The PlayStation Portable (PSP) may no longer be in production, but it remains one of the most beloved handheld consoles of all time. Released in 2004, the PSP offered players a console-quality gaming experience on the go, allowing them to play everything from sports games to sprawling RPGs. While the PSP’s library may not have been as extensive as its home console counterparts, it still boasted some incredible titles that are remembered fondly by gamers. Among these standout games are Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Persona 3 Portable, and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is widely considered one of the best games on the PSP. A prequel to the legendary Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core follows the story of Zack Fair, a member of the elite military group SOLDIER. The game blends real-time action combat with the traditional RPG elements that Final Fantasy fans Marco88 love. The storyline, which explores Zack’s relationship with Cloud Strife and Sephiroth, adds depth to the original game’s narrative and has become an essential part of Final Fantasy VII lore. With its stunning visuals, compelling story, and emotional depth, Crisis Core remains one of the PSP’s most celebrated titles.

Persona 3 Portable, the portable version of the popular Persona 3 RPG, is another standout title on the PSP. This game combines traditional turn-based combat with life simulation elements, as players balance battling supernatural creatures with building relationships with in-game characters. The game was praised for its unique blend of gameplay styles and its deep, character-driven narrative. In addition to the original male protagonist, the portable version introduced a female protagonist, giving players new storylines and added replay value. Persona 3 Portable is a perfect example of how the PSP was able to deliver a console-quality RPG experience on a handheld device.

Finally, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories brought the beloved open-world mayhem of the Grand Theft Auto series to the PSP in 2005. Set in the familiar Liberty City, the game offered players a chance to engage in the chaotic, criminal-driven lifestyle of the series from the palm of their hand. The game’s expansive world, engaging missions, and signature humor made it a hit on the PSP and showed that the console could handle open-world experiences just as well as its home console counterparts. Liberty City Stories is considered one of the best open-world games on the PSP, thanks to its robust gameplay and faithful recreation of the Grand Theft Auto experience.

The PSP may not have had the lifespan of its PlayStation counterparts, but it produced a library of titles that solidified its place in gaming history. Games like Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Persona 3 Portable, and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories exemplify the quality and variety that made the PSP a unique and beloved console. Even as newer handheld systems have come and gone, the legacy of the PSP’s best games lives on.