The Warriors

Hitting things repeatedly has always proven to be a success formula for games, more so if the action leverages on a classic movie. The Warriors is an almost perfect port from the PlayStation 2 title to the PlayStation Portable in the regard. A prequel to its 1979 movie namesake, the game explains details such as how the various gangs were formed in New York. It offers plausible backstories for the cast of characters who join or oppose you in your travels. Fans of the movie will be heartened to know that several of the original voice actors have returned to reprise their roles, and the PlayStation Portable offers pitch-perfect audio of old favourites such as Cyrus voiced by Roger Hill. Despite being a port, the game suffers only marginally. Its reworked controls are easy to understand and you get used to them quickly. Which means that players can \"throw down\" and fight as easily on the PSP as on their console versions.

Large firefights, where noticeable slowdowns occur, are my only major complaint. Its multiplayer is also one of the best avaiable for the PSP, offering cooperative play at minimal lag. Handheld consoles have premium screen space, and The Warriors keeps it clear with a clean interface and by not having a split-screen option for the multiplayer mode. Wise move. Being able to recruit and then create your own gang out of more than 300 members found in the game, before taking them online against other players, is anthoer great plus. Since each character has its own unique moves, finishing attacks, styles and friendships, there is a wealth of gameplay opportunities to fiddle around with before going into one-on-one, three-on-three, or the massive six-on-six battle royales. If you somehow overlooked the original title when it came out late in 2005, it is hard to go wrong with this very excellent port and its extras.