If Platinum titles have already been released, what is all the fuss about?

It is time to get a healthy dose of good karma for raiding your piggy bank for the best games around. You're a discerning gamer, who purchases the latest, big titles and spreads the word to your friends and relatives. So when will the karmic wheel spin in your favour? The answer is... now.

Platinum games are less expensive than many PS2 releases. It is karma but for PlayStation owners - what goes around comes around. If you champion a new title one day you can treat yourself to a Platinum release the next. It is great way to fill out your collection or try genres you're not familiar with, knowing that it will be one of the best examples of its kind.

Low cost however should not be confused with the low quality. As mentioned in the previous articles, these games are the cream of the crop, chosen by you. Fantastic value is just one more reason to check them out.

Ratchet Gladiator

Ratchet has come along way since his humble roots as a mechanic. Along with robotic sidekick Clank, the gutsy Lombax is now paying the price of mega stardom - kidnapped by a sinister media mogul operating at the very edges of space, the dynamic duo are forced to compete in the DreadZone.

New features of Ratchet's latest thrill-a-minute adventure include a mind boggling range of customisation options for your weapons and two new robot buddies to command in the DreadZone. Also, instead of acting as a wise cracking backpack full of gadgets, Clank is forced to watch Ratchet's progress through the deadly TV show, only able to advise his friend over the com.

The Ratchet and Clank series has a loyal fan base and although Ratchet Gladiator departs slightly from the original winning formula, the satirical, tongue-in-cheek nature of our beloved duo is still evident as ever.

Soulcalibur III

A heavyweight in the beat 'em up genre, Namco's Soulcalibur III takes the iconic series even further with three stunning new characters - Tira, an elfin warrior; Zasalamel, a scythe wielding fanatic and Setsuka, a deadly geisha - and the awesome ability to build your own fighter.

ECharacter creation lets you tweak existing characters to your taste or build from scratch a fully customisable fighter. Decide upon their job, which affects the moves and weapons they can employ, as well as outfit before entering into the fray.

Going beyond the traditional boundaries of the beat 'em up, Soulcalibur III offers a variety of sub games. Soul Arena tests your skill in a number of fights with unusual conditions for instance, while Chronicles of the Sword is a real-time strategy game fused with classic Soulcalibur combat, which draws as much upon your tactical ability as fighting skill.