PSP Reviews A-L

Ace Combat is an airplane franchise as old as the first Playstation. It's a first-person jet fighter with arcade flair and a glossy presentation. You'll unleash guns, bombs, and missiles as you methodically destroy ships at sea, squadrons in the air, and factories on land. One look at the screen makes it clear that this is more simulation than arcade. Your elaborate HUD (heads-up display) is loaded with symbols and gauges, and a handy arrow directs you to your next target. The level of detail is impressive and the scenery looks very realistic. Each target is outlined with a square, and its distance is also indicated. You'll need to accelerate to get a target in range, but take care not to speed right past it. As with many PSP titles, Air Combat X feels obligated to incorporate some kind of unnecessary storyline. The still pictures and pages of dialogue are boring, so you'll be glad you can hit the Start button to skip it. The missions seem pretty simple at first (take out four bombers, for example), but as unforeseen events unfold, you end up doing a lot more. Your missions are timed, so you don't want to dawdle. Frankly I didn't know exactly what was going on much of the time, but I did feel as if I was immersed in a dangerous war zone. There's a lot of chatter over your radio, and it took me a while to figure out most of it was coming from my enemies. Ace Combat X plays pretty well. Your handy target arrow keeps you busy, and it's always satisfying to go in for the kill, even if it means firing a pair of missiles from a safe distance. I even found myself applying "body english" when trying to track down an elusive target. Dramatic music plays in the background which helps maintain the level of intensity. There's nothing extraordinary about Ace Combat X, but this is a competent jet shooter for your PSP. © Copyright 2012 The Video Game Critic.

I've been a fan of After Burner's brand of intense jet fighter action since the early 90's. Its "twitch" gameplay has always been shallow, but its fast action and eye candy are hard to resist. Arcade-style titles are hard to come by on the PSP, so I was hoping Black Falcon might fill the void. The first thing I noticed was how Black Falcon has more depth (and length) than your garden variety After Burner. You begin by selecting a character, and just my luck the "top aviator in the Navy" happens to be a drop-dead gorgeous chick. What are the odds? Your missions take place over oceans, rocky deserts, and arctic ice flows as you destroy targets in air, land, and sea. Each mission has a main goal with a few bonus objectives. You can select from about a dozen planes, and upgrades are available if you have the cash. The controls let you fire missiles (for air targets) and rockets (for ground targets) in addition to your trusty machine gun. Unlike most After Burner titles, your guns are highly effective, probably because enemy planes like to fly right in front of you. Your missiles tend to lock onto targets long before they are visible, causing small circles to appear on the horizon. Just press the missile button for each blue circle (air target) and the rocket button for each green circle (land target). You view the action from behind your plane, and your depth perception isn't so hot when weaving around rocky cliffs. Fortunately the collision detection is very forgiving. Black Falcon sounds good on paper but it lacks arcade appeal. The missions drag on for too long, and the mission details get lost as you just mindlessly blow everything up. The graphics are average (at best) and most of the scenery gets blown up before you have a chance to see it. There's a lot of draw-in and the lack of detail makes the bridge look more like toys. Black Falcon introduces new concepts like mission details and plane customizations, but it feels like the fun factor was an afterthought. © Copyright 2012 The Video Game Critic.

Tossing together a collection of emulated old games should be easy money for game companies, but time after time I see these compilations botched in every conceivable way. Atari Classics contains some of the greatest arcade games ever made, including Asteroids, Centipede, Millipede, Warlords, Tempest, and Battlezone. Less great, and somewhat lame, are Pong, Breakout, and Lunar Lander. None of these games are perfectly emulated (some of the sound effects are noticeably off), but by and large they look and play just like the originals. Control is an issue however, because most of these games were designed to be played with track-balls or paddles. I had never been sold on the PSP analog "nub", and Atari Classics really makes it obvious how worthless that thing really is. You don't get anywhere near the same degree of control. Updated versions of each game are also included, incorporating fancy graphic effects and sophisticated music while remaining faithful in terms of gameplay. Few games benefit from the overhaul, with the exception of Warlords which offers a fascinating futuristic interpretation of the classic four-player battle game, with an edgy soundtrack to boot. The new particle effects that adorn games like Asteroids, Centipede and Missile Command only serve to clutter up the screen, making it harder to tell what's going on. The tiny screens don't help matters. Instead of these games being reformatted to PSP proportions, the playing fields have been cropped! Many objects are downright miniscule, and you can barely even make out the letters on the Asteroids high score screen! And despite the modest technical requirements of these games, you'll spend an inordinate amount of time staring at load and save screens. Why does it take 15 seconds to save a high score? That's five digits people!! What the hell? Finally, although there's a slew of Atari 2600 games to unlock, you'll need to complete all of the pre-defined objectives for each arcade game to do so. That's asking a lot, especially when playing games like Lunar Lander and Pong are such a chore. At its core Atari Classics is solid gold, but as usual, this package fails to do the games justice. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

Not to be confused with the PS2 Capcom Collection, Remixed offers a new set of 20 arcade-perfect games from the late 80's and early 90's. There are a few big names and a lot of hidden gems. All of the games include a two-player mode. 1941 (released in 1990, grade A-) is actually a sequel to 1943, offering the same great WWII plane shooting action, but with more advanced graphics and audio. It's one of several games that's best played holding your PSP vertically. Avengers (1987, F) is an outrageously bad fighter where you kick and punch thugs from an overhead point of view. In the mega-hard Bionic Commando (1987, B), our hero uses a grappling hook to navigate platforms instead of jumping. Black Tiger (1987, B+) is a hectic but engaging side-scroller similar to Ghouls and Ghosts. Block Block (1991, A-) is a Breakout clone with helpful power-ups and bricks that are spaced further apart to facilitate crazy chain reactions. Despite lacking the fine-tuned control of a paddle, it's still one of the more addictive games in this collection. Final Fight (1991, A) is the original classic side-scrolling brawler, and Captain Commando (1991, A-) is its futuristic cousin. In Forgotten Worlds (1988, B+) you hover and rotate in a jetpack, blasting hoards of robots and lizard men in a post-apocalyptic world. Last Duel (1988, B-) plays like a futuristic Bump N Jump at times, but also contains more conventional vertical shooting stages. Legendary Wings (1986, C) alternates between vertical shooting and platform action, but much of its graphical detail is lost on the small screen. Magic Sword (1990, B+) is absolutely frenetic medieval hack-n-slash adventure with phenomenal graphics. Mega Twins (1990, C) is similar but with more whimsical graphics and less intuitive controls. Quiz and Dragons (1992, B) is a strangely compelling quiz game with a medieval theme. Just to give you an idea, imagine encountering a goblin in the woods and having him ask you the name Ron Wood's former band, or Fred Astaire's dance partner. Section Z (1995, C-) is a lousy side-scrolling shooter with little to offer, but Side Arms (1986, B) features sharp graphics and absolutely crazy firepower. Speed Rumbler (1986, D) is an odd little bumper-car shooter with tiny vehicles and miniscule people. Street Fighter (1987, C) is interesting for historical reasons, but not so hot in terms of gameplay. Strider (1989, A) is the excellent (and surprisingly gory) hack-n-slash adventure set in exotic lands. Three Wonders (1991, B+) offers a trio of unique games (platform shooter, flying shooter, puzzle), each being good enough to stand on its own. Varth (1992, A) rounds out the collection as a chaotic vertical airplane shooter similar to 1941. Capcom Classics Remixed automatically saves high scores, and each game includes unlockable history, tips, art, and music. With so much quality gameplay, this is really the only disk you need for your PSP. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

I had expected last year's Ultimate Ghouls and Ghosts to be the definitive PSP game, but that one let me down. Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles, however, is the real deal. This is easily the best reason yet to own a PSP. The original Dracula X was released in Japan for the PC Engine (Turbo Duo compatible) in 1993, and hardcore gamers have long regarded this Japanese import as the best Castlevania game ever made. With Chronicles, now everybody can see what all the fuss was about (well, PSP owners at least). Dracula X Chronicles is a remake of Dracula X, spicing up its classic 2D gameplay with stylish 3D (yet unobtrusive) visuals and enhanced cinematics. The controls are fairly simplistic (the lack of a dash move is glaring), but you can't question the addictive gameplay and superb stage designs. Unlike the endless labyrinths of the newer Castlevania titles, Dracula X is more linear but brimming with distinctive locations and memorable sequences. Enemies include floating eyeballs (with tails of course), miniature hunchbacks, medusa heads, and skeletal dragons. Bosses you'll encounter include a leaping werewolf, a massive minotaur, and a headless horseman. This updated Dracula X alone would be enough to justify a purchase, but wait - there's more. The original Dracula X is an unlockable, along with the critically acclaimed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Playstation, 1997)! Question: Why in the [expletive] are these awesome games locked? I mean, you paid for the [expletive] things, and they're featured on the [expletive] box, and now you need to unlock them? I'm sorry Konami, but that was a real bonehead move. Even so, I can't let an idiotic decision like that rain on the parade, because Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles may be the best hand-held game you'll ever play. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

To be honest, I didn't have high hopes for Daxter. I suspected this was a cheap knock-off of the Jak and Daxter series, which has been in decline for years. I was wrong. This is one of the best-looking, best-playing 3D platformers I can remember. And that means something coming from a jaded critic like myself. Beautiful to behold and thoughtfully constructed, Daxter's gameplay is surprisingly fresh and infused with good humor. Although somewhat irritating as Jak's sidekick, Daxter comes across here as quite funny and endearing. His squirrel-like appearance makes him appear soft and cuddly, and his animations are always a hoot. As a diminutive exterminator in a futuristic world, Daxter embarks on various missions to swat and spray an array of colorful creeps in lush meadows, subway stations, and construction sites, just to name a few locations. The controls are tailor-made for the PSP, and the analog nub works especially well. Daxter is a nimble little fellow, able to crawl through pipes, climb, and slide down poles and wires. His pesticide gun lets him to stun bugs from a distance, and by pointing it downward he can use it to hover. It's amazing how each stage offers something new so the action never becomes repetitive. As icing on the cake there are Matrix-inspired fight sequences that are an absolute joy to play. Daxter's gorgeous graphics look clean and crisp, sporting color combinations that are oh-so pleasing to the eyes. The audio is equally outstanding, thanks to its elegant orchestrated music soundtrack. It's usually quite easy to determine where to go next (look for the spotlight), checkpoints are spaced appropriately, and you can save your place at any time. There are some minor camera issues, and a few "what to do now" moments, but overall Daxter delivers outstanding 3D platform action. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

You don't normally catch the VGC reviewing RPG-style adventures, but Dungeon Siege packs enough raw action to maintain even the shortest attention spans. Like most Diablo-style games, you'll explore towns, forests, caves, and ruins, battle monsters using melee and spells, collect treasure, and gradually grow more powerful. The Lord of the Rings (LotR) influence is evident, especially when you encounter the scrawny, fishing-eating "Scuttles". Dungeon's graphics are outstanding, with rich scenery and a tilted overhead camera that always zooms in as tight as possible. Monsters are highlighted and labeled, so it's easy to tell whom you're up against at any given time. The combat relies heavily on button-pounding, but that just adds a nice retro flavor (think Golden Axe). You only control one character directly, but a small sidekick who resembles a pet Balrog (the lava demon from LotR) fights by your side. Throughout your journey you may accumulate a number of concurrent quests, but these are easily referenced from the handy status screen (via the Select button). Unfortunately, some of the more tedious quests will have you backtracking all over the place to locate a specific item or person. The combat aspect is satisfying, and I like how you battle substantial creatures from the start - there's no bunny-killing nonsense in this game. Upon defeating a creature, gold coins and "loot" scatter about. By using the game's handy "item compare" mechanism (R button), it's actually fun to size up new weapons and armor. I also found the process of upgrading abilities and learning new skills to be fast and intuitive. Dungeon Siege boasts an outstanding orchestrated musical score, and you can save your place at any time. The load screens are kept to a minimum, but their meters are the annoying kind where the last 10 percent is 90 percent of the wait. Still, Dungeon Siege has managed to maintain my attention for several weeks, and I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface. This is one easy-to-play adventure that even casual warriors can appreciate. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

Flat Out has never gotten much respect from the gaming community. Is it because the game lets you catapult your driver hundreds of feet through the air and into a wall? Is it because you can bounce him into a set giant bowling pins? Probably! I wasn't expecting much from FlatOut, but I got more than I bargained for. Considering its value price, this is one heck of a racer. What makes it fun are the satisfying wrecks and the way it encourages risk-taking. If you run into a tree headfirst or go the wrong way, no problem - you just need to hit the triangle button and you're back on track and up to speed. The CPU racers are aggressive, often hitting each other and setting up opportunities for you to T-bone an opponent for big points. Tracks tend to run through rural and industrial areas, and the scenery looks realistic. In fact, the sharp graphics gave me renewed appreciation for the PSP display. The handbrake control makes it easy to power slide, and the right trigger kicks in the turbo. The career mode is okay, but like other racers it takes time to work your way up to a decent vehicle. What separates FlatOut from other racers is its over-the-top "carnage mode", which is an action-packed collection of mini-games you play for score. These include one of the most satisfying crash-up-derby games I've ever played. There are plenty of other cars to plow into, and the crunching collisions are sweet. Some of the mini-games are downright wacky (like the bowling) but it's all in good fun. The one aspect I didn't care for was the audio. There's a lot of really abrasive guitar music that I found headache-inducing after a while. The load times are reasonable (for the PSP), and the load screens offer useful tips. FlatOut is one of the few games that attempts to straddle the line between arcade and realism, and it largely succeeds on both counts. © Copyright 2011 The Video Game Critic.

Are you ready for pain? Ghost Rider was playable on the PS2, but its demanding controls effectively transform your PSP into a medieval torture device. This is the first PSP game I've encountered that's required me to hold in the shoulder buttons while pounding the front buttons, and my contorted hands paid a hefty price. A combination beat-em-up/motorcycle racer, Ghost Rider stars a dude with a flaming skull wielding a chain and a shotgun. The first stage is set in Hell, and I'm glad, because I've always wondered what Hell actually looks like. And wouldn't you know - it's exactly as I envisioned, with fire everywhere, brimstone, bottomless pits, and crumbling ruins. Yes sir, it is awesome! Those highways threw me for a loop, but hey - I guess demons need to commute too. The vibrant reds and yellows look absolutely gorgeous on the PSP's high contrast screen, and the comic-book style intermissions are pure eye candy. Sadly, most of the action boils down to mindless hack-n-slash combat against regenerating demons, although the ensuing pyrotechnic effects look pretty wild. It's mildly amusing for a while, but I really hate the demons surrounded by shields - they take forever to wear down. There are subtle differences between this and the PS2 edition of Ghost Rider. Instead of moving between contiguous areas, magic portals teleport you between locations, which is pretty lame! The motorcycle stages are a nice change of pace, letting you plow through creatures in the road, whip other riders, and jump across massive chasms. Unfortunately, the physical discomfort inflicted upon your hands from playing this game for more than 15 minutes cannot be overstated. I hate to blame 2K for the PSP's button layout, but hey, it's all part of the package. The analog nub doesn't do you any favors either when it comes to oversteering your bike. The story mode can be considered a bust, but the racing-only "challenge" mode is decent and less taxing on your hands. Don't expect a demonic version of Mario Kart though. The carnival and Daily Planet tracks convey atmosphere, but you'll be annoyed to no end by weapons that black out your vision, mess with the controls, or flip the screen. You'll need to be a real die-hard Ghost Rider fanatic to appreciate this PSP title. More casual fans should check out the PS2 edition first. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

This PSP edition of Gods of War offers the exact same brand of Greek-mythology-meets-Mortal-Kombat action that graced the PS2. You play the role of Kratos, a one-man-wrecking crew who whips around blades on chains to devastating effect. This game's production values are superb, offering rich graphics, fine voice acting, and an epic orchestrated score. And if that's not enough, the game even has boobs! What more could you ask for? Chains of Olympus takes place in ancient Greece at a time when the Gods seem to be having more personal problems than usual. Specifically, the sun has fallen from the sky and all hell is breaking loose. As with all God of War titles, the gameplay consists of bloody hack-n-slash action, simple puzzles, and dramatic battles with super-sized bosses. Some of the more elaborate sequences are punctuated by "quick-time" actions, prompting you to immediately hit specific buttons - often culminating in some very gory fatalities. Kratos can scale cliffs by plunging his daggers into its rocky walls, and that's pretty cool. The gameplay is forgiving, so you can't fall from ledges and when swimming you can't run out of air. The visuals are on par with the PS2 God of War games, and if there's any downgrade at all, you really can't tell on the small screen. There are some breathtaking views, and those shiny marble floors look amazing. One notable difference between this and the PS2 games is more frequent save points - very appropriate for a portable title. Chains of Olympus plays well, but it really doesn't benefit from the PSP platform. In fact, there were times when I wish I were playing it on a PS2 instead so I could savor more of the graphical details. Even so, God of War is probably the most playable and polished title you'll ever play on your PSP. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

Okay, now it's time for the Nintendo DS fans to be envious for a change! Gradius Collection contains five arcade-perfect 2D side-scrolling shooters released throughout the late 80's and early 90's. Asking a classic gamer if he likes Gradius is like asking him if he enjoys breathing air. Gradius set the standard for 2D shooters with its twitch gameplay and innovative weapon selection. On the surface, it looks pretty generic as you fly through caverns, blasting oncoming ships while dropping bombs onto stationary cannons. What's unique is how you collect pods and redeem them for power-ups. The longer you last, the more weapons you amass, although you lose them with your ship. Despite the incremental graphic improvements of each game iteration, the core gameplay has always remained the same. The first Gradius is so fun and addictive that in of itself practically justifies this disk. The second and third iterations incorporated some vertical scrolling, along with those trademark "sand lions" and flaming serpents. After watching Terminator 2 one too many times, the programmers made everything in the fourth edition look like liquid metal. The previously unreleased Gradius Gaiden offers more ship customizations, better explosions, and more "interactive" environments, like walls of falling ice. All of these games look terrific and feature well-orchestrated music scores. One trademark of Gradius has always been its insane difficulty, but this collection caters more to the casual gamer. The triangle button provides rapid-fire shooting and constant bomb dropping, saving your hands a lot of wear and tear. Upon losing a ship, you'll resume mid-stage instead of starting over from the beginning. The default difficulty is easy - too easy in fact. I recommend bumping it up to at least normal. There's even an option to adjust the collision detection, so minor scrapes no longer have to be fatal. Despite being very similar to each other, all five games are extremely fun and endlessly replayable. High scores are automatically saved. It's becoming crystal clear that the PSP is ideally suited to old school 2D action, so let's hope there's plenty more on the way. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

My limited attention span has prevented me from reviewing many RPG (role-playing games), but Half-Minute Hero lets me enjoy the genre without the extensive time investment. This bizarre title offers a series of missions which challenge you to save the world in 30 seconds. Well, that's not exactly true. When you stop in townships to speak to people or buy items, the timer stops. Also, you can pray to statues to buy yourself an extra 30 seconds. Heck, many missions have a longer time limit than 30 seconds to begin with. That said, the missions still tend to be short and sweet. Half-Minute Hero has a deliberate old-school look with 2D graphics and intentionally pixelated characters. Likewise the music and audio effects sounds like something from the 16-bit era. Each mission begins with the tale of an evil being that's casting a spell that will destroy the world in 30 seconds - unless you can stop it. The game has a tongue-in-cheek style with a lot of cute dialogue that pokes fun at the RPG genre whenever it can. Each mission takes place in a "world" just a few screens wide, and juggling your resources is key to victory. You earn gold in battle to buy weapons, armor, and food from the townships. There is a "grind" element but it's relatively painless because the battles are quick and automatic as you simply plow through enemies that appear at random. Townsfolk provide you with hints on how to reach your destination and what critical item you'll need to defeat the villain. There's a lot of trial and error involved but you can usually finish a mission in a few minutes. Half-Minute Hero is engaging but it shoots itself in the foot with its time-consuming intermissions and verbose dialogue. For a game that prides itself on being fast, why break up the action with so many delays? Each mission begins with an extended introduction. It's necessary to talk to townsfolk, but they won't shut up! After every mission a full set of credits roll for Pete's sake! You can skip this stuff via the Start button, but it's still annoying. Otherwise the game is fun and inventive, and there are even extra modes which provide real-time strategy and high-speed shooting games. For portable systems like the PSP I'm always looking for fun and original titles that I can't find on a normal console, and Half-Minute Hero is a shining example. © Copyright 2011 The Video Game Critic.

It's a little cheesy, but Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip is one of the more enjoyable games I've played on my PSP. Driving the game is a story mode that slowly ramps up in difficulty while introducing new opponents and locations. As in Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee (PSP, 2005) the characters are rendered in a cartoonish, anime style. Scrolling through dialogue between matches can be a little tedious, but at least the conversations tend to be short. In the first stage several kids discuss how it's important to exercise to avoid getting fat! I'm not sure if that's wildly politically-incorrect, socially responsible, or both. The matches are short, sweet, and fun. If you're used to playing Virtua Tennis (Dreamcast, 2000) the controls will take some getting used to. Instead of "winding up" for shots, it's all about timing. Cute icons indicate if you've hit the ball late (tortoise), early (hare), or just right (music note). It's possible to hit the ball out of bounds, into the net, or off the net. There's plenty of technique involved, with lobs and smashes being particularly effective. If you smash a ball into your opponent's face, you can knock him out cold! If it seems like your player is diving too much, you'll want to focus on proper positioning. If you line up directly in the ball's path, it will actually hit you! The difficulty is low but I enjoyed unlocking new locations like a college campus and television studio. Some tennis courts even have obstacles. You're constantly unlocking whimsical bonus items like sunglasses, a pink afro, and santa suit. The general look of the game is very busy. The set-up screens are brimming with meters, icons, stats, and control options. That's okay, because Hot Shots Tennis is pure arcade fun. And with quick matches and frequent autosaves, it's also perfect for gaming on the go. © Copyright 2014 The Video Game Critic.

One reader characterized Killzone: Liberation as an "old-school" overhead shooter, and that's not far from the truth. This amazing game is one of the few truly addictive titles for the PSP system. Its stages would suggest a first-person war shooter, but Killzone is played from a third-person, high-angled view. On one hand, everything looks very small and it's hard to discern enemies and hazards in the grungy scenery. On the other hand, you get an optimal view of your surroundings, allowing you to see what's coming and plan a strategy. It's a good trade-off, and I wish more console games would adopt this approach. The missions typically involve infiltrating enemy hideouts, knocking out weapons systems, or rescuing hostages. The visual style adopts a dark, gritty look, rendering everything in shades of gray. While this certainly adds authenticity, it also makes the landscapes look bland and unappealing. That's what realism gets you! Another consequence is that critical elements like barriers and supply boxes tend to blend into the backgrounds. Killzone's control scheme is excellent. The right shoulder button is used to take cover, and it's effective to peek and shoot between enemy reloads. For throwing grenades, pressing the circle button brings up a dotted-line trajectory arc which you can easily adjust. The X button is used for basic interactions like disabling traps and breaking crates. The game demands a thoughtful, deliberate approach to each new area, some of which have multiple paths. In addition to enemy soldiers, you'll fend off attack dogs and dangerous "spider robots" which function like crawling land mines. Whenever you hear the clickety-clack of one approaching, it's pretty alarming! The checkpoints are generally frequent, but not always optimally placed. Sometimes you'll make slow, steady progress in an area, only to be instantly killed by a heat-seeking rocket. It's frustrating at times, but Killzone: Liberation keeps you coming back - like any good portable game should. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.