REVIEW: Morels: Out of This World (2026 Video Game) on PC (Steam)

Review by Jon Donnis

Morels: Out of This World is one of those games that immediately knows exactly what it wants to be. It does not chase action, major survival mechanics, crafting systems, or endless busywork. Instead, it leans fully into slow exploration, mushroom hunting, and wildlife photography across strange alien planets, and to its credit, it sticks to that vision from beginning to end.

Set across four handcrafted alien worlds, the game drops players into environments that feel genuinely unusual. One moment you are wandering through glowing jungles filled with strange plant life, the next you are crossing dusty desert landscapes or exploring forests where dinosaurs still roam freely. The variety in atmosphere is honestly impressive. Even when the actual objectives remain familiar, the visual creativity keeps things feeling fresh for quite a while.

The strongest part of the game is easily the atmosphere. Morels: Out of This World is incredibly relaxing. There is no combat, no danger constantly breathing down your neck, (except for running out of energy and the screen turns black and white) and no pressure to rush. You simply walk, observe, collect mushrooms, and photograph creatures at your own pace. It creates a calm and cosy experience that feels almost therapeutic at times. Sitting quietly while waiting for the perfect wildlife photo, or stumbling across a hidden patch of rare alien fungi, becomes strangely satisfying.

Visually, the game is pretty in places. The alien planets are packed with colour and imagination, and there is a real sense that the developer enjoyed creating these environments. Some locations genuinely feel otherworldly without becoming too chaotic or difficult to navigate. The lighting effects, unusual vegetation, and bizarre wildlife all come together nicely, making exploration rewarding even when you are technically doing very little.

The photography side of the game is probably the most engaging aspect overall. Hunting for the perfect creature shot gives you a reason to slow down and pay attention to your surroundings. Building up your photo book also adds a nice sense of progression. There is something satisfying about documenting creatures and slowly filling out your discoveries over time. For players who enjoy virtual photography in games, this may end up being the main reason to keep playing.

Seasonal changes also deserve praise. Mushroom locations shifting, wildlife behaving differently, and weather conditions changing between seasons help the worlds feel more alive. It stops the maps from becoming completely static, and it encourages repeat visits to familiar locations. Weekly tasks and unlockable hunter manual pages also add small goals that help give structure to the experience without ruining its laid back tone.

That said, the game absolutely will not appeal to everyone.

The slow pace can become repetitive surprisingly quickly. As beautiful as the worlds are, the core gameplay loop never really evolves beyond walking around, collecting mushrooms, and taking photographs. There are moments where the lack of variety starts to catch up with the experience, especially during longer play sessions. If the atmosphere does not fully grab you early on, the gameplay alone may struggle to hold your interest.

I also found that progression can feel a little too slow at times. It took me far too long to find my first proper Morels, and by that point I was already starting to lose interest. The game clearly wants players to embrace patience and careful exploration, but there is a fine line between relaxing and tedious. Morels: Out of This World occasionally drifts into the latter.

Some players may also find certain mushroom designs and alien textures uncomfortable to look at. The heavy focus on clustered fungi, organic growths, and unusual surface patterns could easily trigger trypophobia for some people. It is worth mentioning because the visual style leans heavily into that kind of imagery throughout the game.

Ultimately, Morels: Out of This World is an extremely niche experience. For the right audience, it could become a genuinely relaxing escape, a peaceful game where you slowly wander alien planets photographing weird creatures and searching for hidden mushrooms. There really are not many games doing exactly this right now, and that uniqueness works heavily in its favour.

At the same time, anyone looking for challenge, faster progression, or deeper gameplay systems may struggle to stay invested. The beautiful presentation can only carry the repetitive gameplay loop so far.

Morels: Out of This World feels designed for a very specific type of player, and those players will probably adore it. I just cannot see it attracting a massive audience beyond that niche.

I score Morels: Out of This World a fair 6 out of 10.

Out Now on Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4394020/Morels_Out_of_this_World/

REVIEW: Train Valley Origins (2025 Video Game) - Released on PC Steam

Review by Jon Donnis

Train Valley Origins is a charming and quietly clever entry in the long-running train management series from Flazm. While its name hints at something nostalgic, Origins is no lazy rehash. It strips the formula back to its basics, capturing what worked in the earlier games and leaving behind the fussier mechanics that bogged down its immediate predecessor. The result? A clean, focused, and highly replayable puzzler that delivers satisfying strategy in bite-sized doses.

The setup is instantly familiar. You're looking down on a colourful world, laying tracks and managing switches to shepherd trains from station to station without causing mayhem. It sounds easy until it isn't. With multiple trains on the move, limited track space, and a growing list of constraints to juggle, things get hectic quickly. But the design is tight, and the rules are clear. There's rarely a moment where you feel cheated by the game, just bested.

Each level offers a self-contained puzzle, often with extra challenges layered in. Some ask you to complete the map without ever stopping a train. Others tempt you to take on bonus deliveries while keeping everything on schedule. It's these optional objectives that bring out the obsessive side, pushing you to replay levels until you've nailed that elusive perfect run.

Visually, the game leans into a clean, minimalist style. Bright colours, neatly animated locomotives, and clear interfaces make everything easy to read, even when things get hectic. It may not be a visual showcase, but it's thoughtfully designed. The aesthetic feels more functional than flashy, but it's undeniably charming in its own right.

One of the game's best features is the variety of settings. You move through four distinct historical periods and locations, from the dusty grit of the Wild West to the frosty terrain of Norway. The trains evolve with the eras, and there's genuine pleasure in unlocking new models and viewing them in the game's Shed, a kind of virtual garage that adds a subtle collecting element.

What Train Valley Origins does especially well is keep you engaged without overwhelming you. It avoids the over-complication that turned some players away from Train Valley 2, sticking instead to a more accessible core loop. That simplicity is what makes it sing. It's a game that trusts its mechanics and doesn't try to overextend them.

There are drawbacks, though. The lack of significant innovation over the first game is noticeable, particularly if you've spent a lot of time with the series already. At times, it can feel like a reworked version of Train Valley 1 rather than a full evolution. And while the upcoming level editor promises longevity, it's not here yet. That means the game currently lives or dies on its built-in content.

There's also the matter of presentation and price. For some, the game's browser-like look and mobile-style pacing might make the near £10 price point feel steep. It doesn't have the polish or scale of a full PC title, and if you're not already into this genre, it might be a harder sell.

Still, for puzzle fans, transport sim lovers, or anyone who enjoyed the earlier Train Valley titles, this is a very easy recommendation. It's focused, fun, and easy to lose an hour in without realising it. Most importantly, it's the kind of game you find yourself booting up again the day after you've sworn you were done with it. And that says more than any feature list ever could.

Score: 8.5 / 10

Train Valley Origins is a delightful return to form. It's simple, satisfying, and full of personality. Once the level editor arrives, it might just be the best in the series.

Out now on Steam