I am thinking of getting the PSP

[ArchmageXin]

Do you think it is worth it? I am tired of Android phone games and I want something I can play on the train to work. (Since it is NYC, that means no underground wifi)

Anyone have any alternative recommendations/Is there anything newer than PSP coming out?

[Jazzrat]

Personally i get either a 3DS or a Vita at this point. 3DS have lots of exclusive games while Vita is pretty nice if you are going to invest in a PS4 or have a PSN subscription.

[Wild Goose]

Well, on one hand, you're kinda late to the party, lol, but the PSP's fine for what you want.

There are few shooters on the PSP, but there are plenty of good SRPGs and other turned based games out there, and honestly IMO the PSP actually IS worth it; for almost 5 years I used mine as a combo gaming console/MP3 player/oversized USB flash drive.

some standouts that I enjoyed:

Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception. Averaging 15-20 minutes per mission, with branching missions and multiple endings (slightly. Kinda. Of a sort), it's a great time waster.

Valkyria Chronicles 2: While the school life is a bit meh, it's a solid semi turn-based RPG and looks fine. About the only "flaw" compared to the PS3 VC1 is the lack of panty shots. An improvement in many ways, a few steps back, but still a solid game.

Valkyria Chronicles 3: Fucking awesome, muuuuch better than VC2. Sadly, still in Japanese only though a fan translation is in progress.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Possibly one of the best MGS EVER. Big Boss being Big Boss.

Persona 3 Portable: It's Persona 3 with FemC, what's not to love? I actually like it a bit better than the PS2 version.

The good news is that since the PSP is now a more or less mature platform, it's easier to find which are the good and bad games.

Also, gpSP is a GBA emulator for the PSP. Get it, if only for SRW J, which was fantranslated and is pretty darned awesome (though I think OG2 did some things better).

[erneiz_hyde]

If your intention is to use them on train to work, I don't think it's gonna be worth all your while. While it can be put on standby at anytime, PSP games are still functionally not so different to console games: you need to sit down and play them for quite a while so you need to divert more attention to them than you would for mobile phone games.

[jedinat]

Yeah, though the PSP is/was a pretty decent handheld and I'm still a bit bitter over mine disappearing... I would probably not go with that kind of gaming for a commute.

I'd get decently noise cancelling earbuds and a sansa clip and listen to audiobooks while playing phone games... but that's just me, lol. (but I have no idea how that would work on a train/if you need to hear stops or whatever... I walk to work)

If you haven't played it, check out Pixel Dungeon. My one regret over having an iphone is not being able to play that game on it, lol.

[Jan-Poo]

Originally Posted by erneiz_hyde

If your intention is to use them on train to work, I don't think it's gonna be worth all your while. While it can be put on standby at anytime, PSP games are still functionally not so different to console games: you need to sit down and play them for quite a while so you need to divert more attention to them than you would for mobile phone games.

Depends on how long it takes him to commute. If it's around one hour PSP games are a lot better to pass that kind of time.

Moreover I think many PSP games are designed or have modes specifically designed for a short time entertainment. Games like Crisis Core, Jeanne D'arc, Phantasy Star Portable and so on have several side "missions" that are not part of a major plot and that you can complete in around 10 20 minutes. They also offer a repeatable mode that can allow you to play them indefinitely. Patapon is also built around that concept.


At any rate I would still recommend a PSP if someone was a retrogamer, however for someone who wants to play recent games then it's better to go for a 3DS or a VITA.

[ArchmageXin]

I am a bit old

I am a pure old school PC gamer only since 1993, as my parents banned any kind of console. Plus, I find the idea of any game that still require checkpoint/savepoint a bit annoying.

My commute is about 45 min~an hour. I usually trained myself to nap on the train. So vita is the choice? Are they compatible with PSP titles?

I probably would get the machine for JRPGs, since Android versions (IDEA Factory/Square Inix) have already proven themselves to be terrible titles.

[Frailty]

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

I am a bit old

I am a pure old school PC gamer only since 1993, as my parents banned any kind of console. Plus, I find the idea of any game that still require checkpoint/savepoint a bit annoying.

My commute is about 45 min~an hour. I usually trained myself to nap on the train. So vita is the choice? Are they compatible with PSP titles?

I probably would get the machine for JRPGs, since Android versions (IDEA Factory/Square Inix) have already proven themselves to be terrible titles.

there are tons of JRPGs with accessible savepoints, be it PSP or PSV

PSV doesn't have UMD like PSP, the games in Vita use a game card. It looks pretty similar to PSP's memory stick. Plus, I believe Sony mentioned that PSV doesn't have backwards compatibility. But that doesn't mean you can't play PSP titles on the Vita. There are plenty of PSP games that had been ported to the Vita already

Though with that said, if you want to play PSP titles... By all means, buy a PSP!
it's not that expensive anymore nowadays. You could even probably find a second-hand PSP that's in good condition for a reasonable price.

But if you want to join the current trend, buy a Vita. Although a bit new, it does have a decent amount of JRPGs available already

[Hayaku]

Only if you get the titles through PSN. I have a vita and have owned a psp since way back, and think they are both very good choices if they are only for brief entertainment. The psp has a great catalog, with tons of great games along with the titles on psn that are psp compatible. However, take this into consideration; Do you want to play the newer titles when they release?
The newer titles will be released with Vita in mind.

In the US or Europe, the PSP is more or less done with no new titles releasing (as far as I know, since I stopped buying games for it 3 years ago), but the list of unreleased games are growing in Japan, but I seriously doubt they will be released outside of Japan.

But with that, everything else that I can say is that they both are great consoles. You can also create a Japanese account (if you're not living in that country) and buy Japanese titles directly since both the vita and the psp are region free.

[ninryu]

If you have a budget problem, I highly recommend buying a PSP. While some games use a more primitive graphics (though they are games with surprisingly amazing graphics), it's a must have for Japanese games fans. It has countless excellent titles ranging from RPGs and puzzles to action and dating sims. Plus, a lot of game franchises have a PSP spin-offs, Fate/, Persona, etc.

[Candeloro1]

Better buy either 3DS, 2DS, Or PS Vita.

Prize is not that much different either.

[Dextro]

The PSP is a great system. I still use my Go all the time to play everything from Persona 3 Portable to stuff like iDOLM@STER Shiny Festa. However the system is basically in the same ground that the PS2 has been for the past few years: the most new games you're going to see in the west is maybe a new FIFA/PES yearly update and not much more. On the other hand that means that it's rather trivial to get all sorts of emulators working on it and the memory cards are relatively cheap (so you can just rip UMDs to the system. That's what I do with my old PSP-2000).

I also have a Vita and it's a bloody fantastic system but right now it's still insanely expensive. While you can get games on card format the real meat of the system is in buying a memory card and a PS+ sub to go with it (ps: the Vita is compatible with virtually all PS1 and PSP games available on the PSN). The problem is that the memory cards are proprietary hence insanely expensive and the system only allows for a single account which means no Japanese PSN downloads (the card-based games are region-free though).

The other choice is the 3DS. It's got a very interesting set of exclusive games (many jRPGs actually) and, if you don't mind losing the 3D functionality, is substantially cheaper than a Vita. The system is region locked though and there's no account-based online store which means that digital bought games are tied to the hardware (a pain in the ass when upgrading or simply sending a system in for repairs).

Overall you should look into the game libraries of both systems (Vita and 3DS/2DS) and see what strikes your fancy before deciding on one. I personally went for the Vita since Sony made it a very tasty prospect coupled with PS+ and the PSP had plenty of games I rather enjoyed but the 3DS seems to be taking back most of the jRPGs so far. On the other hand the Vita has Persona 4 Golden, my personal game of the year*.

* I live in Europe ok? We got it this year

[ArchmageXin]

I am mostly looking for games like Fate/Extra, JRPG to the style of Fire Emblem (war type), or games like Chrono Trigger/Final Fantasy/monster hunters (i.e adventure RPG).

Ideally, turn base game that don't need much of a reaction time (I can't play anything that require high reaction time without a mouse these days, oidie )

Would you say PS VITA would be a better choice? Or PSP carry a greater list of titles?

Also, Can VITA or PVP directly download games from the store via Wifi? I don't feel like keeping a huge collection of discs around~.

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

I am mostly looking for games like Fate/Extra, JRPG to the style of Fire Emblem (war type), or games like Chrono Trigger/Final Fantasy/monster hunters (i.e adventure RPG).

Ideally, turn base game that don't need much of a reaction time (I can't play anything that require high reaction time without a mouse these days, oidie )

Would you say PS VITA would be a better choice? Or PSP carry a greater list of titles?

Also, Can VITA or PVP directly download games from the store via Wifi? I don't feel like keeping a huge collection of discs around~.

The Vita has virtually all the digital PSP catalogue available on top of Vita specific games. Sadly there are some notable holdouts like Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. Sony gave publishers the choice of publishing digitally or not on the PSP while on the Vita it's apparently mandatory going forward.

But yes, both systems allow for digital downloads via either wifi or a PS3 (the PSP allows via PC as well but not the Vita). Sony imposes a two machine limit on game activations though (revocable btw) while Nintendo ties digital purchases to a single piece of hardware.

As for where jRPGs are showing up: both the PSP and the DS have great back catalogues but newer releases seem to be favouring the 3DS currently. So do take that into consideration.

[larethian]

If you can understand Japanese, I recommend you getting one.

[ArchmageXin]

Originally Posted by larethian

If you can understand Japanese, I recommend you getting one.

I don't X_X

I am only looking for English titles. I do have fair a bit of income sitting around so Vita is probably the choice, unless if you guys know if there is a new PS something coming out that I should save my money instead.

[kuroishinigami]

PS4? but it's not portable.

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

I don't X_X

I am only looking for English titles. I do have fair a bit of income sitting around so Vita is probably the choice, unless if you guys know if there is a new PS something coming out that I should save my money instead.

The PS Vita has a refresh coming soon. It'll be slightly thinner, has a smaller back touchpad and a lower quality screen but it trades the proprietary charging cable for a standard micro-usb (aka: any modern phone charger except the iPhone will work) and adds 1GB of builtin storage for save games.

No idea on the price for the western markets though (or release date) but retailers have been offering good deals on the current system and it has a bloody fantastic screen if you ask me.

[ArchmageXin]

Originally Posted by Dextro

The PS Vita has a refresh coming soon. It'll be slightly thinner, has a smaller back touchpad and a lower quality screen but it trades the proprietary charging cable for a standard micro-usb (aka: any modern phone charger except the iPhone will work) and adds 1GB of builtin storage for save games.

No idea on the price for the western markets though (or release date) but retailers have been offering good deals on the current system and it has a bloody fantastic screen if you ask me.

Is there a title for the new VITA? VITA II perhaps?

[Klashikari]

Just Vita 2000 (series number fashion is the same as the PSP).
Unless you are struggling with the memory card price, the Vita 2000 sole advantage of having a intern memory is void especially if you plan buying digital games.