The Warriors review

Let's get one thing clear right away: if you've already played through The Warriors on consoles, you won't find anything new in the PSP version. But you won't find anything missing, either; from the tiniest beer bottle to the biggest multi-gang brawl, everything that made The Warriors an awesome beat 'em-up has been faithfully recreated on the handheld's small screen. That comes with its own set of problems, but for the moment, let's just bask in the glow of one of the few PS2-to-PSP ports to get it right.

Are you done? OK. For those of you who missed it when it first appeared in late 2005, The Warriors is based on an iconic 1979 chase movie about a street gang framed for murder and forced to run for their lives across New York City. Since a 90-minute chase would make for a short game, it gives players a lengthy backstory to stomp through first, revealing the Warriors' origins through missions that mix old-fashioned brawling with stealth and nonlinear exploration.

Put simply, you'll get to build the Warriors' rep by smashing, stabbing, tagging, stealing and sneaking your way through the home turf of every gang in the city. While the structure is mission-based, you'll have free rein to roam around the smallish chunks of city as you please, playing as different members of the Warriors in turn. There are always plenty of rival punks to brutally beat down, as well as cops and muggable pedestrians, but you'll also want to take the time to ferret out hidden graffiti spots in high places, steal car stereos and break into a few storefronts.