SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3

SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 is the third and final entry in the SOCOM offshoot developed directly for the PlayStation Portable. The player commands a four-member special forces squad through a campaign set in a fictional conflict in East Africa, alternating between direct firefights and more tactical sections requiring cover, marking targets for teammates, and careful coordination of the whole squad's advance. Compared to the first two Fireteam Bravo entries, this one offers a noticeably more elaborate story and a longer campaign, which can also be played entirely in co-op with real teammates over the network, not just with AI-controlled partners.

Because the game was built specifically for the handheld, developer Slant Six Games thoroughly adapted the controls and mission pacing to short play sessions and the PSP's limited power – missions are broken into shorter, self-contained segments, the AI companions can reliably cover for a missing player, and the menus and loadout were noticeably simplified for comfortable control on a single console without a second analog stick. Multiplayer supports both competitive and cooperative modes for multiple players over local ad hoc networking as well as the internet, making Fireteam Bravo 3 one of the most technically ambitious online titles to appear on the PSP.

The Fireteam Bravo series had always distinguished itself from the big console SOCOM entries by its emphasis on compactness and accessibility, and the third installment took that direction to its most complete form yet – with a full-fledged story, a longer campaign, and considerably more stable multiplayer than the previous two handheld entries offered. The graphics engine was noticeably improved over them as well, using the latest generation of development tools available for the PSP, so the game visually ranks among the platform's finest.

Why play it: Fireteam Bravo 3 is a good choice for PSP owners looking for a tactical shooter with a full-fledged campaign and reliable co-op that can be played in shorter chunks on the go. Fans of the SOCOM series curious to see what the most mature and ambitious portable offshoot of the whole brand looked like will also appreciate it.