Three very different expansions just arrived, each tapping into a different flavor of nostalgia and genre appeal. Zen Studios rekindles two iconic Elvira tables for Pinball FX, bringing a perfect dose of Halloween humor and mechanical precision to both console and VR audiences. Ion Fury: Aftershock goes the opposite route, doubling down on high-octane, retro-inspired gunplay in an unapologetically loud and chaotic return to Neo D.C. And rounding things out, Firefighting Simulator: Ignite – Summer Camp trades explosions for embers, delivering a quieter but atmospheric trip into the woods that captures the spirit of its setting even as its brief runtime limits its spark.
Pinball FX: Scared Stiff / Elvira and the Party Monsters review (PS5/Quest)
Zen Studios’ latest additions to Pinball FX resurrect two beloved arcade classics, Elvira and the Party Monsters and Scared Stiff, just in time for Halloween. Both tables capture the campy charm of Cassandra Peterson’s iconic character while offering distinctive play styles that highlight how far digital pinball has come. Party Monsters delivers a straightforward, upbeat rhythm built around its monster-bash setting, while Scared Stiff introduces a darker tone and greater complexity through its six “Tales of Terror” modes that keep the action lively and varied. Authenticity drives both recreations, from the preserved voice lines to the crisp mechanical detailing that translates seamlessly to both the PlayStation 5 and Meta Quest VR versions.
Gameplay feels instantly familiar yet finely tuned. The flippers respond tightly, ball movement is smooth, and on PS5 the visuals make every light and bumper pop. In VR, immersion deepens thanks to a carefully modelled table environment and realistic depth perception, which helps make the virtual cabinet feel tangible. Party Monsters thrives on simplicity – easy to grasp, rewarding to replay – while Scared Stiff adds more layered objectives and trickier ramp shots that keep each round engaging. Both tables reward mastery without being punishing, and their differing paces complement each other well as a two-pack.
Presentation is where these tables truly shine. Lighting effects, reflections, and textures on PS5 give a premium feel that pays homage to the arcade originals, while Elvira’s tongue-in-cheek quips and spooky soundtrack add playful energy to every session. The VR rendition enhances this further, giving an almost tactile quality to flipper timing and ball control. Despite all that polish, the package still feels modest in scope – each table stands strong, but long-term replay value depends on your appetite for chasing high scores rather than discovering new surprises.
Even so, these latest additions reaffirm Zen Studios’ knack for keeping classic pinball alive in modern form. They may come from the late ’80s and mid-’90s, but both Elvira and the Party Monsters and Scared Stiff remain irresistibly fun today – faithfully restored, smartly enhanced, and packed with enough personality to light up your virtual pinball arcade once again, just in time for Halloween.
Ion Fury: Aftershock review (PS5)
Ion Fury: Aftershock picks up the same brash, cartoonish thread as the base game and throws you into another load of neon-streaked mayhem with Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison back in the driver’s seat. The expansion’s script stays intentionally shallow and pulpy, giving the DLC a clear motive to send players through a sizeable set of new stages rather than to weave a complex plot; that fits the tone, even if the writing sometimes leans harder into camp than charm. Arrange mode and the new campaign together make for a meaty return to Neo D.C., and the rotorcycle sequences add an unexpected change of pace that keeps the momentum lively, though the expansion rarely aims for subtlety.
On a mechanical level Aftershock preserves the base game’s kinetic gunplay and map-teasing exploration while layering in fresh toys and threats: new weapons, new enemy variants, and additional hazards broaden the combat loop and reward the kind of tight, frantic engagements the game does best. The new high-difficulty setting supplies gratifying bite for veteran players, and on PlayStation 5 the controls and responsiveness translate well to the DualSense – the shooting feels weighty and immediate. That said, some of the expansion’s level design choices still suffer from visual clutter and unclear readables, which can make it difficult to distinguish secrets from scenery and occasionally blunts the game’s pacing when players are nudged to search rather than race.
Aesthetically Aftershock leans fully into its retro DNA: sprite work, chunky Build-engine geometry and a synth-heavy soundtrack create a satisfying fusion of old-school look and modern polish. The PS5 build benefits from fast loading and stable performance, and the presentation leans into texture and lighting touches that make stages feel dense and characterful without abandoning the era the game emulates. Voice lines, posters and one-liners continue to swing between amusingly self-aware and occasionally cringeworthy, so the humour will land differently depending on how much of that irreverent streak you enjoy.
In short, Aftershock is a substantial and generally rewarding expansion for players who enjoyed Ion Fury’s core offering: it expands the toolkit, supplies a serious chunk of additional levels and mixes in enough variety to feel like more than a simple map pack. The weaknesses that carried over from the original – occasional unreadable environments, inconsistent pacing, and some rougher platforming bits – are still present, but they don’t erase the fun of the combat or the satisfaction of uncovering secrets and shredding new enemy types. For fans of retro shooters seeking a polished PS5 presentation of the Fury formula, Aftershock is worth a return trip.
Firefighting Simulator: Ignite – Summer Camp review (PS5)
The Summer Camp DLC for Firefighting Simulator: Ignite takes players to the wooded outskirts of Oakridge City, where a beloved youth camp is threatened by flames. It’s a charming yet tense premise that fits naturally into the simulator’s world, offering a nostalgic mix of adventure and emergency response wrapped in the developer’s familiar presentation. The environment captures a laid-back summer atmosphere, with visuals that evoke campfire evenings and wooded cabins, though the DLC’s limited scope makes it feel more like a brief detour than a full expansion.
At its core, Summer Camp includes just two missions, and that’s where most of the disappointment lies. The first mission provides a solid challenge and keeps the firefighting theme engaging as you work through objectives, but the experience is over far too quickly. The second mission, meanwhile, suffers from technical issues that can force restarts, which can make the already short content feel a bit frustrating – though this will likely be resolved through updates. What’s there can be enjoyable in the moment, but the brevity undercuts any real sense of progression or reward.
As a standalone purchase, the DLC feels thin. With less than an hour of total playtime and no meaningful extras beyond a new outfit, it struggles to justify its price despite the pleasant setting and consistent production quality. The idea of expanding Firefighting Simulator: Ignite with new themed experiences remains appealing, but Summer Camp ultimately burns out before it really catches fire.
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