Game ports continue to bring a diverse selection of previously released titles to new platforms, giving players another opportunity to discover experiences they might have missed the first time around. This latest roundup covers three rather different adventures, ranging from the unsettling mysteries of a pet shop after dark and the politically charged espionage RPG ZERO PARADES: Director’s Cut to the more relaxing wildlife exploration of Adorable Adventures on Nintendo Switch 2. Each release brings something different to the table, whether through expanded content, a new platform or an opportunity to reach a wider audience. However, bringing a game to another system doesn’t automatically guarantee an equally good experience, so we take a closer look at how these ports hold up and whether they are worth checking out.
a pet shop after dark review (PS5)
Published by Viridian Software Limited and developed by npckc, a pet shop after dark is an unusual horror adventure that initially presents itself as a rather harmless little job simulator. Players take on the role of a young woman who has accepted an unexpectedly well-paid position at a mysterious pet shop. The responsibilities seem straightforward enough: feed the animals, water the plants, and spend the night in the building. However, the owner has one particularly important instruction: the lights must never be switched off. Naturally, there is considerably more going on than this seemingly simple assignment suggests, and the game does a good job of gradually transforming an innocent premise into something much more unsettling. Its biggest strength is the way it builds curiosity and delivers unexpected developments without immediately revealing its hand.
The gameplay initially revolves around exploring the small shop, interacting with objects and completing basic tasks, but gradually develops into something considerably more inventive. Puzzles become increasingly important as players uncover clues and investigate the strange circumstances surrounding the establishment. Particularly interesting is how the game plays with the boundary between the game itself and the player’s experience, incorporating unexpected interruptions and deliberate crashes into its storytelling. This fourth-wall-breaking approach makes for some memorable surprises, although players familiar with similar experimental indie adventures might find some of its tricks less surprising. The puzzles can also be rather obscure, occasionally making progress feel more frustrating than rewarding. While the basic point-and-click structure is easy to understand, the controls are not always particularly comfortable with a controller, and navigating certain interactions feels less intuitive than it would with a mouse.
Visually, a pet shop after dark has a distinctive cartoon-inspired presentation that contrasts nicely with its increasingly disturbing subject matter. The predominantly monochromatic environments, accompanied by occasional reddish-pink accents, give the shop a charming yet slightly unsettling appearance. It is a relatively simple aesthetic, but one that suits the experience and helps establish its peculiar atmosphere. The audio follows a similar approach, with gentle, eerie musical passages gradually giving way to more ominous sounds as the situation deteriorates. The soundtrack and restrained sound effects contribute effectively to the tension, although the limited musical variety means certain elements can become repetitive over time.
What makes a pet shop after dark worth experiencing is its willingness to experiment with storytelling and the expectations players have of a seemingly straightforward adventure game. The contrast between its adorable presentation and increasingly uncomfortable narrative developments works particularly well, while the unconventional puzzles provide some genuinely clever moments. However, the occasionally frustrating puzzle design, somewhat awkward controller interactions and relatively limited gameplay scope prevent it from being an entirely polished experience. Nevertheless, horror fans looking for something different from the usual collection of jump scares and survival mechanics should find plenty to appreciate here. Its greatest achievement is making an otherwise ordinary night shift at a pet shop feel like something players probably shouldn’t have signed up for.
Zero Parades: Director’s Cut review (PS5)
ZERO PARADES: Director’s Cut builds on the foundations of For Dead Spies, taking players into the troubled mind of intelligence operative Hershel Wilk, better known as CASCADE. After a disastrous mission left her career and personal life in ruins, she is called back into service for an assignment in Portofiro, a city caught between competing political ideologies, corporate interests, and covert operations. What starts as a relatively straightforward investigation gradually develops into a much larger conspiracy, with CASCADE’s own troubled past and fractured identity becoming just as important as the secrets she is trying to uncover. The writing is easily one of the game’s strongest assets, combining sharp dialogue, memorable characters, political commentary, dark humor, and some surprisingly melancholic moments. Portofiro is a fascinating setting in which even seemingly insignificant conversations can reveal something important. However, the narrative takes its time establishing its many factions and concepts, and the sheer amount of terminology and background information can occasionally become overwhelming.
The gameplay follows a familiar dialogue-driven RPG structure, with exploration, conversations, investigations, and dice-based skill checks taking center stage rather than traditional action. CASCADE has 15 skills that influence how she approaches situations, while the Conditioning system provides additional opportunities to develop her personality and abilities. Particularly interesting is the management of three increasingly troublesome conditions: Fatigue, Anxiety, and Delirium. Allowing any of these to reach their limit can permanently reduce a corresponding skill, making every decision potentially consequential. Players can also deliberately push themselves through Exertion to improve their chances during difficult checks, although this comes at a cost. It is an interesting system that reinforces the protagonist’s vulnerability, even if the randomness of the dice can occasionally undermine carefully considered decisions. The Director’s Cut adds approximately 40,000 words of new material, additional character interactions, and the Quisach Roundabout encounter, while Backstage Mode offers an interesting look at the game’s artistic development. The result is a more substantial experience, although the slow pace, extensive reading, and relative lack of traditional action will still require a certain amount of patience.
On PS5, the isometric exploration works reasonably well with the DualSense, and the improved interface and quality-of-life additions make the experience more accessible. However, navigating smaller points of interest and selecting objects can occasionally feel awkward with an analog stick, as certain interactions seem better suited to a mouse cursor. The revised controls and additional accessibility options are welcome improvements, but there is still some room for refinement in this area. Visually, Portofiro is a highlight, with a distinctive painterly aesthetic that uses distorted character designs, expressive architecture, bold brushstrokes, and carefully considered lighting to create a world that feels as psychologically troubled as its protagonist. The environments are wonderfully atmospheric, although the overall presentation won’t impress anyone looking for technically ambitious graphics. The audio is equally important to the experience, with the revised English voice acting bringing considerably more personality to conversations, including the various voices competing inside CASCADE’s head. The melancholic soundtrack, blending electronic sounds, distorted jazz, and atmospheric instrumentation, further strengthens the game’s identity. Performance on PS5 is also stable, allowing the experience to unfold without any significant technical distractions.
Having previously reviewed the PC version of ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies, it’s good to see that the Director’s Cut provides a more complete experience, with additional narrative material, improved voice acting, and several welcome refinements. ZA/UM has delivered another ambitious narrative RPG that demonstrates a clear understanding of how to make character development, dialogue, and player decisions work together. Its similarities to Disco Elysium are difficult to ignore, but the espionage setting, psychological mechanics, and particular brand of political satire give it enough personality to stand on its own. That said, its deliberately slow progression, occasionally frustrating dice rolls, and enormous emphasis on reading and conversation won’t appeal to everyone. Those looking for an action-packed spy adventure should look elsewhere, but fans of thoughtful, unconventional RPGs will find plenty to appreciate in this expanded console release.
Adorable Adventures review (Switch 2)
Adorable animal protagonists are hardly unusual in indie games these days, but Adorable Adventures still manages to stand out through its combination of relaxed exploration, environmental themes and an unusually appealing protagonist. Developed by Wild Sheep Studio and published by PQube, this Nintendo Switch 2 release brings Boris the young boar to Nintendo’s hybrid console after his earlier adventure on PlayStation 5. Following the forest fire that separated him from his family, Boris must use his developing sense of smell to track down his six siblings and eventually reunite with his mother. The gentle narrative remains one of the game’s strengths, particularly through the park ranger Maxime’s narration, which gives the journey an almost documentary-like quality. Rather than relying on dramatic storytelling, the game finds much of its charm in exploring the damaged environment and discovering how its wildlife is gradually recovering. It is a deliberately simple adventure, but one that maintains a pleasant sense of purpose throughout.
Gameplay revolves around exploration, scent tracking and light puzzle solving. Boris can detect different smells in his surroundings, follow their trails and gradually learn to distinguish between them, allowing unwanted scents to be filtered out through the Scent-o-Meter. It remains an inventive mechanic that fits the premise particularly well, although overlapping trails can sometimes make tracking confusing, while unexpected distractions occasionally interrupt the search. Finding Boris’ siblings provides the main structure, with each reunion involving small tasks or puzzles before they agree to help him. Their individual abilities also become useful when tackling obstacles that Boris cannot overcome alone. Beyond the main adventure, there are races, photography challenges, collectibles and environmental cleanup activities to discover. The Nintendo Switch 2 version also includes the Family Fun Update, previously released on PlayStation 5, adding activities such as hide-and-seek and the ability to have siblings carry items for later use. These additions provide some welcome extra variety, although the relatively short main adventure and occasional frustrations with objective tracking remain unchanged. The map could still be considerably more useful, especially when trying to locate previously discovered items needed to progress.
Movement and controls remain intentionally straightforward, with Boris scampering through vegetation, splashing through rivers, jumping over obstacles and charging through weaker barriers. His animations continue to give him plenty of personality, making even simple interactions enjoyable to watch. The controls are generally accessible, although getting comfortable with the camera and various interactions can take a little time, and navigating certain environments isn’t always as smooth as it could be. The lack of combat also means that the gameplay can become repetitive over longer sessions, but that is largely consistent with the peaceful experience the developers are aiming for. Visually, the environments inspired by France’s Cévennes National Park remain appealing, with dense vegetation, rocky landscapes, tranquil waterways and atmospheric forests providing a convincing natural setting. Boris is once again the highlight, thanks to his expressive animations and charming little movements. However, the transition to Switch 2 comes with some noticeable reductions in visual quality, lighting and overall performance compared to the PS5 release. Texture pop-in, frame-rate drops and occasional stuttering are more apparent, particularly during area transitions and other moments when the game is loading or saving. While these issues never make the adventure unplayable, they do take away some of the immersion achieved by the original version.
The audio presentation continues to complement the relaxed atmosphere, with environmental sounds such as rustling foliage, flowing water and distant wildlife doing much of the work in bringing the park to life. Maxime’s calm narration remains an effective way of guiding the adventure, while the understated music never gets in the way of simply enjoying the surroundings. Adorable Adventures is still a charming little exploration game, and the additional content makes this Switch 2 release a welcome package for newcomers. However, those who already experienced Boris’ journey on other platforms won’t find enough new material to justify another playthrough on its own. The technical compromises are also disappointing, particularly when compared to the already attractive PS5 version, but they don’t completely diminish the appeal of wandering through the park with Boris. It may not offer the depth or longevity of larger exploration games, yet its combination of appealing characters, environmental storytelling and uncomplicated gameplay makes for a pleasant experience, especially when played in handheld mode.