Highlights
- Square Enix's Monster Hunter series helped the PSP succeed in Japan but not in the West.
- Square Enix developed exclusive games for the PSP, including Final Fantasy Tactics and Dissidia , which are among the best games on the system.
- The PSP paved the way for ports and remasters of classic games like Star Ocean and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep .
The PSP did not get the love it deserved in the West, unlike the adoration it received in Japan. Square Enix's Monster Hunter series was a key reason why the portable did as well as it did over there. In the West, the Nintendo DS was the portable system most people owned. Despite a lot of developers pulling out of Sony’s first portable, Square Enix was locked in from day one.
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They seemingly believed in it and developed a handful of exclusive new games along with some ports from their classic catalog. Of the many, six stand out as the best of what Square Enix had to offer on PSP. Overall, they’re also some of the best games on the system.
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6 Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Metascore: 88
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
- Released
- May 10, 2007
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix , Tose
- Genre(s)
- Tactical
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is a port of the PS1 classic. It is well-regarded as one of the best Final Fantasy spinoffs ever made, let alone a great tactical RPG. On that merit alone it should rank higher; however, a few things hold it back on the technical side of things.
One of the biggest is the load times, which even slow down during battle animations. As a straight port, not much was added either besides new cutscenes and characters like Balthier from Final Fantasy 12. This game will always remain a classic thanks to the Job system and story, but there are caveats to enjoying it on PSP.
5 Star Ocean: Second Evolution
Metacritic Score: 75
Star Ocean: Second Evolution is another port of a PS1 game, but this one featured more upgrades besides visuals. It also ran a lot better on the portable, making the move from PS1 to PSP seem more justifiable. It got an even better version via Star Ocean: The Second Story R this year which was a remake with HD-2D visuals.
If fans check out this game, then they should also check out Star Ocean: First Departure, which was a full-on remake on PSP of the original game that started on SNES. It was also the first time Western players could get their hands on it officially. This too got a modern remaster, so both now can be enjoyed on Switch and other consoles. The PSP can be thanked for paving the way for these two great action RPGs though.
4 Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Metacritic Score: 78
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy is part sequel, part re-release of the first game which was also on PSP. The main concept behind this fighting game was pitting heroes and villains against each other from the main entries like Cloud and Sephiroth from Final Fantasy 7. Characters could level up and gain new abilities and gear as they progressed through the campaign.
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There was a story aspect too, so fans could see some of their favorite characters interact for the first time and be voiced as well. Combat was more action-oriented in a 3D space, which was different from other fighting games at the time. Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy added more content, like Lightning from Final Fantasy 13, while keeping the original game alive and well.
3 Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
Metacritic Score: 83
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
- Platform(s)
- PSP
- Released
- March 24, 2008
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 was considered the best spin-off within the Final Fantasy 7 compilation series that came out in the mid-2000s. It was a prequel starring Zack, the real SOLDIER member that Cloud mistakenly framed his life after suffering amnesia. Unlike Cloud’s dark demeanor in the main game, Zack as a hero was more cheerful. He saw the best in people even when times were dire.
The gameplay was bite-sized as missions didn’t last too long. It was also action-oriented instead of turn-based, unlike the main game. In 2022, it got an HD remaster via Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion which is probably the best way to experience Zack’s story before jumping into Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in 2024.
2 Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Metacritic Score: 87
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
- Platform(s)
- PSP
- Released
- February 15, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG , Strategy
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Togetherhas its pros and cons, and has received numerous ports over the years moving from the SNES to the PS1 and beyond. While the graphics didn’t change much, the definitive port for a time was on PSP. This version added a time-traveling device that kept a record of choices made. Players could see where paths branched off so they could go back and relive those moments through a different decision.
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More RPGs with dialogue choices should implement this system into their mechanics to help save players time when they want to replay. Besides this innovation, it was also just a solid tactical RPG on the portable and one that performed better than its counterpart, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. This version of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together was enhanced recently with a port to modern consoles like the Nintendo Switch.
1 Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep
Metacritic Score: 82
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
- Released
- January 9, 2010
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG , Fighting , Action-Adventure
After Kingdom Hearts 2, the series became spinoff-heavy and all fans wanted was a third main entry. While there isn’t a three in the title, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep feels like the sequel fans had been waiting for at the time. It was a new, full-fledged adventure that did not retread previous ground like in the case of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.
It was a prequel starring three Keyblade Masters: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus. Each character had their set story which crossed over with the others. To get the true ending, one had to complete all three campaigns. The new worlds were inventive, the skill-based leveling-up system was fun to experiment with, and even the limited multiplayer mode had merit. Today, the game is available through an HD remaster found in various collections.
