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Our PS5 doesn’t need much more attention. With Sony gearing up for the launch of its first handheld system since in nearly 12 years, we couldn’t help but feel a little excited for it. It’s taken a while, but now we’re warming up to the idea of a handheld streaming device , partly thanks to the PlayStation 5’s wealthy game selection – so here’s a few games we’re looking forward to playing on the PlayStation Portal.
Like what was possible with the PSP and PS Vita, PlayStation’s next handheld console is going to let players play games from their main console on the screen in their hands. This time, though, it’s going to be happening entirely over device-to-device streaming instead of natively as you can with the Nintendo Switch.
For us, the PlayStation Portal is going to be perfect for playing single-player games that won’t require the same precision and latency that online games would. The screen’s going to be able to display visuals up-to 1080p at 60FPS – a fairly pretty standard to set, though a 4K display wouldn’t have gone a-miss either. Considering the compact screen size, however, we don’t think it’s too big a deal.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Hands down, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the game we’re most excited to play on the PlayStation Portal. Our Spider-Man 2 review raves about how well haptic feedback is integrated into the game’s DNA – experiencing this same level of haptic trigger dynamics with the screen in your hands too sounds like an unforgettable immersive experience.
The game is a strong contender for Game of the Year and is tussling with God of War: Ragnarök for the title of the PS5’s best exclusive, and is definitely a game that the PlayStation Portal is going to love.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
Insomniac Games is one of PlayStation’s best developers for a reason, so it’s no surprise another one of its games appears on this list. For many of the same reasons as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, this entry to the Ratchet and Clank is going to be a fantastic little game showing off the Portal’s capabilities thanks to how tightly wound the gameplay is with interactive input elements.
It’s an incredibly immersive game in terms of how the controller is integral to the action, so it’s going to be exciting to see how well this experience translates over to handheld. That’s because the game was tailor made for what the DualSense can do, especially with the tight shooting and platforming action demanded from the title.
God of War: Ragnarök
God of War: Ragnarök is one of the games we’re putting in contention for the PS5’s best title. It’s enough that our review is one of only 10/10s we’ve scored in recent times, and it’s generally accepted that this game is nothing short of incredible. Stunning graphics are embellished with a compelling storyline with a “vibrant world,” according to our reviewer Tom Bardwell. Even better is the incredible sound design and track, which PlayStation Link is going to turn into a interesting sound-scape with its Pulse range.
Many people will remember God of War: Chains of Olympus on the PSP. For me personally, it was my first experience with the franchise, and how unforgettable it was. It was followed by Ghost of Sparta in 2010, which some consider to be a slight let down. Perhaps that’s why the PS Vita never saw an original God of War title aside from the Collection remaster of the first two games.
Seeing Kratos tear up gods and myth on the handheld screen in full HD for the first time is going to be enough reason for many to pick up the PlayStation Portal.
Final Fantasy XVI
Before playing Final Fantasy XVI, I was pretty apprehensive. The previous entry, alongside a disappointing remake of series’ most iconic game Final Fantasy VII, had slightly tainted my enduring passion for the franchise. A refreshing take on summons, alongside a combat system that felt more polished and technical, breathed fresh air back into the soul of the franchise. It’s not without its performance issues, though there’s a little hope that downscaling the resolution to 1080p will strip many of the game’s optimisation problems away slightly.
Being able to play Final Fantasy XVI on a handheld console is going to be a pretty spectacular experience, especially considering the cinematic draw of the game.
Games we’re not quite sure about playing on the PlayStation Portal
The PlayStation Portal was first announced somewhere between the release of Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC and its release on PS5. Perhaps as I had my head buried pretty deep in that game, I found the idea of a PlayStation Portal pretty strange. Playing Baldur’s Gate 3 and Diablo 4 on the PlayStation Portal probably won’t be my cup of tea, nor will trying to get Cities: Skylines 2 running on it either.
Dense UIs and complex inventories are probably going to clutter the device’s 8-inch screen a little, so sticking to slightly more simple, immersive games will hopefully squeeze the best out of the PlayStation Portal.
We’re going to be keeping this list updated with more games we think really suit the PlayStation Portal. It launched on November 15th, though pre-orders have already begun.
