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75 Must Have Games for the Holidays

• By GamePro Staff
• December 19, 2008 16:42 PM PST
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PSP

The slick PSP continued its assault against the DS' handheld dominance with a hardware upgrade-the ultra fancy PSP-3000-and a nice complement of games to keep you busy on the go. We personally recommend you get your hands on the minimalistic Echochrome, a game that's as soothing for the soul as it is challenging to the mind. Then follow it up with the rest of the games on this list to ensure that your next visit to a waiting room or your next road trip will be anything but boring.

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Patapon

Pata-pata-pata-pon! Irresistably catchy, infectiously charming and highly addictive, this clever rhythm/action game is insane amounts of fun. Using different combinations of drum beats, you march your little tribe of Patapons to glory. It might look like you're just mashing buttons to a beat but the reality is that there is a ton of strategy involved. Collect goodies, arm your little soldiers and go out in search of glory with this amazing title.

Echochrome

Echochrome is one of the most simple, yet creative Sony games available on the PSP to date. The game is made up of the impossible architecture of Oscar Reutersvard. You guide your mannequin through 56 twisted levels, collecting four "echoes" that are scattered throughout each stage.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

You can't just make a Final Fantasy game these days. The expectations for the franchise are raised so high that if you're going to make bearing the words 'Final Fantasy' in the title, you had better pull out all the stops. That's especially true if you're going to make a title related to the most famous Final Fantasy of them all, FFVII. Thankfully, Square Enix is to quality RPGs what Michael Jordan was to basketball. So it's no surprise that Crisis Core, which acts as a prequel to the events of FFVII, turned to be worthy of carrying on the franchise's name. There's still a few months left before Final Fantasy XIII comes out but in the meantime, Crisis Core is a compelling RPG experience that will keep you occupied for a good long time.

Star Ocean: First Departure

Space Date 346: The crew of the Terran Federation ship arrives on the planet Roak. With the help of a stalwart band of local heroes, the crew must work together to unravel a mystery and halt a galactic war. Follow the exploits of humankind's journey across the stars. The Star Ocean saga begins with the completely remastered First Departure on the PSP. The game includes revised game engine, an improved battle system, and fully-voiced, all-new animated scenes displayed in 16:9 widescreen.

God of War: Chains of Olympus

A portable entry in what is, without a doubt, one of the best action franchises in all of gaming, Chains of Olympus was a worthy addition to the growing legend of Kratos and his unending war against the Zeus and his cronies. The story took gamers back in time to retell the origins of the Ghost of Sparta and the game made full use of the PSP's hardware, delivering fantastic visuals and a tight control scheme that compensated well for the system's lack of dual analog sticks. It was a powerful reminder that the GoW formula is rock solid no matter which platform you apply it and it makes the wait for the third God of War on the PS3 that much easier to bear.

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