Right now, Nintendo feels like they're in a bit of a Kinect era with the Nintendo Switch 2. Trying out everything with fancy new tools like mouse controls and Game Chat, but not really knowing how to actually make these features into compelling game mechanics. Drag x Drive is unfortunately an experiment that hasn't nearly gone wild enough, and will be the subject of a tricky quiz question in a few years' time.

Echoes of the End is an ambitious game with some really good ideas and a beautiful presentation, but also with technical issues and design flaws that detract from the experience. I would actually recommend it, but only if you can wait for a few updates.

I enjoyed another playthrough of Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, this time in the new Enhanced edition. This version does not change the game significantly (although the new Performance Mode is cool), but it refines the game and adds new features and a new game mode, and it gives a whole new audience on PlayStation the opportunity to experience this brutal Viking story.

Mafia: The Old Country is a perfectly decent action game. It's clear that the ambition was to offer some kind of hybrid between linear and open world gameplay. The developers wanted to tighten up the experience to make it engaging, well-directed, and grandiose, but even though I personally worship open worlds, I would have preferred to see them lean even more towards streamlining this. In an action game of this kind, which is also quite short, I simply think that there should have been more variety and a significantly higher tempo to make it feel more engaging in the end.

Apart from minor annoyances, A Dream About Parking Lots is a nice little walking sim. In many ways, it's more of a therapeutic experience than a game, and considering what these kinds of games usually cost, the £3.39 you have to pay for it is nothing.

The game without ads became a lot less frustrating. Unfortunately, the analogue stick controls are a tad too slow, but otherwise it's an excellent port, and fortunately there are still touch controls if you're playing handheld.

Grounded 2 strikes me as a very traditional survival game in practice, even if the intuitive design and the enjoyable and memorable world stand out as highlights. This is a game that you will love for a few hours and then steadily lose interest in, unless you're a die-hard survival fan that lives and breathes this genre. [Early Access Score = 70]

I'm not going to complain too much about the fact that 397 hasn't really reached 'final release' in terms of functionality and content. Le Mans Ultimate is basically a really good racing simulator whose online racing portion easily competes with the best of the genre and whose tyre physics, FFB and graphics/sound do the same. If Studio 397 is given time now to continue building, polishing and expanding, I have no doubt that this could become the new ruler of the sim racing genre.

Cyanide has a decision to make. Either they can deliver a fun and relaxing arcade game or they can give us a console version of Pro Cycling Manager. Because this game is more like a rider who has single-handedly tried to catch a breakaway by running away from the peloton and is now caught in the middle - tongue out of cheek and legs cramping.

If you are looking for something simple and cute, this might appeal to you and with a low price tag, some may still find it worth it. But since there are so many better alternatives, it was not for me.

Wheel World is an easy to pick up and enjoyable experience that doesn't require much investment from the player, despite having a fabulous balance of fun gameplay, memorable visuals, and customisable features. For a title that you can see in its entirety over the course of two-to-three days, there's not many reasons why you shouldn't be giving Wheel World a go this summer.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles 2, despite certain limitations, comes to accompany once again the fans of one of the most quality and popular anime of the last decade, which also takes advantage of the synergy with its last arc to call to try it to a larger base of players. If you're a fan of Demon Slayer, you shouldn't miss it.

I was excited to see what The Game Kitchen could do with Ninja Gaiden. Unfortunately, the answer is a bit disappointing. Ragebound is rock solid and feels really good in your hands, but it lacks spark, passion, X-factor, surprises. I could go on. At a time when sharp 2D action games are not exactly in short supply, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a solid revival of a classic series that will probably make the old core happy, but I would start somewhere else, Katana Zero, for example.

Tales of the Shire does many things right, but there are also fundamental things that it just doesn't quite get right, and that affects the game more than you might think. But if you're looking for a cosy life sim game to play over the summer, or if you just have to own everything with The Lord of the Rings' name on it, then take a look at Tales of the Shire, but be prepared for the fact that life as a hobbit isn't quite as inviting as you might think.

There are elements of this expansion that are excellent and true highlights for the future of Destiny 2, but there is so much surrounding them that generates no joy whatsoever.

If you enjoy basic horror-styled shooters, I wouldn't say this is a bad purchase at all, even though in its current form it doesn't evoke the same positive impression as its predecessor. Personally, I'm enjoying my time with the game still, despite its flaws.

All the action is very entertaining, once again, but there are moments when you feel that it becomes a little too streamlined and simple to lose some of the entertainment value that was there last time.

While I appreciate its basic and gimmick-free gameplay, it feels a little too sparse. A little more depth to the game would have been nice. But if you want a cosy metroidvania that cleverly ties into gaming history thanks to Pac-Man and is no longer than you can manage on your holiday, it's definitely worth checking out.

It manages to create a similar type of gaming joy that Miyazaki and his FromSoftware team has developed in stages, and even if finesse and deep-rooted mastery are not present to the same extent, it is enough to make you want to play more, and then a little more again.

So it might look like I'm nit-picking here, but coming from Super Mario Party Jamboree, you expect greatness and maximum care. And don't get me wrong, this doesn't make the original game any worse. You should still definitely buy it on Switch 2 if you never got it on the original system, as it remains the king of parties, and even if I'm telling you that you'll enjoy it more with a plugged-in camera, and that the Mouse mini-games are solid additions, Jamboree TV as a next-gen upgrade lands like a bad roll.

If you haven't played it before and want something really cosy to play for short periods of time, perhaps while travelling or similar, then it may well be just what you've been looking for.

No Sleep For Kaname Date is still a good game. It just suffers from following two masterful games. Judged on its own merits, it's still a Japanese adventure with sky-high production values, a fascinating story, fun characters, and, in my opinion at least, fine English voice acting. Just be careful not to set your expectations too high.

Donkey Kong Bananza is hectic, chaotic, barrels of fun, and overflowing with charisma, but it also has clear areas where it could be streamlined and improved, and that's mostly the story of this game.

Eight years after its original release, Little Nightmares still holds up. The updated visuals just make it even better, and the beautiful lighting, dark shadows, and dramatic camera angles further highlight how excellently the visuals are designed. It's beautiful, freaky, and a little scary at the same time.

If you haven't played it and you like Japanese role-playing games... then it's a no-brainer. Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster is basically a conservative rehash, but it's a phenomenal adventure at its core that still holds up well today.

It's a technically-broad, visually-impressive game with good sound and a complex gameplay structure. It offers an acceptable number of battlefields and just over three hundred detailed troop types, whether you play as Russia or the United States, and there is a lot to be gained on both sides.

Tamagotchi Plaza is definitely not worth your time, and even those who really love Tamagotchis won't find anything to enjoy here... unfortunately.

Against the Storm comes with a big recommendation from us if you have even the slightest interest in strategy games and city builders.