Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City

These two extra stories from GTA IV have been available as downloadable purchase for a while, but now we non-download shlubs get to play them on the one, value-packed disc. And they just solidify the notion that Rockstar are the Pixar of the games world: even their minor efforts are done with artistry, deft design and no shortage of wit. And while you'll enjoy the references if you've played the previous game, you don't need to have done so to wade into the world of Liberty City.

If you loved the grit of GTA IV, The Lost & Damned has it in spades. You play as Johnny Klebitz, vice-president of the titular motorcycle gang who are trying to keep their loose-cannon leader from sending the city into an all-out war. There's a lot of tooling around the city on motorcycles, busting up deals, and trying like hell not to get shot to death. It's as addictive as its parent game, but The Ballad of Gay Tony is much more over the top - and therefore more in keeping with the old GTA spirit. There's something utterly glorious about the base jumping missions (and one involving a golfcart – you'll know it when you see it) that strikes the perfect balance between the flamboyance of Vice City and the realism of the more recent games.

The stories both intertwine with each other and GTA IV, making this less an add-on afterthought and more a deeper exploration of entertaining characters in a gorgeously-rendered environment: think of it as the Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead to GTA IV's Hamlet. Gaming really doesn't get much better than this.

More television, DVDs, games and gadgets in Sydney? Sign up to our weekly newsletter