Open-world games are often associated with massive home consoles, but the PSP quietly delivered some of the most satisfying portable open-world experiences of its time. While it lacked the raw power of a PS2 or PS3, the PSP made situs toto up for it with clever design, strong storytelling, and an impressive sense of freedom. Some of the best games on the system took players across sprawling maps and gave them real agency in how they played.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories are perfect examples. These weren’t stripped-down versions—they were full-fledged GTA experiences built specifically for the PSP. With open city exploration, missions, and customization, they captured the magic of the series while being optimized for portable play. Few handheld titles at the time could boast such an expansive world.

Then there was Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, a game that technically wasn’t “open-world” in a traditional sense but felt boundless in its scope. With dozens of massive environments, dynamic quests, and hours of content, it redefined what a multiplayer RPG could be on a portable system. Add in titles like Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines, and it’s clear the PSP could handle more than just linear stories.

What makes these open-world PSP games impressive is how well they used the hardware. They loaded quickly, offered satisfying depth, and never felt like watered-down console ports. Instead, they were proof that ambitious design could thrive even on a pocket-sized screen. Today, they remain iconic for how they pushed handheld gaming into bold, open territory.