Well I say they saved the best for last, this is PSP’s upcoming games of 2009. Now for starters if you thought 2008 was a great year for the PSP as far as great games coming out you haven’t seen anything yet, 2009 looks to be the best lineup that the handheld has ever had with many must have titles for any gamer worth their salt. Without further ado here is PSP’s 2009 list of titles you should keep a look out for.

Star Ocean: Second Evolution

The Star Ocean series is back on the PSP again with the second Star Ocean with updated graphics and now portable! If you’re a fan of the series it’s a must have update to the classic and goes well in your collection next to Star Ocean 4.  Star Ocean: Second Evolution will be out January 20th, just a few days away!

Phantasy Star Portable

Ready for some four player RPG co-op that rivals that of Monster Hunter on PSP? Well that’s the idea behind the new Phantasy Star title on PSP. Phantasy Star Portable is a continuation of the Phantasy Star Universe story line but unlike the others this title will not be online, it’s local co-op only but with the extensive DLC for the game will make this game last a long time.  Expect to get your Phantasy on (not like that guys!) March 24th.

Dissidia Final Fantasy

An action RPG and fighting hybrid game from everyone’s beloved RPG developer Square-Enix. Dissidia promises to take Kingdom Hearts inspired action RPG elements and implement them into fighting system complete with special moves and finishers. Square has also said it will have an extensive story to it involving a protagonist and antagonist from each Final Fantasy game up to Final Fantasy X including a new evil force that has brought all these characters together.  Dissidia Final Fantasy is set for Q2 2009.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite

PSP’s third installment of the hugely acclaimed Monster Hunter series, with more missions, more equipment, and many more hours worth of game time and promises to be one of PSP’s biggest and longest titles to date.  Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is still set for Q1 2009 but this late without a solid date I'd expect it sometime in March.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

PSP’s exclusive Kingdom Hearts game that features new characters Terra, Aqua, and Ven, and a storyline that explains the history of the main Kingdom Hearts story and more about the Keyblades . It has a card based battle system that is supposed to be much different from what was seen in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, but still acts as an action RPG much like the main series.  Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is set for sometime 2009 but word has it coming sometime late Q3 to Q4.

Parasite Eve: The 3rd Birthday

Not much is known about this title other then it was announced and involves Eve on her wedding day, but for many Parasite Eve fans the return of the series is highly anticipated and it will be interesting to see how this game turns out on the PSP so keep an eye out for more details.  Eve fans you'll still have to wait for the final date but it should be coming along this year.

Final Fantasy Agito XIII

Apart of Squares trilogy of games based around the Final Fantasy Xiii world, Final Fantasy Agito XIII is PSP’s exclusive and the only handheld title in the Final Fantasy XIII series. This game will be set in a school of magic in the Final Fantasy XIII world and will feature combat similar to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII but will use the active time battle system to allow players to control multiple characters. This is one of the biggest titles for PSP in a long time since this is considered apart of the main story of the Final Fantasy XIII world and will have it’s own expansive plot.  Final Fantasy Agito is set for 2009 but don't be surprised if it doesn't hit the states until 2010.

Ushiro

Level 5’s new RPG Ushiro looks to be very interesting, very stylized cell shaded graphics, cool looking environments and enemies, and the fact that Level 5 has a knack for making good RPGs should be a good enough reason for you to keep an eye out for this one.  Expect Level5's next PSP RPG sometime in 2009.

Undead Knights

Not a whole lot of info on this title other then zombies are awesome and knights are awesome so zombie knights have to be double awesome! Really all that’s known is that it’s an action adventure title from Team Tachyon and will feature four player local multiplayer and will be a gory mess.  This title was announced for 2009 at TGS but a solid date is still to be determined.

Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce

The third installment of the Dynasty Warriors series on PSP, this one has added gameplay elements and multiplayer for up to 4 player co-op.  If you love the Dynasty Warriors, this game should float your boat as it should be the best portable iteration of the series.  Expect this one come March 24th.

Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?

Ever wonder how it would be to play a Prinny from the Disgaea series in a action oriented platformer? Neither did I until I saw Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero, with the cute prinnys mixed together with awesome action, cool platforming, brutal difficulty, and the same over the top awesome Disgaea story, and what else you ask? You only have one-thousand lives to beat the game, sounds like a lot but on Hell difficulty enemies will kill you with one hit, that’s like Dethklok metal brutal right there.  Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? is set for Februrary 17th, so Disgaea and hardcore platformer fans be on notice this game is about to be here in no time.

(Penny Arcade cell that comes with limited edtion of the game)

Patapon 2

Another Patapon title should be heading our way in 2009, with more of everything, over 80 levels, 500 weapons, and a multiplayer mode. Patapon won VGC’s PSP game of the year; could Patapon 2 make it two in a row?  Patapon 2 has not gotten a solid release date yet but is still expected before the end of the year.

LocoRoco 2

More LocoRoco love to come in 2009, one of the first truly unique titles on the PSP finally get’s a sequel, with more depth, new gamplay elements, and still looking as awesome as ever, if you loved the first game make sure to have LocoRoco 2 on your radar.  LocoRoco 2 is coming out February 10th, so expect to get some "LocoRocoing" (TM MaxwellGT2000) going on in less then a month.

Samurai Shodown Anthology

Feel like being a samurai on the run? Well Samurai Shodown Anthology can give you that fix, it features seven complete games of the Samurai Shodown series, something for every fighting game fan to look forward to in the next couple of months.  Samurai Showdown Anthology is set for March 10th, so if you're a fighter fan get your PSP ready for this one coming up in the next couple of months.

Resistance Retribution

The third title in the Resistance series, Resistance Retribution is looking very nice, some of the best graphics seen on PSP hands down, has the ability to sync up to Resistance 2 on your PS3 to unlock extra weapons, power ups, and new paths through the levels, and the ability to play it on your PS3 and dualshock 3 support. It’s shaping up to be a strong shooter on a system in dire need of more shooter genre representation.  Resistance Retribution's release is set for February 24th, so get ready for some face paced action cause it's just around the corner.

No Gravity: The Plague of Mind

A homebrew game turned indie PSN title, No Gravity is a space flight shoot ‘em up title where unlike most shoot ‘em ups you follow a liner path this game allows you to fly around where ever you please and blast everything in sight. The premise is simple but the execution looks very nice, and since you can’t get more descriptive then that, seeing is believing so here’s a video.  The exact date for release has yet to be solidified, but expect it sometime before the end of this year.

DiRT 2

(note PS3/360 version pictured, no PSP images released yet)

Codemasters continuation of the DiRT series was announced for the PSP as well, it’ll be interesting to see how it turns out as their previous title GRID was also developed on the DS and didn’t do so hot even though being a solid racing title, maybe they’ll hit their target with a PSP version of DiRT 2.  DiRT 2's release date is still to be determined for sometime this year.

- Patrick Maxwell

pmaxwell@vgchartz.com