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[Xenon]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

4. What is your favorite game?

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

7. How is battery life?

 

[acklame]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

4. What is your favorite game?

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already
7. How is battery life?

1. Absolutely! I love my PSP No regrets at all, it's the best $250 I've spent in years.

2. Mainly on airplane rides & at work, it's perfect for those. Other than that, I've been playing it at home. I personally don't take it out to restaurants because I don't want to dirty it.

3. Yep. The games I got so far are Wipeout Pure, TM and MGA. I've been really enjoying all three and they are worth it. All three are $40 games though(not 50).

4. Wipeout Pure!

5. $57 on a 512MB memory stick. That or a 1gb one is a must have imo, I've been using my psp as a music player a lot.

6. UMD movies. The screen is just so fucking amazing that I will be buying some movies.

7. Better than I thought actually. I've been getting 6-7 hrs on Wipeout Pure, my most played game.

 

[Kingpen]

1. Yes it stands up to the hype. Fully worth the money spent on it. Incredible piece of hardware.

2. It is utilized as a portable system, portable movie player, portable mp3 player and portable photo viewer for me.

3. Yes... they are worth the money asked for them.

4. Lumines/Ridge Racer tie.... These games are so good that they have kept Metal Gear Solid, WipeOut Pure and Untold Legends in the plastic...

5. I spend 80 bucks extra on a memory stick 512. I would say it is a necessity to upgrade the memory stick to utilize the functionality on the system and thus validate the 250 entry price.

6. How small it really is.

7. Good, I mean if you seriously are playing this thing for over 5 hours without access to a plug, then your hands are going to be really tired.

 

[sonycowboy]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets? And then some. No regrets. More impressed with it than I thought, by a long shot

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why? Of course, on the throne, at work, when my wife is shopping

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game. Depends on the game. I didn't buy any $50 games, but all my $39's are well worth it

4. What is your favorite game? Untold Legends, Lumines, then Ridge Racer

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity? Memory Card & Screen protector, I need some game cases and a carry ALL case

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already Being able to carry video and pictures of my new baby girl

7. How is battery life? No complaints. I haven't ever run out while playing and I play it every day ALOT. Just recharge it at night

 

[Pack of Wild Rats]

1. No regrets, love it so far, and I don't even have a bigger mem stick yet.

2. Yes, but not as much as I want to yet. Waiting for me people to get one at school, so there is less of a chance of getting it stolen. =/ Can't take too many chances around here since I always here about stolen DSs and iPods.

3. The three games I bought were worth the $40. I don't know about the $50 ones, since none of them intrigued me. BTW, I got Lumines, Ridge Racer, and Wipeout.

4. Lumines, with Ridge Racer jsut behind. I suck too much at Wipeout.

5. None yet, I'd say a big mem stick is all that is necessary.

6. Nothing really, but I guess the wireless range is pretty good. I don't have a wireless router, so I can connect to people's routers nearby. Even better when you are out and you can use the hotspot down the street.

7. No problems with the battery life. The worst I've had is about 4 1/2 hours and that was with full brightness, full volume, watch Spiderman for a little while, and then playing Ridge Racer. You don't need the brightness at all, so you can get the battery to last pretty long.

 

[rod]

ive got an import system but il get in on this too..


1.hype as in "OMG TEH GFX!!11" hype,yeah it lives up to it. as a multimedia device, no.


2.just for games.


3.no. handheld games should be cheaper than console games,regardless of the power of the handheld. that goes for DS too.


4.ridge racer when i 1st got it, now its kinda crappy though...so lumines and THUG2 (since i never played it on a console, im loving this version)


5.250AU on a 1GB memory stick, a few screen protectors of different brands for about 7US each, the USB transfer cable and an extra pouch.


6.size, clarity of the screen.


7.battery life is ok, i go on a lot of long interstate road trips so its died a few times on me, but its nothing a soon-to-be-bought new battery wont fix.

 

[drohne]

well, i've had mine for more than three months, but:

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

i never know how to compare something to its hype. it exceeded my high expectations, anyway. i regret that i scratched up the screen with overzealous wiping before i realized what i was doing. :/

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

sometimes. but i mostly use it at home. as i did with my gba.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

the good ones are, sure. although i'd buy more games if they were $30 or $20. i think the completeness and polish of psp games merits their higher asking price.

4. What is your favorite game?

ridge racers. the best game in one of my favorite franchises. and a perfect demonstration of the technology.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

~$115 on a 1 gig memory stick. don't know if i'd call it a "necessity," but a portable media player is something you won't realize you've always wanted until you try it.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

i've used it as a movie player much more than i expected to. downloaded content often looks better on the psp's small screen than it does blown up on my computer monitor. and watching a quick tv episode on the go is just...cool.

the psp is also a surprising demonstration of just how important sound is to games...ridge racers, lumines, and wipeout pure have such fantastic soundtracks. the sound, more than anything else, is what differentiates psp from various game boys and game boy clones.

7. How is battery life?

a non-issue. even in the first days when i was simultaneously in love with ridge racers and lumines, i don't think i ever played it for five hours at a stretch.

 

[Andy787]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?
Yes. No.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?
Not really. I hardly did with the DS or SP either, I just like portable gaming as it's typically just a lot easier to get into and relax with.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.
If the games continue to be of this quality or higher, absolutely. I don't like the $50 price point for portables (though to be fair, EA and Activision don't have anything available that I'm remotely interested in currently, anyway), but all of the games I have I would consider absolutely $50 quality games (Wipeout, Ridge Racer, Lumines, Metal Gear Acid), even if I don't have to and would prefer not to pay as much.

4. What is your favorite game?
Ridge Racer, probably. Which is just a testament to how amazing Ridge Racer is, because both Wipeout and Lumines are absolutely incredible games as well. Ridge Racer is probably my all time favorite arcade style racer now, though. I've only put about 2 hours into MGA, so I don't think it's fair to give a real judgement, but I did very much enjoy those two, bumblingly confused hours.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
Just $10 for a USB cable. The cloth is probably the most useful thing in the Value Pack I will definitely be picking up a gig MS, and I would love to get some nice slip cases for UMDs and possibly a case for the PSP itself, but it's not something I need right this second.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already
I am just surprised that it is as good as I thought it would be. And that's all I wanted.

7. How is battery life?
Hasn't been a problem for me at all.

 

[Drinky Crow]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

-- eh, yeah, for the most part. The ghosting on the 60 fps games bugs me a bit, but not as much as, say, jaggies, or the entire Nintendo DS. Not a big fan of load times, either, although SOMEHOW I'LL SURVIVE.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

-- hell yes. Untlog Legends, Wipeout, Darkstalkers, and even that abomination Dynasty Warriors have kept me really, really entertained. MGA less so, only because I haven't put as much time into as I'd like.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.
-- yeah, they have the same polish and content as their console brethren, which is GREAT GREAT GREAT.

4. What is your favorite game?
-- torn between Darkstalkers (a classic) and Untold Legends (I love me some Diablo).

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
-- 512 MB Duo card and a car charger.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already
-- just how utterly, life-alteringly kickass it is to rip episodes of Seinfeld, Samurai Champloo and/or One Piece to the memory stick and watch 'em at the pediatrician's office or while waiting for my car to get repaired. Oh, and regularly shitting my pants over Wipeout Pure's graphics -- FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, IT'S ON A HANDHELD! The system also feels a lot more sturdy than I thought it would.

7. How is battery life?
-- perfect. I can't imagine playing more than 6 hours of it a day (more like 1 or 2, tops), and I just charge it at night or during my commute.

 

[Alex]

1.) The build quality can be rather lousy overall 'cept for the sceeen ridiculousness people whine about. My analog stick is acting funky and my memory stick cover is loose...

This of course, isnt to mention that the thing is a dirt magnet and I've gone through four units with not just dead pixels, but OBNOXIOUS deal pixels and still suffering it.

The visuals for the most part are also just nothing that special, I guess I was just expecting too much, DS is REALLY a lot crummier, but PSP is still mostly Dreamcastish at best in pretty much all cases.

The upcoming lineup is also pretty offputting, Makai Wars being canned pisses me off, and I wish they had done more with the networking out of the box. I think it's mostly an issue of how much I spent versus how much use I'm getting out of it.

My largest complaint though is just how clumsy and long it can take to boot up and load at times.

2.) About as much as I did the SP. I don't get much use out of the media functions, however.

3.) Depends on the game, same as with consoles. Handheld games have really evolved started with the GBA, and I don't consider the visuals to be the indicator of if a product is worth the cash or not. They're not worth any more than GBA/DS games though, no.

4.) Metal Gear Acid, fantastic game, I'm a rather big strategy game buff.

5.) None, and none. The fragility of the screen is massively overexaggerated, IMO. No scratches and the included accessories are nice stuff.

6.) the PSP's Hardware sleep mode is the greatest thing ever. Ever.

7.) Good, seems to be 5-7ish hours average. Enough for me, personally.

I like the PSP a lot, but no, it wasn't worth it for me at this point as I don't really use the media functions and it's future lineup is pretty sketchy compared to what I should be spending my gaming dollars on.

I care for the DS even less, so oh well, once these things drop and go through revisions I'll be more interested. It's my fault for early adopting on a whim though.

 

[jiggle]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

Met all my expectations and then some. No regrets whatsoever.


2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Used it out a few time. But mostly on my couch listening to TV or on my bed.


3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking?

Yep, the games I got are good enough and have enough depth for being 40 bucks.


4. What is your favorite game?

Lumines


5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

30 bucks on two Martin Field protectors. One got so dusty and i coudln't get it clean so i had to use the other one also. It's an absolute necessity imo.


6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

The sleep mode!!!! It's such a handy feature, it's even better than quick save, though not as permanent.


7. How is battery life?

Ran out of battery once when I first got it (thank god for the sleep mode). I keep be charged when not playing now, so haven't had any battery issue ever since.

 

[Geek]

1. Yes. My only regret was not putting on my Hori screen protector. But I bought the EB extended warranty, meaning I'll trade mine in and get a new one soon (few dead pixels).
2. All the time. I ride the train for about an hour a day.
3. I didn't buy any $50 games, but the $40 ones I have "are worth it".
4. Lumines. I also have Wipeout, but it just feels like more of the same.
5. Nothing yet. Gonna buy a 1GB mem stick when I'm not broke.
6. The hacks! Also, the fact that if the battery dies, it doesn't affect my game.
7. Good! The charge up time is usually done at work, so I hardly notice the battery life. I left it in sleep mode all day, then overnight, and it died on me after only 3 or so hours of gameplay.

My DS is gathering dust right now.

 

[Oni Link 666]

1. No, I don't think it lives up to the hype but, it's still awesome. No regrets.

2. Yeah, I play it on breaks at school. I just have to find a good hiding spot so I'm not bothered.

3. 40 maybe. 50 no way.

4. Ridge Racer.

5. $10. You need that USB cable to put some manga on it!

6. Gotta be the rag.

7. Decent. I usually get like 6 or 7 hours.

 

[Nerevar]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

Hell yeah. I wish there were some more action-oriented type games, but those will come. I'm on a racing fix right now.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Yeah. I travel for work, so it's indispensible for hotel rooms.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

Yes, they do. They feel comparable to current console games. I'm sure this will change in a few months when next gen starts

4. What is your favorite game?

wipout pure. It was Lumines, but the fact that you basically need to put in an hour to get anywhere in the "challenge" mode has sort of killed the fun for me.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

Outside of the included stuff, I just have a screen protector. I'll wait for the price of 1 gig memory sticks to drop.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

movies are much better than I expected them to be. I can't wait to be able to rip stuff and watch it on the go.

7. How is battery life?

I've never had an issue.

 

[Mejilan]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?
Hype? Nope. It's got a counter-intuitive interface, unimpressive music/photo/movie playback features, awkward control layout, too many buttons, shitty speakers, and too-slippery analog controls. Regrets? Not really.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?
Yes. What else are you gonna use it as? Doorstop? Connected to a TV? It's a portable system, lol.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.
Fuck and no.

4. What is your favorite game?
Lumines. (I bought 4 other games besides this one, 3 of them are just plain bad.)

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
$15 screen protector (required), $15 system/game/accessory case (required), $5 USB cable (required if you don't have a memory stick adaptor), ~$170 1GB memory stick (required until decent games come out.)

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already
Good surprise: Screen, easy of wireless connectivity. Bad surprise: Atrocious speakers.

7. How is battery life?
Disappointing. Doesn't hold a candle to a DS, or especially a GBA SP.

I'm sure the games will justify the purchase eventually. I bought this and the DS not for their current lineup, but the potential library. I picked up Lumines, Wipeout Pure, Dynasty Warriors, Metal Gear Acid, and Tony Hawk Underground 2 Remix.

Lumines rocks, but the lack of a Shuffle mode kills the game for me. Wipeout Pure was fun but is too slow and doesn't control particularly well (thanks to the dinky analog nub.) Dynasty Warriors and Metal Gear Acid just plain suck. THUG2... I dunno, I just lost interest in the series a few games ago, I thought this might revitalize me to the franchise. Guess not.

For the record, I'm just as annoyed/bored with my DS library (of 7 games), but what salvages that is the ~125-game GBA library I've got going, and the fact that the DS' GBA playback is stupendous. I dropped some all 25 chapters of the Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon on my PSP, but now that this is done, I can't really be arsed to rip any other DVDs... (I use my 60gb iPod photo for music, so the PSP can't compare there.)

 

[lollerskates]

I love mine.

it is a little pricey though. thats my only complaint

 

[Joeholley]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

Yes. No.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Yes, and I also play it at home a lot in lieu of my other consoles. Only recent interesting game for GC, Xbox or PS2 for me has been God of War. PSP has 5 games that I can't find enough time to play, even including my normal gaming time.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

Absolutely. The 5 I've bought (Lumines, RR, WOP, MGA, Moji Pittan) are the equivalent in quality to the home console games I'm usually paying $40 to $55 for.

4. What is your favorite game?

Lumines, WOP (tie)

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

$110 for a 1gb MS Duo. $10 bucks on a screen protector (bought two, didn't like the first so I trashed it and bought another). The MS is optional, the screen protector necessary if you're anal about scratches (like me)

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

Sleep mode. Every portable system needs this from now on forever and ever. I pull it out of the sleeve and I'm playing my game in 2 seconds flat, right where I stopped playing.

7. How is battery life?

I bought a second battery just in case, cause I was worried about this. I've never gotten lower than 20% on the original battery, however. This is largly because you get the higher brightness by plugging it in, so whenever I get the opportunity to do so, I do. Brilliant decision on Sony's part.

 

[Mejilan]

Joeholly, you realize that most GBA games had a sleep mode built in, and that the DS has it built into the hardware, like the PSP? Hell, arguably, the DS' sleep mode is even classier. Just close the clamshell to put to sleep, and open it back up to awaken.

 

[dskillzhtown]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?
No regrets at all. It does live up to the hype as it does everything it was promised to do flawlessly.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?
I do use it as a portable system, as I have been in bookstores, coffee shops and even bars playing the thing. Though I probably will only do it at coffee shops in the future as I get way too much attention when playing and can't really enjoy myself.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.
I think 40 is worth it, 35 would be ideal, but I do understand that it isn't exactly cheap to make these games. But I haven't gotten a 50 dollar game yet. I probably would be hesitant.

4. What is your favorite game?
It is a tie between Lumines and Ridge Racers. I do play Lumines alot more though

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
65 bucks on a 512MB stick. 10 bucks on a carrying case and 5 bucks on a screen protector. The memory stick is a necessity to do anything besides play games, I felt like the carrying case was a necessity as the one Sony gives you is open on one end, I wanted my PSP to be a bit more secure.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already.
Probably the clarity of the screen. I still am amazed how bright and clear it is.

7. How is battery life?
For me Battery life has been great. I have not had a gaming session interrupted because of a low battery yet. It has not been a concern at all.

 

[Neo_ZX]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?
Yes. The screen should have had stricter QA tests. I'm satisfied with a very VERY slightly flawed screen.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?
Not really but I will when the opportunity arises. One reason for not taking it out as much as I could is the thought of it being stolen :|

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.
Current games are not really worth their price tag. $50-60CAN isn't really worth it for the games out now. I'd expect that price point for a really high class game like a Final Fantasy or a GT4 mobile. Other games should be $35-40CAN.

4. What is your favorite game?
Toss up between Lumines and Ridge Racer.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
Nothing. Screen protector is a must. I am considering getting that and a hard case and car charger. Maybe a longer cable if it is dirt cheap. Also will get a 1 or 2 GB memory stick when it gets cheap enough.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already.
I didn't know you could execute games from memory stick right from the OS. Playing media files is also cool. Sleep function was a good idea.

7. How is battery life?
Acceptable but could be much better.

 

[TTP]

Joeholly, you realize that most GBA games had a sleep mode built in, and that the DS has it built into the hardware, like the PSP? Hell, arguably, the DS' sleep mode is even classier. Just close the clamshell to put to sleep, and open it back up to awaken.

Very true. But does the DS go in sleep mode when battery runs out during play so that you can recharge it and keep going from where u left? No? PSP +1

 

[daegan]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

Definitely. It can do everything they said it can and it does it well. It might not hold ALL your movies or ALL your MP3s but this isn't supposed to do that. It's kind of like a 'best of'.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Oh yes. Especially at my girlfriend's family gatherings and downtime between classes on campus. Also at work, to demo to customers. Admittedly I play it a lot at home too, but it did replace my XBox.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

The amount of resources that go into most PSP games are greater than those that went into most PSX games when they costed $50. The fun of cross-house multiplayer alone is worth the extra 10$ over a GBA cart.

4. What is your favorite game?

I bought two and I really can't pick a favorite yet. I think I'll play Lumines more consistently than Wipeout though.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

So far about 20$. 10$ for screen protectors (getting better ones eventually). 10$ for a hold-games case. I wish the case was a bit sexier. Will probably spring for a Logitech case and a 1gb memory stick later on when finances are in order.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already.

SLEEP MODE IS THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

7. How is battery life?

Perfect. If I'm going to be away from home for that long I'll be near an outlet so I'd bring the adaptor anyway.

 

[bill0527]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

4. What is your favorite game?

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

7. How is battery life?

1. No regrets.

2. Not yet, but I will be using it more on-the-go this summer when I do a lot of travelling. I mostly play it while I'm sitting on the crapper. The problem is, I've been spending a lot more time on the crapper...TOO much time. Its kind of worthless to start a new game of Lumines while sitting on my throne. I've gotten so good at it that I can't finish a full game and my legs start going to sleep around the 20 minute mark. I'm also in the process of converting my entire 70 disc DVD collection into mp4 format so I'll be able to watch any of my favorite movies whenever I'm travelling.

3. I refuse to pay $50 for a portable game. Not because I can't afford it, but because I don't think there is any portable game yet that is worth paying that amount for. Paying $40 is too much IMO, but we don't really have a choice yet.

4. I picked up Wipeout Pure, Lumines, and Twisted Metal. Wipeout and Lumines are awesome. I hated Twisted Metal and I've now got it for sale on ebay.

5. None. I haven't bought any accessories yet, but I will be buying several before I start travelling. I've been reading up on a lot of the accessories and I just can't make up my mind on what to get. I'm assuming you're not counting a larger memory card as an accessory. I purchased a 512MB Sandisk pro duo. I should have gotten a 1GB. Maybe for Christmas I'll get one. I'm of the opinion that if you don't have at least a 512MB card, you are only getting half the functionality out of your PSP.

6. The most surprising feature for me was seeing just how awesome the screen was for the first time. I had read every OMG TEH SCREEN ROXXERS posts from the importers here and at IGN. I didn't really appreciate what they were saying until I saw it for myself. Seeing Spider-Man 2 on UMD was pretty incredible. It looks a hell of a lot better than what most people will get at home on their own TVs - unless they have a home theater setup.

7. The battery life hasn't been a problem for me at all. Like I said, I haven't really travelled yet and I'm always close to my charger. I would say that the battery gets a good 4-6 hours depending what all you use it for. I can get 5-6 hours doing nothing but playing Lumines and Wipeout Pure. The only problem I had was with Twisted Metal. That game was a battery killer. It constantly accesses the disc and if you play online with wi-fi turned on, you can almost hear the life being sucked out of your battery at about 2 times the normal rate. I could only get 3-4 hours out of it on Twisted Metal playing online.

 

[Goreomedy]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

I was not hyped on the launch of this system. In fact, I only bought one on impulse when I saw that they weren't being bundled at Wal-mart. I always have buyer's remorse when I drop hundreds of dollars on entertainment, but that guilt has all but vanished over time.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

I stopped taking it out into pulbic with me after the last "oooh, let me see that!" pass-around nightmare. I'm waiting for the Logitech case this month before I start taking it again.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

Lumines, Wipeout, and Twisted Metal: Head On all feel like true, fully developed software titles of this generation. Would I spend more than 40 for a portable game? Probably not.

4. What is your favorite game?

Lumines.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

USB cable, Wireless Router(this might not count, as I got it to network my PSTwo and PC's as well).

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already.

I dig the sleep mode feature, which makes EVERY game pick-up-and-play friendly. Also, the interface of the system is sexy and transfering files is a snap.

7. How is battery life?

6 hours, and I use the highest brightness setting. If I were to play Twisted Metal: Head On online, though, bat life drops to 3 hours. Not a hassle, as I recharge over-night every other night. And if the battery dies during play, your progress is saved by sleep mode. I will pick up a car adapter if I plan on taking any road trips with the significant other.

 

[Mejilan]

Very true. But does the DS go in sleep mode when battery runs out during play so that you can recharge it and keep going from where u left? No? PSP +1

No idea. My DS hasn't died on me yet, sorry.

 

[michael000]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

I thought it was hugely overhyped to start with, but when you look at it for what it's capable of (game console, video, music) it's a top notch system and definitely worth every penny. The low sound as a whole is the only disappointment.

Early adoption regret is starting to creep in when i look at what's in store in terms of games, the list is very very thin for games i'm personally interested in. Hopefully E3 will alleviate some of that regret.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Yes. Lumines is crack in a UMD.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

$40 for the A-List titles is ok but $50 is outrageous. Price point should be $29.99 and $39.99. Hopefully all those piece of sh*t EA games will flop at $49.99 and we'll never have to have this discussion again. Only way i'll ever even consider paying $49.99 for a game is if it's AAA-List title (FF, GTA, GT).

4. What is your favorite game?

Lumines, by default. I don't own any other games yet

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

$76.16 Total
$12.99 - Martin Fields Overlay Protector (necessity)
$6.78 - Belkin USB 2.0 5-pin Mini-B (necessity)
$56.39 - Sony 512 Pro Duo (necessity, but will sell it and buy a 1GB Sony Pro Duo once the supplies go up and the price drops a bit)

I intend to buy a docking station charger (only if sony releases one), a longer capacity battery (whenever sony releases one) and a case whenever a good one comes out.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

The ability to show pictures. It's not that it's that great or anything i just didn't think i'd ever use it and after playing around with it i probably will.

7. How is battery life?

No comment yet, i haven't had a long trip yet that required me to really push the battery.

 

[Alex]

GBA/DS sleep mode hasn't been nearly as effective as on the PSP for me. Not that I've messed with it on the DS extensively...but...I never will, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

 

[Sysgen]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

Yes!

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Yes! My fucking 2 hour commute to work now feels like 30 mins and I'm sorry I have to get off the bus. I plead with the bus driver to get stuck in traffic.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

I'll give you $40 for a really good game. Never ever $50. FU EA.

4. What is your favorite game?

Wipeout

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

Hmm. Still never got my 1 gig card so technically nothing. BTW I like the case that comes with it. Edit: I bought an Exim screne protector. It's so good I forgot it was there.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

The triggers are cool. (all I can think of). Edit: The sleep function so you can pick up where you left off.

7. How is battery life?

More than enough.

 

[shpankey]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?
Absolutely! And no regrets whatsoever.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?
Yes, of course.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.
I don't think they should charge that much, but it's hard to argue right now when both Ridge Racer and Untold Legends are giving me soooo much fun and playing time. But they should go down to $39.99 in my opinion.

4. What is your favorite game?
Untold Legends followed closely by Ridge Racer. Both are AAA games though, no doubt at all.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
So far, I bought the USB to PC adapter. I also bought a cheap screen protector [$10] to get me buy until my fancy Exim screen protectors [$15] get here. It also come with some crappy headphones and another screen lint free wipe cloth. I'm also getting the Logitech case as soon as it comes out. I will also be buying the 1GB memory card in about 2 weeks. If they ever come out with a TV adpater, I'll get it too, so if I'm in a cheap motel I can watch movies through the PSP on their motel TV's.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you alreadyThis is easy. The sleep function. I didn't know about it till after I bought it and it is hands down the greatest feature of the system. Basically, you can at any point in time put the system in sleep mode and it won't use any battery and it turns off the system at the point where you are. Even if you mid movie or right in the middle of a game. When you wake it up (which only takes 1 second) you are right where you left off. No waiting, no loading, nothing. Just BAM, you're there. Just a fucking amazing feature!

I also love how you get a 4th brighter LCD mode when you are charging. It's super bright then.

7. How is battery life?
I have only ran out once, and that was when I first got the system and it only had a 32% charge on it. Since then, it hasn't ran out on me yet so I can't really tell you how long it lasts. Plenty long enough for me obviously and I'm happy.

 

[soul.less]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

Yes and no regrets at all.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Not really. I'm waiting for that Logitech case to come out before I start to use it consistently outdoors.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

Yes.

4. What is your favorite game?

Ridge Racer.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

I've purchased a Pelican Screen Guard (or whatever it's called) and it's a so-so product. I've also acquired a 256MB Memory Stick PRO Duo via my Mom (purchasing it at Best Buy for me).

I'd say if you want to play a reasonable amount of music and movies you need a bigger Memory Stick than what's currently being given with the PSP (32MB).

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

I guess the battery life.

7. How is battery life?

Excellent, more than enough when you consider what this handheld can do compared to other handhelds out there at the moment.

 

[captmcblack]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?
Meh. It hasn't changed my life, or pulled me out of the handheld gaming ghetto, or anything like that. But it's fun to play. I can't say I'm disappointed or anything. As for regrets...nope, none.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?
No, I pretty much only use it at home; for starters, I'd hate to lose it or have it stolen. Also, it doesn't seem like it can survive a trip in my school bag like my GBAs or DS can.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.
There are ZERO handheld games worth the same price as a console game. Ever. EVER.

4. What is your favorite game?
Wipeout Pure has to be my PSP favorite.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
Didn't buy anything yet, but I'm definitely buying a new Memory Stick (whenever 2GB+ sticks come out) and screen protectors. And those are definitely the ones you need.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already
None of the features really surprised me, because the Internet, advertising and anything else that mentioned PSP beat me over the head with it for the last 6+ months. I was impressed by the fact that I can do stuff with my WiFi on the PSP right now, though.

7. How is battery life?
It's as advertised - 3-6 hours. It's not really a problem though, since I don't use it much off of the AC cable.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

4. What is your favorite game?

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

7. How is battery life?

1. It meets and more then exceeds the hype for me. No regrets at all.

2. Of course I use it as a portable system. That's a big reason of why I bought it, but I play it a lot at home too.

3. For m the games are worth it. I bought five games at launch and haven't regretted getting any of them. Awesoe graphics on the go.

4. I'd say my favorite game so far is Untold Legends. At least, it's the one I've played the most. Lumines comes in with the next most play time and I love it too. WipeOut Pure is great and everyone needs to have it in their PSP library. Twisted Metal and NFL Street have had limited play time for me, and they are fun as well, but I just have too many games to play at the moment.

5. I spent $10 on a case and it was worth it and then some. I picked up the metal Intac case and it's done a great job of protecting my PSP. No scratches so far.

6. Surprising feature for me was Sleep Mode. I knew it existed, and how i worked, but didn't realize how great it was until I had the PSP and started using it. Really helps to get you back into the game right away.

7. Battery life has been great for me. 6+ hours on a variety of games. The battery issues has really been over blown in my opinion. Of course, if I were going to take an Internationl flight however, I'd invest in a second battery just in case.

 

[Swat]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

No regrets at all, I've put in more time with the PSP in the last 2 weeks than with the DS the last 5 months. Of course the lack of DS games on the market contributed to that.

I was unsure hearing about the analog "nub" but I absolutely love it, it feels very natural. The screen blows away anything I've ever owned, it's extremely bright and detailed.


2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Yes, I commute every day. Plus it's great to take to the parents house, etc when you're bored. Great for playing in bed or just loafing on the couch. Very convenient.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

$50 is really pushing it, the absolute sweet spot for me would be the $29-$39 range with $49 games reserved for the A+ titles. That's one nice thing about the DS at least, the cheap software prices.

4. What is your favorite game?

Ridge Racer has sucked up most of my time, but Lumines has been creeping in. Wipeout is also great, Twisted Metal is collecting a bit of dust. Just picked up Tony Hawk and Untold Legends, they both seem cool so far.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

Hori Case, Hori USB Charger (great to have!) Hori Screen Protector (absolutely useless - threw it away), Spare Nintendo DS Wrist Strap (the white PSP one is lame), 512MB Duo Pro

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

No suprises, I already knew all the features.

7. How is battery life?

Decent. 3 hours or so of heavy gaming (Ridge Racers, volume up, no headphones, max brightness). I'm sure I could squeeze out 4-5 with just Lumines. Not as bad as I'd expected..

8. GRIPES AND COMPLAINTS


- Screen gets so unbelievably dirty it's disgusting and needs constant attention
- My (big) hands cramp up worse than the DS after playing more than an hour
- Shoulder buttons feel cheap
- April is the "pink" month and therefore, very gay
- Sony's bullshit directory structure
- The screen is so shiny it's pretty much unplayable if you're outside and it's sunny
- I hate the wrap around type headphones, they annoy the f@#$ out of me
- IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND UMD DISC CASES IN THE PAST 2 WEEKS
- It's inevitable, the screen WILL be scratched - no matter how much you baby it
- After seeing Ridge Racer and knowing what the PSP can do graphically, I wish the other launch titles had more polish. Give it time I say, but still..

And lastly.. everyone wants to play it, and did I mention that's a good way to get it all greasified? For the love of fuck Sony, screw the polished gem look and get some flat matte black STAT!

 

[evil ways]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

4. What is your favorite game?

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

7. How is battery life?

1. Yes, the hype stands and there are no regrets.

2. Yes.

3. The $40 games are a bit hard to swallow as $34.99 would've been better, but the quality makes up for it. I've stayed clear of the $50 games and probably will until GTA.

4. Lumines.

5. 512mb stick was about $65 on Ebay, which is a must if you wanna save videos and music, plus even though I passed on it, most people will recommend a screen protector.

6. Jumping from sleep mode to the last portion of the game you played on the fly, no loading, nothing. It's awesome.

7. Pretty good, I've only had to fully charge it 3 times after playing the hell out of Darkstalkers and Lumines for the last 2 weeks.

 

[cvxfreak]

1. It does, and does not at the same time.

2. Yes.

3. Absolutely not. $30 is a fair price.

4. Lumines

5. Zilch. I use VP accessories.

6. The memory stick compatibility was a surprise.

7. Not too bad. Enough for good play sessions.

 

[Sullichin]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?
Worth $250? Eh, maybe not. It's really very cool though, I like it a lot. My only regret is buying one on eBay before I realized I could have preordered one and gotten it on launch day (I thought I was too late). I preordered a second one and put the other one on eBay.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?
I play it mostly at home, but it's very cool to play TM deathmatch or lumines on the crapper.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

$40 is a lot. I like Lumines a lot, but for a puzzle game $40 is a bit steep. Twisted Metal really isn't worth $40 because the single player game is too easy and some of the levels suck. Ridge Racer is awesome so far.

4. What is your favorite game?
I just got RR today and that's my favorite so far, followed by Lumines

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
Nothing, nothing
6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already
The uber-revolutionary cell-phone style keypad. It's awesome! I mean honestly, what the fuck were they thinking?

7. How is battery life?
Bearable. Just died on me right after a race in RR. I hope it saved

 

[belgurdo]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

4. What is your favorite game?

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

7. How is battery life?

1. After 20 minutes of Darkstalkers and a few quests in Untold Legends, my DS was a distant memory, if that means anything to you

2. I keep it in the house for fear of thieves. Come summer or once I get a bigger game collection I'll take it out

3. Lineup so far is typical launch fare, lots of ports and "this is what our system can do!" kinds of stuff, but a lot of it seems playable and fun

4. Untold Legends (probably Dynasty Warriors once I get it)

5. I bought a USB cable and a Hori Screen protector. Total cost was around $15

6. movie playback

7. I've charged it three times so far (it came in the box uncharged), and it gets about 6-8 hours on dim light settings

 

[Tabris]

1. Yes. No regrets at all.

2. I play a little bit of MGA whenever I get the chance, but usually I'm watching tv episodes.

3. Yes. Handheld gaming has basically caught up with the console gaming industry. So I don't mind paying the extra 10 to 20 bucks.

4. MGA

5. $300 CDN mainly due to the 1GB Memory Stick

6. I didn't realize it was going to be THAT beautiful (screen/asthetics)

7. Haven't had it die on me once.

 

[boredJonathan]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

I was pretty freaking hyped up, and was shocked to feel like it blew away even those expectations. So yeah, no regrets obviously.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Actually, despite not having alot of reason to go out and use it... I have. I'll swing by the local coffe joint and play some Lumines. (The caffeine seems to help my playing! ) What is particularly odd about this, is that before I never would have actually brought my SP with me out to a coffee joint. I know there were a few threads about this before launch, but I feel no stigma about pulling out a PSP in public like I would with a DS or SP. My weird quirk I know.. but seriously.. its just so freaking slick.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

Lumines alone is worth two times what I paid for it... but on average I would say $40 is the tops I'd like to pay for PSP games. I realize some game will come out that will be $50 that I will pick up.. but for now MGA, Wipeout and Lumines all feel like a solid $40.

4. What is your favorite game?

Lumines far and away. I seriously have to force myself not to boot it up and instead playing some MGA or something. Its not to knock the other games, in fact I am quite impressed with MGA, but I just get so entranced with Lumines.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

Only thing I picked up was the Pelican Face Armor.. its $10 and has done a fantastic job of protecting my screen. I didn't need to futz with any of those sticky adhesive screen protectors, and the finish on the armor matches the finish of the system really well. Plus it came with 4 game holders. I would highly recommend it to people planning on throwing their PSP in a bookbag or whatnot. Oh, and when the price comes down I will definately be picking up a 1GB mem stick.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

To be honest, I didn't realize just how cool the sleep feature would be in the PSP. Granted its been done in other systems before... but given the load times with the UMDs, throwing the game into sleep mode is just an awesome work around.

7. How is battery life?

It hasn't died on me yet, but I've only played it on and off while at work and then for a couple of hours at the coffe shop. If I am at home its plugged in. So I havn't really pushed it, but I've had no complaints and I am pleasantly suprised by how long it does last.

 

[DCharlie]

"1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?"

yes it does. Regrets ? getting one with a number of dead pixels and not swapping out that unit for the perfect one i sent Pana...

"2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?"
sure do.

"3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game."

Well, it's 4180 to 5080 here (same price i guess) but given that PS2 games here are running around 6800, it's a welcome drop. If I was in the US and i was paying $50 for a PSP game, i'd feel totally pissed. The games, on the whole, aren't up to PS2 standards (yet) in terms of presentation etc, and i'm sure the dev costs aren't in the same region either ... and i thought pressing UMDs was so much more cheaper than pressing DVDs? hmm. So quite why the US games got a price hike is beyond me.

4. What is your favorite game?

Wipeout by far, although i'm skimming over issues and being forgiving for some reason. This has happened a lot and i think it's because these games are portable and are still "shocking" in terms of looks/sound compared to what we are used to that i'm making excuses for them/ignoring the problems. If the games were PS2 games, i doubt i'd be so lenient. E.g. : Ridge - almost devoid of any challenge at all, Soccer - utterly terrible, but i still play it, Mingol - stop making me go back to the main menu, Wipeout - shit cheating AI,
and for almost all games : LOAD TIMES). Oh, also - in comparison to DS, there is nothing that is "new" as a gaming experience.

"5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?"

I bought a secondary screen cover (around $4) - which is vital. And 4 extra batteries at $30 a pop - which was fantastic for my trip to the UK

"6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already"

How open the unit is in terms of dropping in movies.

"7. How is battery life?"

pretty good

 

[Monk]

Now even i am getting hyped for the system. Tell me, is getting it just for MGA worth it?

 

[Wario64]

1. Yes, no regrets
2. Yes. I use it before going to sleep and during commute (same functions as GBA SP in the past). Except now, it doubles as a MP3 player and I can watch videos. And it also serves as a digital photo album that I can carry around
3. They seem worth it for $40, but I'm a cheap ass and I'll be waiting for price drops on some games. I didn't even pay more than $20 for any of my 5 launch titles.
4. Too difficult to choose (I have Twisted Metal, Lumines, Ridge Racer, Wipeout, and Metal Gear Acid)
5. $0. Getting Logitech case for $20, but that's it for accessories
6. Sleep mode (hardly impacts battery
7. I only need 1-2 hours of battery life really, so it's hardly a problem

Now even i am getting hyped for the system. Tell me, is getting it just for MGA worth it?

Love turn based strategy games? If yes, most likely yes

 

[Agent X]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

Yes, I'd say it lives up to the hype!

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Yes. Well, I haven't really taken it outside the house yet, but I have played it in various rooms, so that counts in my book.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

Sure, I'd say they're worth the price. I'll admit that $50 for Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix is a bit higher than I would've liked to have paid (considering the majority of PSP games are $40). It's still worth it since I didn't buy THUG2 on PS2, and this has almost everything that game did, plus new exclusive content.

4. What is your favorite game?

That's hard to say, as all of the games are great. I'll probably go with Wipeout Pure as my top pick (by a slight margin), but all of my other games (Lumines, Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix, and Archer Maclean's Mercury) are also seeing plenty of play.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

So far, I've only bought a Hip Gear USB cable for $10. I wanted it so I could connect the PSP with my PC. I think many of the included accessories (particularly the Memory Stick, the headphones with remote, and even the cleaning cloth) are highly useful. The included case is good, but I'm waiting for the Logitech PlayGear Pocket for some added protection. I'll probably also get a higher capacity Memory Stick soon.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

The UMD video quality (seen with the included Spider-Man 2 movie) is exceptional. Also, earlier today I was playing some MP3 songs, and found the Sound button (the button under the screen with the musical note) to be useful at applying different tone effects.

7. How is battery life?

Very good. I've generally gotten about 6 hours of play per charge.

 

[Bowser]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?
-Yes, absolutely. It's a beautiful system with great games (currently I'm enamored with both Ridge Racer and WipeOut Pure, and I've got my eyes on Untold Legends and Lumines). The screen is awesome, the media capabilities are awesome, just about everything with it is great. If only they included a larger Memory Stick with it, heh.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?
-In the sense of on road trips or airplance rides, no. Why? Because I haven't gone on any yet I don't take it to school either (some shady people there ), but I use it around the house!

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.
-I haven't bought any $50 games yet (and both RR and WO were a combined $6 from the EB Games 3 Game Trade-In deal ), so I don't know if they're worth it yet. However, I would have gladly paid $40 for both RR and WO, so take that for what it's worth.

4. What is your favorite game?
-Ridge Racer, no question. The game is addicting as hell and it's really fun to play. I keep hearing all this talk about Lumines (I've played it a bit), but RR blows it out of the water, IMO.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
-I haven't got any yet, but I'll soon be purchasing a larger Memory Stick and a screen protector, both of which I consider a necessity.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already
-Someone else mentioned it in this thread, but after watching Spider-Man, I think I'll definately pick up some UMD movies. The quality and clarity are equally stunning and I think it'd be great for those air trips that either don't show a movie or show one that sucks.

7. How is battery life?
-It's fine, I guess. The only time it just about ran out of life on me was when I was watching Spider-Man, but that's understandable. I think it's still good and well for a portable. Probably will want a car adapter for those long car trips, though.

 

[parhelion]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

I'd say it does live up to the hype as a game system, it's miles from anything else out there. Definitely not as a media device though. Memory Stick Duos and UMD movies are too expensive for now. But it's nice to have that extra funtionality. I got mine as a gift, but I am considering selling it. I doubt I'll ever get the use out of it that I should. Portables are kind of a waste for me, I don't travel and my hands cramp up too fast on most games. On a more positive note, I've already played it more than my impulse-bought DS, which has been sitting in it's box for months.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

Not yet. I feel it may be too conspicuous to play during down time at work. I also worry about the durability. It seems like a very fragile system, and as many others have mentioned, it's a dirt magnet.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

Absolutely not, in my experience. No portable game is worth that much, even if the graphics are better than anything else out there. This is my biggest problem with the system. $20 - $30 should be max for portable games.

4. What is your favorite game?

Either MGA or Ape Escape... honestly can't say I'm in love with either one though. I also have Gretzky NHL and Darkstalkers. Gretzky NHL sucks, and Darkstakers is great but gives me hand cramps after 10+ minutes of play. This system is not made for big hands (at least not mine). The D-pad is just too cramped and the analog nub is tiny and is just in an odd place. I doubt I'll ever be able to play any action or sports games on the PSP for any length of time.

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

$30 for the Intec case and $5 for the Hori screen protector. Both are a necessity. I don't plan on using it for multimedia until MS Duo prices come down, but that's another extra you'll need for movies and music.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

The screen is beautiful. Photo viewer is cool. I was also amazed that I could connect it to my Mac G5 and have it be recognized in OS X. Sony is usually PC-centric.

7. How is battery life?

Doesn't seem too bad. I did have it die on me in the middle of a game though, and it did not go into sleep mode, the screen just went black and I think the battery icon flashed. I was not very pleased. Someone else mentioned it should go into sleep mode when the battery is near death. Hope there's nothing wrong with mine. When I'm playing it at home, I just use the AC adaptor now.

 

[Property of Jumpship]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

4. What is your favorite game?

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

7. How is battery life?

1. I really wasnt hyped on it until I saw it when a friend of mine brought it to class. Then I fucking had to have it, no question. No regrets so far, but Spider-Man 2 not having a scene select fucking sucks.

2. I bought it at Best Buy and got the super-duper 2 year warranty so it goes everywhere with me; school, work, etc.

3. I have MGA and it is worth 40, well 35 after my discount, I cant see paying 50 for Tiger Woods when the damn loads are so bad. If a game is 50, it will have to be a game I cant live without; like Winning Eleven.

4. Since I only have one, it would be Metal Gear Acid. It's fun, really!

5. I spent 0 dollars on accessories. I like the case it comes with, its fine for me. I will probably have to buy a bigger memory card when I figure out all the shit I can do with the PSP.

6. I pretty much knew all the machine was capable of when I got it so no major surprises.

7. Um..it kinda blows but I dont really care I'm not putting marathon sessions in on it anyway. I think the most I've used it at one sitting was 1:10.

I really love it however, and now that I have it I dont know how I could ever live without it.

 

[The Faceless Master]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

no, not really, mainly because of the loadtimes and a distinct lack of 1GB duos

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

yes

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

no, they aren't

4. What is your favorite game?

Lumines

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

$0 - none

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

nothing really, but damn, the screen, i didn't think it could be THAT damn good...

7. How is battery life?

today i found out how bad it was, the 4 train was only running to the brooklyn bridge/city hall stop, so turned a 1 hour ride each way into a into a 2 hour ride each way with several transfers, the battery got all the way down to 18% after my trip to the bronx and back, and i was only in the bronx a few hours

on the plus side, it looks like everyone in ny took their kids out today, so all the kids were staring at the PSP

 

[Xenon]

Thanks for info. I picked up the last one they had at EB @ 8:59PM because at Best Buy it was sold out. The only extended warranty they offered was direct replacement for the 1st year which is already covered by sony. =\ I'm starting to think I should have waited and got it best buy so I could extend it out at least another year. At least the dude was cool and gave me spiderman 2 out of a return. =)

 

[Mrbob]

I know there is already a thread but I thought now we be a good time for a quick check of how PSP owners feel about their purchase after a couple weeks of ownership.

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.

4. What is your favorite game?

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already

7. How is battery life?

1) Me love me PSP!

2) I actually play it more at home than on the go. I'm a little shocked. It has come to the point I would rather get some of these hot new PS2 games on PSP instead

3) I don't mind spending $39.99 for PSP games, but $49.99 is too much. I'm holding firm on a stance of not buying any PSP games priced at $49.99. If I find a $50 PSP game on sale for $40 or less I may consider buying it. $50 for a PSP game is TOO MUCH no matter what the game is. Suck it down EA and Activision BOMBA on PSP!

4) Probably Ridge Racers. Been putting a ton of time into it.

5) Nothing yet. I'll get a 1 gig memory stick duo eventually

6) The quality of the movie video. That shit looks amazing. More amazing than I expected

7) Great. I get about 5 and a half hour with Ridge Racers, about six and a half with wipeout, and like 8 and a half with lumines. MGA don't really know how the battery drain is on that.

 

[vireland]

1. Does it stand up to all the hype? Any regrets?
Yep. It's all that and a bag of chips.

2. Do you actually use it as a portable system? if not why?
Yes. The ultimate doctor's office accessory. I can't play it on trips where driving is involved because I'm usually the driver.

3. Do the games feel like they are worth the $40-$50 their asking? It just seems like a lot to spend on a portable game.
$50 no. $40 yes. EA's the only one that seems to be trying to milk the $50 across their line. The rest are $40, anyway.

4. What is your favorite game?
Just one? I could only narrow it down to two:Lumines/Untold Legends (multiplayer).

5. How much extra did you spend on accessories? Which ones would you say are a necessity?
An embarrassing amount x 3 (kids). No real necessities outside of a case and maybe screen protector, but I haven't had too many screen scratch issues.

6. What was the most surprising feature for you? Something that didn't sell it for you already
the save state feature was the best thing I wasn't expecting that surprised me when I got the Japanese PSP. The changing colors monthly on the system screen was the overall biggest surprise.

7. How is battery life?
Generally great (even playing movies off the memory stick) at 4-5+ hours, BUT, and it's a HUGE BUT, Untold Legends in multiplayer (an probably single, but I don't play that way) SUCKS BATTERIES DRY. The constant loading, WiFi, and long disc access KILLS BATTERIES. It's the only game I have had shut off on me multiple times due to dead batteries. Yes, it's immersive, and I play it A LOT with my kids in multiplayer wifi mode, but c'mon! They should have given you some choice of offloading stuff to the memory stick and playing from there while just using the UMD as a key disc or something. I'm lucky to get 2.5 hours on a charge with Untold Legends in multiplayer wifi mode. It's the only game I have battery life complaints with.