The PlayStation Portable (PSP) might not have been the best-selling handheld console of its time, but it was certainly one of the most innovative. Sony’s PSP provided gamers with the ability to experience console-quality games on the go, a major leap forward for portable gaming. Titles like Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, and God of War: Chains of Olympus helped to showcase the PSP’s potential and left a lasting impact on the handheld gaming world.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories was a standout title for the PSP, delivering an expansive open-world experience similar to its console counterparts. Set in the familiar world of Liberty City, the game allowed players to immerse themselves in the criminal underworld of the city, engaging in missions, driving vehicles, and exploring the world at their own pace. Despite being on a handheld system, Liberty City Stories retained much of what made the main GTA series so compelling—rich storytelling, detailed environments, and free-roaming chaos. The game became one of the PSP’s defining titles and proved that a portable system could handle a vast, immersive world.
Another key title for the PSP was Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. This prequel to the iconic Final Fantasy VII delved into the backstory of Zack Fair, bmw4d one of the most beloved characters in the Final Fantasy universe. The game’s action-packed combat system, combined with its gripping narrative, made it one of the best RPGs on the PSP. Crisis Core expanded the Final Fantasy VII lore, giving fans more insight into the world and the characters they had grown to love. Its emotional depth and memorable moments made it a must-play for Final Fantasy fans and helped cement the PSP as a platform for rich, story-driven experiences.
God of War: Chains of Olympus brought the epic scale and brutal combat of the God of War franchise to the PSP. The game followed Kratos as he battled gods, monsters, and titans in a quest to save the world. Despite the limitations of the handheld platform, Chains of Olympus managed to deliver fast-paced combat, epic boss fights, and a cinematic experience that felt true to the main console games. The game’s visuals and production values were impressive for a portable title, and its engaging story made it a standout in the action-adventure genre. Chains of Olympus proved that even on a handheld device, God of War could deliver the same level of intensity and excitement that fans had come to expect from the franchise.
These games—Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, and God of War: Chains of Olympus—are some of the best that the PSP had to offer. They demonstrated that handheld gaming could offer experiences that rivaled their console counterparts. Despite the PSP’s limited commercial success, its game library remains a testament to the power of portable gaming and the creativity of developers who pushed the boundaries of what a handheld console could do. These games continue to hold a special place in the hearts of gamers, even as the industry moves forward into new generations of handheld and home consoles.