Five Features The PSP2 Absolutely Must Have In Comparison To It's Predecessor

Fuelled by this mornings rumour that the PSP2 will have a touch screen, i have been compelled to compile a list of the five features that the PSP2 absolutely must have. I'm not talking specifications or functionality here, im talking back to basics design choices.

1)A stronger library of games. While the PSP definitely has it’s gems they are few and far between. Looking back on it the system’s lineup has looked bleak for as long as we can remember. In fact launch titles like Virtua Tennis World Tour and Wipeout Pure still remain some of the best titles the system has to offer. While game releases are quite regular in Japan the support has been less than adequate in Western regions despite decent sales. We’re not quite sure why the games library has never quite expanded as much as it should have but we’d bet piracy and ifrastructure issues are quite high up the list. A gaming platform’s success (handheld or home) depends on the strength of it’s games lineup.

2)Faster loading times. We’ve been playing Outrun: Coast 2 Coast on our train journey’s across the country recently and have come to the conclusion that there is one thing that breaks down the experience of that game: loading times. As an arcade racer you expect to jump in, race and jump out but can the PSP deliver that kind of experience? The simple answer is no. The game pauses to load at every turn, screeching and churning enough to warrant a disgusted look from the other commuters in the “Quiet Zone”. And all the while we sit quietly as the familiar loading screen amuses us, gazing blankly and imagining a PSP system that took mere seconds to load.

3)Two analogue sticks. So much more could have been possible with the original PSP if Sony hadn’t overlooked this simple design flaw. There lives an argument that suggests handheld consoles should not be designed in the same way as home consoles because a different experience is anticipated. We say: imagine the Killzone game you could have got on your PSP if only the system had two analogue sticks. We’re not discrediting the work Guerilla did on Killzone Liberation by any means; but an extra analogue stick would be kind to gamers and developers. On the gamer side: no more cramp-inducing shoulder button camera control; on the developer side: “oh wow we can make games with decent controls at last”.

4)Vastly improved battery life. We’re battling our way through Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, taking on that annoying little flame-haired girl with the lisp; one more shot of the Concussion Gun should get the job do-… The battery has gone. And we were so sure we’d fully charged the little bugger a couple of hours before leaving the house. Well, that’s that then - no more video games on the go for this journey. Heaven forbid we might actually have to buy a newspaper and read about the morbidly depressing world around us.

5)A screen visible in any lighting. The biggest irony in handheld gaming (and this applies to Nintendo’s little dual-screened pocket partner too) is that when we were all nippers in shorts playing Pokemon on the original GameBoy, we’d fight over who got to sit closest to the train window or the chair beneath the light in the dimly-lit restaurant, just to be able to see some green and black blobs. Now that we’re all grown up with PSP’s and suits, the worst thing we could possibly do is sit next to the train window because the daylight renders our game unplayable. Is it too much to ask for a portable console that can be played in any lighting.

So thats what i think the new PSP2 certainly needs, they are only basics but Sony really do need to go back to basics and start producing a handheld that can cement a decent foothold in the handheld market or even control it. What do you guys think?

i aggre but it should have also a built in web came and msn functonality

i can currently get onto MSN on my PSP. It easy if you know how, all you have to do is get the Homebrew IPhone application, this has a little icon on it that take sit to MSN mobile with news and the latest video on there, you can then access your e-mail or even chat to your mates using MSN although it is a little slow but it is MSN non the less

homebruw you can get it but for the updated versions you cant hack

no you can use this on un-hacked PSP's as you run it through the PSP internet browser, so it is like a homebrew portal. If your interested i have uploaded it to Megaupload so feel free to download it >>> http://www.megaupload.com/?d=V8TWVU5E

Looks good - touch screen would be nice.

That App looks good too thanks Admin.