In the last year Sony released the PSP and as of yet has not released a game that justifies the purchase on the portable console.  Yes it could be said that Grand Theft Auto is a good game but, I can already play many iterations on my Playstation 2, on a far bigger screen that doesn’t suffer from dead pixels and the game will load up quicker.  The trouble with introducing a new console that some think needs to offer something fresh, is that it needs to offer a new experience.  All good and well, except.  The only people that buy these devices are parents for their children and people who use it on the go.

As nice as it is to view company logos are and FMV sequences are.  When you are just looking to play a game for ten to fifteen minutes, the last thing you want to do is have to watch an FMV, (whether it’s Full Motion Video or in game graphics).  The trouble with supplying only ports or mainly ports is that the games are not suited to the new console.  As nice as it might be to play a FPS, RTS or many other genres that require a certain controller setup, if the console that theses types of consoles aren’t suitable, it will affect the gaming experience. 

For example.  Halo is a fun game and on the PC is fun to play with a keyboard and mouse. (Didn’t like the Xbox version.  Couldn’t get to grips with using a controller to play this game.)  For this game to be ported onto a PSP would require major changes.  The fact that the PSP only has one controller and the fact that it’s a hybrid digital/analogue directional pad tells me that some serious tweaking would be necessary to get this to work.  Now I am aware that you could use the four button array on the front of the machine to direct you player, in a N64 setup.  The trouble is that only leave four buttons including the start and select buttons.  Halo has so many important actions that require a separate button.  What you would get would not be that enjoyable an experience and if you were mad enough to play PC and Xbox users, you would be humiliated.  You would have no chance of ever matching the easy access to switching weapons, ducking incoming fire, jumping or even making sure that you could use a medical pack.  Sorry it just won’t do.

So I think this leaves a dilemma as to what types of games suit this machine.  Perhaps we need to look at the main different types of games past and present that might work.

RTS?  No chance.

Platform?  That will work.

Third Person Shooters?  Maybe.

Arcade conversions?  As long as it simple.

Adventure games?  Sort of.

Strategy? As long as a mouse isn’t required.

RPGs?  See above.

I am aware of the main reason that a lot of people will buy the PSP instead of the DS and DS Lite, Graphics.  The portable console with a quarter of the power of the Playstation 2 but because it only needs to display a quarter of the screen size is strangely considered as powerful.  As much as I like to see detailed graphics and surround sound, if the game SUCKS or isn’t controllable with this machine, you have no chance of getting me to buy this game in the first place.  That’s why we have game reviewers who save us the heartache of wasting our hard earned money on something that gets played once and never touched again.

If I were Sony I would first of all get Tetris.  I know it’s old but ask yourselves this one simple question?  If this game is so old and past it, why is it that it’s come out on nearly every other format and I guarantee will be seen in one for or another in the future.  Why, because it sells and sells a lot.  It’s a simple game to play and is something you can pick up and play.

I think what doesn’t help Sony is the fact that all the games that I want to play are all made by Nintendo.  The only Sony console based games that I might play on the PSP are RPGs that let me save whenever I want to.  I don’t want to have to play the game for two to six hours to find the next save spot, or it will be put back into the box and never touched.

For me all the extra features that are on offer are of no interest to me.  Web browser, movie player and the MP3 player don’t interest me.  If I wanted to do all these things I might as well get the DS lite.  It’s considerably cheaper and the 4 gig hard drive takes up a lot less room.  I also notice one other thing that seems appropriate.  There is a saying here in the UK.  “Jack of all trades, master on none”.  With all theses features I wonder if Sony actually know that this device really is.  Is it a games console or some sort of multi media?  I personally don’t need or would use these extra features.  I already have a PDA, 40 GIG MP3 player and don’t need to transfer my photos. 

So the question is what should Sony do the correct it’s obvious failings?  First of all if it’s a games console, devote most of your time making simple games that will also grab the imagination of the buyers, produce distinctive games that would not work on any other machine and Stop lying about what it’s has under the hood.  The average gamer doesn’t really understand tech specs.  If you have to have a movie player, put a decent sized memory card with it and use a standard format.  DIVX or XVID for example.  I’m pretty sure the reason that MP4 was used was due to some licensing difference between the owner of the license and that fact that Sony wouldn’t pay them the money.  If you must release movies on UMD disc format, don’t charge more for the film that it costs to purchase it on DVD.

I am aware that this may appear nothing more than another Sony bashing by what appears a Nintendo fanboy.  I just want Sony to give me something worth buying because the way the PS3 seems to be panning out, I won’t be buying one of those for a very long, long, long time.