Live near Manchester? Want to play some awesome PS3 games before they hit the shops? Of course you do. So you’ll need to get down to the PlayStation Access event in Manchester this weekend.

I went along last night and enjoyed playing the likes of Uncharted 3, Goldeneye: Reloaded, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, Starhawk, Tekken Hybrid and Assassin’s Creed Revelations. There are a few recent releases to try too, like Resistance 3, Dark Souls, Ico HD and FIFA 12. There’s a new 3D visor-headset to try out too along with a few games hooked up with a Move SharpShooter attachment.

FIFA players might want to try their luck in the early rounds to the interactive world cup too. Just don’t pick Man City to play against Real Madrid like the runner-up in the final of last night’s round. It wasn’t pretty, but we appreciate the home crowd salute. Prizes are also available to high-scoring Uncharted 3 players. Evening session attendees will also be treated to a live DJ set from Maximo Park’s Lukas Wooler.

Here are the times you’ll want to get down there:

Friday October 7^th: 6pm-10pm
Saturday October 8^th: 12pm-4pm
Saturday October 8^th: 6pm-10pm

You can turn up on the door, or if you want to reserve a place, just email accesslive@scee.net or contact them at their facebook group.

You’ll need to be 16 or older to gain entry, so take photo ID just to be on the safe side. 18+ gamers may be treated to a couple of free beers too.

The event is being held at Hope Mill, 113 Pollard Street. That’s a simple 15-minute walk from Manchester’s Piccadilly train station. Click here to see the map I used last night.