her transformSailor Moonstyle and there are anthropomorphic animals like pigs and lizards.
It’s a tactical RPG too with all the usual bells and whistles from equipment menus to tile-based maps. Tactical RPG fans will want to check it out for sure. While it would be great if it got a full-on remaster or sequel, at least the PS5’s internal emulation does a good job and people can finally play it legally and easily again.
Since it debuted on the PS2,theKillzoneserieshas received a new game on every system minus the PS5. Most are first-person shooters but this PSP spinoff,Killzone: Liberation, was a bit different. It’s a top-down shooter with a bit of strategy gameplay infused into it sort of like theTom Clancy’s Ghost Recongames.
Enemies always outnumber the heroes, so players have to be smart about moving forward. There are tons of guns and gadgets to unlock, plus the story isn’t bad either. It’s a shame they didn’t make more top-down entries like this on the PSP or PS Vita but there’s always time to correct that mistake.
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, true to its punny title, proved that a fullRatchet & Clankexperiencecould be enjoyed on the PSP. It came out after all of the PS2 games in 2007. The plot involves the duo once again hopping from planet to planet fighting aliens to save the galaxy.
The two are armed to the teeth with a wild variety of weapons along with Ratchet’s trusty wrench. Ratchet levels up by increasing his HP and guns level up in random ways too. It’s a formula that Insomniac began with the second game on the PS2 and that’s where things were perfected. WhileRatchet & Clank: Size Mattersdidn’t introduce anything wild into the lore or gameplay loop, it was still an exciting action platformer on the PSP that holds up better on the PS5.
Resistance: Retributioncontinued the fight against the invading Chimera aliens duringWorld War 2. The gameplay switched from a first-person shooter to a cover-based shooter but that was all for the better on the PSP. Also, the new protagonist, James Grayson, was better than the original’s Nathan Hale.
James was part of the British Army, so players got more of a connection since the warfront was on European soil. Also, he was just a more charismatic character despite his dark backstory and he was aided by a capable cast of NPCs along the way. LikeKillzone: Liberation, it’s too bad there weren’t more games like this on the PSP or moreResistancegames in general past the PS Vita. The alternate history take on World War 2 was quite compelling especially when the warfront went to North American soil in the second game.
1Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror
Gabe And Lian Return
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirrorwas the first game in theSyphon Filterserieson the PSP and the first game in quite some time.Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain, the entry on the PS2, was not received as well as the original PS1 trilogy. So this game, and its sequelSyphon Filter: Logan’s Shadowwhich is also emulated well on the PS5, was like an updated return to form.
Gabe and Lian came back for more stealthy missions across the globe. There were more weapons, a diverse gadget wheel, better stealth mechanics, shooting was easier, and so on. Both games were received well enough on the PSP that they got PS2 ports as well but they were released far too late into the console’s life cycle. Shamefully, there was never a PS3 game during this era, andSyphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow’s PS2 port was the last entry overall as of 2010.
