While the driving action isn't quite as satisfying as the superb "Burnout 3," it's still strong enough to keep you playing through the 150 or so races.

A brilliant expansion of the Metro saga, Exodus connects sections of familiar claustrophobic, immersive horror with a beautiful semi-open world and a new twist on the fantastic and oppressive retro future vibe.

With a kitschy clean presentation and a multicultural theme, Nintendo's 51 Worldwide Classics is a glossy and generous collection of tabletop standards and rainy day time wasters, perfect for a night in with the family.

So addictive it should come with a warning sticker on the box.

The branching track system is brilliantly designed to challenge and thrill in equal measure. Giddy car handling enables skilled drivers to power-slide gracefully around corners at ridiculous speed.

Much of the complexity of other real-time strategy titles has been stripped away to keep the game approachable and the pace lively, but it is disappointing that computer opponents are suicidally dim.

The addition of smart and relentless police pursuers has reinvigorated this popular driving series.

The various combatants are well-balanced and there is a huge variety of vehicles and aircraft to pilot, including X-wings, TIE fighters, speeder bikes and hulking AT-STs.

As far as the multiplayer goes, it's nothing much more than Quake 3 with a fresh slap of paint, which is probably the biggest disappointment of all.

Frights are common as disturbingly psychopathic vagrants lunge at you from the shadows. The violence is raw, barbaric and unsettling.

There are more trick-based challenges than ever, but aside from the new slow-motion control, Tony Hawk is skating through the same old territory.

For a system that prides itself on interactivity, WarioWare: Touched! is a notable complement. It's a shallow, inconsistent experience, though, and one I suspect will wear on you after a while.

Saints Row lacks the clever subtlety and fun-loving sense of mischief of GTA, with much of its humour falling flat. But there's plenty of fun to be had while waiting for the real deal ("GTA IV") to be released in October next year.

If you wore out your copy of the bewitching original you may need to question whether new songs are enough to get you playing the same game again.

Veterans may feel it is overly familiar but Gladiator is a quality action game.

A wonderful game that rewards experimentation and co-operation.

Summerset follows Morrowind's lead of excellent writing, good voice acting and interesting characters, with a main storyline tackling surprisingly contemporary issues and focusing more on the plights of individual characters than the protagonist becoming a wizard god. Though the multiplayer structure still keeps the storytelling here from reaching the heights of the single-player games, it's about as good as it gets in the MMO space.

Fallen Order offers both an enthralling look at a shadowy time in the Star Wars continuum and a gameplay design that kept me hooked. From force pushing an astromech through the air and hearing it emit the exact panicked yowling sound it's supposed to make, to tracking down and defeating a giant albino spider that just killed me to restore my experience points (and dignity), it's been a long time since I've had this much fun in a galaxy far, far away.

Offering more of the same delicious, diabolical co-operative cooking that made 2016's Overcooked so amazing, the sequel adds new kitchens, new dishes, new chefs and a whole lot of new reasons to do that thing where you scream in frustration and laughter at the same time. With even more friendship-testing challenges and hilarious culinary cock-ups, this is a welcome second course, even if it doesn't stray very far from the original game's recipe.

Unfortunately, the emphasis on economic management and the lack of precise unit control means combat lacks finesse. Like real-time strategy games of old, the best tactic is usually to simply amass a huge force and crudely rush at overwhelmed opponents.

Valentia's old-meets-new approach is an interesting twist on the series, with the juggling between two parties, free exploration sections and simplified combat balancing out the lack of relationship options and the occasional killer difficulty spike. While the next mainline Fire Emblem game will no doubt return to the more fantastical, romantic themes of recent games, Valentia has me hoping Nintendo continues to dig into the series' back catalogue for more modernised versions of unfamiliar classics.

But while there's little appeal in tackling Phoenix Wright's cases again, this is a unique, lengthy, deep and absolutely gripping game. Highly recommended.

With a rather abrupt final sequence it does seem to rush to its climax, but despite its brevity, this is an unforgettable trip through the realm of Kong.

Computer-controlled opponents offer a solid challenge and matches are often tense and exciting.

Table Tennis offers surprising depth. Games against accomplished opponents are intensely gripping.

The deceptively cute presentation belies a comprehensive golf simulation with terrific depth. As the title suggests, anyone can tee off and have a ball, but expert command of the golf ball is possible.

Half-Genie Hero is a masterclass in small-scale game design, packing hours of gorgeous, hilarious, brilliantly-crafted jumping and hair-whipping into just a handful of stages. The series has changed a lot in the past 15 years but this latest entry, which seems designed as a soft reboot to attract new fans on new platforms, has only strengthened my belief that it's one of the best and most under-appreciated there is.

Yoshi's Island is a paradise of platforming pleasure and the perfect holiday destination this summer.