Cult Classics: PlayStation 2

Gregory Horror Show

• Publisher: Capcom
• Developer: Capcom

This is one of the weirdest, most inventive games Capcom ever released, somehow managing to infuse its survival-horror template with the spirit of Grim Fandango. But like so many of these forgotten old gems, it's one that didn't quite make the cut. The general premise was to try and escape an old candle-lit hostelry, with Death himself offering you a way out of this crazy place if you can successfully extract the lost souls that each occupant is jealously guarding. Almost everything about the game was excellent, with a wonderful art style, fantastic dialogue and unique gameplay colliding with frequently heart-warming results. The problem, really, was some oblique puzzles, which resulted in lengthy trudges around spying on people and looking for clues - not to mention the frustration of being constantly chased. With a guide, however, this is excellent, so if you can find it, snap it up.

What we said: "A charming adventure that will have you beaming at its dementedness."

Ebay price guide: Less than GBP 10

Bombastic

• Publisher: Capcom
• Developer: Capcom

If there was an overall Cult Classics award, Capcom would scoop it - but Bombastic is undoubtedly one of the most obscure, again. It doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. This sequel to the equally-overlooked PSone title Devil Dice is another fiendishly addictive puzzle game about blowing up dice. Obviously. Essentially several games in one, the main Quest mode involved moving a Tellytubbies-esque creature around an isometric play area, with the overall aim to position a die so that it set up chain reactions to blow up other dice in the vicinity. Although it looked like a cheap 16-bit game, it was surprisingly excellent once you got your head around it, with various endearing enemies spicing things up. Beyond the quest mode, there were plenty of interesting variations on the gameplay which we reckoned would keep you going for months, including slightly crazy multiplayer modes. Since Bombastic came out, we've all chilled out about simple retro visuals and embraced pick up and play gaming, so maybe this would make a perfect downloadable title, eh Capcom?

What we said: "One of those puzzle gems you'll treasure for years to come."

Ebay price guide: Around GBP 10

Shox

• Publisher: Electronic Arts
• Developer: Electronic Arts UK

We keep banging on about Shox. EA slipped it out under the radar with no promotion in the autumn of 2002, and it went the way of so many of its EA Sports BIG titles. But in terms of arcade racers on the PS2, it was up there with the very best of them, with great visuals and a slick, addictive premise that still feels fresh today. The basic idea was, and still is, totally bananas: each track has three Shox zones, and the goal is to get through them as quickly as possible. Getting the speed up to scoop, say, Gold, relies on a good approach, and if you can manage to get three gold medals in all three Shox zones, you triggered a screen warping shockwave which allowed you to scoop shedloads of cash into the bargain. It was mentally fast, frantic, and hugely addictive as all good arcade racing games should be - the mystery is why so few people were sold on it. We had a great time with it, and if you're into the kind of game that has you bug-eyed at 4.30am, then you could do a lot worse for a fiver. It's aged a fair bit now, obviously, but so have you.

What we said: "EA has pulled out a product of genuine quality that with a little more work in a few basic areas would have been a must have title."