Review: Sony PSP

Sony has been having many problems recently with the launch of their PS3 console. The market just isn't adapting to a five hundred dollar plus price tag, and gamers are getting their fix elsewhere. Before the creation of their first flop, Sony introduced their slow starting handheld console, the PSP. A new PSP lite has just hit the market, so it seems fitting to review the Sony PSP.

The greatest feature of the Sony PSP is the beautiful wide screen. The graphics come across smooth and crystal clear. There are even four brightness options (three if the unit is not plugged into an outlet) to accommodate any playing environment. The screen does have a bad habit of getting dirty very quickly, and can scratch very easily. A little care is all it takes to avoid these problems.

The next best thing is the sound. The quality is incredible. Music sounds just as good as any mp3 player; in fact, the PSP allows users to upload their own music, video, and picture files to use the PSP as a portable gaming and media device. Of course, to take advantage of this feature, you need to purchase the more expensive memory card, but to some people, that is more than worth it.

The design of the Sony PSP is solid, but could have used a bit of tweaking. Considering the Playstation series was known for introducing dual analog stick gaming, the presence of only one on their first portable is perplexing. The placement of the d-pad above the analog stick can make for uncomfortable game play. The right hand buttons almost feel fragile. Many gamers wind up snapping off the left and right top buttons when playing too aggressively. The row of specialized buttons beneath the screen is cumbersome, but prevents accidental resets during game play. Overall, the Sony PSP design is inventive, but falls just short of being great.

The battery life is more than long enough for the average gamer on the medium brightness setting. The system is easy to power up and even includes an option to shut down the PSP without resetting the game.

The library on the PSP is perhaps its biggest weakness. The system features a plethora of inventive puzzle gaming, but falls short in providing great rpg and strategy games that we haven't seen before. Third-party designers are creating stand alone games based on console franchises; however, few are really pushing for new ideas outside of puzzle gaming.

Overall, the Sony PSP is a fun handheld console. With the recent relaunch of the brand, more developers should be willing to get on board and create great games. The functionality of the Sony PSP as both a gaming and portable media player is more than enough to satisfy any casual gamer.