There’s a dearth of new games hitting the European networks this week but January’s for catching-up after all. On the docket this week are a barrage of sales and price reductions to aid your bank account post-holiday season.

Highlights include a public beta for Starhawk, an Uncharted 3 multiplayer map, and the second week of the January Sale.

Have a look won’t you?

No doubt the ’12 for 12′ sale we previewed yesterday takes precedence this week but it’s not the only reason to explore that blue shopping bag that resides on your XMB.

The update also includes a pair of new PSN titles, some digitized games and downloadable content for Uncharted 3.

Have a look.

Motosports come in all shapes and sizes, from the massively realistic races of Gran Turismo 5 to the slot cars of PixelJunk Racers. Somewhere in between lies TNT Racers; an arcade-style multiplayer racer where driving skill and power-ups determines the winner.

Originally released for the PSP and Wii, TNT Racers has finally made it to the PSN and Xbox LIVE. Does the downloadable title manage to pack an explosive punch, or does its fuse fizzle out before the starting flag is waved?

If you’ve still got some money rattling around in your bank account you’ll be happy to see Trine 2 making its way to the store this week. The action-platformer looks to be a nice addition for all libraries.

Other highlights this week include a smattering of free DLC and a hefty grouping of discounts headlined by the original Trine.

Tekken Tag Tournament was one of the early highlights of the PS2 era, and it’s possibly the most fondly remembered of the series. Nevertheless, nostalgia has its way of clouding one’s judgement, and the question …

Just in time for All Hallow’s Eve Sucker Punch hath released the long awaited vampire themed DLC pack, inFamous: Festival of Blood. Prospective vampires rejoice!

In other news PixelJunk Sidescroller makes its way into the fold and a few retail titles get the digital treatment. Check it out.

This week the European stores give birth to Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken and it’s a good one (really it is, we reviewed it and everything).

Also coming down the chute is a sizable Guitar Hero and DJ Hero sale and the release of Deus Ex: Human Revolution’s ‘Missing Link’ downloadable mission.

Last year, PS3 Attitude brought you Pure Platinum, our guide to the best classic games on the PlayStation 3. In the PAL region, if a game sells at least 400,000 copies, then it qualifies for Sony’s Platinum range, giving it a swanky new case and, more importantly, a big price cut.

Since our first Pure Platinum feature, many more AAA games have joined the range, so, with December just around the corner, we thought it was about time we updated the list, in the hope of helping new PS3 owners sort out their Christmas lists.

Since debuting as a PS2 exclusive, SSX has continued to be an important PlayStation franchise. As part of the system’s launch line-up, it ushered in a new era of smooth gameplay, intuitive controls, sharp graphics and edgy soundtracks. It felt next generation and the critics loved it.

Later SSX games went multi-format, but that didn’t diminish its importance for PlayStation owners, and the fact it’s finally about to arrive on the PS3, five years into this generation, is huge.

Yesterday, Sony in partnership with Mercedes-Benz hosted a competition which had former F1 driver David Coulthard thrash around the famous Top Gear Test Track in real life while gamers challenged his times in Gran Turismo 5. David Coulthard won, but there was less than half a second in it. It was thrilling to watch.

Gran Turismo 5’s reputation as the ‘real driving simulator’ was tested today in an event held by Sony in partnership with Mercedes-Benz.

Six gamers, in their racing pods, tackled the virtual Top Gear Test Track, while former F1 driver David Coulthard ripped up the real thing. The Flying Scotsman was the winner, but the result couldn’t have been any closer.

The aspect I appreciate most about SEGA Rally Online Arcade (SROA) is its unapologetic allegiance to its title. At a time when gamers struggle to discern gameplay hints from the likes of Ar tonelico Qoga, SROA shines like a beacon of relative transparency.

For better or worse SROA gives you exactly what its namesake implies, a rally-racer with arcade roots that sports basic online functionality. Unfortunately it is from this steadfast commitment to a somewhat outdated genus that many of the games problems are forged.

THQ is conducting an interesting experiment with MX vs. ATV Alive. The company has released the bare bones, the core game essentially, to us at an affordable price with the expectation that we’ll complete our package with DLC.

The benefits: we get it earlier, pay less and can choose the content we actually want. Digital Studio Phoenix, the developer, also benefits because they can use our feedback to tailor their DLC program. So, if we ask for more tracks, they can focus on doing just that instead of designing hundreds of butt-patches no one wants.

What makes Shift 2 different from other racers is that it’s designed entirely from the driver’s perspective and not so much from a car perspective, like say Gran Turismo 5 is.

EA wants you to feel every bump on the road and every head movement. They want you to feel the adrenaline rush of the racing experience, even if it isn’t entirely true-to-life with regards to its driving physics.

In the past six months racing fans have seen Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Test Drive Unlimited 2, and the long awaited Gran Turismo 5. With a lineup like that one wonders exactly what Shift 2 Unleashed could have to offer that differentiates it from the pack.

Perhaps these trailers and the plethora of hi-res screenshots will provide a greater understanding. After all you could use a new desktop wallpaper.

Update v1.06 for Gran Turismo 5 is now available. It actually arrived on Friday, but we feel the need to get this on the site, because v1.06 comes with plenty of really nice features.

The notable changes relate to B-Spec mode: Remote Racing has arrived allowing you to control your B-Spec drivers from your browser, and you can now host B-Spec races online against your friends.

There were lots of other exciting features added with this update, some of which are very welcome, such as the ability to use user-created tracks online in Open Lobby and Lounge matches, and the new car rental system is also great.

Describing Test Drive Unlimited 2 to someone who hasn’t played it is a challenge. Eden Games has created something that is decidedly different from any other racing game; in fact, only a small part of its package is racing. It is set in an open world platform across the islands of Ibiza and Hawaii, where there are 3200km of unexplored roads and a further 900km of dirt tracks just waiting to be cruised on in the finest performance cars around.

We stand on the brink of Test Drive Unlimited 2′s release (Feb 8 US/Feb 11 EU) and in order to properly inspire gamers to relinquish their cash (if they haven’t already) Atari has delivered three new videos brandishing the game’s beauty.

There are many people who may feel swamped at the sheer amount of options and things to do in the epic Gran Turismo 5. But never fear! PS3 Attitude is here to help! We’re here to provide some of the best tips and tricks, which are tried and tested by the best experts out there: you guys.