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GAME OF THE WEEK: Grand Theft Auto; Episodes from Liberty City,18 cert, Rockstar, PS3 (also on PC)

Microsoft pulled off something of a coup when it forked out the cash to buy the exclusive rights to new downloadable content for the Grand Theft Autoseries. Not so for PS3 owners, who have been denied any new content for the series since GTA IVhit the shelves some time ago. But no longer. After a slight delay, the PS3 version is finally available. Episodes from Liberty Citytakes the two downloadable games Xbox owners have already ( The Ballad of Gay Tonyand The Lost and the Damned) and crams them into one box.

This is a standalone game, in that doesn’t require either previous GTA discs to play, or a knowledge of the franchise to enjoy it, although there are some crossovers with Niko’s storyline.

In The Ballad of Gay Tony, you take on the role of Luis Lopez, assistant to the gangster Tony Prince. The Lost and The Damnedputs you into the middle of biker gang The Lost as Johnny Klebitz. Both storylines feature tested loyalties: Lopez finds it hard to deal with the competing loyalties of friends and family, while the return of the biker club's president, Billy Grey, throws Johnny into the middle of a rift among his own gang that could destroy the group.

As in previous episodes, there is a wealth of landscape to explore and plenty of citizens to terrorise as you go about the business of making your mark on the city. This time around, you have new vehicles, including Johnny’s custom bike, and weapons. The new additions are welcome – particularly the grenade launcher.

It’s also a little easier to get started in the game. Your players are already established names in Liberty City, so that element of working your way up the ranks that was necessary in previous titles is all but gone.

The gameplay has been improved over GTA IV. The handling of some of the vehicles, for example, is much easier, particularly the motorbikes. There is still the staple reckless element that has long been a feature of GTA games. Luis can go base-jumping, for example.

The Ballad of Gay Tonyis definitely the stronger of the two campaigns. The side missions to establish a drugs cartel are interesting, if a little repetitive at times, and Lopez is a more likeable character than the biker.

The multiplayer gaming makes a return, and while there are fewer modes, the most enjoyable are there — death match, race and free mode included.

Episodes from Liberty Citybrings new life to the franchise and should keep PS3 owners happy, giving developer Rockstar time to come up with the next great installation.