We're not always asking for triple-A excitement in portable games. Sometimes, something to blissfully slaughter a few hours of our time is just what the doctor ordered. Legend of Heroes isn't going to win any awards or start any revolutions, but it's arguably 🃏the best traditional RPG on PlayStation Portable so far.

In almost every respect, Legend of Heroes goes a step above the norm to separate itself from mediocrity. Its story features several points on the RPG plot checklist -- or♛phaned kids with secret abilities, powerful cults after them, etc. -- but flows at a nice pace. Avin searches for his lost sister, making plenty of both friends and enemies along his quest. He's a likeable main character, and each of his allies adds som♈ething new to the mix.

Legend of Heroes' combat alludes to the old Lunar games, in that characters move around a battlefield while taking shots at one another. You have a good deal of choices during fights: use your default attack, cast any number of spells or execute special skills, or just slink into the corner to avoid conflict. Each successful strike builds a power meter, which when full can unleash a deadly attack. Overall, combat in Legend of Heroes is satisfying enough to hold your attention, and is a nice complement to the decent storytelling.