The Sony PlayStation Portable was a long-awaited console, the only one that was able to compete with Nintendo’s offerings at the time, such as the DS. The PSP is known for its huge library of games, many of which are RPGs.
While these may not be everyone’s cup of tea, following are the 10 best PSP RPG games of all time.
Persona 3 Portable
Release: 2006/2010
Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus (Japan, North America), Ghostlight (Europe)
Persona 3 Portable was brought to the PSP 3 and 4 years after its initial release, depending on the region. As we have come to learn, Persona games bring us an everyday setting that offers adventure and an unexpected turn of events that spices up life.
You are free to choose your life in the game, and you must balance school and social life. Add to that your nighttime activities, where you fight various creatures. One of the game’s main plot elements is people turned into coffins. Picture that as you ponder whether you should play the game (you definitely should).
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Release: 2007
Developer: Square Enix/Tose
Publisher: Square Enix
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is set in the world of Ivalice, which should be known to everyone familiar with Final Fantasy. Two kingdoms at war, and you there, trying to find a solution, which ultimately leads to battle.
The Tactics part of the title refers to the way the battles are played out. Unlike most Final Fantasy games, characters move on a grid, much like you would see in the Shining Force titles of old, such as Shining Force II. It is a different, but by no means negative experience.
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
Release: 2010
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep is the continuation of Disney’s collaboration with Square Enix, and the result is a very good RPG. We follow three characters, Terra, Ventus, and Aqua, as they search for their lost master, Xehanort, while also protecting the world, you know, the everyday things.
This is an action RPG with a focus on battling from a third and first-person perspective. Magic is charged through a Focus bar and expelled in first-person mode. Three scenarios for the three main characters are available, and playable in any order. All three must be completed before the game’s finale can be reached.
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Release: 2010/2011
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
This is a remake of the 1996 SNES title of the same name, without the Let Us Cling Together part. The setting is an island kingdom, named Valeria. We follow protagonist Denam Pavel, who is a resistance member. The game’s story plays out according to the player’s decisions.
As far as gameplay elements are concerned, the battles are turn-based, on a grid, a familiar formula. The player can move on the world map and every move equals an entire day. The weather conditions affect your statistics, both out of battle and in battle.
Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
Release: 1999/2006
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth is the PSP version of the original game, released for the PS1 in 1999. The game focuses on the eponymous Valkyrie, named Lenneth. Her quests come straight from the Norse Pantheon, and the main game mechanic focuses on collecting souls from departed warriors.
Lenneth has multiple ways of interacting with the world, including flight, as well as combat. The overworld is explored in 3D, and Lenneth can scan the world for nearby points of interest, including einherjar, the souls that you need. City exploration is in 2D, reminiscent of the great RPGs of the 1990s.
Ys Seven
Release: 2009/2010
Developer: Nihon Falcom
Publisher: XSEED Games
Ys Seven departs from the mechanics of the previous Ys games because it implements real-time combat. Previously, players had to switch between weapons. In this game, you control one character and the rest are controlled by the AI which you can program to attack in whichever way you find the most efficient.
Adol and Dogi are adventurers who get in trouble by attempting to save two girls from local military forces. They end up in prison very briefly and once they get out, adventure awaits, which includes lots of battles and of course, the unveiling of dangerous secrets.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Release: 2008
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII gives us more content for the epic Final Fantasy VII, one of the best PS1 games. We follow SOLDIER Zack Fair, a familiar name for anyone who played FF VII. His exploits are legendary, but in this game, we get to see more of them, in what is considered to be a prologue.
Similarly to the original FF VII, you can explore the world in 3D and interact with NPCs. Combat is real-time, using materia to affect your abilities. They are your bread and butter, enhancing passive abilities, providing new ones, magic, and an essential gameplay component. It is a great game and not just a complement.
Jeanne d’Arc
Release: 2006/2007
Developer: Level-5
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Jeanne d’Arc’s story is familiar to most interested in history. However, this game takes that and blends it with fantasy, namely a battle between humankind and demons. Couple those together and you get a great fantasy RPG, with some history sprayed here and there.
You control Jeanne and her party, moving on an overworld map. Most of the time when you enter a new location, you will have a battle. There are also cities and villages where you can restock your supplies and interact with NPCs. Some classic elements and some innovations, make this a great game.
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
Release: 2009
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is a standard Monster Hunter game in terms of its mechanics. You hunt giant monsters with the goal of becoming as well-known as possible. You can also do it with friends. This is in fact, the way the game was meant to be played. This is considered one of the best PSP games, let alone a great RPG.
Freedom Unite is actually a remake/port of Monster Hunter Freedom 2. That in itself is a continuation of Monster Hunter Freedom. If you want to know the full story, there are a couple of games that should be played. Even on its own, it is a great RPG with lots of challenging battles.
Star Ocean: Second Evolution
Release: 2008
Developer: tri-Ace/Tose
Publisher: Square Enix
Star Ocean: Second Evolution is a port of Star Ocean: The Second Story, a game for the original PlayStation, released in 1998. Second Evolution is the sequel to the First Departure. The events take place twenty years in the future compared to the first game.
Some characters from the first game make cameos. Other characters are there in spirit, as their children take the reins. You can explore the world and are encouraged to do so. Your decisions matter and will shape the events of the game. Various endings are possible, depending on your choices.
The PSP has a vast library of games, and these are some of the best PSP RPG games that should give you a taste of what could come.
They are playable through a PSP emulator, via the original handheld, or through the PlayStation Network. Whichever world you choose to immerse yourself in, you will not be disappointed.
