CASSETTE BOY review (PS5)

The central conceit of CASSETTE BOY is evident: perception and presence are inseparable, and manipulating how you see the world is the core challenge. Drawing inspiration from games that twist dimensionality for puzzles, CASSETTE BOY builds its entire design around a mechanic that is as philosophically intriguing as it is mechanically distinct – things that vanish from view truly cease to exist. This idea underpins exploration, combat, and even your understanding of narrative, setting CASSETTE BOY apart from typical adventure titles. Continue reading “CASSETTE BOY review (PS5)”

Release roundup: Northgard, Dino Land, Maestro & Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders

This latest roundup brings together a strikingly varied cross-section of recent releases, spanning genres, platforms, and design philosophies, yet united by a shared tension between legacy and evolution. From the refined strategic sprawl of a long-running RTS finding new definition, to the archival resurrection of a pinball relic, alongside VR expansions and minimalist downhill journeys released for new hardware, each of these titles grapples with how much to preserve and how much to adapt. What emerges is a collection that highlights both the enduring appeal of well-established ideas and the friction that arises when they are reframed for new audiences, offering a snapshot of how modern releases continue to negotiate nostalgia, innovation, and expectation. Continue reading “Release roundup: Northgard, Dino Land, Maestro & Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders”

The Mildew Children review (PS5)

From its first steps into the unsettling village world of The Mildew Children, it’s immediately clear that The Growing Stones and Valkyrie Initiative have crafted something that leans as heavily into tone and narrative as it does into gameplay ambitions. Framed around a grim, folklore-rich quest to save a village dominated by children bound to savage, pagan traditions, the PlayStation 5 release retains the project’s core strengths and shortcomings from other platforms while benefiting from its expressive art and deliberate pacing. Continue reading “The Mildew Children review (PS5)”

Christmas roundup: BROK: Natal Tail, Jingle Strike VR Bowling & Big Trouble in Little Chimney

As the end of the year approaches, seasonal releases once again attempt to thread the needle between festive novelty and meaningful play, wrapping familiar genres in tinsel while testing whether Christmas theming can offer more than a fleeting smile. This small roundup brings together three very different interpretations of holiday gaming, each approaching the season from a distinct angle: a reflective narrative vignette rooted in an established universe, a party-focused VR diversion built on spectacle and silliness, and a compact arcade shooter that treats Christmas as a high-score battleground. Taken together, they offer a snapshot of how seasonal releases can range from thoughtful extensions of broader worlds to unabashedly disposable fun, inviting players to decide whether they are looking for introspection, laughter, or short-burst chaos during the festive break. Continue reading “Christmas roundup: BROK: Natal Tail, Jingle Strike VR Bowling & Big Trouble in Little Chimney”

Bob the Brick Breaker review (PS5)

Bob the Brick Breaker arrives on PS5 as Brainium Games’ earnest homage to a genre that helped establish video games as a cultural force. At its core, this is not an ambitious reinvention but a tight re-engagement with the familiar paddle-and-ball rhythm seeded by titles like Breakout and Arkanoid, where every level is an escalating gauntlet of reactive reflexes and pattern recognition. Players command Bob’s girder, tracking a bouncing sphere through shifting grids of bricks, mindful that missing the ball is an abrupt end to progress. It is this simplicity – paired with escalating challenge – that forms the consistent heartbeat of the experience, though it does at times leave you yearning for deeper systems beyond score chasing. Continue reading “Bob the Brick Breaker review (PS5)”