Of course, it's well-documented that it's not always been the easiest of rides for Sony's new console in the build-up to launch. There was the disappointment of a delay last March, followed by, uh, another delay for us long-suffering PAL gamers, and of course the reduced-backwards-compatibility announcement. But the important thing is: Sony's machine is now within our grasp, a matter of days - hours - away from our clammy grasp. Excitable man-children that we are, we are frothing with anticipation.
In no small part, this is due to a launch line-up that - while featuring a few too many ports for some - is nonetheless bustling with quality. We've already been left impressed by Resistance: Fall of Man and Virtua Fighter 5, and with that pair accompanied by the likes of MotorStorm, Virtua Tennis 3 and Call of Duty 3, things could get costly. So, to assist your decision-making, we've compiled a quick guide to all the trinkets available from day one. And there can only be one place to start...
Sony PlayStation 3
RRP: AU$999 / £425 / €599
With the various Photoshop jokes well-and-truly exhausted, we have to admit it: after a year of seeing the thing on a fairly regular basis, we actually reckon Sony's five kilogram beast is rather easy on the eye. Still, it's what's under the hood that counts, and the Bluetooth-equipped PS3 isn't short of technical grunt. Armed with the combined muscle of the Cell and RSX processors, and with a 60GB hard disk drive as standard in every console, there's little doubt surrounding the platform's technical prowess.
It's yet to be seen whether or not the inclusion of a Blu-ray drive in the machine is a wise choice by Sony, but it does offer excellent value for money, with even the cheapest standalone Blu-ray players on the market going for nearly double the PS3's price. Meanwhile, the various inputs and outputs support a range of displays, from conventional PAL standard TVs to the latest full HD (1080i/1080p) flat panel displays, and it's beautifully quiet, a pleasant change from the rumbling, grumbling 360. And did we mention free online play? Still, you'll have to reach deep into your pocket for it - at AU$999 or £425, it certainly ain't cheap for PAL gamers.
PlayStation 3 Sixaxis controller
RRP: AU$79.95 / £34.99 / €49.99
Want two-player Virtua Fighter come launch day? Of course you do. So you'll need to chuck an extra one of these in your basket. More evolutionary than revolutionary in terms of its design, the Sixaxis controller wisely maintains the PlayStation system's excellent basic controller blueprint. Of the few small steps forward it has taken, most seem like pretty safe bets: there's obviously the much-publicised tilt sensors, designed to read when a player angles, tilts, thrusts, or pulls, a subtle alteration to the L2/R2 buttons, and every controller is Bluetooth-enabled for wireless gameplay, with the console able to support up to seven wireless controllers at one time. Finally, plug in a USB cable and you can automatically charge the controller through the system, even during use.
PlayStation 3 Blu-ray remote control
RRP: AU$49.95 / £17.99 / €29.99
Does exactly what it says on the tin, letting you control your viewing of, erm, Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby from literally metres away, before being lost down the back of the sofa for four years, only to be recovered with a half-chewed Rolo and unfamiliar hair attached to it. Sleeker than its PS2 equivalent, it operates playback of both Blu-ray discs and other types of disc media on the console.
Resistance: Fall of Man
RRP: AU$99.95 / £39.99 / €59.99
D: Insomniac | P: Sony
PALGN Anticipation (out of 10): 9
A PALGN 8.5 should never be overlooked, and Resistance should be high on the shopping list of every prospective PS3 owner. Set in an alternate 20th century reality, this Insomniac-developed shooter sees British military forces socking it to the invading Chimera, with the U.S also sticking its nose in (typical). Admittedly, it's probably not the most original entry in the launch line-up ("Humanity's last chance of survival lies with you," yadda yadda), but it does provide a highly entertaining 10 to 15 hour romp through some niftily-designed levels, and boasts a reasonably novel setting and back-story to boot. Oh, and how do butter-smooth 40-player online battles sound? Quite nice, that's how.
Call of Duty 3
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Treyarch | P: Activision
PALGN Anticipation: 7
Virtually the exact same game as the Xbox 360 version, which provided a respectable (if very linear) single-player experience, bolstered by a pretty magnificent online mode. The 24-player online cap is trumped by Resistance's 20-on-20 matches, but the sheer depth and variety this offers in multiplayer (commandeering multiple-occupancy vehicles - tanks, jeeps, motorcycles with side-cars - is a blast) means this should be strongly considered by those who remain 360-less.
Tony Hawk's Project 8
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Neversoft | P: Activision
PALGN Anticipation: 8
Poor old Tony. After having his face plastered on the front of some frankly brilliant skateboarding games a few years back, the Hawk franchise has gradually gone downhill, with all sorts of free-roaming, urban-flava'd nonsense brought into the equation. And Bam Margera. Ugh. Thankfully, last year's brilliant Tony Hawk's Project 8 finally arrested the slide, and the new PS3 version even employs the tilt functions in the Sixaxis, allowing players to balance and steer skaters through every rail grind, manual, revert, ollie and combo. Go Birdman!
MotorStorm
RRP: AU$99.95 / £39.99 / €59.99
Developer: Evolution | Publisher: Sony
PALGN Anticipation: 8
Van Leuveren won't shut up about this one, bless him, but then our usually misguided PR director's enthusiasm isn't completely unfounded this time. It not only looks and sounds pretty damn rad, but also has some eye-catching AI and, well, which racing game fan wouldn't love the idea of MotorStorm's real-time track deformation, whereby vehicles carve up the muddy courses, altering the terrain in the process for those trailing behind? A brilliant touch in a hugely promising package.
Need for Speed: Carbon
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: EA Games | P: EA Games
PALGN Anticipation: 6
Having barely dropped from the Australian top ten for the last twelve months or so, it's likely that Carbon will be among the best-selling third-party games at launch. Which is hardly a bad thing; after all, as street-racing goes, this is a fine example of the genre, even if it's all far too easy.
Fight Night Round 3
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: EA Games | P: EA Games
PALGN Anticipation: 6
EA's satisfying pugilist sim has appeared on every platform under the sun in recent months, yet that doesn't mean the studio is completely shirking on the PS3 version, which is due to feature an exclusive new mode, titled "Get in the Ring". Other than that, this is likely to be largely similar to the 360 game, with pretty character models slugging it out to some rather impressive commentary. "This is the closest you’ll get to trading blows with Muhammad Ali,” says the press release, but we bet it isn't, you know.
Genji: Days of the Blade
RRP: AU$99.95 / £39.99 / €59.99
D: Game Republic | P: Sony
PALGN Anticipation: 5
Based on PS2 game Genji, Days of the Blade takes place three years after the end of The Tale of the Heike. Drawing heavy inspiration from Capcom's Onimusha titles, the game has so far met with a middling-to-good critical reception, thanks to some alluring visuals and solid combat mechanics. We'll be offering our own observations in the near future, and we may even manfully ignore the chance to take a cheap shot about massive crustacean foes. We're above that, see.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Vicarious Visions | P: Activision
PALGN Anticipation: 6
Another game that has already appeared on other platforms, but a fine addition to any launch line-up, nonetheless. The Xbox 360 version scored a healthy 8.0 when we reviewed it late last year, and there's little reason why this should change for the PS3 incarnation. Indeed, there's even been the odd PS3-only feature included in this one, with support for the Sixaxis' tilt sensors thrown into the mix.
NHL 2K7
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Kush Games | P: 2K Sports
PALGN Anticipation: 6
On Microsoft's console, this was a piece of cake for newcomers to pick up and play, yet also a tricky beast to entirely master. Blessed with handsome looks, an intelligent menu system, and great commentary, this is probably ideal fodder for hockey newcomers and fans alike.
Virtua Fighter 5
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Sega | P: Sega
PALGN Anticipation: 8
With Chris' review having gone live all of 24 hours ago, it's probably best we hand the mike over to the man himself: "Despite AI-related complaints and the lack of an online mode, it’s with great ease that Virtua Fighter 5 can be declared the greatest 3D fighting game ever created. Its depth is unparalleled, and the diversity of its fighting styles overwhelming." High praise, eh? And he's rarely wrong on these things, y'know.
Def Jam: Icon
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: EA Games | P: EA Games
PALGN Anticipation: 4
Following the trail laid down by earlier Def Jam games, Icon sees players partaking in street fights, with hip-hop and other "urban beats" belting away in the background. Yet there's a slight difference - see, the music can dislodge bits of the environment, which you can in turn use against your opponent, who's most likely to be some famous rapper, such as The Game or Ludacris. And yes, it all sounds achingly "urban" and "lifestyle" to us. But then we're old and curmudgeonly and don't really understand these youngsters.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: EA Games | P: EA Games
PALGN Anticipation: 6
Tiger Woods 07 maintained its position as the market's most boringly brilliant golf sim when it first appeared last Spring, thanks to the usual EA spit-and-polish, and the always reliable analogue-stick-to-swing mechanism. Now, you can ruin a perfectly good walk on your sparkling new PS3, while playing as the creepily realistic digital Tiger himself. No notable PS3-only additions for this one, but it's as solid and as enjoyable as golf games get.
Virtua Tennis 3
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Sumo Digital | P: Sega
PALGN Anticipation: 8
Virtua Tennis 3 - let's see. Firstly, it's developed by the bods at Sumo Digital, who also put together PALGN favourite OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast. Secondly, it's VIRTUA TENNIS forchrissakes, and history tells us that every Virtua Tennis game is utterly lovely and wonderful and makes everything alright. And thirdly, it's set to appear on the PS3 with gorgeous HD 1080p visuals. So is Virtua Tennis 3 going to be the business? We'll eat our sweatbands if it isn't.
Full Auto 2: Battlelines
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Deep Fried Entertainment | P: Sega
PALGN Anticipation: 6
Exclusive to the PS3 and PSP (some form of compatibility between the two would be nice), this is a direct follow-up to the Xbox 360's enjoyable (but limited) Full Auto. With impressively destructible tracks, 25 different vehicles (ranging from classic muscle cars and low riders to monstrous SUVs and industrial vehicles), more than 20 explosive weapons as over 20 tracks, it undoubtedly has potential. Whether it can out-motor MotorStorm is another matter entirely, mind.
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Sony Online Entertainment | P: EA Games
PALGN Anticipation: 5
Filling the action-RPG-sized hole left by the withdrawal of Oblivion from the launch line-up, this action-RPG - an exclusive for Sony's next-gen horse - features a single-player storyline penned by Dungeons and Dragons writer Keith Baker, and online gameplay with the ability to adventure alone or with friends through multiplayer modes. Post-launch extra content is promised also, but with the wonderful Oblivion landing in April, it would be difficult to heartily recommend this.
Formula One Championship Edition
RRP: AU$99.95 / £39.99 / €59.99
D: SCEE Studio Liverpool | P: Sony
PALGN Anticipation: 6
It may appear a touch too dry for many of you, but for fans of Formula One, this is something of a wet dream. All the usual official fluff is a tad out-of-date now (due to all the official cars, circuits, drivers and teams being from the 2006 World Championship), though Studio Liverpool's previous experience with F1 titles has resulted in some impressively realistic visual work, with an eye-boggling number of cars on track at once. Judging by previous entries in the series, the handling should be spot-on as well. Love F1? Then this should more or less be a given.
Sonic the Hedgehog
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Sega | P: Sega
PALGN Anticipation: 2
One of gaming's favourite sons returned in yet another 3D adventure last year, making his next-gen debut on the Xbox 360. Our verdict at the time? Absolutely pancaked. And then reversed over. We're fully expecting this version - a port of the 360 game - to be every bit as detestable. Steer clear, folks - it's just too broken to be rescued.
Enchanted Arms
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: FromSoftware | P: Ubisoft
PALGN Anticipation: 4
Not exactly a must-have RPG when it appeared on the 360, Enchanted Arms is unlikely to change our minds when it hits the PS3. Nevertheless, if you're absolutely desperate for some J-RPG goodness come March 23, you could do worst; just don't expect anything that veers too far from the standard RPG path.
Ridge Racer 7
RRP: AU$99.95 / £39.99 / €59.99
D: Namco | P: Sony
PALGN Anticipation: 7
Historically, Ridge Racer games have always sat next to new Sony consoles on launch day shelves, and Namco has maintained this trend for the PS3. Essentially, this doesn't deviate too much from the same old formula employed by other Ridge Racers - so expect lots of silly, arcadey drifting around corners, cheek-flapping speed and slick visuals.
World Snooker Championship 2007
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Blade Interactive | P: Sega
PALGN Anticipation: 5
This certainly proved to be an above-average stab at snooker when it appeared on the Xbox 360 in 2006, and with over a hundred of the World’s best snooker players and ten official tournaments (all realistically modeled on those of the 2007 season), we're expecting a similarly professional outing on Sony's console. It's hard to imagine many will splash the cash on a new PS3 simply to play a snooker game, but if you are in that minority, this is worth a punt.
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
RRP: AU$119.95 / £49.99 / €69.99
D: Ubisoft | P: Ubisoft
PALGN Anticipation: 5
Some of the most famous battles of the Second World War are on offer here, with Ubisoft's flight-me-do taking in the Battle of Britain, Pearl Harbour, the fierce fighting of Midway, and a battle over Berlin. There's a handful of new missions specifically designed for the PS3 version, and Ubi is promising the game will make use of the Sixaxis' motion-sensing capabilities. Despite all this, it's the game's 16-player multiplayer mode that has piqued our curiosity most.
I will download the demo of Full Auto 2 and if i like it i will get it and have a game with ya adam.
No contest in your mind! 
My PS3 won't arrive until Monday at the earliest. As soon as I get it though, I'll send you a PM. 
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