Hot Shots, Clank keep the PSP humming

The PlayStation Portable has been around for three years, but today's machine is more evolved than 2005's. Sony is continually tinkering with it in big ways and small.

You can now do a lot more on a PSP than just play games and movies – you can access the internet to make phone calls as well as listen to music, or connect it to a TV to play on a bigger screen. A TV tuner and a GPS device are also on their way.

But despite being multitalented, the PSP is still foremost a game machine. Its game library continues to grow, and while it doesn't have as wide a selection as the Nintendo DS, its AAA titles look spectacular.



—Secret Agent Clank (Sony, $39.99 (Dh147): The second PSP spinoff of Sony's Ratchet & Clank franchise, it has been shrunk to fit a 4.3-inch screen. Clank, the robot half of the duo, is the star this time, and his droll wit is as charming as ever.

Ratchet has been falsely imprisoned, so tuxedo-clad Clank is on a solo mission to clear his pal's name. As usual, there's an assortment of clever weapons and gadgets, like exploding cufflinks and bow-tie boomerangs.

The animation is very good, about even with the PlayStation 2 R&C games, the story is endearingly silly. The game doesn't have the depth of its parent series, but its fast-paced levels are well suited for portable play.



—Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 (Sony, $29.99): The original Open Tee was addictive and the follow-up is as satisfying.

The ultra-simple swing system involves pressing the X button three times: once to start, once for power, once for accuracy. You learn more precise techniques as you progress and success lets you unlock 12 courses and 12 characters. There are dozens of items to collect as you roam the fairways. You can finish nine holes in about 10 minutes. The best portable golf game in the market.

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