Summary
- The PlayStation Portable was a successful handheld console that had a great library of games, showcasing its strengths and impressive graphics.
- Some underrated gems on the PSP include Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and The Godfather: Mob Wars, which still have impressive visuals to this day.
- Other notable games on the PSP include Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, and Persona 3 Portable, all of which utilized the PSP's hardware well and still look great.
The PlayStation Portable is one of the most popular and beloved consoles of all time. It was an instant hit upon launch, featuring a wealth of excellent titles that players still remember fondly to this day. The fact that this handheld console managed to be a success despite facing competition from the king of handheld gaming, Nintendo, speaks volumes when it comes to just how impressive this console's sales numbers really were.
10 Canceled PSP And PlayStation Vita Games You Never Knew Existed
Sony's had a rough go of it recently with the PS Vita, but, desperate for games as they were, these 10 titles still never saw the light of day.
It's a shame that the PlayStation Vita never reached these heights of success, although some people point the finger at Sony for focusing solely on their home consoles and not giving this console the support it deserved. After all, the PSP was littered with numerous amazing games, with the titles listed below being particularly notable for still having an impressive level of graphical fidelity to this day.
Updated on June 19th, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: The PlayStation Portable is one of the best handheld video game consoles of its era, and it's a shame that the PlayStation never really bothered to develop more portable consoles after the failure of the PlayStation Vita. The PSP featured a massive library of amazing games that players absolutely loved, with these titles doing a great job of working around the hardware limitations of the console. In fact, some of the best PSP games have aged surprisingly well, with their graphics being more than palatable to this day, and a few more of those games are now included on this list in its latest update.
15 Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
A Great Silent Hill Game That Looks Amazing On The PSP
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Most people would argue that a true horror game doesn't give players any way to defend themselves against the monsters or psychos pursuing them. This is precisely why so many people love Silent Hill: Shattered Memories despite its many problems, because the game's unique storytelling approach, along with a clever retelling of the first game's narrative, make for a great time.
The game was initially released on the Wii before being ported to the PSP. Sure, the graphics had to be reduced in quality to make it run on the portable console's hardware, but the game still looks gorgeous and is one of the better looking games on the PlayStation Portable that fans will love even now.
14 Killzone: Liberation
A Third-Person Shooter That Pushes The PSP's Visual Fidelity To Its Limits
Killzone: Liberation
- Released
- October 31, 2006
- Developer(s)
- Guerrilla Games
- Platform(s)
- PSP
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
The Killzone series doesn't really get a lot of time in the limelight anymore, and fans can only hope that Sony gives this title the comeback it deserves. While the majority of titles in this series are first-person shooters, this PSP entry went a different route with a third-person perspective instead. The graphical fidelity of this title was one aspect that was praised to the roof, and it still holds up.
The visuals are great all on their own. Meanwhile, the gameplay makes the most of the PSP's control scheme to let players tackle some tense missions as they save hostages and gather intel while fighting artificially enhanced soldiers known as the Helghast. It's easily one of the best PlayStation Portable games players can check out, third-person shooter or otherwise, and it does almost everything right without any major flaws standing out.
13 Prince Of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
A 2.5D Sidescroller With Amazing Graphics
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
- Released
- May 18, 2010
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
With the Prince of Persia movie coming out in 2010, Ubisoft decided to cash in on its hype by releasing the first game in the main series for many years. Assassin's Creed had taken over from the ashes of the series, but Forgotten Sands promised to bring the Prince back to the realm of relevancy once again. Unfortunately, the rather uninspired nature of this game on main consoles led to most people forgetting about a title that didn't really leave a lasting impact on fans.
Every Prince Of Persia Game, Ranked
The Prince of Persia series has produced classic titles across more than three decades. Here's how they all rank from worst to best.
However, the version of this title on the PSP was a gem that fans absolutely loved. The 2.5D sidescroller was a blast to play through and allowed players to utilize all of the Prince's signature tricks in a game that was easily one of the PSP's most underrated gems that deserved more time in the spotlight, with its visuals still looking pretty decent to this day.
12 The Godfather: Mob Wars
Become A Gangster In This Iconic Franchise With Some Amazing Graphics To Boot
- Platforms: PSP
- Release Date: September 2006
- Developer: Page 44 Studios
- Genre: Third-Person Action
Most people aren't aware that there's a game based on The Godfather on the PSP . The Godfather is a game that fans of titles with boundless crime should definitely check out, mainly because of how fun this game is despite seeming like a cash grab with an established IP's name slapped on it.
The game was originally released on major consoles, with the PSP re-release coming soon after. While it lacks the open-world element from the parent release, The Godfather: Mob Wars is a great accompaniment to the movie and allows players to live out the fantasy of being a gangster in this universe while working for the Corleone family.
11 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
The 3D GTA Engine At The Time Continues To Look Charming To This Day
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
- Released
- October 31, 2006
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2, PSP
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Third-Person Shooter
The 3D GTA games released on the PSP were pretty great in their own right, allowing players to roam around familiar locales while experiencing completely new stories. Two games were released that adopted this format, with both Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories doing a great job of letting players enjoy a full-fledged GTA game on a portable console.
Vice City Stories is considered by many to be the superior title, and understandably so. The game's rendition of Miami feels as fresh as ever, and players will have a great time mowing down their enemies as Vic Vance.
10 Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
An Excellent Addition To The Final Fantasy 7 Canon With Excellent Visuals
Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core
- Released
- September 13, 2007
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix, Tose
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Fighting, Action-Adventure
The recent ground-up remaster of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 has been nothing short of incredible. However, while this glow-up has been received fairly well, there's no denying that the look of the original Crisis Core was also pretty great in its own right.
The Best RPGs That Can Only Be Played On The PSP
The PSP was Sony's first handheld console, and it had many incredible RPGs that remain exclusives to this day.
This prequel took a look at Zack's adventures as a member of SOLDIER before his untimely death. It looked gorgeous on the PSP, and fans are glad that this game has been remastered with modern and updated controls for modern consoles.
9 Persona 3 Portable
The Visual Novel Aesthetic Looks Great Even Now
Persona 3 Portable
- Released
- July 6, 2010
- Developer(s)
- Atlus
- Platform(s)
- PC, PSP, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Persona 3 was the game that catapulted the popularity of this series to the stratosphere. However, Atlus believed that this series had way more potential and decided to re-release an updated version of the game on the PSP.
The end result was Persona 3 Portable, a game that made the most of the PSP's limited hardware and has finally been ported over to modern consoles. The game adopts a visual novel aesthetic to make up for the PSP's lack of power and looks pretty gorgeous regardless, with the addition of a new protagonist being welcomed by the fanbase.
8 Final Fantasy Tactics: The War Of The Lions
A Beloved PS1 Game That Looks Even Better On The PSP
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
- Released
- May 10, 2007
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix, Tose
- Genre(s)
- Tactical
Final Fantasy Tactics is one of the greatest tactical role-playing games of all time. So, it's only a given that an updated version of this game would turn some heads.
The 2D art style has aged like a fine wine and still looks amazing today, with the tight gameplay still holding up quite well. All in all, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is probably the best Final Fantasy spin-off around that fans should definitely check out.
7 Lumines 2
A Flashy Art Style That Makes This Puzzle Game A Visual Treat For The Ages
- Platforms: PSP
- Release Date: November 2006
- Developer: Q Entertainment, Bandai
- Genre: Puzzle
The idea of a matching puzzle game making this list sounds downright ridiculous, but it's the amazing set dressing around this title that makes it such a blast to play through. The first Lumines game was a joy to play through, with its outpouring of colors and music making for a great time.
6 Things The PSP Did Better Than Most Other Handheld Consoles
PSP managed to innovate in several ways compared to many other handheld consoles. Here's where it excelled.
Lumines 2 expands on this concept even more, adding a ton of content into the mix to make any fan of the title enjoy their time with the game. The music choices may not be up everyone's alley, but most players who get lost in this amazing celebration of sound and visuals won't mind it at all!
6 Jeanne d'Arc
An SRPG With Visuals That Have Aged Like A Fine Wine
Jeanne d'Arc
- Released
- November 22, 2006
- Developer(s)
- Level 5
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- Tactical
Another tactical JRPG makes its way on the list in the form of Jeanne d'Arc. The title combines real-life historical figures and a fantasy setting to great effect. It helps that the 2D art style of this game is timeless and still looks amazing even today.
Many veterans of tactical JRPGs consider this game to be one of the most underappreciated games in the entire genre and one that more people need to check out.