The Best Tactical JRPGs On The PSP

Every good handheld needs an onslaught of JRPGs to help liven up the library. JRPGs work so well on portables because players can multitask while grinding for EXP. While the rollout was small at first for Sony’s first handheld, the PSP eventually did indeed get some standout JRPGs in many forms.

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There were good traditional turn-based JRPGs like Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable. Players could even play PS1 classics like Final Fantasy 7, as the digital store offered a wide array. What did the tactical JRPG fans have to fawn over? Plenty. This specific sub-genre of turn-based RPGs swelled on the PSP, from ports to remakes to original titles.

8 Valkyria Chronicles 3: Unrecorded Chronicles

The Forgotten Saga Of The Nameless

• Platform: PSP
• Released: January 27, 2011
• Developer: Media.Vision
• Metacritic Score: N/A

Valkyria Chronicles 2 is a PSP game that carries on the tradition of the PS3 original. It’s good, but not as good as the third game, Valkyria Chronicles 3: Unrecorded Chronicles, which was never released outside of Japan. Even so, fans have partially translated a lot of the content into English.

It was a more mature narrative that followed a condemned group of soldiers called The Nameless, which were kind of like The Suicide Squad. During combat, players could run around in real-time and then stop to fire in turn-based combat, making it still one of the most unique tactical hybrids around.

7 Yggdra Union: We'll Never Fight Alone

Charging Into Battle With Your Anime Armies

Yggdra Union: We'll Never Fight Alone was originally a Game Boy Advance RPG, and it shows, for better and worse. The graphics may not be better, but that’s okay, seeing as how the original pixel art still looks good on the PSP.

The game is kind of like Advance Wars wherein units represent a band of soldiers. Allies and enemies would lose HP when soldiers were knocked out of these units. Players should not be fooled by the cute anime esthetics, as these war zones were incredibly deadly. It recently received a port to modern consoles, including the Switch.

6 Metal Gear Acid 2

Combining Cards, Stealth, And Tactics Into One Psychedelic Experience

• Platforms: PSP, Mobile
• Released: March 21, 2006 (NA PSP Version)
• Developer: Konami
• Metacritic Score: 80

Oddly, the first game in this spin-off series was also called Metal Gear Acid even though the graphics were just more normal on the PSP. The name makes more sense in Metal Gear Acid 2, because it was like players were visually on a psychedelic trip with the colorful cel-shaded art style. The game even came with VR goggles to enhance the experience.

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The gameplay was a hybrid between a tactical JRPG with a grid-based map and a TCG. All movements were made with cards, and there was still stealth gameplay involved too. As always, fans should expect some wild characters in this bizarre Metal Gear adventure.

5 Patapon

March To the Beat

Patapon is not a traditional, grid-based JRPG. It’s more like a 2D RTS, but that said, it deserves a place on this list for its compelling gameplay, whic is quite tactical. Players can march their cute little critters into battle to the beat of a drum. A consistent rhythm will make battles easier, but keeping the beat is tricky for a music-based game.

Players can recruit many types of soldiers along with gear for the war ahead. Unlike a lot of PSP games on this list, it did get a remaster for consoles, making it easier to play today than most PSP games.

4 Disgaea: Afternoon Of Darkness

Diving Deep Into The Underworld

• Platforms: PS2, PSP, DS, PC, PS4, Switch, iOS, Android
• Released: October 30, 2007 (NA PSP Version)
• Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
• Metacritic Score: 87

Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness is the first game in the series, originally released for the PS2, with a fresh coat of paint applied to its portable release. There are new enemies, classes, and storylines for players to get into, but the core game remains intact and compelling from start to finish.

The Disgaea series is hands down one of the most in-depth and challenging tactical JRPGs of all time. The character classes, skill and weapon systems, and the ability to dive into endless dungeons all make it stand out. It’s a perfect game for handheld consoles, with literally hundreds of hours of content just waiting to be explored.

3 Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

A SNES Classic Returns

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together began its life on the SNES in 1995, but that version never made it out of Japan. The PS1 version is the first time North America got a whiff of this classic, followed by this PSP port. Graphically, it hasn’t changed much since the SNES era, which is okay given that the pixel art from that time usually holds up.

The tactical gameplay with the class and weapon systems is good, but the best thing about the PSP port was the time travel. There was a menu that allowed players to bounce around decisions made to see other versions of the story play out without having to replay the whole thing a hundred times over. It has since been remastered, and was renamed Tactics Ogre: Reborn.

2 Jeanne d'Arc

An Anime Take On France

Jeanne d'Arc is a Level-5 game lost to time, as it has never left the PSP. It was an alternative take on the European war that boosted the reputation of the real-life heroine, Joan of Arc.

Instead of fighting side by side with human soldiers, Jeanne fought beside anthropomorphic animal companions as she fought demons. The gameplay falls in line with a lot of tactical RPGs that use a grid-based map. It is, however, an easier experience for beginners who want to break into the genre.

1 Final Fantasy Tactics: War Of The Lions

A Spinoff Worthy Of The Name

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions is an updated version of one of the most celebrated Final Fantasy spinoffs of all time. It added new characters like Balthier from Final Fantasy 12, along with animated cutscenes.

Final Fantasy Tactics still has one of the most compelling Job systems in the series, allowing players to experiment and break the game. The Calculator Job, for example, is a fan favorite for players who know how to use it. This PSP port does have some downsides though, as the load times were problematic, but not bad enough to deter anyone from experiencing this engaging political and religious drama to its fullest extent.

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