There’s been a huge burst of news articles surrounding the PSP2, or ‘NGP’ as its working name has it known. All eyes are trained on the upcoming fight between the 3DS and NGP; who will prosper and who will fail abysmally? Questions you should hold back for another article, because right now we’ll be looking at what’s in store for the underdog of the handheld world of consoles, namely the PSP. It’s well known in the gaming world that the PSP didn’t do “all that well” so to start off lets look at some of the figures. So far the PSP has sold around 66 million units; that’s a fair amount of hardware in the hands of the general public, but in comparison to the DS/DSi/DSiXL line it seems fairly small potatoes. The combined sold DS units add up to a staggering 145.2 million units so far and are still selling well, so it’s no wonder that gamers are expecting another repeat of history when it comes to the new contenders. As mentioned above however, we’re here to look at the bigger picture of the story and not just how the new guys will fare.

"It's a PSP Jim, but not as we know it!"

66 million units is nothing to be smugly snorted at, the money generated from these sales on hardware alone is a pretty penny to be sure. The software for the PSP has always been said to be a little lacklustre, but looking at what’s on offer for the PSP now we see a great line up for any newcomer. As some of you will know the PSN has a “PSP Essentials” list including games such as Wipeout Pulse, LocoRoco, Patapon 1 &2, Burnout Legends, Everybody’s Golf and Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters. Those listed are by no means all there are on offer, the downloadable list comes to around 75 games in total and is growing by the week – but that’s just the Essentials list that also comes in real world flavours. We know Sony have been busy adding to their new minis range also, which runs into around the 200 games mark so far, and these are much cheaper than full retail released games (though, it has to be said, are still a bit more expensive than the App Store offerings) and includes big-hitters from the App Store such as Edge, Bloons, Angry Birds and Shift. There are also various services that Sony have offered the PSP audience including a Skype mode, mobile radio networks, downloadable movies, media Go and interactive comics, and all this combines to give the user something that can be utilised as not just a mobile games console, but a very useful multimedia device.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I can't hear you because I'm talking on a PSP, the wrong way"

So why then, did the PSP “fail”? Too much to offer perhaps and thereby confusing the market, or not enough support from it’s birth? Whatever the reasons, I’m convinced it’s about to take a U-turn from its trend. The Essentials list I mentioned before has been steadily dropping in price over the last few months, going from around £9.99 to a more wallet pleasing £6.99 or less. Could this be a sly move being made by Sony to position the PSP toward a much more purse-friendly price point? The ever-growing minis catalogue is also becoming stronger by the day, and has been subject to various sales over the winter months bringing prices down again to around the £0.99 mark rather than its hefty £2.99 price points. With the new NGP and Xperia (or Sony Phone) close to release it would make good business sense to offer the lesser PSP models for much, much less. What this will then do is allow the technophiles to revel in their new hardware and argue over which is better, but also give those with a lesser budget or interest a chance to break into the handheld world of gaming with much less financial risk. The new Xperia phone will also bring access to some of the games mentioned previously but also allow users to surf the Andriod market too, effectively giving people an alternative to Apple’s massive world dominating App Store. So, all well and good but keeping on track with the PSP, what does that mean for the unloved device?

"It's just an experiment!" I cried. But no one would listen

It seems Sony have another little trick up their collective sleeve, going by the name of PS Suite. There hasn’t been too much talk about this around the internet but it’s known to be a “cross-device content delivery service” opening up a huge amount of content for the Xperia and NGP. It also means any smart phone will be able to utilise Sony’s massive back catalogue of games and thereby offering their content to a huge new user base; but I digress, we’re talking about the PSP here and as such I’m hoping the device won’t be left out of this loop. My reasoning is this; as PS Suite brings access to PS games en mass, the PSP will hopefully be reconsidered by new users. By allowing access to the minis range and a host of PS1 classics, rather than pinching a few for your smart phone and “making do”, new users might consider buying a (new low price) PSP for dedicated gaming. It’s a bit of a long shot I know, but it could happen. There’s no denying the face of mobile gaming hasn’t just had a bit of cosmetic surgery, but rather an entire head-transplant, and as this becomes glaringly obvious companies such as Sony and Nintendo will have to evolve to survive. Sony seem to be making the right steps this time, and those who insist the NGP should be priced alongside the new DS are missing the point. The PSP and 3DS are already nearly on a graphical par, obviously the 3DS has a lot more power (and its 3D screen) but its price will reflect that. What the PSP has in relation to that is a huge back catalogue that’s still growing today, not to mention its versatile nature which allows much more to be done with it. A PSP might be “too clunky” or “awkward” for most commuters to bring with them during their daily travels, but I wonder how fast that attitude would change if it only cost £50 or £60 to buy brand new.

If Sony reposition the humble PSP to a price that’s attractive, while bringing awareness to a larger audience via PS Suite, the PSP might just get another gust into its sails (see what I did there!?). At this time of writing the PSP is currently leading the sales pack in Japan thanks to Monster Hunter, and once the big boys come out to play (namely the NGP and 3DS) those who scoff at the price of the new machines might feel a little more shop-smart by buying a PSP instead. With the declining prices of the Essentials list, access to a growing minis list, and continued support who would blame them? If Sony can get their marketing right this time (hey! You never know) and make it known that it’s possible to play their games on either a generic smart phone, the home-grown Xperia, the NGP or any model of PSP it should be easy for anyone with any budget to gain access to the majority of their software. Who knows, the PSP might one day see that 100 million mark too!

The All Conquering Network!

• Format: PSN
  
• Unleashed: Out Now
• Publisher: various
• Developer: various
• Players: 1
• Site: http://uk.playstation.com/ps3/games/

For those of you who still have a PSP, still use it and regularly connect to the PSN, we thought it might be nice to a do a general roundup of some of the Mini titles which have been released since the service began.

For the uninitiated the Minis are small games which are normally singleplayer only, lacking in network play, and are ‘cheap’. If we lived in a world where only Nintendo or Sony existed then they would be cheap against their £7-£23 AAA cousins; but in a world of Android and Apple, cheap is really a word which would be best left out of any description relating to PSN Minis. Prices range from around £1 up to £4-£5. Most hover around the £2-£3 mark and those games which are also on Ios or Android are almost always at least £1-£2 more on the Sony PSN store. Additionally, as previously mentioned, they also lack network play. This despite only being available to people who are able to access the PSN, the PlayStation Network. Go figure….

Incidentally all Minis can also be played on your PS3. We are yet to work out why you might want to do this. The graphics look awful on a large HD television, and if you do have a PS3, you must have a game or two which is better. Still, at least this ability allows us to feel that we can get more value from the purchase. Somehow.

A Space Shooter for 2 Bucks

Interestingly, in the UK this game is not 2 bucks, but £1.74 which is almost great value. On the iphone though it would probably be 79p. It’s a top down scrolling game with great production values – full speech, a range of music, great artwork and some old fashioned top down shooter action. It plays reasonably well, but the ‘drift’ on your craft might take getting used to for some. The only real criticism is that the space background, which is lovely to look at sometimes, makes it hard to see the enemy bullets coming towards you. If you love space shooters, this is not a bad purchase; but if you were never into the genre there is no need to look here.

7/10

Looks VERY pretty for a Mini, even for a full blown PSN title. But if they had released it NOT as a Mini, but as a cheap PSN title (£4 is more than most or all minis) then they could have included network play!

NOVA, Near Orbital Vanguard Alliance

This one costs around £4 and is an FPS. At first you think, ‘wow an FPS for £4!’. That is, until you find the same game on Ios for less money, and with network play. Still, what is the PSN version like? Well it’s a clear Halo clone, without the AI. To be honest it is not all that bad, and at £2 we would have no problem recommending it. However it’s not £2. It looks pretty and the control scheme is not bad considering the problem is with the PSP design and not the game. For sure the gameplay is repetitive and the AI stinks, but the game has regular save points – so if you want a ‘stop-start’ FPS this is a good game to get if you can stomach being ripped off from a value for money perspective.

6/10

Echo, Echo, echo, e-c-h-o......

Echos

Echos is a great game. It’s designed for the PSP through and through. Imagine a maze like Pac Man, but far more organic, and also imagine you are a small circle/blob and you have to move and collect coloured crystals. As you collect them other blobs start moving around the maze in a random manner and you have to avoid them, whilst trying to get ‘x’ number of crystals. There is an arcade mode, time mode and other modes where the game adds neat little gimmicks (slowing down time, the ability to destroy other blobs etc). This is a great time waster and we think it’s one of the better Minis out there.

8/10

Aero Racer

Its a top down, Super Sprint version of Wipeout with a cool gameplay dynamic. You control a type of hovercraft and you fly by aiming your engine at an angle to the course wall. The craft, an anti grav concept, pushes away from the wall and hence accelerates. In effect this makes the game a drift racer!

If that sounds complicated, then we can confirm it’s very complicated to play in that it requires real concentration whilst racing! It is a good game, with good replay value, but its one you need to be prepared to spend time on, otherwise it’ll be a wasted purchase. It’s certainly not a pick up and play, ‘throw away’ game.

7/10

Beam Me Up

This is another great Mini, in that it plays well with the PSP controls, being what they are. You control a spaceship and you have to capture a number of different species of alien creature. On each level you have a quota of how many you need to ‘beam up’ and quite literally you need to move the ship above the aliens and ‘beam’ them into your ship. All of this has to be done whilst avoiding the oncoming missiles and bullets. Its great pick up and play action, well suited to the format (and hence the controls) and worth downloading.

7/10

Field Runners: A game that allows you to pause and pick up where you left off. Ideal for portable play - should be mandatory in all Minis. Strangely enough, it's not and there are other great tower defence games on the system lacking this crucial feature!

Field Runners

A superb tower defence game. This works perfectly on the PSP, and you can stop and save the game at any point. It’s perfect except that it’s much cheaper on the Ios Platform, which makes you feel like you’re being ripped off as a PSP user. The game itself has a good range of enemies and defence mechanisms, the graphics are clear and bright, and it is perfect ‘Mini’ fodder. An example, though, of how ‘off’ the Mini pricing regime has been from day one of the service’s launch.

7/10

Pure carnage - this is such a blast! No pun intended. I think.

Age of Zombies

We like this, in fact we like this a lot! A top down cartoon shooter where you shoot tons of zombies in 360 degree scrolling maps. The zombies are themed based upon the setting (you move throughout time), but the actual zombie ‘classes’ themselves are generally the same. The game has proper end of level bosses and some superb weapon upgrades. Once you have completed the game, you can replay the levels for high scores. Recently launched on Ios, this plays better on the PSP due to the physical analogue nub.

9/10

Blast Off

Take puzzle games and Asteroid and the result will be Blast Off. It’s so simple, yet at times so complicated. You control a tiny spaceship and you have to collect wee spacemen stuck in outer space. Often they are floating near planets and other objects, each with their own gravity ‘sphere of influence’. Hence the aim of the game is to pick up the astronauts without being pulled into a plant, black hole or moon. Very addictive, but with each level being a small concern in itself – hence, as with some of the other games here, a good ‘Mini’ gaming experience.

8/10

Freekscape looks very nice on the wee PSP screen. Not so much on an HD tv.

Freekscape:Escape from Hell

A great looking, inventive platform game where you play a demon escaping hell. The game is a pure platformer with a clever game mechanic, in that you use the enemies themselves to help you get from one platform to another. In some cases you have to goad creatures on to ram your butt with their horns to propel you over large gaps, for example.

The production values for this game are quite high and it feels like a quality, meaty production. The Mini platform, along with the PSP controls, seem ideal for platform games and this is confirmed when playing Freekscape. Certainly worth a download, if you want a mixture of platforming and puzzling combined.

8/10

Sony have a good base with the Minis, and we predict that with their soon to be released Sony Ericsson PS phone and the eventual release of the high powered PSP2 they will take the Mini platform further, making them work on both devices (leaving AAA titles to the PSP2 only). If they are to do this, they need to the following though:

• Change the pricing
• Perhaps offer bulk buy deals (something they literally just started doing as we wrote this)
• Off network support, at the very least online leaderboards, with the games supporting PSN IDs and trophies etc.

We don’t mind if there are less Minis than Ios apps, as in some ways it will mean the Minis are the best of the indie apps; but they need to release more per week, not just 2-4. If you have a PSP, still use it, indulge yourself in a few titles, it’s a cheap way of breathing life back into the machine at a relatively cheap price.

• Format : PSP (version reviewed), PS3, iPhone
• Unleashed : Out Now
• Publisher : StormBASIC
• Developer : StormBASIC
• Players : 1
• Site : http://www.stormbasic.com/

Sony’s answer to the iPhone/Touch has been a strange and twisted “yelp”, like a griffin getting his foot jammed in a doorway. Instead of releasing a new all-singing all-dancing PSP, they took the current one they had and ripped bits out of it. Then they flattened it with a steamroller (or maybe even a rolling pin, the jury’s still out on that) and sold it for even more than the one with its bits still attached! The PSPGo’s apparent saving grace and Sony’s answer to the games in the iTunes store is the minis series. It’s here that you will find Tehra Dark Warrior.

Dragons; no fantasy adventure would be complete without them

The opening story reads much like an old text adventure which seems rather strange, unless you’re under 25 and think a ‘text adventure’ is something you do with your latest lover. As the game opens up it becomes instantly reminiscent of the N64 era in its lighting, colours and shadow which (for a mini) is quite a pleasant surprise. What you get on-screen are fairly chunky and solid looking graphics; a tad too ugly for the big screen but rather pleasant on the PSP and let’s be fair, that’s where you’re going to be playing it. Less of a surprise is Tehra herself, a tattooed warrior-goddess type who thought the most suitable armour to fight hoards of Orcs in would be the string from her morning mail package delivery. The music, it must be said, is done with panache and sets the tone for the huge undertaking of Tehra’s job, to destroy the dark forces; you know the deal. Crescendos of orchestral magnitude conjure the feeling of battles that belong in Lord of the Rings, and when combined with some of the artwork within the storytelling text screens it really makes you want to kick some medieval fantasy ass. That, sadly, is where the promise ends because once you start playing there will be a shadow of darkness so big that no sheepskin-G-string can turn your attention away from it.

Going on dates with Tehra was always difficult

Tehra’s little trick throughout the game is being able to turn herself into a demon which means a nastier, meaner and more unpleasant version of herself (and also blue-er!). What this boils down to is a few seconds of unblockable attacks and almost invincibility by pressing the left shoulder button. Sounds good? Well, apart from those mentioned above there aren’t any other up-shots. No extra moves or magic, just the same basic slash, slash, slashing that you do as-per-normal and believe us; there’s a lot of slashing. There are a few set moves for her slashfest which are: up high slashing, down low slashing, and a general in-your-face slashing. There is magic to try and mix it up a bit and although the fire/electric magic moves are upgradeable, they still feel underwhelming and even unresponsive to use.

Keep slashing, keep slashing, keep slashing....

Unresponsive; that’s really the best word for the controls on the whole, as you’ll notice when trying to block incoming attacks. The timing window you have to deflect attacks is so minimal you’re best off putting your hope into your dodge button. If only that worked. The camera puts itself in such awkward places that when faced with multiple enemies, just seeing who’s attacking can be hard, let alone dodging projectile attacks at the same time as fighting. Tehra Dark Warrior has a lot of nice ideas, even if they are mostly found in every other fantasy RPG. Its biggest shortcomings though are in its fight mechanics. Clunky and slow controls combined with awkward camera moments really let this down, lord knows how this plays on the iPhone!

2/5

It's not till you have it in your hands and slide out the controls, you realise how small and light the PSPGo really is. Mine is white though. Trust me - it looks better and is cheaper.

My PSP3000 recently developed a fault as the screen got two horrible lines going all the way across it. For some, this would be something they can live with. For me it was something that was a real problem and so I called Sony to find out what it would cost to repair, with the answer being; £75 with only a 3 month warranty.

That seemed quite steep for something which only had a 3 month warranty – if it had been 12 months then I would have been OK with it. It’s always worrying when they don’t believe their own replacement units (as they would send a replacement, not my unit repaired and returned to me) will last at least 12 months. Luckily for me, I had read that Amazon had dropped the price of the PSP Go to £150.

Now I should make it clear that traditionally I have been anti-’Go’. At £225 it was overpriced. They made no incentive to previous PSP owners to get one due to the lack of a ‘trade your UMDs’ scheme. It used a different memory card slot and I begrudged the fact it seemed like a lost opportunity to add a touch screen and take the platform forward. Heck, even the system memory is the same, which doesn’t help functions such as the web browsing that has traditionally been poor.

Until mine broke I was very proud of my PSP 3000. Now I know better. It's good to 'upgrade'.

Yet I bought one. Why? Well there was the price which was at £150. Secondly I had been downloading games for some time anyway, and even though I have a selection of UMD games (not more than ten), I hardly played them. Thirdly Sony Europe do allow you to get three, free old games if you are upgrading from a 3000 system or below. It so happens that three of my UMDs which I do play were on their list of possible downloads, so that helped the transition.

Within two days of ordering the console, it had arrived in a rather unassuming box. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and all that, but Sony are underestimating the impact good packaging has on the first impressions a consumer gives a gadget. Both Apple and Nintendo excel at smart packaging which kickstart the user experience and emotional ‘attachment’ to their purchase. Sony, a company that has recently been in financial trouble, looks like it’s trying to cut costs, and have instead provided a box that is to the point. Its a box, it says PSP Go on the front and it has bland cardboard inside to separate the bits and pieces.

Beyond the packaging and onto the technology itself, I have only one gripe which I’ll get out of the way first; the power cord is way too short. PSP power cables seem to be getting shorter with each revision and I’m not too sure why. Have Sony done market research and found out that the amount of space in the universe has decreased in recent years?

Anyway the power cord aside, I’ll to come to the point; (at last I hear you cry!), this is the best PSP ever. Actually I’ll do better than that, this is one of the best portable media and game machines ever! I’m no Sony fanboy, as I own a DSi too, which is also a great device offering great gaming and social experiences.

However if we put the DSi in a category of its own (lets call it the category titled ‘Nintendo’, which as its name suggests only has one entry) then the PSP Go is a direct competitor for the Ipod Touch. In my opinion this kicks the Ipod’s butt. Let me take you through my list of reasons why.

The screen is amazing. I watch movies on the go and for watching movies this really does excel. It now has its own video store, but you can also rip movies off DVDs and the PSP shows them both off superbly. I still wouldn’t be able to watch a film in direct sunlight, but with a bit of shade it works pretty well outdoors too.

It has16 gigs of memory on board. For £150, this is now double what you get with the basic Ipod Touch. That’s superb value, even though I’m sure Apple will soon make their bottom of range 16 gigs. However, the PSP Go’s party trick is that their new memory stick format is a lot cheaper than their old Memory Duo format, so for £20 I can get another 8 gigs and for £40 another 16 gigs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm no fanboy, and I think the Itouch/Iphone are great products with a great software library. But if you want the best movie experience and the best AAA games I really think the PSPGo offers more.

The games in the last two years have really got a lot better than PSP launch titles, with developers working out credible ways of getting round a lack of a second analogue stick. Ideas such as assisted aim as used in the recent Socom game and Resistance Retribution work really well, and many games play well on the device. Plus you can see the game whilst playing it, and if you don’t know what I mean by that then check out Street Fighter 4 on the Iphone/Touch. It looks great unless you play it in which case your thumbs obscure everything.

Sony’s minis, which are meant to be their version of cheap Iphone style apps (but games only) are not bad. A little overpriced, but hey if it means the developers add features, improve the graphics and actually earn a decent amount I’m OK with that.

The device, like previous PSPs, packs RSS feeds (video and audio), internet radio and Skype (like the DS the PSP GO has a built in mic). Additionally Remote Play is there for communicating with your PS3 (if you have one) over Wifi and the form factor is superb. It goes nicely into a pocket and weighs less than my blackberry so at times I actually can’t feel it on my body!

For its size and new price it really is a great high end device. A friend of mine also recently got one. He had never really taken the PSP seriously, but suddenly felt that he had a complete PS2 in his hands. Due to the size of the thing you really do feel the ‘shrinkage’ factor at work here.

Now I know I’m meant to be grumpy, and normally that ‘grump’ is aimed at retailers, publishers and politicians. However when it comes to the PSP GO what makes me grumpy is the fact that Sony have failed to sell the device correctly and the gaming media has failed to point out that this is a superb device.

The PSP2 might be many things, but for many people starting with a PSP Go and then adding a huge leap in graphics, a lot more RAM, making the screen touch enabled and adding a second analogue stick where the current ‘select/start’ buttons are, is all we would need to take this device into the future. We would own the DS3d for its quirky gaming IP and our PSPGo2 would be our all round portable entertainment device.

The template for Sony’s potential success is already here. It’s called the PSPGo.

Keep the form, add another analogue 'nub', make it touch screen (maybe OLED), increase battery life and on board memory, make the media functionality wider, perhaps add 3G compatibility and that's the PSP2 sorted.

Sony is hailing it as a “Naughty or Nice?” release of discounted streaming cinema for Valentines’ Day, but spending Valentines’ Day alone would be less painful.

Expect the box of chocolates to come out in sheer desperation as these stinkers come in at 5.99 GBP a piece (available on PSP too). They’re worth listing in their badness:

Cruel Intentions 1, 2 and 3 (…glad they included the third one)

Fatal Attraction (…cheery)

My Bloody Valentine (…yum)

When Harry Met Sally (…the cheery Fatal Attraction)

Indecent Proposal (…again, Sony’s idea of Valentines’ Day?)

The Ladies Man (…as if the T.V. character wasn’t tedious enough)

Vanilla Sky (…just creepy)

School of Seduction (…a nearly artful intro to the ‘seductive arts’)

…AND MY PERSONAL FAVUORITES FOR THAT SPECIAL VALENTINES’ TREAT…

Species II

Species IV: The Awakening

I suppose Part I and III weren’t romantic enough.