They must have heard of my determination to hold off getting a PSP until well into 2006 (when the price may be a little less damaging and the second generation of games will have appeared) and told developers to tap into my gaming nerve.

I kid you not, when I saw thumbnails of the SSX PSP game below I thought that I was glancing at the PS2 version of the game. I can’t wait to see this moving!

And then they go and dish out the trailer and more screenshots for the PSP killer app that is Grand Theft Auto – Liberty City Stories. I learned that Rockstar Leeds (in conjunction with GTA grandfathers Rockstar North) dropped the Renderware engine from the game and built new technology from the ground up. I’m a little concerned that all the footage and screenshots that I’ve seen appear to be from cinematics or posed-for-camera style shots but I really can’t see how this game can fail to please.

Apparently, Burnout Legends is another stonker too. God help me if I see any of these titles actually moving in front of me – any sense of discipline will surely crumble. I think I’m turning into a chav gamer and graphics whore. What’s worse is that I think I like it.

I’m liking that draw distance in that first screenshot but the casual gamer in me can’t help but think “Wow, just imagine what the next GTA game might look like!!!1!”

Also, the explosion effects are fantastic, truly cinematic stuff. The most efficient way to give you a demonstration is to link to a 2 megabyte animated gif of some footage I found.

I know it’s not just about the graphics but, by gum, thems sure is purdy.