The Steam Deck is known for being a powerhouse system that can play a ton of strong PC games. It’s also known for being an incredible emulation machine, playing classic video games incredibly well.
One system Valve’s machine specializes in emulating is Sony’s beloved PlayStation Portable, aka the PSP. Sony’s machine was always seen as ahead of its time, and the Deck shows just how timeless this handheld is. It might not have been as popular as Nintendo’s handhelds, but it teased a promising handheld future for Sony that they didn’t capitalize on.
With the Steam Deck’s power, this powerful handheld can run PSP games at a X3 resolution, making these games look better than ever before. Playing games on an original PSP, you can see how they look good but have a blurry effect due to old hardware. Now that fans have the Deck, they can see these games at their truest potential.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta is a great example of this, as the game looks better than ever on Valve’s machine. This was already one of the best-looking games on PSP, but seeing the visuals smoothed out in HD makes it look as good as the PS2 God of War games.
A common complaint many had about the PSP was how it didn’t have a second analog stick. This forced devs to make alternate control schemes to move the camera, usually resulting in directional button inputs with an extra button press. But with the Deck having a second analog, players can now assign it there and properly play these titles.
We’ve seen something of a resurgence for this handheld, with plenty of remakes and remasters for the PSP’s library. Tactics Ogre, Crisis Core, Star Ocean 2, and more, it’s clear that these games have always been good. Getting to play them in their original forms shows how great they already were and how these remasters improved upon them.
It’s a real shame how Sony hasn’t embraced their handheld roots, with the PlayStation Portal just being a cloud device and nothing else. Granted, it’s a really good cloud device that can play some of the system’s strongest games through the internet, but that’s not as impressive as it could be. Many of us are hoping that PlayStation eventually takes the plunge with a new handheld, especially since we’re all still nostalgic over the PS Vita and PSP.
Until then, the Steam Deck’s emulation capabilities should make it a great way to play these gorgeous and fun PSP games.
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