REVIEW: Lou’s Lagoon (2026 Video Game) on Xbox

Review by Jon Donnis

Lou’s Lagoon has a lot going for it. The Limbo Archipelago is colourful and varied, the relaxed atmosphere suits the gameplay, and there is a good mix of exploration, crafting, fishing and platforming to keep things moving. Add in character customisation, seaplane customisation and the ability to build and decorate your own home, and there is a decent amount to get involved with.

Unfortunately, the game does not make enough of those ideas.

The islands are enjoyable to explore, particularly when you are free to decide what you want to do rather than being pushed constantly towards the next objective. The game is at its best when it lets you wander around, gather materials, fish or work on your own base without worrying about progression.

Resource gathering is helped considerably by the Resource Sucker, which makes collecting and processing materials pleasantly straightforward. It is a useful tool in a game that asks you to gather a lot of resources, and the different activities provide some welcome variety. Fishing, platforming and exploration give you something different to do alongside crafting, while upgrading your gadgets gradually expands what you can do.

Building and decorating your own home is also worthwhile. There is a genuine appeal to having your own space to customise, particularly when combined with the game's character and seaplane customisation options.

The mystery surrounding Uncle Lou gives the adventure a central thread, with clues and his trail leading you across the archipelago. 

Unfortunately, the problems start to pile up once the game asks you to work through its progression systems.

Inventory management is one of the biggest frustrations. Storage is limited, which is particularly inconvenient when gathering resources is such an important part of the game. The lack of useful storage containers makes the situation worse. You are encouraged to collect materials, yet there is not enough practical storage to make doing so comfortable.

The game also does not give you enough information about what resources you will need for upcoming assignments. That leaves you with an awkward choice. Either keep materials you might eventually need and quickly run out of space, or get rid of them and risk having to go and collect them again later.

Then there are the crafting timers. They are simply too slow, and rather than adding anything meaningful, they mainly delay progression. When combined with the repeated resource-gathering errands, this can make the game feel unnecessarily drawn out.

The errands themselves become repetitive. You are frequently sent away to gather materials for another assignment, which can interrupt the story rather than move it forward. The Uncle Lou mystery suffers because of this. Instead of always feeling like you are following an intriguing trail, it can feel as though the story is being used to justify another trip to collect something.

The islanders do not add enough personality to compensate for that. They feel more like quest dispensers than fully developed characters, while the limited voice acting makes conversations less engaging. Interactions can become something to click through rather than something you want to pay attention to, and I often found myself simply spamming the X button to get through them.

Platforming is another weak point. Some areas require precise jumping and landing, but the character feels very floaty. That makes basic jumps more frustrating than they should be, particularly when you are trying to reach a specific area and the movement does not feel precise enough.

Exploration is pleasant, but there is very little meaningful danger. Without much to threaten or challenge you, travelling around the islands can start to feel more like looking for resources than going on an expedition.

The seaplane is perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the game. It is an enjoyable way to travel between the islands, but the flying itself is not particularly exciting. Take-offs and landings are not shown, and the plane ultimately functions as transportation rather than the substantial flying experience the premise suggests.

Repeated journeys between islands are also made less appealing by lengthy loading times. When a quest sends you back and forth for resources, having to wait through those loading periods adds another layer of frustration.

These issues became particularly noticeable during my own playthrough. I eventually reached an area I needed to access but was unable to get there. At that point, I simply did not have the motivation to start another quest or spend time trying to work out what I had missed. I did not even feel compelled to look for a video online to find a solution. I had just lost interest.

That is a real shame because there are aspects of Lou’s Lagoon that I genuinely enjoyed. The colourful islands work well, the relaxed pace is appropriate, the Resource Sucker makes gathering easier, and the combination of activities gives the game plenty of variety. Building and decorating a home is another worthwhile addition, and the freedom to play at your own pace is exactly what you would want from this sort of experience.

Sadly, those positives are not enough to overcome the frustrations.

The limited voice acting makes the interactions dull, the platforming can be awkward, inventory management becomes a constant nuisance, crafting takes too long, and the game repeatedly sends you out to gather resources without giving you enough information about what you should be keeping.

The Uncle Lou storyline should provide the motivation to keep exploring, but too often it feels secondary to completing errands. Meanwhile, the seaplane, which could have been one of the game's defining features, ends up being little more than a way to travel between islands.

Lou’s Lagoon looks good and has plenty of appealing ideas, but I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated rather than relaxed. By the time I stopped playing, I was no longer interested in pushing through another quest simply to see what came next.

For a game built around exploration and discovery, that is difficult to overlook. Maybe I will revisit the game after a year of updates and bug fixes and rewrite this review.

Lou’s Lagoon is a disappointing 5 out of 10.

Out Now on Xbox for around £20

https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/lous-lagoon-deluxe-edition/9pdgqpbsrr0m

REVIEW: Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (2026 Video Game) - On PS5

Review by Jon Donnis

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is an interesting new chapter for the A Plague Tale series. Developed by Asobo Studio and published by Focus Entertainment, the third instalment takes the franchise in a slightly different direction while still retaining the atmosphere, storytelling and tension that have helped define the series. Set 15 years before the events of A Plague Tale: Innocence, it introduces Sophia, a fierce young plunderer whose search for answers about her past leads her to the mysterious Minotaur's Island.

The biggest change is immediately apparent in the gameplay. Whereas the previous games were primarily built around stealth, Resonance is considerably more action-oriented. Sophia is a much more capable protagonist, able to parry incoming attacks and respond with deadly finishing moves. Combat is therefore faster and more fluid than it has been in previous entries, and there is a greater sense that Sophia can actively take on the dangers around her rather than constantly being forced to avoid them.

That change works surprisingly well. The combat gives Resonance its own identity without completely abandoning the elements that made the earlier games effective. There are still tense stealth sections, and some of the game's most frightening moments come when you are forced to stay hidden and carefully work out how to progress. The combination of combat, stealth, exploration and puzzles provides a welcome variety, even if some individual elements become less effective as the adventure progresses.

The Greek setting is another major strength. Moving the series into this environment gives Resonance a distinctive visual identity, with the changing landscapes and environments making the different sections of the island feel suitably varied. Asobo Studio has created another beautiful world to explore, and the visuals help establish an atmosphere that remains strong throughout the game. There is a sense of mystery surrounding the island that works particularly well alongside the game's mythology and increasingly compelling story.

The dual-timeline mechanic is also an intriguing addition. Being able to move between the Middle Ages and the Minoan period gives the adventure another layer, particularly when events in the past can influence what happens in the present. It is a clever idea that fits naturally with the game's exploration of ancient history, myth and fate, while giving the puzzles an additional dimension.

The light-based puzzles are generally clever and make good use of the environments, although they are not without their problems. There are sections where these puzzles begin to feel repetitive, while some of the mid-section puzzles have the unfortunate effect of slowing the adventure down just when the narrative should be gathering momentum. The opening chapters also take a little too long to find their stride, meaning the game does not make the strongest possible first impression.

Thankfully, the story becomes increasingly compelling as it progresses. Sophia is a strong central character, and Anna Demetriou delivers an excellent performance that gives the character the personality and emotional weight she needs. The wider character performances are similarly strong, while the soundtrack and sound design do a great deal to reinforce the atmosphere. There is a genuine emotional resonance to the storytelling, particularly as Sophia's journey becomes increasingly connected to the ancient history surrounding the Prima Macula.

Resonance also succeeds in working as a standalone adventure. Knowledge of the previous games will naturally give returning players more context, but the story is structured in a way that allows newcomers to engage with Sophia's journey without feeling completely lost. At the same time, the game expands the wider A Plague Tale universe rather than simply repeating what came before.

Unfortunately, the new emphasis on action is not always matched by sufficient depth. The combat can be simplistic, and despite its speed and fluidity, it can become repetitive. Sophia's abilities make her considerably more capable than the protagonists of the previous games, but the combat system does not always provide enough variety to sustain that approach for the entire adventure.

The traversal mechanics are similarly straightforward, and the skill tree does not add a great deal to the overall experience. These systems are functional rather than particularly memorable, and there are moments when it feels as though Resonance could have done more to develop its mechanics.

Pacing is perhaps the game's biggest weakness. The slow start, some of the mid-section puzzles and occasional weaknesses in the narrative structure prevent the adventure from maintaining the momentum it establishes later on. The stealth sections are particularly effective when they work, creating some genuinely frightening sequences, but they can begin to feel rather samey towards the end.

Even with these shortcomings, there is plenty to admire here. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is willing to take the series somewhere new rather than simply attempting to recreate the previous games. The Greek setting, dual timelines and increased focus on combat give it a distinct identity, while the excellent atmosphere, strong performances, engaging story and beautiful environments ensure that it still feels unmistakably like A Plague Tale.

It may not reach the heights of A Plague Tale: Requiem, but that does not make Resonance a disappointment. It is a worthwhile addition to the franchise and an enjoyable action-adventure in its own right. The pacing and repetitive elements stop it from being truly exceptional, but the ambition behind the new direction is clear, and the strongest parts of Sophia's journey are genuinely compelling.

I have enjoyed the A Plague Tale series as a whole, and I enjoyed my time with Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy. It successfully expands the universe while offering something different, and despite its weaknesses, there is more than enough here to recommend it.

I score the game a solid 8 out of 10.

Out Now on PS5 and Xbox at

https://link.amazon/B00VG5giA

REVIEW: Super Arcade Soccer 2026 (2026 Video Game) - on PC (Steam)

Review by Jon Donnis

Super Arcade Soccer 2026 arrives with a wonderfully simple idea. Take the fast, accessible football games of the 1990s, mix in modern physics and a colourful cartoon presentation, and create something that captures the pick-up-and-play appeal of classics such as Sensible Soccer, Kick Off and Super Sidekicks. On paper, it sounds almost impossible to get wrong.

Unfortunately, the reality is very different.

Super Arcade Soccer 2026 is one of those games where the concept is considerably more enjoyable than the finished product. There is plenty here that sounds appealing, from the extensive selection of teams and players to the various game modes and local multiplayer options, but actually playing the game quickly becomes an exercise in frustration.

The presentation is one of the stronger aspects. The cartoon-style graphics are decent without trying to be overly complicated, and the overall look suits the arcade approach. The sound effects are also good, while the music does its job nicely in the background. It certainly looks and sounds like a game that understands the sort of experience it is trying to recreate.

The developers have also done a reasonably entertaining job of getting around the lack of official football licences. You obviously do not get the real names of the clubs and players, but rather than simply making everything completely unrecognisable, the game takes the old-fashioned approach of altering names just enough to make it obvious who everyone is supposed to represent.

So, instead of Liverpool FC, you get The Kop FC. Players receive similarly amusing variations on their real names, with Mohammed Salah becoming Mohemed Seleh, for example. I have always had a soft spot for this sort of thing in unlicensed football games, and there is something nostalgic about seeing it here. It feels like a throwback to an era when developers had to be rather more creative.

There is also plenty of content on paper. The game features 48 qualifying national teams, more than 100 clubs and over 1,800 players inspired by real-life stars. There are Quick Matches, Cups and Leagues, International Showdown, local Showdowns and multiplayer for up to four players. You can also customise teams, alter line-ups and formations, adjust tactics and customise players.

That is a lot of football for a relatively straightforward arcade game.

The problem is that none of it matters very much when the fundamental act of playing football is not enjoyable.

The controls are the biggest issue by some distance. For a game that is supposed to be about simple, responsive arcade football, the controls frequently feel anything but responsive. The players are painfully slow unless you are constantly holding down the sprint button, and this makes the matches feel sluggish rather than fast and exciting.

That is particularly frustrating because speed should be one of the easiest things for an arcade football game to get right. You should be able to pick up the controller, immediately understand what your player can do and start enjoying yourself. Instead, Super Arcade Soccer 2026 constantly gets in the way.

Passing is another major problem. The ball regularly fails to go where you expect it to, making what should be a simple pass feel unpredictable. Arcade football can absolutely have exaggerated physics and unusual behaviour, but there still needs to be a clear connection between what you ask the player to do and what happens on screen.

Shooting is perhaps the strangest example.

Tap the shoot button and the ball can simply travel about a metre in front of your player. There is very little satisfaction in pressing a button to shoot only to watch the ball barely leave your feet. Instead, you find yourself having to hold the button down just to produce anything resembling a proper shot.

That completely undermines the supposed simplicity of the controls. A game inspired by classic arcade football should make shooting immediately understandable and enjoyable. You should be able to hammer the button and launch ridiculous shots towards goal. Instead, Super Arcade Soccer 2026 makes you think about how long you need to hold a button before the game will actually let you kick the ball properly.

This is where the game's ambitions become particularly frustrating. The developers talk about curl, swerve, knuckleballs, volleys, headers, lobs, finesse shots and sliding tackles, alongside full player ragdolls and realistic ball physics. There is clearly a lot going on beneath the surface.

But more does not necessarily mean better.

The game needed to get the basics absolutely right before worrying about whether goal nets stretch and snap back or whether every player fall looks different. When passing and shooting do not feel right, those more elaborate features become almost irrelevant.

The strange thing is that this should be such an easy formula to understand. Give players responsive controls, make the football fast, make scoring satisfying and then throw in ridiculous shots, entertaining tackles and plenty of chaos. That is the appeal of arcade football.

Instead, Super Arcade Soccer 2026 feels like a game that has concentrated on recreating the appearance and feature list of an arcade football game without capturing what actually made those games fun.

The local multiplayer options are potentially one of the game's biggest strengths. Supporting one to four players, with both competitive and co-operative play and Remote Play Together, gives Super Arcade Soccer 2026 the sort of structure that could have made it a brilliant game for playing with friends.

Unfortunately, even multiplayer cannot solve the fundamental control problems. If the football itself does not feel good, having more people involved simply means more people experiencing the same frustrations.

There is a good idea buried inside Super Arcade Soccer 2026. In fact, there may be a very good game buried inside it. The combination of classic arcade football, modern physics, exaggerated presentation, lots of teams and players and four-player local multiplayer sounds exactly like the sort of football game I would love to spend hours playing.

That makes the current state of the game all the more disappointing.

Super Arcade Soccer 2026 feels like it needed considerably more development and testing before being released. The problems are not minor imperfections that can simply be overlooked. They affect the basic controls and therefore the entire experience. It needs more than a little polishing. The core gameplay needs serious attention.

I genuinely wanted to like this game. The idea of a modern arcade football game that forgets about realism and simply concentrates on being fast, ridiculous and fun is something I would welcome with open arms. Why can't we have a simple arcade football game with the responsive controls of FIFA / EAFC, combined with arcade-style fun, ridiculous long-range shots, dumb tackles and fast gameplay?

After playing Super Arcade Soccer 2026, I found myself thinking that I could probably go back in time, find a random football arcade game from the 1980s and have more fun with it.

That is an incredibly frustrating conclusion to reach, because Super Arcade Soccer 2026 should have been such an easy win.

For me, this is probably the most disappointing video game I have played this year. There is a decent presentation, plenty of content and a genuinely appealing concept, but the controls and basic gameplay make it extremely difficult to recommend.

Super Arcade Soccer 2026 is a Super disappointing 3/10.

Out Now on Steam for £7.45. Perhaps wait for a few updates before considering it.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4653510/Super_Arcade_Soccer_2026/

Bugs, Tricks, and Other Features in CS 1.6

You know that exact feeling. The sheer, addictive rush of clutching a one-versus-three situation with nothing but a USP pistol, seven bullets, and a massive dream. You are holding your breath, your heart is absolutely pounding against your ribs, and every single pixel on your glowing, heavy CRT monitor matters. If you are reading this from the comfort of your sofa on gamingcouchpotato.co.uk, you probably appreciate the fine art of sinking deep into your chair and experiencing pure, unfiltered gaming history.

There is nothing quite like the iconic crunch of virtual boots on the sandy ground of de_dust2. When you first booted up Counter-Strike 1.6, you were stepping into a world that would define competitive tactical shooters for decades to come. But today, we are not just talking about standard aiming and shooting. We are diving deep into the most chaotic, beloved bugs, mechanics, and quirks that were never meant to exist but ultimately became the very soul of the game. Grab your favorite snacks, adjust your headset, and let us take a glorious, nostalgia-fueled trip down memory lane.

The Addictive Art Of Broken Physics

Let us start with movement. In most modern competitive games, the physics engine governs exactly how fast you can move with strict, unbreakable rules. In this masterpiece, the GoldSrc physics engine was more of a polite suggestion rather than a hard law.

Bunny hopping is the most legendary example of this phenomenon. By binding your jump command to the mouse scroll wheel and perfectly timing your strafes left and right while fluidly moving your mouse, you could trick the game engine into completely ignoring ground friction. You would start moving faster than the game mathematically intended, flying around corners at supersonic speeds. Catching an enemy player off guard because you literally flew past their crosshair is a feeling that modern games simply cannot replicate. It requires incredible rhythm, deep muscle memory, and a little bit of engine manipulation.

Double Ducking - The Ghostly Footsteps

If bunny hopping was loud, proud, and aggressive, the Double Duck mechanic was its stealthy, sinister counterpart. You already know that running makes loud footsteps, instantly giving away your exact position to anyone with a decent pair of headphones. Walking is completely silent, but it makes you painfully slow, turning you into a very easy target for an enemy sniper holding an angle.

The Double Duck combined the speed of running with the absolute silence of creeping. By manipulating the crouch command, you could completely mask your aggressive approach. Here is a quick step-by-step on how you executed this terrifying maneuver:

1. Start running forward at full speed toward your objective.

2. Rhythmically tap your crouch key (usually CTRL) in a very specific, rapid pattern - or simply bind crouch to your mouse scroll wheel for easier spamming.

3. Your character model will glitch, rapidly dipping up and down.

4. If timed perfectly, the engine completely fails to register the footstep sound files, but you miraculously maintain most of your forward momentum.

It looked absolutely ridiculous to anyone watching you, as your character essentially twitched their way across the map. But it was highly effective, chaotic, and completely terrifying for the enemies who never heard you rushing their position.

Wallbanging - Cardboard Maps And Psychic Frags

Wallbanging is the ultimate test of game sense, map knowledge, and sheer luck. We all remember the intense frustration of getting perfectly headshot through a massive, solid concrete wall on de_nuke. The architecture in this game often behaved like it was constructed out of wet paper.

If you held a high-caliber weapon, particularly the devastating AWP or the AK-47, you could shoot straight through massive sections of the environment. The wooden double doors on de_dust2 are the most famous example of this mechanic. You would spawn as a Counter-Terrorist, cross the middle doors, and immediately pray you did not get tagged through the wood by an enemy sniper.

But the rabbit hole went much deeper than just doors. On maps like de_train or de_nuke, you could sit up in the ceiling rafters and shoot directly down through the thick metal floor, effortlessly eliminating enemies who were planting the bomb in the room completely below you. You felt like a psychic genius. You were not visually seeing the enemy; you were feeling their presence through the matrix of the map geometry, tracking their movement based purely on subtle audio cues and firing blindly into the textures.

Gravity Defiance - The Edge Bug Explained

Falling from a very high place usually means taking massive damage or simply instantly dying and letting your team down. But the hardcore, dedicated community discovered that gravity, much like friction, could be completely bypassed if you knew exactly what you were doing.

Enter the Edge Bug. If you fell from a lethal height but managed to slide your character model against the absolute outer pixel of a ledge or a metal crate just before hitting the hard ground, the game would become thoroughly confused. Instead of registering a deadly vertical impact, the engine would think you smoothly slid down a gentle slope. You would take zero damage, completely bypassing the steep fall penalty.

Pulling off an Edge Bug during a high-stakes competitive match was the ultimate flex. You would drop from the highest rafters, gracefully slide off a single millimeter of a wooden box, and instantly headshot an enemy who firmly thought you would be a splattered mess on the floor. It was legendary and spawned entire community game modes like surf and kz.

C4 Shenanigans - Plants, Defuses, And Panic

The high-stakes bomb defusal scenario is the beating heart of the experience, and brilliant players found incredibly sneaky ways to manipulate the C4 explosive to their advantage.

First, there was the silent plant. By initiating the bomb plant animation while standing on specific uneven surfaces or simultaneously dropping a primary weapon, you could completely mask the loud, distinctive beeping sound that normally alerts the entire server to your sinister actions.

Then came the infamous ninja defuses through solid objects. On certain classic maps, if the bomb was planted right up against a thin wall or a stack of radiant crates, a brave Counter-Terrorist could sneak up to the opposite side of that wall, aim directly at where the bomb was spatially located on the other side, and press their use key. The defuse progress bar would magically appear. The Terrorists would be heavily guarding the bomb site, staring directly at the C4, completely unaware that a sneaky player in the next room was quietly defusing their guaranteed victory away.

Step-By-Step Guide To A Flawless Rush B (Satire) 

Sometimes, you need to abandon all technical mechanics, ignore the engine flaws of CS 1.6, and fully embrace pure, unadulterated tactical madness. Here is your definitive, highly strategic guide to successfully executing the world-famous strategy known simply as "Rush B":

1. Ignore all communication: As soon as the freeze time ends, vigorously scream your intentions into your microphone. Do not wait for any confirmation from your bewildered teammates.

2. Purchase a single flashbang: Forget expensive body armor, defuse kits, or upgraded rifles. You only need one single flashbang to achieve glory.

3. The perfect throw: Run directly into the dark tunnels and throw your flashbang so it bounces awkwardly off the stone doorframe and lands directly at the feet of your own rushing teammates.

4. Hold forward: While your entire team is completely blinded by your masterful tactical grenade, run blindly into the heavy enemy crossfire and get instantly eliminated.

5. The aftermath: Immediately open the global text chat and angrily type, "bad team, zero support."

The Developer Console - Your Magic Wand

No comprehensive article about this golden era of gaming would be complete without paying deep respects to the almighty developer console. Pressing the tilde key opened up a gray, matrix-like text box that gave you ultimate, god-like power over your entire game client.

You were not just a simple player; you were a makeshift programmer. You spent countless late-night hours tweaking your custom configuration files. You meticulously adjusted network commands like cl_updaterate 101, cl_cmdrate 101, and ex_interp 0.01 to ensure your server hitboxes perfectly aligned with your visual screen. Finding the absolute perfect crosshair size, color, and dynamic scaling felt like tuning a high-performance, expensive sports car. The console was your direct, unfiltered line to the game's central nervous system, and mastering its secrets was just as important as mastering your physical aim.

Why We Still Refuse To Let Go

Every single bug, broken mechanic, and strange texture glitch we discussed today did not ruin the experience. On the exact contrary, these unique elements naturally forged an incredibly high skill ceiling. They deeply rewarded intense curiosity, flawless mechanical precision, and countless hours of dedicated, grinding practice. You did not just learn the layouts of the maps; you intimately learned the underlying mathematics and structural flaws of the game engine itself.

The brilliant memories of pixel-walking, double ducking past enemies, and landing impossible psychic wallbangs remain permanently etched into the minds of everyone who played during the golden age. It was a beautiful era where the technical imperfections ironically made the final competitive product absolutely perfect.

If reading through these memories has awoken that familiar, addictive itch in your trigger finger, you know exactly what you have to do next. Dust off your old gaming mousepad, fire up Counter-Strike 1.6 Free, jump into a classic community server, and see if your aging muscle memory still remembers how to properly bunny hop. The retro servers are still very much alive, the wooden doors on Dust2 are still fundamentally made of paper, and a fantastic, passionate community is eagerly waiting for you to make your triumphant return. Have fun out there, trust your instincts, and always watch out for those terrible team flashbangs.