ZA/UM returns to the shadow of Disco Elysium with ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies, but instead of attempting to recreate its predecessor beat for beat, the studio shifts its attention toward espionage, ideological warfare, and psychological exhaustion. Players step into the role of Hershel Wilk – known in the field as CASCADE – a disgraced operative haunted by the catastrophic failure of a mission that destroyed both her team and her sense of identity. Sent to the coastal city of Portofiro on what initially appears to be a simple assignment, she quickly finds herself caught in a tangled political conflict involving technocratic superpowers, corporate manipulation, cultural imperialism, and her own deteriorating mental state. The setup immediately establishes an oppressive atmosphere of paranoia and regret, and while the comparisons to Disco Elysium are unavoidable, ZERO PARADES carves out a noticeably colder and more melancholic tone for itself. Continue reading “ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies review (PC)”
Drill Core review (PS5)
Drill Core arrives on PlayStation 5 with a premise that feels like a collision between corporate satire, roguelite progression, and old-school tower defense design. Developed by Hungry Couch Games and published by tinyBuild, the game casts players as the manager of an interplanetary mining operation tasked with extracting resources from hostile worlds while keeping workers alive long enough to turn a profit. Its tongue-in-cheek take on exploitative megacorporations gives the game personality from the outset, leaning into retro-futuristic presentation and dark humor without ever becoming overly narrative-heavy. The setting works well because it gives context to the constant balancing act between efficiency and survival, even if the satirical angle eventually fades into the background once the gameplay loop takes over. Continue reading “Drill Core review (PS5)”
Outbound review (PS5)
Outbound immediately stands apart from most survival games simply because it refuses to behave like one. Square Glade Games trades danger, combat, and constant urgency for a slower, more contemplative experience built around exploration, sustainable living, and life on the road. Set in a solarpunk-inspired future where nature and technology coexist peacefully, the game turns a simple electric camper van into both transport and home, asking players to carve out their own rhythm across a quiet open world. It’s an unusual premise for the genre, and one that won’t click with everyone, but its commitment to that relaxed identity gives Outbound a surprisingly distinctive personality. Continue reading “Outbound review (PS5)”
Indie roundup: Survivor Mercs, RoadOut & No Stone Unturned
Few corners of the indie scene feel quite as creatively unpredictable as the current wave of mid-budget experimental projects, where smaller studios are increasingly blending genres, tones and gameplay systems in ways larger publishers rarely attempt. That ambition is on full display across Survivor Mercs, RoadOut and No Stone Unturned – three wildly different games that all embrace mechanical experimentation over safe familiarity. Whether it’s Wolpertinger Games transforming the survivors-like formula into a tactical extraction shooter, Rastrolabs Game Studio mashing together arcade racing and Zelda-inspired dungeon crawling, or Wise Monkey Entertainment delivering an absurdist detective adventure filled with mini-games and fourth-wall-breaking humour, each project feels driven more by enthusiasm and personality than strict convention. Not every idea lands perfectly, and all three games carry their share of rough edges, but together they highlight exactly why the indie space remains such a fascinating place to explore. Continue reading “Indie roundup: Survivor Mercs, RoadOut & No Stone Unturned”
Evil Inside VR review (PSVR2/Quest)
Evil Inside VR feels like a game caught between eras of horror design. Originally released as a flatscreen psychological thriller before being rebuilt for virtual reality by Bowl of Tentacles and Jandusoft, the experience wears its PT inspiration openly and unapologetically. Players step into the role of Mark, a teenager attempting to contact his deceased mother through a spirit board after his father’s arrest, only for the ritual to unleash increasingly disturbing paranormal events inside the family home. It’s a setup that immediately taps into familiar psychological horror territory, but VR gives the concept a more oppressive sense of presence than the original release ever managed. Even so, the game struggles to evolve beyond its central gimmick, delivering an experience that often feels more like an extended haunted attraction than a fully realised narrative horror game. Continue reading “Evil Inside VR review (PSVR2/Quest)”