The PSP was largely considered ‘the other handheld’ in the generation in which it was released. Sony (like all others) couldn’t overtake Nintendo’s stranglehold on the market. They did come closer than anyone before. The handheld’s primary market was Japan. This means it’s chock full of RPGs both experimental and traditional in nature. I thought it would be fun to highlight the best ones today. Unlike a lot of other lists like this I didn’t have to scrape from the bottom of the barrel because the library is so vast. So without further stalling these are the top 25 best PSP RPGs of all time! Let’s get started.
#25. – Final Fantasy II
Unfortunately we’re starting this list off with a game I only sometimes like. Final Fantasy II is one of the strangest installments in the entire series. It looks, and seems to play like a normal FF game. At least at first. When you dive in you’ll find something that takes all of the worst parts of the SaGa series and amplifies them. Basically your characters here don’t gain experience points from battle. There are no levels to be gained. Instead your party becomes more powerful from their actions within each fight. If they’re hit a lot their defense increases. The same thing goes for the strength stat in relation to attacking. It can be confusing at first, but Final Fantasy II is extremely easy to break. This PSP remake has improved graphics and an arranged soundtrack. This is one of the best ways to play this off-putting sequel.
#24. – Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
I’ve never been the biggest Final Fantasy Tactics fan. In my opinion the game has always played second fiddle to Tactics Ogre. That doesn’t mean it’s not fun though. War of the Lions is an enhanced port of the original PS1 release. It ups the resolution slightly, takes advantage of the widescreen display, has additional content, and even a slightly expanded story. That’s not to mention the added full motion videos and slight rebalancing too. The reason this game isn’t higher on the list is because at the end of the day it’s still Final Fantasy Tactics. Love it or hate it. Up until the recent re-release on modern consoles this was the best way to experience the classic. If you have a PSP you can’t go wrong with this one.
#23. – Shin Megami Tensei: Persona
Most modern Persona fans don’t realize that these games actually belong to a long running overarching franchise. The first Persona released on the PS1 in 1996, but few gamers paid attention at the time. Even at the time this release felt dated. It was a first person dungeon crawler with a slow combat system. This PSP release isn’t a full remake, nor is it an enhanced port. This game falls somewhere in between. It looks better and some of the menus have been cleaned up, but the content is essentially the same. I realize the Persona franchise has attracted a lot of new fans and it should be noted that this is not the same experience as the newer titles. Persona is a much more hardcore and slower paced experience. If you want to play the original game in the franchise this is currently the best way to do so.
#22. – Final Fantasy
Speaking of remakes the PSP had a ton of them. Especially when it comes to RPGs. Square-Enix is partially to thank for this. They released remakes for the first four Final Fantasy titles on the platform. It was an RPG fan’s dream come true. Right now we’re going to discuss the original one. Final Fantasy on the NES is a tough sell for anyone who didn’t play it at the time of release. The menus are archaic, encounter rate is insane, and the game is pretty difficult. Thankfully this PSP remake lowers the bar of entry. The graphics are kind of a mixed bag. The environments and monsters look great, but the character designs are strange and off putting. Final Fantasy on the PSP retools the difficulty to make it more approachable, updates the interface, and with the new coat of paint makes it approachable for a modern audience.
#21. – Final Fantasy Type-0
Originally Final Fantasy Type-0 was announced to be directly connected to Final Fantasy XIII. This was part of an overarching project at Square-Enix called Fabula Nova Crystallis. At one point it was even called Final Fantasy Agito XIII. After several delays Type-0 was finally released. Unfortunately that was just in Japan. We later received an HD version on modern consoles, but thanks to a fan translation the original release is playable for English speaking fans. The game is a big budget action RPG with lots of polish. It doesn’t really feel like a Final Fantasy game, but after the trainwreck that was XIII it seemed like a good course correction. If you’re looking for an original PSP game that feels like something that feels like a real console experience.
#20. – Jeanne D’Arc
I’ve never been the biggest fan of Level-5 and their games. Generally they feel a little soul-less and tend to be overdesigned. That’s not the case with Jeanne D’Arc. This is a turn based strategy RPG that doesn’t stray far from the traditional fundamentals of the genre. There is however a neat rock paper scissors mechanic based on moon phases. It’s significant enough to make Jeanne D’Arc feel unique from its contemporaries. The really interesting part of this game is that it’s based on the story of Joan of Arc. It’s a very loose re-telling however with a heavy handed coat of anime paint, and tons of liberties taken with the story. Jeanne D’Arc is definitely one of the best PSP RPGs, and a high point in Level-5’s history.
#19. – Ys: Oath in Felghana
It felt like the Ys series went almost dormant until the PSP released. Developer Falcom brought the series back into the spotlight on Sony’s capable handheld. Ys: Oath in Felghana is actually a remake of the third game in the series. In case you don’t remember it that’s the one that was a 2D side scrolling action RPG. It was a drastic departure from every other Ys game. Oath in Felghana delivers a more traditional experience for the franchise. As Adol Christian you venture deep into dungeons fighting off monsters in an action based battle system. Falcom thankfully ditched the more platformer oriented gameplay of the original here. It now feels like a traditional Ys game, and a really good one at that. If you’re looking for a Ys game to play on the PSP this is a good choice.
#18. – Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
One of the biggest games announced for the PSP early on was Crisis Core. This came at the height of the Final Fantasy VII revival project and would serve as a prequel wherein you play as the barely touched upon character Zack. It tells the story of the events leading up to the beginning of the original game. Unfortunately at this time the story in Final Fantasy VII was starting to get convoluted. This game adds significantly to these issues. Additionally it ditches the classic turn based combat in favor of something more similar to Kingdom Hearts. Unfortunately the combat just isn’t as fun as in Final Fantasy VII. It’s overly chaotic without a lot of strategy. Still it was neat to play such a high budget RPG on a handheld at the time, and Crisis Core is still enjoyable.
#17. – Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC
This is the second game in the Trails sub-series. It is a direct sequel to the first Trails in the Sky game which was also released on the PSP. What’s neat about these games is the fact that they’re directly interconnected. This means that SC is a continuation of the original. Many of the same characters return as well. The battle system is based on traditional strategy RPGs of old. You move your characters across a battlefield using a grid based system. Upon reaching foes you can input commands such as attack, items and even use spells. My favorite part of these titles is how they build on a bigger overarching story. It’s like Suikoden in that way. Trails in the Sky SC is fantastic.
#16. – Ys Seven
It was a pretty big surprise when Falcom announced Ys Seven would be a PSP exclusive. Previously they also released their games on the PS2. It was a big show of faith, that’s for sure. The game is a 3D action RPG wherein you guide Adol Christian through various dungeons and town areas. Combat has been refined in a few ways from the previous entries. The old elemental system has been reworked and somewhat replaced by a weapons based strength/weakness mechanic. It’s a decent change that I think works well for the franchise. The dungeon designs are good, but where this one really excels is in its boss encounters. I loved these and found them to be some of the best in any action RPG. If you’re looking for a good Ys game to play then this one is a solid choice.
#15. – Final Fantasy III
This one actually started out life as a Nintendo DS game. The Final Fantasy III remake was first released on the dual screen portable, and years later it was ported to the PSP digitally. The developers took the NES game as a base, remade the graphics in full 3D, re-arranged the soundtrack, and rebalanced the gameplay. The end result is a fantastic RPG. They even elaborated on the story by giving each member of the warriors of light their own distinct characterization. Some fans didn’t like this but I thought it was okay. Just bear in mind with this one that despite the new coat of paint it’s still a retro RPG at heart. This means it has a high encounter rate, long dungeons, and features some very difficult boss encounters. Regardless I love the classic job system and the way in which it’s implemented here.
#14. – Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
We’ve already talked about its sequel. Here’s the original. Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is what set off what would become one of Falcom’s biggest game series. The story here is one of political intrigue taking place in just a few countries within a wider world. Of course this is accentuated with a colorful cast of anime characters that are both memorable and charming. The battle system is also quite enjoyable. Trails in the Sky is a turn based strategy RPG where you move characters across a grid based battlefield. What’s nice about it is the sheer number of special moves your characters get. They have several different classes of arts, and these are very flashy and helpful during combat. The real highlight however is the story. I love how it’s one piece in a larger narrative told by the later sequels.
#13. – Tales of Eternia
This one was originally released for the PS1, but as Tales of Destiny 2. To make matters more confusing there’s another game called Tales of Destiny 2 on the PS2, but in Japan only. Regardless this is the third installment in the long running franchise. It was also the first one to feature significant upgrades in visuals. I’m specifically referencing the character sprites. They are downright beautiful with a lot of detail and tons of frames of animation. These look amazing. There’s also a significant amount of voice acting here too. The story isn’t quite to my liking but that doesn’t mean it isn’t well told. Best yet the battle system uses a more polished version of the classic Tales of action combat. Tales of Eternia is a beautiful and fun game and the PSP is still the best way to experience it.
#12. – Brave Story: New Traveler
The Sony PSP is home to a lot of remakes, sequels and spin-offs. What about the original RPGs? They have you covered for that too. Brave Story: New Traveler was a completely unknown at the time with a fair sized budget behind it. The game is a classic turn based RPG with a somewhat strange but enjoyable storyline, solid combat mechanics, and a fun world to explore. It’s a good experience. I do however have some complaints. First of all it’s clear the developers were big fan of anime cat girls. I found them a little creepy to be honest. Additionally your party is limited to just three different characters. That was somewhat of the norm at the time so I can’t hate on it too much, but four or five would have been perfect. Regardless, Brave Story is a fun romp.
#11. – Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
The original release of Disgaea on the PS2 was truly what popularized developer Nippon Ichi in the West. It was a turn based strategy RPG absolutely rife with humor and parody. It also had a unique netherworld theme and more abstract anime style than we had typically seen in the genre. The game has a lot of depth to strategy. Monsters can be recruited on to your team, and there are geo cubes that offer multiple effects during battle. It’s even possible to throw characters and objects in the midst of battle. Disgaea is a more involving experience than most other strategy RPGs of this kind. If you’re looking for a role playing game that you can sink a lot of hours into this is a great choice.
#10. – Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
Kingdom Hearts made a huge splash on the PlayStation 2 console. The combination of Final Fantasy and Disney worked out better than anyone could have hoped. For a while it felt like it was everywhere. The PSP even got it’s own sidestory release in the franchise. Birth By Sleep looks and plays like a traditional Kingdom Hearts game. This one follows the story of three separate characters; Terra, Aqua and Ventus. You switch to the different scenarios as you play. Each one ventures to a separate set of Disney based worlds complete with hordes of heartless enemies and menacing boss characters. I’m happy to report that this one looks just about as great as the PS2 games. It’s clear that Square-Enix treated Birth by Sleep like a new mainline release rather than simple spin-off.
#9. – Persona 3: Portable
The Persona series wasn’t always as popular as it is now. Part 3 was where it began hitting the mainstream. This is a port of the PS2 game, and although some areas have been downgraded it still feels like the complete experience. There’s even additional content here. The big new change is that you can now choose to play as a female protagonist. This offers brand new social links and alters the story significantly. Persona 3 is, at its core, a combination role playing game and dating sim. During the day you interact with characters and grow relationships. At night you enter a realm of demons and fight your way through. The game, like others in the Shin Megami Tensei series, has you recruiting demons to do battle for you in kind of a ‘catch em all’ sort of mechanic. This PSP port is impressive, and a lot of fun.
#8. – Lunar: The Silver Star Harmony
The original Lunar has been remade countless times throughout the decades. Up to this point each new version had lost more and more of the magic that made it so special. Silver Star Harmony is far from the best remake, but it’s significantly improved from something like Lunar Legend. I especially like that this version has an epilogue sequence which tells the events leading up to the main story. This is the first time the series has given us a glimpse of this. The battle system is as fun as it always was, but the battle sprites are oversized and a little goofy if I’m being completely honest. I also didn’t like most of the story changes here. If you want the original Lunar at its best check out the Sega CD version. Silver Star Harmony will do in a pinch though.
#7. – Star Ocean: First Departure
It’s worth noting that this was the first time the first Star Ocean was released in any form outside of Japan. First Departure is a remake that uses the graphical engine of the second title. It has been completely re-done from the ground up. The game even features world map exploration which alone is a huge upgrade from the Super Famicom release. Personally I loved this one. First Departure is a great fit for the Star Ocean 2 engine. There are however some problems. The original Star Ocean was designed with slower travel through a series of different environments instead of a world map. That means that First Departure takes significantly less time to complete. It only took me around twenty hours which is honestly pretty disappointing. The significantly upgraded graphics and vastly improved battle system is well worth the trade off.
#6. – Valkyria Chronicles III
Valkyria Chronicles had an interesting trajectory as a series. The first one released as a PS3 exclusive. Due to the success of the PSP, and the lack thereof for Sony’s console at the time, Sega moved development to the handheld. Valkyria Chronicles II took a more marketable anime trope approach. Part III continues that. This is a turn based strategy RPG, but a really unique one. Instead of swords and magic characters battle using conventional tools of war such as firearms. The battlefields are fully 3D. During each character’s turn you guide them through the environments from an over the shoulder perspective as you take cover, shoot enemies, throw grenades, etc. What’s interesting is the fact that while you’re moving enemies can fire shots at you. Placement, as well as environmental factors are hugely strategic here. It’s a ton of fun, and has a great English fan translation.
#5. – Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
There are a lot of enhanced PS1 ports on the PSP. Most of the noteworthy ones are RPGs too. Valkyrie Profile was a title that went mostly ignored when it released on Sony’s 32-bit console. After all it wasn’t from an established franchise, and the graphics were largely two dimensional. The gameplay however is very unique. Outside of battle the game plays kind of like a platformer. You view the action from a side view as you guide the main character through a series of environments. These sequences mostly involve getting past obstacles and solving puzzles. Combat however is a more traditional RPG experience. The battle system is turn based but heavily reliant on using combination attacks with your party members. Valkyrie Profile is a bit unconventional but it’s fun. I’m glad it got a second chance on the PSP, and this is the best way to play it.
#4. – Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Although it predates it by several years the original the Tactics Ogre series has never been able to match Final Fantasy Tactics in terms of popularity. It’s a real shame because in my opinion it’s vastly superior. Tactics Ogre on PSP is a full remake of the original game. Not only have the graphics been completely upgraded but there’s more content and the story has additional details too. As far as strategy RPGs go there are few others that can match the sheer complexity or design nuances of Tactics Ogre. It just makes me miss the old days of classic style strategy RPGs. This remake, in my opinion, is still the best way to play it. The game looks amazing on the small screen, and the very nature of Tactics Ogre makes it a perfect pick up and play experience.
#3. – Valkyria Chronicles II
As I’ve already mentioned Valkyria Chronicles started out life on the PS3. When its follow up Valkyria Chronicles II was announced for the PSP it was a big surprise. After all the platform is far less powerful than the PS3. Could it really do the concept justice? The answer is yes. Valkyria Chronicles II has largely the same gameplay as the original. It’s a turn based strategy game with real-time movement through 3D environments. If you approach enemies and they notice your presence they will fire on you outside of their turn. It’s a fantastic concept that works well here thanks to the great level designs. Figuring out strategies based on placement of your units to stop enemies’ advances as well as ambushes makes this one very rewarding to play. I just wish it didn’t have the anime school days themes. They don’t do the game any favors.
#2. – Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection
The other Final Fantasy remakes on the PSP are good, but nothing compares to the release of IV. That’s not even because it’s my favorite game of all time. This edition includes a full remake of the base game as well as its sequel the After Years. There’s even an Interlude which bridges the two games together. That’s one of the highlights for me because it hasn’t been included in any other release for this title. There’s an absolute ton of content in this package. It’s all good too. My only complaint is that the graphical style is very off-putting. I’m specifically referencing the character designs. They’re overly tall and lanky, and it’s clear that Nomura interjected his trademark style into them. It doesn’t fit, and they all look weird. If you can get past that drawback you’re in for a treat. Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection is amazing.
#1. – Star Ocean: Second Evolution
Star Ocean: The Second Story was one of my most favorite games released on the original PlayStation. It’s action based battle system, intriguing story, and branching character scenario made for a very fun RPG. This PSP version is even better. I’m hesitant to call it a full blown remake. It’s more of a remaster than anything. The graphics are largely the same here utilizing sprite based characters, pre-rendered backgrounds, and 3D battlefields. There have been a lot of aesthetic bonuses thrown in however. Character portraits are completely redrawn and look amazing. Additionally there’s signifiantly more voice work now. Characters speak during specific story sequences, and the acting is surprisingly good. Even the battle clips have been improved significantly. Up until the re-release on modern consoles this was the best way to play Star Ocean 2.
