A few sites have already started to list their reviews for Sony's latest handheld revision, the PSPgo. What is the initial outlook? Not so good.
Sitting at a suggested price of $250 (USD), and no UMD support, many are already looking at the PSP-3000 model as a much better offering. If you have a PSPgo, feel free to share your thoughts on the matter, we'd love to hear about what made the Go a worthwhile purchase.
IGN's Review - 7.2 Overall (6.0 for Value, 6.5 in Comfort, 7.0 in Features, 7.5 in Build Quality)
"When it comes right down to it, we aren't exactly sure whether to love or hate the PSPgo. Sony certainly has their heart in the right place -- technologically advancing mainstream handheld gaming to a purely digital plateau -- but it seems as if the idea wasn't fully realized when it comes to mainstream viability. Relying on users to disregard their previous UMD libraries or perhaps even alternate between the hard-copy and digital platforms is a pretty big gamble, especially considering that they are asking users to pay an extra $50 for it. Furthermore, the PSPgo's dependence on a Windows PC and/or Wi-Fi connectivity is a matter of concern. While both Windows users and readily-accessible Wi-Fi are more and more common these days, neither is universal. By limiting accessibility, Sony has made the user experience dangerously inconsistent and makes the value of such a device questionable."
Joystiq's Review
"'Buy your games again if you want to ditch your old PSP and play them on the Go" -- that makes it impossible to strongly recommend the PSP Go to a large slice of serious games. Sure, as Sony has pointed out, this is a new device that's in some ways aimed at a new audience that doesn't own a PSP already, but then it's also $250, and those people probably expect it to have a touchscreen and make phone calls at that price.
It all boils down to is this: PSP Go is a bad idea, but at least I can say it's a perfectly executed one. If you're someone who still plans to lay down the cash on day one knowing the downsides, you're going to like what it does right -- but you'll be paying $250 for form over function."
"When it comes right down to it, we aren't exactly sure whether to love or hate the PSPgo. Sony certainly has their heart in the right place -- technologically advancing mainstream handheld gaming to a purely digital plateau -- but it seems as if the idea wasn't fully realized when it comes to mainstream viability. Relying on users to disregard their previous UMD libraries or perhaps even alternate between the hard-copy and digital platforms is a pretty big gamble, especially considering that they are asking users to pay an extra $50 for it. Furthermore, the PSPgo's dependence on a Windows PC and/or Wi-Fi connectivity is a matter of concern. While both Windows users and readily-accessible Wi-Fi are more and more common these days, neither is universal. By limiting accessibility, Sony has made the user experience dangerously inconsistent and makes the value of such a device questionable."
Joystiq's Review
"'Buy your games again if you want to ditch your old PSP and play them on the Go" -- that makes it impossible to strongly recommend the PSP Go to a large slice of serious games. Sure, as Sony has pointed out, this is a new device that's in some ways aimed at a new audience that doesn't own a PSP already, but then it's also $250, and those people probably expect it to have a touchscreen and make phone calls at that price.
It all boils down to is this: PSP Go is a bad idea, but at least I can say it's a perfectly executed one. If you're someone who still plans to lay down the cash on day one knowing the downsides, you're going to like what it does right -- but you'll be paying $250 for form over function."
Sitting at a suggested price of $250 (USD), and no UMD support, many are already looking at the PSP-3000 model as a much better offering. If you have a PSPgo, feel free to share your thoughts on the matter, we'd love to hear about what made the Go a worthwhile purchase.