So, uhm, without further ado, here goes…

Silent Hill Origins

Horror can be quite difficult to pull off on a handheld and this game is probably as good as it gets. Well, so far really, as this is the very first Silent Hill game to go portable. It’s not perfect, not by far and definitely not when the clunky camera and combat mechanics are taken into account, but Origins still is a great game that really nails the Silent Hill atmosphere and reveals the… err… origins that originally turned Silent Hill to the hellish ghost town it now is. Brilliant and disturbing graphics, superb sound effects, new characters and chilling monsters make this best PSP horror game yet.

Metal Slug Anthology

Ok, I know I’ve mentioned this one before, but apparently you keep ignoring it. Tsk, tsk, I say, how dare you? This is a collection of the best side-scrolling action platformer shooting game-thingies ever and even comes with a nice scent of nostalgia. And don’t get me started on the aesthetic pleasures the graphics provide. Or the sick humor. Besides, this PSP offering includes Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4 and Metal Slug 5.

Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony

A PC action-CRPG that manages to decently squeeze itself to appear on the PSP’s small but shiny screen, while simultaneously adapting to the needs of on the go gaming, is quite an impressive sight indeed, and that’s what Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony is. Impressive. It offers hours of smooth gameplay, three story lines, tons of weapons, an impressive variety of baddies, excellent controls, good audio, multiplayer options and nice graphics. Oh, yes, and lots and lots of hacking and slashing while waiting for the bus.

The ancient Greek way of life was rather brilliant and probably the most enjoyable ever, provided of course you were born a man, and more precisely a free man, in which case you’d probably spend your life fighting some non particularly lethal battles, philosophizing, not working, thinking, creating art, eating healthy stuff and having lots and lots of very imaginative sex. Kratos, on the other hand, being less of a historical figure and more of a product of an americanized view of Greek mythology, chose to go for a more slaughtering everything vaguely humanoid lifestyle, though admittedly he still bothers himself with a bit of sex here and there. Apparently, the ladies love him.

Other than that, Kratos also tends to star in hugely popular and incredibly polished video games for the PlayStation 2 and has just made the jump to the PSP, which you’ve probably noticed. The God of War: Chains of Olympus was, after all, one of the more heavily hyped games of those last few months. Well, in Greece it was.

What’s really impressive about this game though, is the fact that the hype was almost justified, or, to be fair, as justified as these things go. Chains of Olympus is an excellent addition to the PSP game library, and if you’re into this sort of action-adventure fetish, I guess you could easily say this is the best PSP game released to date. Now, I would disagree and go for Pirates! or Lemmings, but I’m a retro gamer at heart and a grumpy one at that too. Still, even I have to admit that Sony’s effort really is impressive. Very impressive, actually.

First of all, you see, Chains of Olypmus is a worthy addition to the God of War series and can easily be considered on par with the ultra-successful original God of War on the PS2. It might be on the shorter side of things, but it sports the same level of gore, atmosphere, excellent gameplay, fantastic set-pieces and rudimentary puzzles, all tweaked for gaming on the go and made to fit in one of those tiny UMD discs. Then there are the graphics. They are easily beyond what you thought the PSP was capable of and beautiful from both artistic and technological points of view. Happily, the same thing applies to the audio.

Oh, and it’s even got a decent though quite banal plot. Something having to do with Kratos murdering a bit, then seeking absolution, then murdering some more, cursing the gods, murdering, spicing up his erotic life, murdering and finally killing something truly big. But really, who cares for detailed stories when you got such a polished, fun and addictive game? Hmm…

Football games, not unlike adventures and strategy games, don’t need fancy graphics, never truly age and are more than tricky to get right. They are, you see, one of them gameplay driven genres. That’s why Sensible Soccer still is a better game than the latest FIFA, that’s why thousands of people still enjoy Kick Off II and that’s why Football Manager -one of the most successful gaming franchises ever- is in essence a game without graphics. So, what are your options in digital football gaming, I pretend to hear you ask? Well, read on, read on.

Football Manager

Football Manager, the venerable series that began life as Championship Manager, has always been an immensely addictive time sink of a management game, an impressive ever-evolving database of the international world of of football and an incredibly fun game too. Nowadays, it can also be said that FM is a true football RPG, and one of those games we all take refuge in when our teams get disqualified/relegated/ridiculed. Traditionally FM 2008, the latest and best version of the game, is available for PC only, but you can also grab a stripped down version of the game for your PSP or go for FM 2006 for the Xbox 360. Oh, and a MMO should soon be released.

Pro Evolution Soccer

Pro Evolution Soccer is a rare yet happily popular attempt at realistically recreating football. There are no crazy scores here and precise crossing is a matter of technique. It really feels proper. Now, Pro Evo might lack FIFA’s official shine and impressive graphics, but -believe me- it still is the better game. By far. Makes for quite a brilliant party game too. Pro Evo 2008 can be played on the PS3, PS2, PSP and -provided you don’t mind less impressive ports- on the DS. The highly innovative Wii version of the game, a footie RTS of sorts, will soon be reviewed.

Sensible Soccer

This is the best football game ever. Want to know why? One word: pace. Care for more words? Well, how about after-touch, one button gameplay and lovely pixel-art graphics? To properly enjoy Sensible Soccer you should really play it on an Amiga, but lacking one, I guess you could try the equally retro PC or Atari ST versions of the game. Alternatively the best way to get some faithful yet up-to-date Sensi action would be via the Xbox Live Arcade. Sensible Soccer 2006 (PC, Xbox, PS2) is decent, as is the Mega Drive/Genesis version available via a certain TV plug-’n'-play thingy.

FIFA

Not much of a fan of the franchise really, but I must admit it’s quite enjoyable. And looks rather good too. FIFA 2008, quite obviously the latest offering in the long running series, can be played on virtually any console, meaning versions for the Wii, PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, DS and PSP have already been released.

Despite being the most advanced handheld console ever and a beast easily comparable to the PS2, the PSP has more to it than -say- the excellent, jaw-dropping and brand new God of War: Chains of Olympus. It’s a brilliant home for retro games of the highest quality too. No, really. Read on, read on and find out why.

EA Replay

From Wing Commander, to Road Rash, to Syndicate, to Desert Strike and Ultima, EA Replay is a great retro collection spanning over 10 years of EA history, that frankly could have been better. I’m pretty sure the UMD could have coped with the extra 4 or 5 Mbytes necessary for the inclusion of a few more classic games and I’m quite sure that EA could have spent a few more hours better adjusting some of the controls to the PSP. Still, a worthy purchase for retro lovers with a thing for the 16-bit era.

Lemmings - Platinum

An updated version of the classic puzzle game with shiny new cartoon graphics , tons of levels, some impressive audio enhancements over the Amiga original and a few tweaks here and there. If you haven’t played Lemmings, buy it. If you ever loved Lemmings, buy it. If you enjoy being entertained, buy it. If you have Lemmings on the Atari Lynx, ignore it. Heh.

Sega Mega Drive Collection

A stunning offering featuring 28 (mostly) excellent 16-bit Sega Mega Drive games, that come complete with interviews, tons of info, artwork and even some unlockable games and trailers. The emulation is perfect, the controls simply work and you get to play through Sonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe, Comix Zone, Ecco the Dolphin, Phantasy Star IV and Shinobi 3.

Activision Hits Remixed

Another collection, this time sporting over 40 Activision games that were released over 20 years ago for the Atari 2600. The emulation is obviously silky smooth, the front end and extras are brilliant and among the included games you’ll find such amazing games as Pitfall, H.E.R.O., River Raid 2, Keystone Kapers and Frostbite. It’s quite impressive how well suited these simple classics for on the go gaming are.

Metal Slug Anthology

Perfectly emulated versions of Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5 and Metal Slug 6. And you get wireless support for two players too. ’nuff said.

Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition

I don’t really hold the original Final Fantasy II in the highest of esteems, but I can definitely see its appeal. And obviously understand the fact that many feel nostalgic about its retro RPG charms. This all-new Anniversary Edition of the game features new character art, updated graphics, a few new dungeons, full 16:9 widescreen support and an updated camera view. Surely fans of the original will love it.

Ultimate Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins

One of the best and truest to form retro updates ever. Beautiful, tough as nails, addictive and utterly brilliant. Then again, you could read this older ButtonSmasher article on the thing by clicking here.

Care for more retro offerings? Oh dear, you’re insatiable, aren’t you? Anyway, here are a few more humble suggestions that will hopefully keep you off the streets:

- Bomberman
- Worms PSP
- Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars
- Space Invaders Evolution
- Gradius Collection
- Impossible Mission
- Dracula X Chronicles

Game publishers are cowards. It’s an unfortunate truth, I know, but it’s an undeniable one nonetheless. They are terrified of innovation, mortally afraid of stylistic differences, fearful of artistic statements, horrified of any genre outside FPSs or platformers and unable to sleep at the mere thought of 2D graphics. Unless of course we speak of handheld games. There, for some miraculous reason, games don’t have to constantly show off their cuttingedgeness (sp?). Games can simply be fun. And even 2D, especially when based on a classic franchise.

Then again, the reimagining of classic franchises is neither a bold move forward nor a foolproof idea, as retro remakes can be (extremely) nasty affairs and the danger of shoddy updates is always present. Remember the countless Pac-Man sequels? Good, you see what I mean. Then again, thankfully, there are games like Ultimate Ghosts ‘n Goblins for the PSP, that could easily serve as the blueprint for every classic remake to follow.

Ultimate Ghosts ‘n Goblins, you see, is a brilliant game that manages to be fun for the aging hardcore gamers and the younger audience alike, while simultaneously looking and sounding both impressive and retro at the same time. Really. The graphics are probably the best the Sony PSP can manage. They are crisp, detailed, colourful, artistically beautiful, excellently animated, filled with a ridiculous variety of special effects and sporting one of smartest 2D/3D hybrid engines you’ve ever seen. Astonishingly they are unmistakably Ghosts ‘n Goblins too.

The same applies to the gameplay part of things. UGnG is a classic linear 2D platformer, is as tough as any retro inspired game should be and is immediately accessible, while also evolving the series by introducing new enemies, power-ups, abilities and mechanics. Oh, and thankfully there are three difficulty levels available, though only particularly masochistic souls would ever hope to enjoy the toughest one.

What’s more, the game is budget priced too. Hooray!

It’s been only a few days since I mentioned how much I’ve always cared for Football Manager (even though it doesn’t know I exist… sigh!), but it seems I failed to mention I was actually referring to the PC version of the game. This post on the other hand is quite definitely about the Sony PSP reimagining of the game and, should you’ve failed to notice so far, the PSP lacks both a proper monitor and a mouse. It is, you see, what we specialists tend to call a handheld gaming device. And handheld gaming devices aren’t the platform of choice for deep strategic football related thinking.

Then again, one has to admit that Sports Interactive definitely know their thing and even seem to grasp the annoying particularities of handheld gaming. I could even argue that Football Manager Handheld 2008 is not only the best football management game ever on any handheld , but also on par with -personal favorite- Championship Manager 97/98. Still, truth be said, FM ‘08 it’s not.

If you are fine with the lack of a few features and the 2D match engine though, the slightly simplified gameplay, excellent matches, elegant interface and portability of the thing will make sure you’ll have a blast. Provided of course you care for football in the first place, that is. Oh, and being a regular train/tube/tram rider might help too.

It was over 20 years ago when my father brought me the PC version of Sid Meier’s Pirates! and, despite despising the huge manual, I’ve absolutely loved the game (or should I say franchise?) ever since. Looking at a CGA sky and using a paper map to navigate, raiding towns and sinking ships, freely deciding what to do and where to sail, juggling politics and cannonballs while looking for lost family members and a beautiful island to retire on, all sounded like computer magic. These boasts, you see, the game’s boasts, impressive even by todays standards, were almost unthinkable in the late 80s. And of course innovative beyond measure. A programming feat too. Yet, Pirates! offered all that and more, and I was thoroughly obsessed with the game, playing it for what must have been hundreds of hours. Then I pointlessly sought to improve the experience.

After spending a few years trying the rather more colourful EGA version of Pirates, dabbling with the smart CPC port, the vastly updated Amiga version and growing older, I was thoroughly dissapointed by 1993’s Pirates! Gold, but still cared for more of my swashbuckling entertainment. The original was still the best, yet returning to it wasn’t as easy as it is today. We didn’t have no emulators back then, you know. Regardless. I even kept my 5.25″ inch drive and tried to run the bloody thing of the ancient self-booting floppy again. Not much fun was to be had, not on the high seas at least, but when the glitzy 3D Sid Meier’s Pirates! 2004 remake finally hit the shelves I was more than skeptical. Happily, I was also wrong. The game was brilliant. Deeper even. And then they remade it once more for the PSP. As you can see for yourselves it looks more than pleasing…

Sid Meier’s Pirates! for the Sony PSP though has more than looks to it. First of all, it proves that the Pirates! games are far from dead, that there’s still room for improvement and that good games never die. They simply raise from their graves and discipline their boring spawn. Secondly, Pirates! PSP with it’s short, varied and numerous missions is brilliantly suited for short bursts of play and thus a truly handheld game, and thirdly, Pirates! -admittedly along with Football Manager- are the only games that would convince me to grab one of Sony’s shiny new handhelds.

Then again this is neither the time nor the place for this conversation. 2008 is almost upon us and I haven’t even managed to finish buying presents. Oh dear…

Have a happy new year everyone!