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Tale of Dark Lands arrives on PS5 as a low poly fantasy action RPG that tries to channel the feel of a modern fairy tale wrapped in darker myth. You play a mercenary pulled from simple village work into something far more ominous, as an ancient force begins to spread across the land. It is a straightforward setup, built around progression, gear upgrades and a steady climb towards becoming a legendary figure.
There is an immediate charm to the visual presentation. The low poly style gives the world a soft, storybook quality that suits the fantasy setting surprisingly well. Villages, forests and dungeons carry a certain handmade feel, and when the lighting hits right it does manage to look appealing in a stripped back way. The character editor and equipment variety also add a small layer of personalisation, giving you room to shape your mercenary and experiment with different builds and gear combinations as you progress.
Where the game struggles is in almost everything tied to moment to moment play. Combat quickly settles into repetitive attack spamming, with very little need for timing, dodging or tactical thinking until the very late stages. Encounters begin to feel routine long before the credits roll. Navigation is another weak point, with an awkward structure that funnels you through portals and narrow paths rather than encouraging any real exploration. The story also never rises above functional fantasy filler, lacking tension or intrigue despite its darker premise. Controls feel loose, which only adds to the sense that the systems are not quite as refined as they should be, and the overall experience is short, running for only a few hours without much variation along the way.
In the end, Tale of Dark Lands is a game that looks more interesting than it plays. The visual style carries it for a while, but the shallow combat, weak storytelling and restrictive design hold it back from anything memorable. It is a brief experience that feels underdeveloped, and while it has moments of charm, they are not enough to sustain the journey. I would score Tale of Dark Lands a disappointing 4 out of 10.
R-Type Dimensions III arrives on PS5 as a fully remastered return to one of shoot ’em up gaming’s most unforgiving traditions, and it wastes no time reminding you why the series has such a loyal following. This is the classic Bydo invasion story reborn, where humanity once again finds itself on the edge of extinction after its own experiments spiral into something far beyond control. You step into the cockpit of the R-90 Ragnarok and are thrown straight into hostile space where reality itself bends under the weight of biomechanical horror.
What immediately stands out is how strongly the game leans into its heritage while still trying to feel modern. Every stage, boss encounter and bullet pattern has been rebuilt with updated visuals and sound, yet the familiar structure of tight corridors, overwhelming enemy waves and near constant pressure remains intact. The option to switch instantly between the original presentation and the remastered version is one of the most striking features here, and it adds a layer of appreciation for how far the presentation has come without losing the identity of the arcade original.
The gameplay itself remains as demanding as ever. R-Type has never been subtle about difficulty, and Dimensions III continues that tradition with levels that rely heavily on memorisation, precise positioning and patience. It is the kind of game where success feels earned through repetition, and failure is a constant companion until patterns start to sink in. For newer players, the inclusion of an infinite mode softens the blow slightly, allowing progress even after repeated deaths, and it does change the overall rhythm of how approachable the game can feel without fully compromising its identity.
There is also a welcome range of modern additions that help smooth out the experience. Local co-op is included, giving the chaos a shared edge, while expanded scoring and survival mechanics add another layer for those chasing mastery. Customisable controls and a suite of quality of life options make the game easier to tailor to individual playstyles, and the inclusion of adjustable 3D camera settings gives a small but noticeable sense of flexibility in how the action is presented.
Despite these improvements, it is not without issues. There are noticeable bugs that can interrupt the flow of play, including hit detection problems and instances where bullets appear to pass through solid objects. In a series built so heavily on precision, these moments stand out more than they might in a less demanding shooter. It is the kind of flaw that ideally would be addressed through updates, but at launch it does affect the sense of polish.
There is also the question of value. At over £30, this remastered package may feel steep for what is essentially a revisited version of existing material, even with the added features and visual overhaul. Fans of the series will likely find more justification in the nostalgia and preservation effort, but newcomers might hesitate when weighing content against cost.
Taken as a whole, R-Type Dimensions III is a game defined by contrast. On one side, it is a loving restoration of a brutally iconic shoot ’em up, complete with enhanced presentation, flexible viewing options and modern conveniences that make it easier to engage with than ever before. On the other, it is still a punishing experience with technical imperfections and a price point that may not convince everyone.
For long time fans, it delivers exactly what it promises, a return to a familiar kind of chaos that demands memory, skill and persistence. For everyone else, it is a stark introduction to one of gaming’s toughest legacies, and one that does not soften its edges as much as you might expect.
Overall, R-Type Dimensions III lands as a solid but imperfect revival, best appreciated by those already invested in its history, and it earns a 7.5 out of 10.
Arcade shoot ‘em ups have always lived and died on one thing. Flow. That hypnotic state where chaos somehow becomes rhythm, bullets become patterns, and survival feels like a dance rather than a desperate scramble. Psyvariar 3 understands that better than most modern shooters, and while it does not reinvent the genre, it absolutely captures the spirit of the old arcade classics with confidence.
Set decades after the events of Psyvariar 2, humanity once again finds itself facing annihilation after the appearance of a mysterious alien signal tied to Gluon particles. The setup is pure arcade nonsense in the best possible way. It exists mainly to push you into wave after wave of enemy ships, laser storms and screen-filling boss attacks. Nobody is coming here for deep storytelling, but the presentation gives the game enough atmosphere to feel connected to the long running series.
Visually, Psyvariar 3 looks fantastic. The neo retro art direction works brilliantly, mixing crisp 2D sprites with impressive 3D environments that twist and move beneath the action. It feels old school without looking dated. Explosions are vibrant, enemy designs are sharp, and the backgrounds constantly shift with movement and depth that give the game real energy. It genuinely looks like a lost arcade shooter rebuilt for modern hardware.
The real star, though, is the famous buzz mechanic. Bullet grazing has existed in plenty of shooters over the years, but Psyvariar still makes it feel unique. Flying dangerously close to enemy fire levels you up, powers your abilities and rewards aggressive play rather than cautious survival. It completely changes how you approach combat. Instead of avoiding danger at all costs, you are actively throwing yourself towards it, weaving between projectiles in search of experience boosts and temporary invincibility.
It creates an addictive risk versus reward loop that feels brilliant when everything clicks. Levelling up at the right moment can save a run entirely, especially during later stages where enemy patterns become overwhelming. There is genuine satisfaction in learning how to manipulate the system to your advantage. Practice really does make perfect here.
The seven playable characters also help keep things fresh. Each pilot feels distinct thanks to unique shot types, bomb systems and scoring mechanics. Some are built for aggressive close-range play, others favour precision and survival. Even the guest appearance from Cotton adds something fun and unexpected. Switching characters noticeably changes how stages play out, which adds plenty of replay value across the various game modes.
There is certainly no shortage of content either. Arcade, Endless, Mission, Caravan and Practice modes give players plenty to work through, while the branching difficulty system encourages repeat runs to uncover tougher boss encounters and alternate routes. It has that classic arcade mentality of constantly pushing you to improve your score and refine your technique.
That said, Psyvariar 3 can occasionally become a victim of its own intensity. The screen gets incredibly busy during stages, especially once enemy fire starts flooding every corner of the display. While experienced players may thrive on that chaos, newcomers could find it frustrating. There are moments where the sheer volume of bullets makes it difficult to properly read the action, and trying to buzz projectiles safely can sometimes feel more reliant on luck than skill.
The updated roll mechanic works well overall, especially on modern controllers, but the speed of movement combined with the visual clutter can occasionally make positioning awkward during tighter encounters. When everything is exploding at once, it becomes easy to lose track of your ship for a split second, and in a game this demanding, that is often enough to end a run.
Still, for fans of arcade shooters, Psyvariar 3 delivers exactly what it promises. Fast action, clever mechanics, stylish visuals and an almost overwhelming sense of arcade energy. It respects the legacy of the series while making enough smart adjustments to feel modern without losing its identity.
Honestly, the only thing missing is an old arcade cabinet with a vertically mounted screen. This is absolutely the kind of game that makes you wish you could physically rotate your television sideways just to recreate that authentic experience at home.
Psyvariar 3 is not always easy to read, and newcomers may bounce off its brutal intensity, but underneath the chaos is an excellent shoot ‘em up with a rewarding skill system and a huge amount of replay value.
A strong return for the series, and one that genre fans should absolutely keep on their radar.
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.
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.
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.
Arc System Works has never been shy about reinventing its flagship series, but Guilty Gear Strive Version 2.0 feels like a deliberate attempt to redraw the lines entirely. Marketed as a reconstruction rather than a simple update, it still carries the DNA of a franchise that has been evolving since 1998. What stands out immediately is how confidently it balances that legacy with a push towards something broader, cleaner, and more inviting.
The visual overhaul remains one of its strongest assets. The 2.5D presentation is striking without feeling excessive, blending hand drawn style with sharp modern rendering. During fights, the camera work adds a sense of drama that rarely lets up, especially when a wall break triggers and the entire stage shifts around you. It feels fluid, almost theatrical at times, and that sense of motion carries through to the animation itself, which is consistently smooth and expressive. There is a rhythm to it all that makes even simple exchanges feel impactful.
Sound plays a huge role in that rhythm. The rock soundtrack is relentless in the best way, pushing each match forward with a kind of urgency that suits the pace of the combat. It is loud, confident, and perfectly in tune with the chaos on screen. Combined with the visual flair, it creates an atmosphere that feels intense without becoming exhausting.
Underneath that presentation sits a combat system that demands patience. This is not a game that rewards careless button pressing for long. At first, it can feel stiff or even unforgiving, especially if you are not used to the genre. Moves require precision, timing matters, and defence is just as important as offence. The game does try to meet players halfway through its tutorial, mission, and training modes, all of which are surprisingly thorough. Spend time there and things begin to click. Combos start to flow, positioning makes sense, and the chaos becomes something you can control rather than just survive.
The new Wall Break mechanic adds a fresh layer to that control. Corner pressure has always been a staple of fighting games, but here it leads to dynamic stage transitions that reset the pace and shift momentum. It keeps matches from feeling too static and encourages a more aggressive, forward moving style of play.
Beyond the core fighting, there is a surprising amount to explore. The Combo Maker allows players to create and share sequences, turning practice into something almost communal. Digital Figure mode goes in a completely different direction, letting you stage scenes with characters, poses, and effects. It feels like a creative sandbox tucked inside a fighting game, and while not essential, it adds a layer of personality.
The Duel Tower online system is designed to match players by skill, dividing competitors across different floors. In theory, it works well, giving a sense of progression and keeping matches fair. In practice, there is an unavoidable barrier. Ranked online play sits behind a PlayStation Plus subscription, which will frustrate anyone hoping to jump straight into competitive matches without extra cost. There is plenty to do offline, including a branching arcade mode with character specific stories, but the restriction still feels unnecessary.
Cost becomes a recurring issue the deeper you go. The base game is reasonably priced, but unlocking the full roster through season passes quickly adds up. Factor in the subscription for online play and the total climbs steeply over time. For dedicated players, that investment might feel justified. For newcomers or casual fans, it is a harder sell.
The story, positioned as the conclusion to a long running narrative, is dense but engaging if you are already invested. Sol Badguy’s final conflict with Asuka R. Kreutz, alongside the chaos brought on by I No and Happy Chaos, brings a sense of closure that the series has been building towards for years. It leans heavily on its own history, which can make it difficult to follow for new players, but it does deliver a clear ending for its central character.
At its best, Guilty Gear Strive Version 2.0 is exhilarating. It looks incredible, sounds even better, and offers a combat system that rewards dedication. At its worst, it can feel overwhelming, both in terms of its on screen intensity and its overall cost. It asks a lot from its players, whether that is time, patience, or money.
Even so, there is no denying the craft on display. This is a polished, confident fighting game that knows exactly what it wants to be. It just does not make it easy for everyone to fully enjoy it.
Guilty Gear Strive Version 2.0 earns a solid 8 out of 10. It is a brilliant experience for those willing to commit, but the barriers around it stop it from being an easy recommendation for everyone.
