Final Fantasy I

Let's face it: Square Enix could put the words "Final Fantasy" on a shoebox with a turd inside and sell a million copies.

Luckily for us, they've never resorted to such tactics or we'd all own a lot of smelly boxes. We're also lucky that the company isn't content to simply leverage the power of its brand to move product: every title, whether it's a new release or a rehash of a beloved title, seems to get its fair share of love and attention before it's set loose on the world.

Take Final Fantasy for the PSP. A remake of the NES original that kicked started the franchise, it features snazzy new graphics and refined gameplay that elevates it beyond the status of a simple port. Square-Enix could have just repackaged the original and called it a day but as I said, that's not how they operate, and that's a good thing.

But nostalgia isn't the only compelling reason why you should look into this one. The game is damn good and it holds up surprisingly well, despite its age. It's an old school RPG to its core, so be prepared for lots of random battles and simplistic character development. The good news is that conflicts don't take long to resolve--a typical one lasts anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds. Also great is the fact that, while the gameplay is familiar, the game looks like a modern handheld RPG title, with graphics as clean as an operating room, and as sharp as the instruments it contains.

Talk about a restoration project: Square-Enix took a great NES game, threw on a fresh coat of paint, added in a few other nice little surprises, and put it on the PSP. Gamers who are used to contemporary titles may find this one a little too simplistic and old for their tastes but if you can look beyond that, you'll be treated to an amazing rendition of a classic console RPG.

Pros: Addictive gameplay, ultra-clean graphics, tons of great small touches.
Cons: Frequent battles may bother some and old school feel may turn off some gamers.

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