New DS and PSP games on sale from Friday

Are you sitting down? We'll say this slowly: Syphon. Filter. Dark. Mirror. Really. Is. Out. Next. Week.

No, really. There's no trick – we've had it confirmed by Sony. After more delays than the First Great Western train service (the game was first expected back in July), UK PSP gamers will definitely be able to get their hands either side of a screen displaying one of the best games for their handheld in just eight days' time.

That's the good news. Countering it is the revelation that promising rhythm action title Gitaroo Man Lives! has now slipped until the end of September.

But that's not necessarily a bad thing. With both Gangs of London and Def Jam Fight For NY: The Takeover released tomorrow, as well as retro flavoured Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins and the potentially engrossing Madden 07 competing for Syphon's limelight next week, there's more than enough to tempt PSP owners.

Resting their Maestro cards will be the DS crowd, with no releases planned for the format until mid-September. Again, that's not an entirely negative state of affairs – after all, the number of games expected as we begin the descent into the traditionally crazy Christmas period is likely to test anyone's finances.