Sony Computer Entertainment America launched a new attack on the public's free time on March 24, 2005 with the launch of its new portable gaming unit, the PlayStation Portable, or PSP. Never has total entertainment nirvana been as attainable as it is with the PSP.
The first thing many people will notice about the PSP is how sleek it is. Blindingly shiny and well designed, it can almost be heard begging someone to touch it. The only downside to this is that the PSP's glossy black finish soaks up fingerprints like a sponge. Thankfully, Sony provides a microfiber cloth to wipe the PSP with. The face of the PSP can also be protected with a variety of vinyl skins. These can be found all over the Internet with a simple search and run about $9.99 each.
The screen of the PSP is easily its most impressive component. Its 4.3-inch and 16:9-ratio widescreen display wipes the floor with the puny 3-inch screen of its close competitors, Nintendo's DS and GameBoy Advance. The screen's resolution is comparable to an HDTV, making it perfect for games and movies. I nearly cried when I played back the free copy of Spiderman 2 that comes with the first million PSP units. It's that amazing. Unfortunately, the screen also suffers from the same problem as the rest of the unit and is a magnet for fingerprints.
I didn't go pawing wildly at my PSP when I got it, nor do I when I'm playing it. But somehow, still prints get on there. Again, the microfiber cloth comes in handy, but there needs to be more.
The option exists to buy a screen protector, and there is no shortage of screen protectors when it comes to the PSP. Naki, Intec and other companies make specialty screen protectors for the PSP, costing anywhere from $4.99 to $9.99, and they are easy enough to buy and stick right on the screen. However, I had a real tough time applying any screen protectors to the PSP's screen without encountering a bubble here or there. Perhaps it was my bad luck, but I have yet to find a screen protector that goes on easily and doesn't make the screen look ugly.
Another option for protecting your investment without the use of clumsy, adhesive-laden screen protectors is Intec's Screen Armor, which retails for about $9.99. The Screen Armor consists of a piece of aluminum with a rubber coating on the side that contacts the PSP. Two clips on either side of the aluminum attach to the PSP itself and hold the Screen Armor in place. This is the best way to go. No hassles with a sticky piece of uncooperative plastic; slide it on the PSP and it locks into place.
The PSP's two speakers are located on the underside of the unit's face, and manage to handle the range of sound from movies and games very well. For those who desire a more cinematic setup, there are a few options. Naki and Hip Gear both make docks that include larger speakers for viewing movies, although for upwards of $79.99, I don't recommend them.
Sony has pledged extensive support for the UMD video format that the PSP uses. In addition to Sony's extensive film library, which now includes movies from MGM studios, many other notable companies have promised to offer their movies in UMD format. Lions Gate Entertainment, distributor of such notable titles as “Saw,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and a little known documentary called “Fahrenheit 9/11,” has slated 12 titles for release on UMD this year.
Buena Vista Home Entertainment, the distribution arm of the entertainment behemoth Disney, has also backed the UMD format, promising releases of titles like “Kill Bill,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and the recent blockbuster “National Treasure.” Unfortunately, as UMD is a proprietary format and Sony owns all the production facilities, prices for non-Sony UMD movies are high. For instance, during the first week of UMD movie availability, “Kill Bill Volume One,” a Buena Vista Home Entertainment offering, was retailing for $29.99. Expect price to fall as the format gains widespread acceptance.
One of the PSP's notable features is its use of wireless multiplayer gaming. There are two modes of wireless multiplayer, Ad Hoc mode, in which the PSP searches for other PSP units in range. Infrastructure Mode uses a wireless hot spot such as the one found in the NCC Kopp Student Center to connect to the Internet. Every single launch game supports both Ad Hoc and Infrastructure mode, meaning you can engage in some card strategy duels in “Metal Gear Acid,” duke it out monkey-boxing style in “Ape Escape” and slay dwarves and demons in “Untold Legends,” all against friends or complete strangers from the comfort of the student center.
Anyone familiar with a PlayStation 2 controller will be instantly at home with the PSP's control layout, as it is almost exactly the same. In the interests of space, the PSP only has one pair of right and left triggers, and forsakes dual analog control in favor of one analog stick, jokingly referred to as “the nub” by many reviewers and gamers alike. For those uncomfortable with caressing a nub, there is also a traditional directional pad. Finding all the buttons takes a few minutes, as Sony has crammed so many features into the PSP that there is nary an inch of unused space on the unit itself.
Solidly built, spectacularly designed and as sexy as an inanimate object can be, everyone needs a PSP. Now.
Of course, all the technology in the world won't make up for horrible games, and thankfully that is not the case with the PSP's launch software. On launch day, there were almost 20 games to choose from, a stark contrast to previous system launches. For instance, the launch software for the now legendary PlayStation2 included such blockbuster titles as “Fantavision,” which was a fireworks simulator. Yawn. Here are some of the most notable titles from launch:
“Metal Gear Acid”
This game was one of the most intriguing of all the launch titles. Taking a popular action stealth game and turning it into a card-based strategy game a la Final Fantasy Tactics was a huge gamble, and I'm happy to report that it paid off handsomely. Everything that gamers remember about the other games in the Metal Gear series is right here, cardboard box and all. “Acid” even continues the “Metal Gear” tradition of ridiculously bizarre plotlines by offering a story about homicidal marionettes hijacking a plane carrying a U.S. senator. While I enjoyed this game immensely, it is definitely not for everyone. Anyone willing to try something new will find a deep, immersive strategy experience that rivals any other entry in the genre. ***1/2
“Lumines”
Move over, “Tetris.” This quirky, music-based puzzler will leave gamers glued to their PSP for hours on end with its engrossing gameplay and memorable tunes. The premise of the game is simple—players seek to clear a playing field of colored blocks by matching the colors on said blocks. What separates “Lumines” from the million other puzzle games with the same concept is its aforementioned use of music. Matching colored blocks are only cleared from the field after the time bar, which moves across the screen in time with whatever music is playing, passes over them. This adds a new dynamic and invigorates an old style of gameplay by adding a new strategic twist. Falling into the minute to learn, lifetime to master school of puzzle games, “Lumines” offers a challenge for any gamer. ****
“Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade”
This game has a rather geeky heritage, being a spinoff of Sony's “Champions of Norrath” series on PS2, which itself was a spinoff of the fabled “EverQuest.” The gameplay comes across much like a lightweight version of the popular PC classic “Diablo,” with much repetitive hacking and slashing. However, though this repetition would be the kiss of death on a home console game, on a handheld console this game makes for a good time waster and much like its console and PC brothers, hours and hours disappear whilst slaying millions of homogenous demons, dwarves and the like. The levels of customization and the sheer number of items to be obtained also add a great level of depth to an otherwise familiar and rather unspectacular game. **1/2
“Ape Escape: On the Loose”
This port of the classic PS1 game tasks the player with capturing super-intelligent pants-wearing simians bent on world domination. Using a huge amount of goofy gadgets like a super Hula-Hoop, a lightsaber and a time warp net, the player must engage in simian regime change in every level. Although this is a port, and therefore a game that more than a few people have played before, “Ape Escape” more than makes up for it by including all sorts of minigames playable using the PSP's wireless multiplayer capabilities. Monkey boxing, monkey snowboarding, and monkey ping pong are just a few of the great time wasters included. ***
“Archer Maclean's Mercury”
Archer Maclean is some game designer that no one has ever heard of. Ever. With that out of the way, “Mercury” is yet another great puzzle entry in the PSP catalog. Reminiscent of that classic 80s puzzler, “Marble Madness,” “Mercury” tasks the player with navigating a blob of the toxic metal through a maze, awarding points to the player based on how much mercury makes it to the end. Sounds easy, but the catch is that each maze is littered with traps and mechanisms to trigger. Running into corners or other sharp things causes the blob of mercury to fragment into smaller pieces. Finding the fastest and safest route through each maze takes a lot of time as well as some trial and error, but the ease of starting a game or picking it back up make this a great game for quick trips and long ones alike. ***
“ NFL Street 2: Unleashed”
This port of the multi-console release jams the same awesome frenetic gameplay into the PSP, with added exclusive minigames and wireless multiplayer support. The Own the City career mode that was so enjoyable does not suffer in the translation, and picking up a game is quick and easy. There are even great tunes to accompany the bone crunching action, thanks to the inclusion of EA's Pocket Trax. Note the extreme spelling. Although the AI is often frustrating, and rather convenient turnovers abound, the wireless multiplayer mode makes up for those times when a human opponent is preferable. Overall, “Unleashed” is a solid port, hampered only by the same shortcomings of its console brethren. ***
“Need for Speed Underground 2: Rivals”
This is another EA port of a successful console game. However, unlike its other ports, “Rivals” suffers greatly from the lack of responsive analog control. The main weakness here is that the PSP's beloved nub snaps back to center whenever it is released, making for some wonky control issues. The sensitivity of the nub also affects turning, so much so that the cars in the game either turn too much or not enough when needed. The game has a deep level of customization, and a good wireless multiplayer component, but its shoddy control is a huge turnoff. ** |
