Lovish, the latest 8-bit-styled action-adventure from LABS Works and publisher DANGEN Entertainment, wears its inspirations on its sleeve – and for better and worse, that nostalgic DNA defines both its strengths and its quirks. On PlayStation 5, the game captures the spirit of classic single-screen platformers in a wonderful way, but it also reminds players why many retro mechanics were eventually refined or abandoned. Continue reading “Lovish review (PS5)”
Category: Indie
Indie roundup: Hextreme Void, Gridz Keeper & Tiny Biomes
Indie games continue to thrive in the spaces between and within genres, blending familiar mechanics with fresh twists and modest ambitions that often prioritise clever design over spectacle. This latest roundup spans everything from hands-off brick-breaking reimagined as a roguelite optimisation loop, to stripped-back logic puzzles wrapped in post-apocalyptic dressing, and a more expansive tile-rotation journey across elemental biomes. While each of these PS5 titles approaches progression, challenge, and presentation in very different ways, they share a common focus on distilled gameplay ideas and accessible experiences. Continue reading “Indie roundup: Hextreme Void, Gridz Keeper & Tiny Biomes”
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)”
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