Review: PSP Go

by Jesse B.
Note: More awesomeness at The T4inted Mirror.

I know it's been out for a while, and I know I've had one almost since the launch date, but the PSP Go (PSP-N1000/PSP-N1001) has become such an integral part of my gaming life that I can't resist writing a belated review. Available in both black and white, the PSP Go is the first truly portable PlayStation Portable. With its slick sliding screen and compact frame, it's hard not to feel lusty over the PSP Go. And don't forget the integrated microphone. But you didn't come here just to hear about its aesthetic value.

The PSP Go is the first PSP to not feature a UMD drive. Instead, the tiny system sports a 16GB internal hard drive. How do you acquire games, you ask? Simple. The games are downloaded straight from PlayStation Network (PSN). While you may not be able to buy every game ever released for the PSP, the vast majority of popular games are accessible, with more being added every week. The best part is that every single new release is made available on PSN on the Thursday after its release, allowing the avid gamer to download fresh titles without taking a trip to the store. If store-bought games are more your speed, game cards (PSN gift cards) are made available of many games. Simply type in the code on the back of the card into your PSP and your download will commence.

For those of you interested in hacking your PSP, I have some bad news. The PSP Go has thus far proven itself unhackable. But quite honestly, unless you planned on pirating games, there aren't too many features you could want that aren't already included. And there is one BIOS hack (You can find it yourself, reader.) that allows the system to play Flash content such as YouTube videos. No hacking is recommended by The T4inted Mirror, as hacking is often illegal and always voids your warranty.

Who is the PSP Go recommended for? Hardcore gamers who are in need of a high-quality portable system would find the PSP Go very appealing. Who isn't the PSP Go for? Current owners of earlier PSP models would not want to buy the PSP Go, as there is no (legitimate) program to transfer UMDs to digital form. Also, while there are a few well-designed softcore games available for the PSP, the novice or younger gamer may very well find more games his speed made for the (much more economical) Nintendo DSi.