Though the PlayStation Portable is now considered a retro console, its influence is still clearly visible in many modern PlayStation games. The PSP introduced design ideas and gameplay mechanics that have carried over into esse4d full-fledged PS4 and PS5 titles. In many ways, the PSP was ahead of its time—experimenting with storytelling, open-world exploration, and unique control schemes long before they became industry standards. Looking back, it’s clear that some of the best PSP games laid the groundwork for the PlayStation experiences we enjoy today.

Take Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, for example. This title didn’t just deliver on story and stealth—it introduced base-building, resource management, and co-op mechanics that would later become core features of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. What started on the PSP was expanded and refined on home consoles. Similarly, God of War: Chains of Olympus proved that a cinematic, visceral experience could thrive on portable hardware, paving the way for more mature and story-rich games on handhelds and eventually influencing the tone of God of War (2018).

Daxter, a spin-off of the Jak and Daxter series, showed how spin-offs could maintain—and even elevate—the quality of their parent franchises. It demonstrated that side characters could carry their own games, a trend that we’ve now seen with titles like Miles Morales in the Spider-Man universe. The ability to successfully branch out from a major franchise and build something unique is a tactic that started with confidence on the PSP.

Sony’s portable experiment may have ended with the PS Vita, but the legacy of PSP games continues to ripple through PlayStation’s current generation. Ideas born on the PSP are now implemented at a larger scale on PS5, where games are bigger, faster, and more dynamic—but built on the same spirit of experimentation and creativity. The best PSP games were never just “lite” versions of console titles; they were the testing grounds for future innovation.