Sony

It's as sure as death or taxes that anyone who takes up videogaming will find themselves rooting through a bargain bin or scouring pre-owned shelves sooner or later. For those that do, few things feel as satisfying as saving hard-earned cash and getting a gem of a game at the same time.

Created by Masaya Matsuura, the man who pioneered music-generated gaming in Vib Ribbon, Musika is certainly the most baffling game of the four. Not because of any exciting Japanese weirdness or ultra-tough difficulty (both staples of old school rhythm action), but simply because there appears to be no game here.

As polished and colourful as Phase is, playing Beats on PSP afterwards feels like being sat next to a giant subwoofer in the trendiest, spaciest club in town. This is very much rhythm action seen through a Tetsuya Mizuguchi kaleidoscope.

Although I personally found Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction to be a little disappointing, there's no denying that Insomniac rarely fails to produce a title of respectable workmanship. The action here will completely satisfy anyone looking for the kind of lighthearted, kinetic run-and-gun that was mastered several iterations ago.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Language

Sony Bend has done it again. The first handheld Syphon Filter was a powerhouse, and its sequel, Logan's Shadow is no different. Series star Gabe Logan may not have the personality of Solid Snake or the instant recognition of Sam Fisher, but he's got them both beat by a country mile when it comes to portable action. Without a doubt, this is the small-scale action franchise to beat.

A rock-solid showpiece that every PSP owner should consider, Killzone: Liberation is a better game than the original in every way, and a standout title in its own right.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Blood, Language, and Violence

Game Description: In Killzone: Liberation, two months after the events of Killzone, most of southern Vekta is still under Helghast control. The rules of war have been cast aside with the Helghast General, Metrac, employing brutal measures in order to seize the initiative and strengthen his position further. Returning as Templar, players will be sent on a mission to undertake a covert operation to save hostages captured by Metrac, while ISA troops continue the fight for liberty.