REVIEW: Bright Lights of Svetlov (2026 Video Game) - on PlayStation 5

Review by Jon Donnis

There is something strangely compelling about Bright Lights of Svetlov. On paper, a slow paced first person narrative game about an ordinary Soviet family living through the mid 1980s does not exactly sound thrilling. There are no grand action sequences, no complex puzzles, and no real sense of danger hanging over every moment. Yet somehow, this short PlayStation 5 experience manages to quietly pull you into its world and keep you there until the final credits roll.

Set in a fictional industrial town somewhere in the Soviet Union, the game focuses on the daily routines and struggles of a working class family trying to get by. The setting itself is one of the game’s biggest strengths. The drab apartment blocks, faded interiors, repetitive life, and constant sense of exhaustion all feel carefully observed. Bright Lights of Svetlov does not romanticise the era, but it also avoids turning everything into misery for the sake of drama. Instead, it presents a grounded snapshot of ordinary people carrying on with life as best they can.

The atmosphere is excellent throughout. From the muted visuals to the understated sound design, the game captures a very particular mood. There is a lingering sense of weariness hanging over almost every interaction, but it never feels exaggerated or cartoonishly bleak. The Russian voice acting helps enormously here. Even if you are relying on subtitles, the performances add authenticity and emotional weight to scenes that could otherwise have fallen flat.

Gameplay is extremely minimalistic, and whether that works for you will depend entirely on your tolerance for narrative focused walking simulators. Most of your time is spent completing everyday tasks. Cooking meals, tidying rooms, fixing household problems, and preparing for family gatherings become the core mechanics. There is no challenge to these activities in the traditional gaming sense, but that is clearly intentional. The slow pace forces you to exist within the family’s routine rather than simply observing it from a distance.

At times, the deliberate pacing can feel a little too slow. Some players will absolutely bounce off the experience after the first hour, especially those expecting deeper gameplay systems or meaningful interaction beyond simple chores. Bright Lights of Svetlov asks for patience, and occasionally it tests that patience more than necessary. Certain sequences drag slightly, and there are moments where the game risks becoming repetitive.

Still, what keeps the experience engaging is the narrative itself. The story unfolds quietly across a series of chapters, gradually revealing tensions within the household and the emotional burden carried by each family member. Dialogue is sparse, but that restraint works in the game’s favour. Characters rarely deliver dramatic speeches or emotional outbursts. Instead, much of the storytelling comes through silence and the atmosphere within the apartment itself.

What surprised me most was how emotionally effective the game becomes by the end. Small moments of warmth cut through the bleakness in believable ways. Awkward moments and little acts of kindness give the characters humanity beyond their hardships. It stops the experience from feeling relentlessly miserable and gives the story genuine emotional texture.

Then there is the ending twist, which genuinely caught me off guard. Without spoiling anything, it adds an entirely new perspective to events and left me thinking about the game long after it finished. It is not a massive shocking blockbuster reveal, but it is clever, thoughtful, and meaningful enough to elevate the entire experience.

Bright Lights of Svetlov is not a game for everyone. Players looking for action, challenge, or fast paced gameplay will probably find it dull. But if you enjoy slower narrative driven experiences that focus on atmosphere, character, and emotional realism, there is something quietly memorable here.

I went into the game expecting to dislike it. Mundane life in the Soviet Union hardly sounds like an exciting premise for a video game, yet I ended up sticking with it from beginning to end. Partly because I wanted the Platinum Trophy on PS5, admittedly, but mainly because I became invested in the story and the world the developers created.

Bright Lights of Svetlov is a short but thoughtful narrative experience that succeeds through emotional authenticity and atmosphere rather than gameplay innovation. It will not appeal to everyone, but for the right audience it offers something surprisingly absorbing.

I score Bright Lights of Svetlov a solid 7 out of 10.

Out Now on PlayStation 

https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP1661-PPSA06641_00-SYPS5BRIGHTLIGHT

REVIEW: Lost Twins 2 (2026 Video Game) - on Nintendo Switch

Review by Jon Donnis

In a gaming landscape obsessed with combat, chaos, and constant noise, this Nintendo Switch puzzler takes the opposite route. It slows things down, trusts the player to experiment, and builds its entire identity around creativity and calm exploration. The result is one of the most charming puzzle platformers to arrive on Switch in quite some time.

At the centre of the game are Abi and Ben, two separated twins navigating a strange and dreamlike world made from shifting pathways and floating puzzle pieces. The core mechanic revolves around physically rearranging the environment itself. Entire sections of levels can be moved, swapped, or rotated to create new routes forward. It sounds simple on paper, but the way the game constantly builds upon the idea is genuinely impressive.

What makes the puzzles work so well is how carefully balanced they are. They are challenging enough to make you pause and think through your next move, but never so frustrating that progress grinds to a halt. Every solution feels logical once it clicks into place. That steady sense of reward gives the game a wonderfully satisfying rhythm, where each completed puzzle feels earned rather than handed to you.

Visually, Lost Twins 2 is absolutely lovely. The influence of Studio Ghibli and the work of Hayao Miyazaki is impossible to miss, though thankfully it never feels like outright imitation. The soft colour palette, handcrafted environments, and expressive animation give the game a warmth that suits its relaxed pacing perfectly. There is a cosy, storybook quality to the presentation that makes even the smallest moments enjoyable to look at.

The soundtrack deserves equal praise. Gentle piano melodies and ambient orchestral tracks quietly sit in the background, adding atmosphere without ever becoming intrusive. Combined with the game's slow, thoughtful pacing, it creates an experience that feels genuinely relaxing to play. It is the sort of game you can disappear into for an hour without noticing the time pass.

Importantly, the gameplay never becomes repetitive. New mechanics are introduced at a steady pace throughout the adventure. Pressure switches, lifts, breakable domes, water gates, and environmental interactions constantly reshape how puzzles are approached. The game keeps layering fresh ideas into the mix just before older mechanics risk becoming stale.

Playing solo works remarkably well thanks to the ability to switch between Abi and Ben, each often needing to stand in specific positions or interact with different parts of the environment. That said, local co-op is where Lost Twins 2 truly shines. Solving puzzles together with another player feels natural and genuinely rewarding. Communication becomes part of the challenge, and there is real satisfaction in figuring out solutions side by side on the sofa.

The controls can also take a little time to settle into. Shifting the world around and swapping between characters occasionally feels fiddly during the opening stages, particularly in handheld mode. Thankfully, once the control scheme clicks into place, it becomes far easier to navigate instinctively.

On the positive side, the game feels perfectly suited to the Nintendo Switch Lite. The pick up and play structure, relaxing pace, and compact puzzle design make it ideal for handheld sessions. Few games this year have felt so naturally at home on Nintendo's portable hardware.

What really separates Lost Twins 2 from so many other puzzle games is its complete lack of pressure. There are no enemies chasing you, no timers counting down, and no punishment for experimentation. The game simply invites you to explore, think, and enjoy the process of discovery. That design philosophy gives it a broad appeal that works equally well for younger players and adults looking for something more thoughtful and relaxing.

The story itself is fairly light, and those hoping for deep character development or major narrative twists may come away slightly underwhelmed. Still, the game understands exactly where its strengths lie. The creativity of the puzzles, the warmth of the art direction, and the peaceful atmosphere carry the experience effortlessly from beginning to end.

It is rare to find a puzzle game this inventive while also remaining so welcoming and accessible. Lost Twins 2 manages to feel clever without becoming smug about it, and relaxing without ever becoming dull. Beautifully designed and consistently engaging, this is one of the Switch's most delightful hidden gems of 2026.

9/10

Out Now on the Nintendo Switch for about £13.49

https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Lost-Twins-2-3055149.html

Thank you to Playdew for the Key.

REVIEW: Adorable Adventures (2026 Video Game) - on PlayStation 5

Review by Jon Donnis

There is something immediately charming about Adorable Adventures from the moment you take control of Boris, the energetic little baby boar at the centre of this gentle exploration game. Set against the backdrop of a forest recovering from a devastating fire, the game takes a surprisingly heartfelt approach to what could have easily been a far more basic family friendly platformer. Instead, it delivers a relaxing and often rewarding adventure that feels designed for players who simply want to wander, explore, and enjoy the journey at their own pace.

The game follows Boris as he searches for his missing family across a sprawling natural landscape inspired by the Cévennes National Park in Southern France. It is a genuinely beautiful world to spend time in. Rolling hills, shaded woodland paths, rocky caves, streams and open meadows all feel vibrant and alive on the PlayStation 5. The lighting is especially impressive, with warm sunlight filtering through trees and reflecting naturally across water and stone surfaces. For a game built around peaceful exploration, the visuals do a fantastic job of pulling you into its world.

Movement also feels playful and full of personality. Boris is constantly darting through fields, scrambling over rocks, splashing through rivers and rooting through bushes like an excitable animal discovering the world for the first time. Simply moving around is enjoyable. There is a carefree quality to the game that makes even small activities feel rewarding.

One of the most interesting mechanics is Boris’s developing sense of smell. Scents act as both navigation and puzzle solving tools throughout the adventure. What initially seems simple gradually becomes more layered as Boris learns to identify different smells and filter them out. You might begin tracking one scent trail only for another smell to interrupt the process completely, forcing you to investigate something else first before returning to your original objective. It creates a natural flow to exploration that keeps the gameplay engaging for quite a while.

The side activities are another pleasant surprise. Unlockable races where Boris sprints through checkpoint trails are genuinely entertaining, mostly because controlling the little boar is so enjoyable in the first place. Photography challenges, environmental clean up tasks and hidden secrets all help the world feel more interactive and lived in. There are countless small touches throughout the game that reward curiosity. One particularly memorable example comes from discovering a football and nudging it into a nearby goal, triggering a charming narrated response. Moments like that appear constantly across the adventure and give the game a warm personality.

The narration itself deserves praise as well. Maxime, the park ranger guiding Boris through his journey, adds a comforting tone to the experience. The voice work never feels overbearing and instead quietly complements the exploration and storytelling. The game understands that silence and atmosphere are just as important as dialogue.

Adorable Adventures also works brilliantly as an introduction to open world game design for younger players or newcomers to gaming. Objectives are easy to understand, the world encourages experimentation without punishment, and progression feels organic rather than stressful. It manages to teach exploration naturally through play instead of overwhelming players with endless markers or tutorials.

That said, the game is not without problems. The camera can become frustrating in tighter areas, especially when climbing steeper terrain or navigating enclosed spaces. There are moments where the camera angle fights against the player more than it should, occasionally making movement awkward. It is not game breaking, but it does happen often enough to stand out.

The main story is also relatively short if you focus only on the central objectives. Players who rush through the family rescue storyline will probably finish sooner than expected. Thankfully, the game encourages exploration strongly enough that completionists and curious players will find plenty more hidden throughout the world, including easter eggs and optional activities.

The biggest issue is repetition. While the smell tracking system is clever, the gameplay loop can start to feel familiar after extended sessions. Searching for scents, following trails and solving similarly structured tasks eventually loses some of its novelty. Whether this becomes a serious problem will depend entirely on the player. Younger gamers or those completely new to exploration games may never tire of it. In fact, it feels like exactly the sort of game many casual players will completely fall in love with.

Adorable Adventures succeeds because it understands exactly what it wants to be. It is not trying to reinvent open world games or deliver massive cinematic spectacle. Instead, it focuses on creating a peaceful, charming and genuinely relaxing experience filled with rewarding exploration and lovely little details. Between its beautiful presentation, enjoyable traversal mechanics and heartfelt atmosphere, it becomes very easy to simply relax and lose yourself in Boris’s adventure for a few hours.

Adorable Adventures is a warm, comforting and consistently enjoyable game that delivers exactly the kind of relaxing exploration experience it promises.

8.5 out of 10.

Out Now on PS5 - https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/concept/10017971/

REVIEW: Fatherhood (2026 Video Game) - On PC Steam - DEMO

Review by Jon Donnis

Fatherhood arrives with a clear sense of purpose. This is not a war game about soldiers, glory, or firepower. Instead, it narrows its focus to something far more fragile. You step into the role of Basir, an ordinary man trying to guide his blind daughter Asma through a collapsing world. That choice alone gives the game a different weight. Every step feels considered, every pause carries tension, and even the smallest action can have consequences that linger.

The core of the experience rests on its relationship mechanics, and this is where Fatherhood finds its identity. Holding Asma’s hand is not just a simple interaction, it becomes essential. Let go for too long and her anxiety builds, which can quickly spiral into danger as her distress draws attention. The hugging mechanic, simple on paper, works surprisingly well in practice. It is used to calm her, to reassure her, and at times to steady yourself as the player. It adds an emotional rhythm to the gameplay that sits alongside the stealth systems, creating moments that feel intimate even when the world around you is anything but.

Movement and exploration strike a nice balance. While the game is built as a 2.5D side-scroller, it does not trap you on a flat path. You move through buildings, step in and out of spaces, and occasionally break from the strict left to right structure. It gives the environments a sense of depth without overcomplicating things. Stealth plays a major role, and it makes sense within the story. Basir is not a fighter, and the game reinforces that at every turn. Avoiding soldiers feels natural, not forced, and the tension builds as you rely on timing and awareness rather than brute strength.

Visually, the low-poly art style stands out in a quiet way. It does not chase realism, but instead leans into mood and contrast. The most striking touch comes when the screen shifts colour during violent moments, moving into black and white or flashes of red and black. It is a simple effect, though it lands effectively and reinforces the emotional cost of those actions. Combined with the war-torn setting, it creates an atmosphere that feels bleak without becoming overwhelming.

The narrative itself is one of the game’s strongest elements. The story of Basir and Asma unfolds through the choices you make, and those decisions rarely feel easy. Helping someone or harming someone in front of Asma shapes how she sees you, and in turn affects your relationship. The game leans into this idea of long-term consequence. You are not just trying to survive the moment, you are shaping the person your daughter believes you to be. That tension sits at the heart of the experience and gives even small decisions a sense of gravity.

That said, there are limitations that are hard to ignore at this stage. Playing the demo makes it clear that the full scope of the game is still out of reach. What is here is promising, but it is also brief. It does not take long to see everything currently available, which makes it difficult to fully judge how the pacing, variety, and long-term decision making will hold up across a complete playthrough. There is a sense that the ideas are strong, but not yet fully explored.

Even so, Fatherhood leaves an impression. It is thoughtful, focused, and willing to slow things down in a genre that often does the opposite. The mechanics around Asma are handled with care, the story has genuine weight, and the presentation supports the tone without distracting from it. There is still more to see before it can be fully assessed, but what is here already suggests something worth paying attention to.

Download the Demo at

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2180850/Fatherhood/

REVIEW: All Hail the Orb (2026 Video Game) - on PC Steam

Review by Jon Donnis

All Hail The Orb arrives on PC via Steam as a deliberately small-scale, slightly odd clicker game. It drops you into a pixel-art dungeon with a single purpose, keep the Orb powered. At first that means plenty of manual clicking, but it does not take long before the systems begin to unfold. Cultists arrive, automation creeps in, and what starts as a simple loop gradually turns into a lightly managed, self-sustaining machine. It never becomes complicated for the sake of it, which feels like a conscious decision rather than a limitation.

The game leans heavily into its tone. It is playful, a bit strange, and never overly serious. Ducks appear, not as a throwaway joke, but as part of a wider system in the Quackpot, where merging them grants passive bonuses. It is silly, but it works. The humour sits in the background rather than demanding attention, which helps the overall flow. Visually, the pixel art is clean and easy to read. The dungeon layout is clear even when things start to fill up, and the ability to zoom in and out keeps everything manageable. There is a polished feel to the presentation that makes the simplicity feel intentional rather than bare.

Progression is where the game really finds its rhythm. New mechanics arrive at a steady pace, whether that is unlocking rooms, placing cultists into zones, or managing their automatic routines. It never throws too much at you in one go. Instead, it builds layer by layer, letting you settle into each system before introducing the next. That makes it approachable, even for players who might not usually spend time with clicker or incremental games. There is also a clear distinction here, this is not an idle game. When you step away, progress pauses. You return to exactly where you left things, which gives your input a bit more weight.

There is a satisfying sense of growth as your single altar expands into a multi-room dungeon. Each new area adds something slightly different, which keeps the loop from going stale. Watching automation take over tasks you once handled manually is quietly rewarding. It becomes less about frantic clicking and more about light management, adjusting placements and keeping everything ticking along smoothly. It is addictive in that low-key way where you always feel like one more small improvement is just within reach.

That said, a few rough edges do show. There are occasional bugs when loading into the game, with some cultists losing their assigned roles and needing to be placed again. It is not game-breaking, but it does interrupt the flow. Performance can also dip towards the later stages when the dungeon is busy and effects are stacking up on screen. Disabling particle effects helps, though it does feel like a workaround rather than a full solution.

The other sticking point is something that will divide opinion. The game has a defined ending. On one hand, it gives the experience shape and a sense of completion that many clickers lack. On the other, if you enjoy letting these kinds of systems run endlessly, it can feel like it stops just as you are getting fully invested. It leaves you wanting more, which is both a compliment and a frustration.

All Hail The Orb succeeds because it understands its scope. It offers a focused, five-hour experience that can stretch a little longer if you aim for everything, like 100% achievements. It is easy to pick up, hard to put down, and consistently engaging without becoming overwhelming. At around five pounds, it earns its place through simple, well-paced design and a tone that keeps things light. It might not last forever, but while it does, it is one of the more enjoyable examples of the genre. An easy recommendation for anyone with a soft spot for clickers, and a solid 8.5 out of 10.

Out Now on Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/4262310/_All_Hail_the_Orb/

REVIEW: Dialoop (2026 Video Game) - on PC (Steam)

Review by Jon Donnis

Dialoop arrives with a clear intention. It wants to shake up a very familiar formula and wrap it in something louder, brighter, and a bit more unpredictable. At its core it is still a puzzle game about matching and scoring, but the way it layers roguelite systems and deckbuilding on top gives it a different rhythm. Every run feels slightly reassembled, as if the game is constantly nudging you to rethink how you approach the board.

The most immediate draw is the presentation. The visuals are bold, colourful, and almost hypnotic in motion. Blocks shift, flash, and collapse in a way that feels satisfying on a basic level, even before the deeper systems start to click. The voxel character designs add a playful edge, and the customisation options give you a small sense of ownership over the chaos. There is even a strange tonal twist with the defeat animations. Losing a run triggers an unexpectedly intense voxel demise that leans into dark humour. It is a jarring contrast, but one that sticks in the mind.

Mechanically, the sliding grid is the big talking point. Instead of simply swapping pieces, you shift entire rows and columns. It sounds like a small tweak, but in practice it changes how you read the board. You are not just reacting to what is there, you are constantly planning a few moves ahead, thinking about how one shift will ripple into another. It can feel awkward at first, especially if you are used to traditional match three systems, but there is a quiet satisfaction when it starts to make sense. Whether it was necessary is another question, but it is at least an honest attempt to evolve something well worn.

The roguelite structure adds another layer of tension. Building a deck that shapes how the board behaves gives each run a sense of identity. Cards trigger chain reactions, relics stack into powerful combinations, and suddenly a simple match turns into a cascade of points. Some relics feel transformative, especially when they boost multipliers or reward specific patterns. When the synergies line up, the game hits a real high. It becomes fast, reactive, and genuinely exciting, particularly in competitive matches where quick thinking matters.

That speed carries into the multiplayer side as well. Head to head battles can become frantic, with large combos disrupting opponents and shifting momentum in seconds. It is here that the game feels most alive. The systems that might feel a bit abstract in solo play suddenly have clear purpose when you are trying to outplay someone else.

There are drawbacks, and some are hard to ignore. The same visual intensity that makes the game stand out can also be overwhelming. The constant movement and colour can feel like too much, and for some players it may go beyond discomfort into outright nausea. It is not just busy, it is relentless. That alone will limit who can comfortably spend long sessions with it.

There is also a lingering question about depth. While the deckbuilding and relic systems add variety, the core loop still circles back to a familiar place. After a few runs, you may start to wonder if the added layers are enough to sustain long term interest. The game thrives in short bursts, where the quick pace and bright feedback keep you engaged. Stretch those sessions out, and the cracks begin to show.

The attempt at narrative, tied to ancient ruins and powerful guardians, is present but not particularly strong. It adds context rather than meaning, giving you a reason to move forward without ever becoming the main attraction. The bosses themselves are more interesting as gameplay challenges than as characters.

Dialoop ends up sitting in an unusual space. It is inventive without being essential, energetic without always being comfortable, and engaging without quite becoming absorbing over the long haul. There is a lot to admire in how it tries to push a familiar genre in a new direction, even if not every idea lands cleanly.

In the end, it is a solid and often enjoyable experience that feels best when taken in small doses. The visuals will pull some players in and push others away, and the mechanics will either click or frustrate depending on your patience. It does enough to stand out, just not quite enough to fully redefine what it is building on.

Dialoop earns a respectable 7 out of 10.

Out Now on PC Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3020550/Dialoop_Roguelite_Puzzle/

REVIEW: The Day I Became a Bird (2026 Video Game) - On Playstation 5

Review by Jon Donnis

There is a gentle kind of charm running through The Day I Became a Bird that feels almost old fashioned in the best possible way. This is not a game chasing spectacle or complexity. Instead, it leans fully into warmth, simplicity, and that slightly awkward innocence of childhood emotions. It follows Frank, a shy young boy trying to win the attention of Sylvia, a girl whose fascination with birds sparks his rather unusual plan. What unfolds is a small, heartfelt story told across a handful of days, presented like an interactive bedtime tale.

The core of the experience sits in its light puzzle solving and exploration. You guide Frank through everyday moments, from cycling to school to wandering around the park, picking up items and working through simple challenges. The puzzles are never demanding, but they are consistently engaging enough to keep things moving. There is a clear focus on accessibility here, and it shows. Younger players will find it easy to grasp, while older players may simply enjoy the relaxed pace without feeling pushed or tested.

Visually, the game is a real highlight. The hand drawn art style gives everything a soft, storybook quality that suits the tone perfectly. Characters move with a gentle fluidity, and the environments feel alive despite their simplicity. It all ties together with a soundtrack that quietly supports the mood, adding to that sense of warmth without ever becoming intrusive. The presentation as a whole carries much of the emotional weight, and it does so with confidence.

That said, the simplicity does come at a cost. The game is very short, spanning just four in game days, and it never really expands beyond its initial ideas. While the puzzles are enjoyable, there is not a great deal of variety, and seasoned players may find themselves wanting more depth or a few additional mechanics to keep things fresh. It feels very much designed with younger children in mind, particularly those who might be playing alongside a parent.

Even so, there is something quietly effective about what it sets out to do. It captures that nervous, hopeful feeling of a first crush in a way that is easy to understand and easy to connect with. It does not overreach, and perhaps that is part of its appeal. It knows exactly what it is and sticks to it.

The Day I Became a Bird is a small, heartfelt experience that leaves a lasting impression despite its brevity. It may be aimed primarily at children, but there is enough charm here to resonate more widely. Simple, warm, and gently amusing, it is the kind of game that does not demand much of your time, yet still manages to leave you smiling.

8 out of 10

Out Now on Playstation

https://store.playstation.com/en-cz/concept/10017714