Portable Resort

PS Meeting 2005: Namco Unveils Portable Resort

Turn your PSP into a portable resort, and a ukulele.

Namco set the PSP on fire early on with a killer version of Ridge Racer at the system's Japanese launch last December. For its latest title, Portable Resort, the developer is slowing things down, promising an "entertainment tool" rather than a game.

The concept of Portable Resort involves the player freely spending time on a beautiful tropical island. You'll be able to go anywhere on the island, with the in-game world experiencing progression through time and a full day/night cycle. The in-game world is synched up with the current time, so when it's dark out in the real world, the game world will reflect that.

It's a bit unclear the extent of activities you'll have available on your portable island, but Namco did provide one example. Pick up a ukulele from the beach, and you can use your PSP as an instrument. The analogue thumb pad is used to strum, with the face buttons used to form chords. You're meant to hold the PSP like a guitar, with the screen facing outwards. See the video that we've uploaded for an example of this musical activity in motion.

When you're not actively interacting with Portable Resort, Namco wants you to use the game, and your PSP, to add some livelihood to your home or office. Namco is planning on releasing a stand for your PSP, so you can keep the system next to your bed or on your table, with the game running non-stop. The game includes alarm functions, so you can use it as a replacement for your alarm clock.

We're not sure when Namco plans on releasing Portable Resort, but perhaps a release during the cold winter is called for.