Best enjoyed after beating Grand Theft Auto IV, this great double-pack of episodic content shows you sides of Liberty City you never knew existed.

If you’ve already played through 2008′s Grand Theft Auto IV, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect in the formerly Xbox-360-exclusive Episodes from Liberty City. The included episodes–The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony–take place concurrently with the original game’s storyline, and while each introduces a handful of new features, the core gameplay remains largely unchanged. Also unchanged on the PC, sadly, are the frame rate issues that–like those in the PC release of GTAIV–are apparent even on rigs that exceed the recommended system specifications. Regardless, if you enjoyed GTAIV you’re sure to enjoy these additional episodes as well, and even if you passed on original protagonist Niko Bellic’s adventure completely, there’s no reason you can’t have a great time with new boys Johnny Klebitz and Luis Lopez. You definitely get more from these episodes if you play GTAIV beforehand though, because nods and winks to that game are scattered liberally throughout.

For the same reason, you’d do well to hold off on playing The Ballad of Gay Tony until after you’ve beaten or at least spent a good amount of time with The Lost and Damned. The two episodes have been released simultaneously on the PC, but on the Xbox 360, The Lost and Damned was available as a download some eight months earlier. In that episode, you assume the role of Johnny Klebitz–a high-ranking member of the Lost biker gang who regularly disagrees with its trigger-happy leader, Billy Grey. Klebitz, who isn’t a particularly likable protagonist, sees no need for the gang to go to war with rivals The Angels of Death, but anytime the two gangs clash, you end up doing most of the killing anyway. New weapons added to the existing GTAIV arsenal in The Lost and Damned include a grenade launcher, pipe bombs, and shotguns, which come in both sawed-off and assault flavors. These weapons are very much in keeping with both the episode’s subject matter and its gameplay. And because Klebitz spends so much time riding motorcycles, you can use some of them while in the saddle–which wasn’t possible in GTAIV.

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Prison life is difficult to emulate within the realm of video games. Because you always have the choice to turn off a torturous game and move on to something more fulfilling, the feeling of being locked away in a suffocating cell with no hope for freedom is hard to accurately convey through digital media. However, Prison Break: The Conspiracy does an admirable job of making every moment within its world mimic the utter hopelessness one must feel when trapped behind bars. This claustrophobic reenactment of the now-defunct television series never even reaches the level of tolerable. There’s no reprieve from the boring fist fights and tedious stealth missions that constantly assault you throughout these eight-hours of grueling monotony. The story may appeal to fans of the series who long to interact with virtual representations of their favorite characters, but even the most ardent Prison Break fanatic should stay far away from The Conspiracy.

The Conspiracy cannot even give fans of the show the pleasure of controlling one of their favorite characters from the television series. Instead, you assume the role of Tom Paxton, a character created just for this game. Although he appears to be an ordinary prisoner–one convicted of first-degree murder–he is really a covert agent working for The Company. Your job is to do some sleuthing around the big house to figure out why Michael Scofield is really behind bars and ensure that his brother, Lincoln Borrows, goes through with his electric-chair execution. The various alliances and under-the-table dealings you must engage in may pique the interest of those who are intrigued by the shady lives of convicts, but the abrasive voice acting and stilted animations make it difficult for the uninitiated to be pulled into the layers of underhanded partnerships.

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Far away from the prying eyes of the war-fearing citizens who make up the bulk of peaceful society, a battalion of armor-clad soldiers stages needless battles in desolate environments. Section 8 is a generic look at the struggles futuristic space marines will have to go through, but despite its uninspired trappings, the intergalactic fights are unpredictable and chaotic, and the diverse array of objectives gives more thoughtful players a chance to help their team in ways other than unmitigated destruction. There are a few missed opportunities in Section 8, such as vehicles that are all but worthless and environments that are too large for their own good, but the main elements are enjoyable, though not quite gripping. With a dull aesthetic and heavy reliance on gameplay techniques found in other first-person shooters, Section 8 struggles to stand out from the pack, but the engaging matches and satisfying gun battles make this online-focused game worth playing.

The biggest difference between the PlayStation 3 version and last year’s Xbox 360 and PC releases is the price. This downloadable-only game is $29.99, significantly cheaper than the full-retail price both games went for when they first debuted. In addition to the more reasonable entry fee, there are three bonus maps as well. These were available on the other systems, but you had to shell out extra cash to get them. There are not many players currently taking part in the action, but the intelligent bots do a good job of filling out matches. Other than that, this is the same game as before.

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