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For each DVD or game, more info is available, and the opportunity to buy, from Amazon by clicking on the individual packshots by each title.
In Unleashed (£15.99, Universal), out now, Jet Li stars in this action-packed adventure as Danny, a slave raised by a gangster (Bob Hoskins) to be a violent fighting machine and compete at illegal gladiator-style fight clubs. When Danny has a chance encounter with a blind paino tuner (Morgan Freeman), he experiences true kindness for the first time – and escapes from the underworld to live with the piano tuner and his family. But the mob won’t give up its prized pupil so easily and Danny must fight to protect his new family and shed his old life.
Extras include a Making of for the movie and one for the SFX, Cut scenes, Out-takes and a music video for RZA’s Baby Boy.
For Land of the Dead (£19.99, Universal), out on December 26th, it has been two decades since master filmmaker George A. Romeros zombies have scared the audiences around the globe. For years, fans have been eagerly awaiting his return. And now the day is here. A new chapter of horror has arrived. Now that zombies have taken over the world, the living have built a walled-in city to keep the dead out. But all’s not well where it’s most safe, as a revolution plans to overthrow the city leadership, and the zombies are turning into more advanced creatures.
George A. Romeros Land of the Dead is the acclaimed directors long awaited return to the genre he invented with Night of the Living Dead in 1968.
Extras include: Undead Again: The Making of ‘Land of the Dead’, A Day With The Living Dead, Bringing The Dead To Life, When Shaun Met George, The Remaining Bits, Bringing The Storyboards To Life, Scream Tests: Zombie Casting Call, Scenes of Carnage, Zombie Effects: From Green Screen To Finished Scene, Feature audio commentary with director George Romero, producer Peter Grunwald and editor Michael Doherty.
Jake The Snake Roberts: Pick Your Poison (£17.99, Silver Vision), released December 5th, reveals the real story behind the legend. Get insights into the man who instilled horror into the hearts and minds of Hulk Hogan, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, Ultimate Warrior and others as he battled in some of the biggest matches of the 1980s and ’90s.
Hear what it was like to carry a live, 70-pound snake. Go behind the scenes and learn more about the controversial battles with Jerry “The King” Lawler.
Listen as he reveals family tragedies, drug addictions and the personal demons that diverted his remarkable career.
A master storyteller, Jake Chronicles his amazing career highlights and unimaginable lowlights.
Extras run for four hours and include complete matches from 1986-1998.
Wrestlemania – The Complete Anthology (£199.99, Silver Vision) is out on December 12th and contains 31 discs made up of 4 digipaks, all housed in a special limited edition collector’s box:
- Wrestlemania 1 – 5 (1985 – 1989)
- Wrestlemania 6 – 11 (1990 – 1995)
- Wrestlemania 12 – 17 (1996 – 2001)
- Wrestlemania 18 – 21 (2002 – 2005)
This boxset also includes 4 Free Limited Edition Senitypes.
40 Year Old Virgin (£19.99, Universal), out on December 5th, sees Steve Carell as Andy Stitzer, the man who has everything he needs in his life except a girlfriend. He’s never even made love to a woman and he’s forty years old. When he meets his dream date, Trish their relationship begins with a no-sex rule…
Extras include: Deleted Scenes, You Know How I Know You Are Gay, Andys Fantasies, Cal And Paula, Date A Palooza, Line O Rama, Waxing Doc, Advice From Mooj, Gag Reel and My Dinner With Stormy.
Wedding Crashers – Uncorked (£19.99, EiV) is released on December 28th.
In this outrageous comedy, divorce mediators John Beckwith (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) share one truly unique springtime hobby… crashing weddings! At the tail end of another successful season of toasting brides and grooms, Jeremy learns that the daughter of Treasury Secretary William Cleary (Christopher Walken) and his wife Kathleen (Jane Seymour) is getting married in what is sure to be the social event of the year. After infiltrating the lavish affair, John and Jeremy quickly set their sights on the Bridesmaids Claire (Rachel McAdams) and Gloria (Isla Fisher) Cleary.
Extras include: Option to watch the Theatrical Version (119 mins). Commentary (2.0) with Director David Dobkin. Commentary (2.0) with Owen Wilson & Vince Vaughn. ‘Event Planning’ featurette. ‘The Rules’ featurette. ’99 Red Balloons scene. The Rules of Wedding Crashing. Test Audience Reaction. Interactive Soundtrack Promo. Music Video: The Sights: ‘Circus’. Theatrical Trailer. Teaser Trailer.
Creature Comforts 2.1 (£17.99, Momentum) is out now.
Aardman Animation’s Creature Comforts is a series expanded from their Oscar winning short. Members of the public are interviewed on a subject and animal characters (Gary and Nigel the slugs, Sid and Nancy the Shed Rat and Dexter the Alley cat among them) are animated alongside the human voices..
Episode titles: Beast In Show, The Brood, Pet Hates, Impressions, Animals In The ‘Hood, Sport!
Extras include: Trailer: Wallace & Gromit The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Making of. The People Behind The Puppets. Creating Creature Comforts 2. Play by Character. Countryside Code Short.
Test the Nation : The Great British Test (£19.99, Contender) is out now.
Play the landmark BBC family quiz, Test The Nation, in the comfort of your own living room with this exciting Double Disc Interactive DVD game.
Disc One is The Great British Test – hundreds of questions on everything from pop to politics and celebrities to the monarchy! Disc Two is The National IQ Test – 70 questions specially calibrated to provide you with a genuine IQ rating. The perfect way to find out who’s the cleverest member of the family once and for all!
The Skeleton key (£17.99, Universal) is out from November 28th.
From the writer of The Ring (Ehren Kruger), comes this tense supernatural thriller with a chilling twist. Caroline (Kate Hudson), a young hospice nurse is hired to care for the ailing husband of an elderly woman in the couple’s home, a foreboding and decrepit plantation mansion just outside of New Orleans. Intrigued by the couple and their mysterious and secretive ways Caroline explores the house using a skeleton key to unlock all the doors. However the deadly and terrifying secret she unlocks in the attic would have been better left forgotten.
Extras include: Audio Commentary with Director Iain Softley. Deleted Scenes. Behind the Locked Door Making The Skeleton Key. Exploring Voodoo / Hoodoo. Recipe & Ritual: Making the Perfect Gumbo. Blues in the Bayou. Kate Hudsons Ghost Story. Plantation Life. Casting The Skeleton Key. John Hurts Story. A House Called Felicity. Genas Love Spell. Trailers.
World In Action Vol 1 (£19.99, Network) is out now and features 12 of the best editions of ITV’s flagship current affairs programme World In Action, including Mick Jagger (1967, after the quashing of his jail sentence for drug possession), End Of A Revolution? (1967, a portrait of Bolivia and the events leading to Che Guevara’s death), Killing For A Cure (1981, the activities of The Animal Liberation Front) and The Birmingham 6 – Their Own Story (1991).
American Pie Presents Band Camp (£17.99, Universal) is out now.
Get ready for another hilarious slice of American Pie – one of the biggest comedy franchises of all time! In American Pie Presents: Band Camp, Stifler’s younger brother Matt is sentenced to a summer at the infamous band camp where he creates even more mischief with hidden cameras and hot counsellors. But when he falls for fellow “bandie” Elyse, his efforts to stifle his Stiffmeister ways will surely meet with outrageous results.
Extras include: Outtakes. Deleted Scenes. Band Camp Dirty Diary. Band Camp’s Dirty Secrets. Secret RoverCam Footage. Baby Got Back Music Video.
Carlito’s Way – Rise To Power (£15.99, Universal) is out now.
An all-star cast is featured in this remake of Carlito’s Way, originally a Brian dePalma film starring Sean Penn and Al Pacino. Set in Spanish Harlem, this version stars Jay Hernandez, in a star-making performance, as Carlito, who is on a comet-like ascent to the top of a successful crime ring.
But being a kingpin takes a lot of support and the loyalty of a posse of complicated and violent friends, played by seasoned actors Mario Van Peebles, Luis Guzman, and the multi-talented P.Diddy, who proved his fine acting chops in the Broadway play, A Raisin in the Sun.
Coronation Street: 1980 To 1989 (£99.99, Network) is out now.
A celebration of Britain’s most famous and enduring television programme, this release features 80 landmark episodes from the 1980s (8 episodes from each year) in a 10 disc box set.
Among the storylines, Ken and Deirdre get married (only for Deirdre to run to the arms of local underwear magnate Mike Baldwin), Len Fairclough dies in a car accident (but was he having an affair behind Rita’s back?), Elsie Tanner leaves and the long suffering Stan Ogden passes away.
Capricorn One (£19.99, Network) is out now.
In Peter Hyam’s Capricorn One, three astronauts (Sam Waterston, James Brolin and O.J. Simpson) are coerced into taking part in a faked NASA mission to Mars. A journalist (Elliott Gould) becomes interested in the mission and sets out to investigate…
The DVD print is remastered and the extras include interview and location material.
Football Days (£19.99, Warner Vision) is out from November 28th.
Six friends, talentless and unfit, form a seven-a-side football team. They call themselves Brazil. They plan to play soccer until they win. A feel-good movie; a hilarious buddy comedy, with football, sex and a mid 30s crisis.
Extras include: Making Of documentary. International theatrical trailer. Photo Gallery. Easter Egg.
Valiant (£19.99, EiV) is out now.
CGI animated comedy Valiant tells the story of a little wood pigeon, Valiant, with big dreams. He, along with his misfit friends, joins the very elite Royal Homing Pigeon Service, and against all odds they triumph where their much better qualified colleagues have failed. It is Valiants determination that, together with an unbridled courage, turns a little country pigeon into an adventurer and, finally a hero.
Valiant brings together the voice talents of Ewan McGregor, Ricky Gervais, Tim Curry, John Cleese, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Williams and Rik Mayall.
Extras include: Bloopers. Set Top Game. The UK Premiere. Scene Progression. Interviews. The Making of. Recording Sessions. Trailer.
The Sound Of Music Special Edition (£19.99, Fox) is out on November 28th.
In the ever popular The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews plays Maria, a novice nun who becomes a governess to a widowed Baron’s (Christopher Plummer) children. While romance appears to be blooming, the family is faced with more immediate danger, which results in Maria leading their transformation into a family singing group so they can escape from Nazi-dominated Austria.
The extras come on two discs:
Disc One: Introduction by Julie Andrews. Commentary by Robert Wise. Commentary by Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Sing-Along option.
Disc Two: Introduction by Julie Andrews to Disc 2. ‘My Favourite Things’ Retrospective Documentary (65 min). Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer: A Reminiscence.On Location With The Sound of Music Featurette. From Liesl to Gretl: A 40th Anniversary Reun ion (30 min). When You Know The Notes To Sing: A Sing-Along Phenomenon. The Von Trapp Family: Harmony and Discord (50 min). Storyboard Gallery. Behind-the-scenes photos. Original publicity materials, trailers and TV Spots.
An Audience With Cliff Richard (£12.99, Network) is out now.
Cliff is on the stage. Bobby Davro, Les Dennis and others are in the audience and on hand to join in with the singing. The stage is set for An Audience With Cliff Richard starring The Peter Pan of Pop, Sir Cliff Richard. First broadcast in 1999.
Tracklist includes: Move It, Carrie, Devil Woman, Some People, Dreamin’, Living Doll, The Young Ones, Vita Mia, Miss You Nights, We Don’t Talk Anymore, When the Girl In Your Arms, All In The Game, Millennium Prayer, Congratulations, Do You Wanna Dance, Dynamite, Power To All Our Friends.
An Audience With Billy Connolly (£12.99, Network) is also out now.
An Audience With Billy Connolly has all the necessary Connolly ingredients: shouting, long-winded stories about priests, your first grey pubic hair and how to have a fulfilling life when you are incontinent. The funny walks are there, as is, of course, the zombie joke! Bob Hoskins, Joanna Lumley, Bob Geldof, Michael Parkinson and others sit and listen.
An Audience With Dame Edna (£19.99, Network) is out now as well.
Australia’s greatest export, housewife superstar Dame Edna Everage, takes time out of her busy schedule to answer questions on her life and voice her opinions to a celebrity audience in these three editions of An Audience With…
Extras include: Clip from Aquarius – Poetry International (1974) featuring Dame Edna Everage. Clips from Aspel And Co (1982 and 1985) featuring Dame Edna Everage. Clips from Sunday Show (1982 and 1987) featuring Dame Edna Everage. Clip from Late Night From Two (1982) featuring Dame Edna Everage. Clip from The 6 ‘O Clock Show (1983) featuring Dame Edna Everage. The South Bank Show (1989) – Barry Humphries.
WWE Great American Bash 2005 (£17.99, Silver Vision) is out now and features three title matches and a host of WWE stars including Batista, Chris Benoit, Undertaker, Eddie Guerrero and Torrie Wilson.
Extras include: BWO-Blue County Choppers, Smackdown! 28/07/05: Eddie Exposes Rey’s Secret, Great American Bash 07/07/90: WCW World Heavyweight Title Match, Ric Flair vs. Sting
WWE Summerslam 2005 (£19.99, Silver Vision) is out now and features Shawn Michaels vs. Hulk Hogan together for the first time.
Extras include: Shawn Michaels On Larry Bling, John Cena “Right Now” Music Video and The Next Night On Raw…
Pride 3 And 4 (£19.99, Silver Vision) is also out now.
Pride 3 & 4 features a host of the worlds elite fighters including Carlos Newton, Mark Kerr (from The Smashing Machine) and Japans favourite Kazushi Sakuraba.
Extras include: Photo galleries. Video feature: What is Pride Fighting? Pride FC rules & glossary.
Cage Rage 12 (£12.99, Silver Vision) is out now too and features two title fights, with Mark Weir vs. Sol Gilbert for the British Middleweight title and Antonio De Silva vs. Rafael Carino for the World Heavyweight title. Undercard includes a host of top UK and international cage fighters including Mark The Beast Epstein, Curtis Bang Em Out Stout and Gerald Strebendt.
Extras include: Post-fight interviews hosted by Stephen Quadros. Fighter galleries.
Ultimate Fighting Championship 9 & 10 (£19.99, Silver Vision) is out now and contains the complete UFC 9: Motor City Madness and UFC 10: The Tournament and runs for 286 mins.
The Bill Series 2 (£29.99, Network) is out now and features some of the series favourite characters, including DI Galloway (John Salthouse), Sgt. Cryer (Eric Richard), PC Carver (Mark Wingett), PC Hollis (Jeff Stewart), WPC Ackland (Trudie Goodwin) and Det Sgt Roach (Tony Scannell). In this series, the residents of Sun Hill police station find that they have to deal with child abductions and community violence alongside the more routine demands of policing.
Episode titles: Snouts and Red Herrings, Suspects, Lost, Home Beat, Hostage, This Little Pig, Ringer, Public and Confidential, Loan Shark, With Friends Like That..?, Whose Side Are You On?, The Chief Super’s Party.
London’s Burning Series 2 (£19.99, Network) is out now.
Blackwall Fire Stations Blue Watch takes to the streets again in the highly-popular drama series of the 80s and early 90s. Viewers loved the quirky but human characters that put their lives on the line with every episode and this set features some of the most fondly remembered, including female fire-fighter Josie Lawrence, Bayleaf, Sicknote and Charisma. This set features all eight episodes of the second series, originally transmitted in 1989.
The Eye 2 (£19.99, Tartan) is out now.
In this follow up to the Pang Brothers’ The Eye a failed suicide victim, Joey, recovers slowly in hospital. Occasionally she wakes from her recovery to see malevolent strangers watching over her. Upon her recovery she discovers that she is pregnant to her disinterested boyfriend and she realises that the strangers at her bedside were linked to her pregnancy… and are still with her. In her quest to discover what is happening she visits a Buddhist monk. What the monk tells her chills her to the bone as she realises what awaits her and her unborn child. Will she be able to face the ceratin terror of her child’s birth…?
Extras include: Making Of Documentary, Original Trailer, Asia Extreme Trailer Reel.
A full review is online now by clicking on this link.
The Warriors (£39.99, PS2, Rockstar) is a game based on the Walter Hill 1979 cult film of the same name. As in the film, the storyline of the game takes place at night, underground, in the sub-culture of gang warfare that rages from Coney Island to Manhattan to the Bronx. This game is as intense and stylized as the cult film it pays homage to.
A battle of gigantic proportions is looming in the neon underground of New York City. The army of the night numbers 100,000 strong, and tonight they’re all after The Warriors- a street gang wrongly accused of killing a rival gang leader. The Warriors must make their way from one end of New York to their turf on the other side of the city.
All that stands between The Warriors and their survival are 20 miles and thousands of street gang members. The army of gangs owns the streets and there’s no turning back, The Warriors must fight for their lives and learn the meaning of loyalty as danger and uncertainty emerges from the city night.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (£34.99, Sony PSP, Rockstar) is out now and a full review will be online shortly.
There are a million stories in Liberty City. This one changes everything. Once a trusted wise guy in the Leone crime family, Toni Cipriani was forced into hiding after killing a made man. Now he’s back and it’s time for things to be put right.
The streets of Liberty City are in turmoil. Warring Mafiosi vie for control as the town begins to self-destruct under waves of political corruption, organized crime, drug trafficking and union strikes. No one can be trusted as Toni tries to clean up the mess of the city’s chaotic underworld. Deranged hit men, morally depraved tycoons, cynical politicians and his own mother stand in his way as Toni tires to bring the city under Leone control.
Forced to fight for his life in an odyssey that will shake Liberty City to its foundations, Toni must use any means necessary to secure his place in the leadership of the Leone family in a town up for grabs.
Ratchet Gladiator (£29.99, PS2, Sony) is out now.
Having been abducted by the deranged media mogul Gleeman Vox, Ratchet finds himself a contestant on ‘DreadZone’, the inter-galactic underground reality show. Until Ratchet can work out a way to escape, he is forced to fight in an array of battles and elaborate games of death. With all eyes on him, Ratchet becomes an unlikely TV superstar as the universe tunes in to watch him fight. Ratchet needs all the weapons he can get to keep the audience happy and stay alive as the action takes place in a series of spectacular inter-planetary arenas.
A new look Ratchet and a great new story come complete with new game options, non-linear levels delivering real freedom around the game, more playable vehicles, more things to blow up and many more customisable weapons. And, for the first time in the series Ratchet: Deadlocked features fully co-operative gameplay allowing a second player to seamlessly join in the arena-sport action at any time, in addition to a massive variety of multiplayer modes.
Sly Racoon 3: Honour Among Thieves (£24.99, PS2, Sony) is out now.
Sly 3 finds Sly and his crew in disarray and struggling against some setbacks. Bentley was crippled in the final battle with Clockwerk at the end of Sly 2: Band of Thieves and confined to a wheelchair, and Murray, feeling responsible for Bentley’s tragic accident, has quit the team and chosen a path of non-violence and solace.
Meanwhile, Sly learns of a secret family fortress that houses the amassed Cooper family fortune. Upon arriving at this hidden location, Sly discovers another enemy group attempting to steal the Cooper fortune. Sly and Bentley quickly realize they will need considerable help to defeat this new rival. Their recruiting starts with Murray, and once back on-board, Sly, Murray and Bentley set out to enlist some new and familiar faces in an effort to pull off a World Class heist.
Fast moving, charming and fun, Sly 3 invites you to join the gang in their new adventures. Be cheeky, be sneaky & be Sly!
Soul Calibur III (£39.99, PS2, Sony) is out now.
Prepare for the next chapter in the acclaimed Soulcalibur series: Soulcalibur, an epic tale of swords and souls. Select a warrior, choosing from classic characters and innovative new fighters, and take part in sword-wielding action across stunningly-realised stages from around the world. Search for the legendary swords of awesome power in the immersive Tales of Souls mode, or hone your swordplay in a wide variety of other new and classic game modes.
Features include:
- Fluid and exciting swordplay and 3D combat system
- Character creation mode
- More gameplay modes than ever before
- Superb graphics provide an amazing combat experience, with realistic character animation and stunning backdrops
- Three new innovative characters
Burnout: Revenge (£39.99, PS2, Electronic Arts) is out now.
This time it’s not about winning. It’s not about riding on dubs or gaudy neon lights. It’s about an utter disregard for the rules of road and total domination. This time it’s personal. This time it’s about revenge.
The sequel to 2004’s racing game of the year, Burnout Revenge straps gamers into the fastest, most dangerous racer on the road. Fight dirty or go down in flames – the only rule is complete automotive anarchy. Built for unprecedented destruction, Burnout Revenge challenges gamers to exact their revenge on rush hour traffic, vindictive rival racers and anything else that gets between them and the finish line.
Featuring multi-level tracks designed for fighting, wicked vertical takedowns, explosive new crashbreakers, new gameplay modes and wide open crash courses for epic crash sequences that put Hollywood to shame, Burnout Revenge redefines speed and aggression for the ultimate in vehicular combat. And when gamers are ready to take their rage on the road, a massive suite of online modes and features open up endless possibilities to slam, shunt and stonewall new enemies all over the world. Happy hunting!
SSX On Tour (£39.99, PS2, Electronic Arts) is out now. Reach breakneck speeds, catch huge air, and become an icon with SSX On Tour. Create a rider or skier and build a career as you progress from a slope-side wannabe to a black-diamond-dominating rockstar. Compete for medals or just tear up the massive new mountain, but make sure you look good doing it because your reputation is always on the line. Pull off jaw-dropping monster tricks to out-style your competitors while hurtling down the slopes at supersonic speeds. You create the hype the hype creates a legend in SSX On Tour.
Building on the critically acclaimed gameplay of the SSX franchise, SSX On Tour features all-new player customisation that gives you the chance to join The Tour. SSX On Tour is packed with all-new highly detailed tracks, new stylish player customization options, new monster tricks, and multiplayer options.
Peter Jackson’s King Kong (£39.99, PS2, Ubisoft) is out now.
In Peter Jackson’s King Kong delve deeper into the film experience through alternative viewpoints designed to put you at the centre of the cinematic action. Featuring detailed likenesses and original voice performances of film cast members.
Features include:
- Alternating Gameplay first-person as Jack Driscoll AND experience the staggering power of King Kong in third-person
- Cinematic Quality from both a visual and audio perspective
- Experience All Key Movie Moments and More Journey through the explosive action
- Battles with all creatures featured in the film
- Film Cast Likeness and Voice Full immersion into the dynamic King Kong universe
The Matrix: Path of Neo (£34.99, Xbox, Atari) is out now.
Set in the Matrix film universe, The Matrix: Path of Neo will enable players to actually play as Neo, the central character, and relive his most important and memorable scenarios from the complete film trilogy.. Throughout the game the path the player takes to resolve each scenario and the resulting consequences will be scripted and directed by the Wachowski Brothers.
The Matrix: Path of Neo will incorporate footage from all three feature films, as well as The Animatrix. The game includes several sequences of film-quality live-action, full-motion footage (FMV), as well as Hollywood-quality effect sequences. Throughout the game players will use martial arts, medieval weapons and guns (lots of guns) to take on a variety of enemies, such as heavily armed Agents of the Matrix, including Agent Smith and Exiles in the employ of the Merovingian.
WRC Rally Evolved (£29.99, PS2, Sony) is out now.
Heart racing, adrenalin pumping, action packed and better than ever, WRC: Rally Evolution delivers a thrilling rally experience at every corner with new multi-car racing, stunning new deformable environments, improved co-driver directions and more cars to drive from rallying past, present and future.
WRC: Rally Evolution and World Rally Championship on PSP are the exclusive games of the FIA World Rally Championship, guaranteeing explosive racing action for real rally fans, enthusiasts and novices alike: whether on PlayStation 2 or PSP, World Rally Championship is fearless and exciting rallying at its best.
Features include:
- Unpredictability is the name of the game as you race across the world’s most challenging terrains without knowing what’s around the corner
- Up to eight cars on the same track, at the same time in the on-line multi-car mode
- New damage system means collisions are more satisfying as debris is strewn from the car
- Vastly improved co-driver signals
Genji (£29.99, PS2, Sony) is out now.
Genji is a beautifully cinematic, sword-wielding Samurai adventure based on the popular Japanese legend of the same name. Acting as the historic hero Genkuro Yoshitsune or his trusted companion Benkei, the warrior monk, you set out on a mission to release the oppressed from the evil forces of the warlord Kiyomori and restore the Genji dynasty to power.
Taking its visual cue from movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers, Genji has a beautifully crafted aesthetic. Battle commences in lush Autumnal forests, grand, eastern palaces and blood soaked feudal battlegrounds, with an incredible attention to detail that really brings the legend to life.
As you would expect from the grand-daddy of Street Fighter, Genji plays as good as it looks. Execute slick and deadly manoeuvres, motion captured from a Samurai Swordmaster. Rain down combos, super-moves, parries and more onto your opponents; special features such as the ‘Mind’s Eye’ slow time around you, allowing you to anticipate the enemies’ movements with lightning precision and unleash balletic finishing moves.
A unique artificial intelligence, developed in conjunction with top Japanese fight director, Mitsuhiko Seike, constantly controls the action transforming each battle sequence into carefully choreographed kung-fu combat.
Jak X (£29.99, PS2, Sony) is out now.
Following the success of Naughty Dog’s iconic Jak & Daxter series, which as sold over 7.5 million units worldwide, Jak X finds the popular pair in a frantic race for their lives. Combat racing has filled the void left in Kras City after Jak defeated the Dark Maker in his last adventure. Now, after being mysteriously summoned to Kras City to hear the reading of Krew’s will, Jak, and Daxter are plunged headfirst into a dark and deadly plot.
The will reveals that everyone present has been poisoned and will die unless the antidote is administered & everyone’s life hangs in the balance as the heroic duo race against time in the Kras City Grand Championship. As the plot unfolds through an adventure mode, players will be treated to almost an hour of classic Jak and Daxter animation.
Jak X is the ultimate in exciting, head-to-head vehicle combat, with 20 stunning tracks and eight vast open terrain arenas to zoom around in the their wildest ride yet. Destructible elements within each track add fun and chaos to the gameplay and with over 120 game tasks providing hours of fast-paced action.
Jak X features over a dozen combat vehicles, which are completely customisable and feature unique and lively handling characteristics. Over the course of the competition, the vehicles will take damage, as paint is scratched and pieces of metal are ripped from the chassis. Players can create their own strategies for races and missions with an assortment of 17 vehicle power-ups including projectile weapons, ranged weapons, smart bombs, mines, catastrophic attacks, turbos and shields.
EyeToy Play 3 with Camera (£29.99, PS2, Sony) is out now.
EyeToy: Play 3 will keep everybody entertained this Christmas season. The content has been carefully crafted to include a huge range of activities across multiple genres including sports, action and music, as well as a collection of whacky multiplayer party games that’ll get the whole family playing together at the same time! Below is a small sample of what’s in store from the 50 multiplayer mini games:
Beach Volleyball: Spike your way to the top in a four player multiplayer game or against the local resident beach bums. Special modes include the hilarious speed rally.
Bowling: Hit the alley in this bowling bonanza! Play a traditional game of 10-pin, or go crazy bowling balls at the ‘marching pins’ in a unique knockout mode. The game also features a tournament for up to 4 players so you can really see who’s the ‘King Pin’.
DJ: Scratch the decks and entertain the crowds! Watch out for the club lights and ‘hi fives’. This game will have you mixing with the best . . . How “bling” can you get?
Ridge Racer (£34.99, PSP, Sony) is out now.
Featuring the best loved race courses from arcade classic Rave Racer and the entire Ridge Racer series, 24 circuits of breakneck speed and exhilaration stand between you and racing glory. Beat the clock in Time Attack Mode or test your racing skills against up to 8 players in WiFi compatible Wireless Battle Mode.
Its a hugely entertaining and rewarding system thats been tweaked and balanced to perfection – and it gets even better when you show it off in the eight person multiplayer mode. Ridge Racer does almost everything right and for once a sense of déjà vu is more than welcome.
WipEout Pure (£34.99, PSP, Sony) is out now.
The latest and the greatest in the seminal WipEout series, ‘Pure’ distils the essence of anti-gravity racing and futuristic adrenaline-fuelled combat. Hi-tech weapons, hi-octane speed and a high-tempo dance soundtrack combine to deliver an explosive taste of the future directly into your hands.
Racing games have never really worked on a portable before, but now with the PSP you cant move for top quality driving games. WipeEout Pure jostles with Namcos Ridge Racer as not just the best racer but the best overall game on the PSP.
Everybody’s Golf (£34.99, PSP, Sony) is out now.
Go golf crazy and take on a cast of colourful characters in the coolest clubhouse around. No need for airs and graces here just select a golfer from a range of friendly faces, and customize their abilities, attributes and appearance before teeing off ac ross a series of challenging courses and game modes. Go head-to-head with both friends and foes via WiFi compatible Ad Hoc Mode and become a true golfing legend.
Golf has never been a difficult sport to turn into a video game, in terms of getting a little computer person to hit a ball across the screen. The trick has been in making it as accurate and as fun as possible — attracting both serious golfers and those just looking for a bit of pixelated fun. The Everybodys Golf series has always excelled at this, and this new PSP version is no exception.
The game has six new courses and a mountain of customisable features which allow you to create your very own golfer. This is important because one of the games key draws is the multi-play mode, which allows other players to join in the same tournament even if only one person actually owns the game.
It’s the games perfectly designed controls which impress the most, with the simple three button power shots allowing anyone to hit the ball, while pros can practise adding top spin, back spin, fades and hooks to subtly alter their stroke. It’s almost painfully addictive once you get started and good enough to attract even committed golf haters to the fold.
MediEvil Resurrection (£34.99, PSP, Sony) is out now.
One hundred years have passed since the evil Sorcerer Zarok was defeated at the Battle of Gallowmere, heroically cut down by a mortally wounded Sir Daniel Fortesque. Or at least, that’s what the people were told; in fact poor Sir Dan was a bit of a coward, falling in the very first wave of arrows.
Now Zarok has returned, turning day into night, and raising an undead army to conquer the land. As a side effect Dan has also been resurrected… now, he has the chance to defeat Zarok and in death become the hero he never was in life.
Fired Up (£34.99, PSP, Sony) is out now.
Brutal weaponry on board vicious vehicles hurtling across vast, open-ended environments makes for game-play that is unique to the PSP. Give the good guys the upper hand and take on missions that are not for the faint hearted as you battle against a faceless aggressor in the single player story mode.
If that is not enough, you can challenge your mercenary friends by using the multiplayer mode where you can play up to seven others thanks to the wireless capability. Fired-Up also introduces PSP game sharing amongst friends. Whether you choose ‘death match’ or ‘king of the hill’, one person can share multiplayer levels – allowing up to eight friends to play together on any one of the 13 multiplayer maps included in the game.
With varying size and difficulty, each of the multi-player maps offers distinct backdrops for the mechanical carnage to unfold. Added to this, further maps will be available for download at launch, meaning the scenery is always changing whilst the battle of the vehicles rages on.
World Tour Soccer (£34.99, PSP, Sony) is out now.
World Tour Soccer: Challenge Edition offers you the chance to prove you’ve got the skills to match the world’s best. Choose from over 200 club and international teams each with fully licensed player names and likenesses, and attempt to take them to cup glory. The better you get, the more chance you have of unlocking new club sides, special teams, extra stadia and cup competitions by achieving success in various game modes.
World Tour Soccer: Challenge Edition encourages you to take your skills out to the wider world. By using the Ad Hoc wireless mode you will be able to challenge other PSP owners in the nearby area to a game; bragging rights in the train carriage are up for grabs!
Challenge mode is great if you only have one PSP and a large group of friends. It’s not about scraping a lucky winning goal, it’s about winning in style! The better your skills the more points you can score. Points are awarded for fabulous footwork, sharp shooting, pinpoint passing and dogged defending. Set your score against the ‘AI team’ then let your friends have a go to see if they have what it takes to beat your score and reach the top of the league.
F1 Grand Prix (£34.99, PSP, Sony) is out now.
As the first Formula One product for PSP, Formula One includes all of the official licensed tracks, cars and drivers of the FIA FORMULA ONE World Championship. Download your own music collection from Memory Stick Duo, and access additional bonus content to make sure race days are never the same again!
Features include:
- All 18 official circuits and all 10 official teams, 20 cars with performance stats based on their historical season performances
- Five unlockable classic bonus cars
- Arcade focused gameplay with seven challenging modes
- Link up to other PSPs via WiFi for multiplayer races, Ghost Car and Best Time exchange mode
Ape Academy (£34.99, PSP, Sony) is out now.
Based on the multi-million selling Ape Escape franchise, Ape Escape: On the Loose sees more than 200 cheeky monkeys let loose across eight vibrant worlds and 20 fun packed levels. Each and every Monkey has their own unique personality: some are loud and competitive, some mischievous and meddling and others are just cheeky wise guys.
The aim of the game is to capture the troublesome apes before they change world history with their escapades. Players can choose from a range of gadgets and gizmos including a remote controlled car, tank, sky flyer, radar and sword to help hunt down the mischievous monkeys. The multiplayer mode allows two players to take on each other in a series of hilarious and highly competitive mini-games including snowkidz racing, ape ping pong and boxing.
Go bananas with the wireless capability and hook up with other Monkey fans to work together to protect the world and keep those chimps at bay& there’s no time for hangin’ around – these monkeys mean business!
With over 45 mini games to play, from monkey bowling to pot fighting, there are always exciting new ways to monkey around. Take control of your favourite chimp and work your way through the school years by winning these wacky mini-games!
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.