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I have a PSP and am very late to the party. What do I buy?
Glass.Cannon
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've never been a big fan of handheld games, and the PSP is a system that I've outright ignored thanks to it's terrible selection of games early on. A friend recently showed me some good games on it, and the drastically reduced price over the weekend convinced me to get one. I've barely even looked at the selection of games for this until now, so I could use some recommendations.
I picked up a bunch of games for cheap when I bought the system and spent the holiday playing them. Here's what I have or am planning to buy.
R-Type: Command - bought on a whim, but this is actually amazing so far
Mega Man Powered Up - ignored it forever because it looked like a lazy spinoff, but this is also awesome
Armored Core: Formula Front - in which you spend 3 hours customizing a team of robots, and the next 50 trying to make them slightly less stupid
Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles - Because I am a horrible person and have not played SOTN yet. If this happens to be a bad port, please warn me so I can return it soon.
Prinny - I actually bought this a while ago when I saw it in Toys R Us with the soundtrack, since my wife insisted that we get a PSP someday for whatever FF7 game is on it and I knew this was a difficult one to find. Now it's lost in my room somewhere and I'm trying so hard to find it because it looked like exactly the sort of game I want to play.
Whatever FF7 game is on it - I don't have any strong feelings about FF7 either way, but I didn't like it enough to play its spinoffs or remember what they're all called.
FF Tactics remake - I love Tactics and I want it with me wherever I go
I'm not interested in buying anything that I can experience better on a main console, and the prevalence of sequels/spinoffs of existing PS2/PS3 games is why I've ignored this for so long. So, no God of War, Dynasty Warriors, or anything like that unless it is very different from the other titles in its series and there is no other way to play it. I can already tell that I'm going to hate this stick(?) for anything intense, so I'd prefer 2D games that use the D-Pad. Formula Front is an exception because I don't actually have to fight in it.
My favorite genres are platformers and SRPGs (anything with a grid), and I'll play the occasional standard RPG if there's something interesting about it. Most of the games Atlus puts out are good examples. Space shooters are fine too, but I already know a guy who's an expert on them and knows my preferences, so I'll probably hear about them all in the next few days. my wife loves puzzlers, so feel free to mention any of those you like as well.
In particular, I'd like to hear about anything interesting or weird that would be worth looking into. I noticed a game on the shelf that I can't remember the name of which claims to be a cross of an SRPG and a bullet hell shooter. I have no idea how they pulled off that unholy union, but I'm certainly going to try it.
So, what should I buy next?
EDIT: Almost forgot- I am not a fan of downloadable content and I'm not going to have a good internet connection until I get my own house sometime in the summer, so nothing that relies heavily on downloads or is only good for multiplayer.
I picked up a bunch of games for cheap when I bought the system and spent the holiday playing them. Here's what I have or am planning to buy.
R-Type: Command - bought on a whim, but this is actually amazing so far
Mega Man Powered Up - ignored it forever because it looked like a lazy spinoff, but this is also awesome
Armored Core: Formula Front - in which you spend 3 hours customizing a team of robots, and the next 50 trying to make them slightly less stupid
Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles - Because I am a horrible person and have not played SOTN yet. If this happens to be a bad port, please warn me so I can return it soon.
Prinny - I actually bought this a while ago when I saw it in Toys R Us with the soundtrack, since my wife insisted that we get a PSP someday for whatever FF7 game is on it and I knew this was a difficult one to find. Now it's lost in my room somewhere and I'm trying so hard to find it because it looked like exactly the sort of game I want to play.
Whatever FF7 game is on it - I don't have any strong feelings about FF7 either way, but I didn't like it enough to play its spinoffs or remember what they're all called.
FF Tactics remake - I love Tactics and I want it with me wherever I go
I'm not interested in buying anything that I can experience better on a main console, and the prevalence of sequels/spinoffs of existing PS2/PS3 games is why I've ignored this for so long. So, no God of War, Dynasty Warriors, or anything like that unless it is very different from the other titles in its series and there is no other way to play it. I can already tell that I'm going to hate this stick(?) for anything intense, so I'd prefer 2D games that use the D-Pad. Formula Front is an exception because I don't actually have to fight in it.
My favorite genres are platformers and SRPGs (anything with a grid), and I'll play the occasional standard RPG if there's something interesting about it. Most of the games Atlus puts out are good examples. Space shooters are fine too, but I already know a guy who's an expert on them and knows my preferences, so I'll probably hear about them all in the next few days. my wife loves puzzlers, so feel free to mention any of those you like as well.
In particular, I'd like to hear about anything interesting or weird that would be worth looking into. I noticed a game on the shelf that I can't remember the name of which claims to be a cross of an SRPG and a bullet hell shooter. I have no idea how they pulled off that unholy union, but I'm certainly going to try it.
So, what should I buy next?
EDIT: Almost forgot- I am not a fan of downloadable content and I'm not going to have a good internet connection until I get my own house sometime in the summer, so nothing that relies heavily on downloads or is only good for multiplayer.
Glass.Cannon on
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http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=130994
Anywho, my favorite PSP games are Every Extend Extra, Gitaroo Man Lives & Me & My Katamari. And yes I know all of these are exactly the opposite of what you're asking for, but they're my favorites and I feel the need to push 'em any time someone mentions the PSP.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGQEVpM0Xj0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tonV2IWTdp4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeQWYoZxA5U
Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
Every Extend Extra looks interesting, and it's probably a great example of what I'm looking for. I'm at work so I can't watch the video, but it sounds like a different spin on a space shooter so I'll play it. I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance if I saw it on the shelf since it looks like a rhythm game or something.
As for rhythm games, I'd rather just stick to DDR when I'm in the mood for one so I can get some exercise too. They're all kinda the same to me.
Katamari was fun when I played one of the PS2 games, but I don't get how you can play it on the PSP without two sticks. Besides, unless it's something different I'd rather buy the console version. I'll have a look at the vid when I get home.
Collections of old games aren't really necessary either, since I probably own the originals for most of them. I might be interested if they have games that didn't get released in the U.S.
By all means though, push your favorites. Opinionated as I am, I'm always willing to bend my preferences if the game in question is good enough or if the aesthetics manage to suck me in.
The storylines are good, but it is a bit fragmented the way they implemented it. It's still my favorite one from the PS1 era, and I only really got into about four RPGs on that console for as many as I played. Every event and arc in the story is pretty much universally depressing.
I was in about the same boat as you when I got my psp a few weeks ago. I got the system, then looked around and realized there were no games I cared to play. If you can pick up a reasonably priced memory card the thing is a serviceable portable media player.
Right now I'm getting the most play our of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, which is a neat little game, and Valkyria Chronicles 2, which is an abomination when it comes to story and characters, but has interesting gameplay.
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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Slash has a pretty good list of great games from all the consoles with descriptions of each game.
PSN Hypacia
Xbox HypaciaMinnow
Discord Hypacia#0391
I think Crisis Core is the one my wife bought. I might play it someday, but like I said I wasn't that interested in 7 to begin with. I've always been a fan of 6 and 9.
My only experience with the Ogre games was Ogre Battle 64 which, when comparing cost to quality, is easily the worst purchase I have ever made. I've ignored the series since, but now in the past few days I've had at least 3 people tell me to play Tactics Ogre. This one looks like a proper SRPG and I've heard nothing but praise for it, so I'll probably pick this up whenever it hits the shelves.
If you can beat that game, you can do anything.
Re: the ports, some are better. Disgaea adds a ton of new content, and it really is PS2 perfect.
If you like rhythm games, DJ MAX was designed with the PSP in mind, and plays like a dream.
Heck of a learning curve, but you get used to it.
I think someone else up above mentioned Crisis Core. I'll suggest it as well, I really enjoyed it.
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite: You kill big angry shit. With swords bigger than your body. Its win/win.
Brave Story: Typical old school JRPG. Good story though and beautiful graphics.
Kingdom hearts Birth by Sleep: Okay, its an actiony game with RPG elements. Whatever, its awesome.
Ys 7 and Oath of Falghana: Get these now. Ys is spectacular and the PSP ones are fantastic overhead hack n slash adventure RPG... things.
Metal Gear Acid: Card based SRPG metal gear game thats more fun than you'd think.
Zettai Hero Project: A mystery dungeon game, with lots of awesome and a couple prinny.
Cladun: a classic hack n slash dungeon asskicking fest.
Dissidia: Awesome 3d fightingish game based on Final Fantasy. It's a lot of fun and surprisingly complex, also built around the limitations of the PSP controls so no finger breaking combos.
GTA chinatown wars: One of the few modern GTA games I've actually finished. It's amazing. So much better than the original DS game.
Gurumin is a great lighthearted adventure/platformer.
Half minute hero is an amazingly fun... uh.. ...hack n slash game I guess?
Killzone liberation and Resistance Retribution are good fun. First being a top/down shooter, second being a TPS. Both tons of fun.
Of course there is VALKYRIA CHRONICLES 2. Because its all about the awesome SRPG. No grid, but whatever, they have hand grenades.
It works well enough on the road, but I often chose my PSP over my 360 when I was working on killing giant monsters.
Don't worry about picking up MHFU thinking it's a sequel, the content of the originals is pretty much included, and the interface improvements and shortcuts make the game much more enjoyable.
Part 3 is out in Japan, but unless you can read Japanese you will have to wait more than half a year for it I believe.
It's like Monster Hunter and Metal Gear Solid had a baby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT99EFlHSCg
Also, I don't know if I really recommend MHFU unless you're already a fan of the MH games. Or unless your hand is already a gnarled claw (the camera controls are on the dpad, but you move with the left thumbstick).
It's a phenomenal game if you can get past that limitation though, and there's content as far as the eye can see. Maybe one day I'll beat Plesioth and I can get beyond the second chapter.
My only experience with Monster Hunter was the demo disc of Tri. I love the behavior of the monsters themselves, but everyone handles like bricks and I hear there's a load of grinding, so I'm staying away from it for now. Besides, there's no way I'd attempt this on the PSP. I tried that control sceme before (D-pad for camera, stick for move) when I played Virtual On one time with a normal Dreamcast controller. I think I actually hurt myself doing it.
Demon's Souls seems to play similar and I like how it handles better, so I think I'll stick to that.
A friend of mine just told me that the Metal Gear card game is worth getting, and now I see it on here too. As someone who never cared for the series much (only played a little of Solid 2 and the first NES game), can I get into this without knowing the other games?
I have the remake of Y's 1 and 2 for DS and Y's 3 on the SNES. So far it's a rough and mostly average action RPG series, but you have an insane move speed and the game progresses so quickly that there isn't really a need for anything deep. It's like a very satisfying potato chip to (any major JRPG)'s three course dinner and 100 hour dessert. If the series is still going with that style, I'll get the rest of them sometime.
I've been playing What Did I Do To Deserve This My Lord 2 for the past couple days. I'm enjoying it despite the awkward title, though I still have no idea what I'm doing in it. Look it up if you want something completely different.
Its like if Disgeaa and Nethack had a baby.
If you like puzzle games, puzzle quest. I typically try to avoid action games on the psp...the analog stick makes my hand hurt pretty quickly and im constantly in fear im going to break it off if i move it too quickly.
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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