SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fireteam Bravo

SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fireteam Bravo was one of the titles meant to prove, shortly after the PSP's launch, that the handheld could handle online multiplayer and tactical action with real depth. Developer Slant Six Games brought the military SOCOM series from home consoles to the pocket format, letting players command a four-man SEAL team on missions against insurgent forces in a fictional Southeast Asia, with the controls having to be completely reworked for the lack of a second analog stick.

The game combined taking cover and tactical advancing with a simple command system for directing the rest of the squad – teammates could be ordered to hold a position, attack, or fall back, which made the otherwise straightforward firefights a somewhat more thoughtful affair. The campaign led the player through a series of missions focused on hostage rescues, sabotage, and combat against armed groups, with an emphasis on a slower, cautious pace rather than the reflex-driven action typical of console action shooters of the time.

Online multiplayer also played a key role – in 2005 it was one of the first working demonstrations of networked play on the PSP and helped define what handheld online connectivity could actually be good for. It offered team firefights against other players around the world over the console's wireless connection, and for many it was the first taste of how online gaming on the go could even work and what could be expected from it on a handheld of that era.

Why play it: One of the first proofs that the PSP could handle a tactical military shooter complete with online multiplayer.