REVIEW: The Serpent & The Seed (2026 Video Game) - PC (Steam)

Review by Jon Donnis

Rarely do I request a key to a game that has simply popped up on my social media feed. The Serpent & The Seed is one of those rare exceptions. Something about its presentation immediately caught my attention, and having played it, I am very glad I took the chance.

Developed by Discipleship Tech, The Serpent & The Seed takes an unusual approach to storytelling. Rather than simply adapting one particular Biblical story, it attempts to tell a much larger story, taking the player from the Garden of Eden through to Revelation.

That is an ambitious undertaking, particularly for a relatively simple narrative adventure, but the game manages to make the journey feel surprisingly cohesive.

You play as Mungo, an adorable robin who guides you through a world filled with beautifully hand-drawn environments, symbolic imagery, puzzles and an atmospheric soundtrack. It is a very different experience from the vast majority of games released today, and that is arguably one of its biggest strengths.

The first thing that really stands out is the presentation. The artwork has a delightful hand-drawn quality that gives the entire game a distinctive identity. There is a painterly feel to the environments, and the imagery does a lot of the storytelling rather than relying entirely on dialogue and exposition.

That is particularly effective when dealing with stories that many players will already know. The Garden of Eden, the serpent, the temptation of Adam and Eve and their subsequent fall are all familiar material, but the game finds an interesting way of presenting these events through its visual language.

The use of symbolism is one of the game's strongest features. Rather than simply walking the player through a series of Biblical events, The Serpent & The Seed uses imagery to connect the different parts of the story. The promise of the one who will crush the head of the serpent becomes an important thread running through the experience, eventually leading to Jesus Christ.

For anyone familiar with the Bible, there is plenty here to recognise. For those less familiar with it, the game provides an accessible way of experiencing these stories without requiring an encyclopaedic knowledge of the source material.

It is also worth highlighting that the game does not shy away from some of the more serious material found in the Bible. This could easily have been turned into a sanitised, overly gentle retelling, but The Serpent & The Seed is willing to deal with themes of loss, sacrifice, suffering, promise and hope.

The gameplay itself is relatively straightforward. This is much more of a narrative adventure than a traditional point and click adventure, and that distinction is important.

There is exploration, interaction and puzzle solving, but players looking for a traditional point and click experience packed with complicated puzzles, elaborate item combinations and hours of head-scratching may come away disappointed.

That said, I found the puzzles to be surprisingly enjoyable. They are generally simple enough not to interrupt the flow of the story, but there are moments where you need to think a little harder than you might initially expect. A few of them caught me out, which was a pleasant surprise given how accessible the rest of the experience is.

The simplicity of the gameplay also works in the game's favour to some extent. The Serpent & The Seed clearly wants the story, artwork and music to remain the focus, rather than burying them beneath complicated mechanics.

And then there is that soundtrack.

Poor Bishop Hooper have perhaps just created the greatest original video game soundtrack I have ever heard. The music is simply beautiful throughout the game. It adds an enormous amount to the atmosphere and helps turn what could otherwise have been a straightforward narrative adventure into something much more immersive.

The soundtrack and artwork work particularly well together. There is a sense that the developers have understood exactly what kind of experience they wanted to create, and every element has been designed around that goal.

The voice acting is another strong point. The performances complement the reflective nature of the game and help give the characters and story greater emotional weight.

There are, however, some limitations.

The biggest is undoubtedly the gameplay itself. If you are approaching The Serpent & The Seed expecting a substantial point and click adventure, you may find it lacking. The game is fairly linear, and there is not a huge amount of freedom to explore or experiment.

This is not a game built around elaborate puzzles or complex systems. It is primarily a narrative experience with puzzles and mini-games woven into it. That is not necessarily a criticism, but it is something prospective players should understand before starting.

For me, though, the balance worked. The puzzles provided enough interaction to keep me engaged, while the story remained the main attraction.

I am also not particularly religious, although I am culturally Christian, and I have always enjoyed learning about history and religion. That made me particularly interested in seeing how The Serpent & The Seed would approach such well-known material.

I thought it did an excellent job.

There is a surprising amount of detail here, and while the gameplay is simple, it is also fun to play and watch unfold. More importantly, the game never feels like it is simply ticking off a list of Biblical events. There is a genuine attempt to create a coherent journey from the beginning of the story through to its conclusion.

Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give The Serpent & The Seed is that I do not think you need to be religious to enjoy it.

Yes, this is very clearly a Bible-inspired game, and its story is built around Christian themes and Biblical events. But the combination of beautiful artwork, strong voice acting, excellent music, accessible puzzles and a genuinely interesting narrative gives it appeal beyond that audience.

In a gaming landscape where so many releases revolve around guns, violence and increasingly elaborate mechanics, there is something refreshing about a game that simply wants to tell a story and give the player something to think about.

The Serpent & The Seed is not perfect. Those wanting a deep point and click adventure will probably find the gameplay too straightforward, and its linear structure will not appeal to everyone.

But if you are prepared to approach it as a narrative adventure, there is a lot to appreciate. The artwork is delightful, the soundtrack is exceptional, the voice acting is strong, and the story is handled with considerably more thought and ambition than I initially expected.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Serpent & The Seed. It is different, beautifully presented and surprisingly moving, and it is exactly the sort of unusual game that deserves attention.

I score The Serpent & The Seed a solid 8.5 out of 10.

Out Now on Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3838400/The_Serpent__The_Seed/

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: Syberia - Remastered (2025 Video Game) - on Playstation 5

Review by Jon Donnis

Syberia Remastered arrives with a clear intention. It wants to let players experience Benoît Sokal's world with a modern polish while keeping the bones of the 2002 classic untouched. The result is a curious mix. It looks far better, it moves a little more smoothly, yet it still carries the quirks and charm of the original adventure. That will delight long time fans, although newcomers might find themselves wondering why some parts feel locked in a different era.

The visual overhaul is the star of the show. The updated graphics give the clockpunk world a crisp, almost storybook quality, and the reworked cutscenes sit nicely on a widescreen setup. The new camera movement adds a touch of fluidity that the original simply could not offer. There is something oddly comforting about stepping back into this world, meeting its eccentric cast, and settling into the slow burn of Kate Walker's journey from a New York lawyer on a routine job to a traveller chasing the dream of Hans Voralberg. Oscar shines again as a loyal companion, and the addition of a few fresh puzzles helps give returning players something extra to chew on.

The trouble begins once the game asks you to move around for any length of time. In 2002 this slower pace felt acceptable. In 2025 it borders on irritating. A run button would have softened things, especially when backtracking becomes part of the rhythm. The gameplay itself shows its age. It is functional and still has charm, but it sits at odds with the modern sheen of the visuals. The music is another weak point, sitting in the background without ever adding much atmosphere.

Syberia Remastered is a tricky one to judge. The essence of the original remains intact and the visual upgrade is impressive, yet the lack of deeper changes holds it back. It feels like a thoughtful preservation project rather than a bold reimagining. Fans of the first release will feel right at home. New players may wonder why the experience has not been rebuilt for today's expectations.

A classic returns with a cleaner face, though not quite a new soul. A generous 7 out of 10.

Out Now - https://amzn.to/4al6mVn

REVIEW: Simon the Sorcerer Origins (2025 Video Game) - On Xbox

Review by Jon Donnis

Three decades after Simon first insulted a goblin and bumbled through a magical world of sarcasm and spells, Simon the Sorcerer Origins proves that a classic can find new life without losing its soul. Developed by Smallthing Studios and published by ININ Games, this prequel takes us back to the weeks before the 1993 Amiga adventure, showing how the world's most reluctant sorcerer began his journey.

From the opening scene, it feels like coming home. The humour is unmistakably Simon, dry, biting, and perfectly British. Chris Barrie returns as Simon's voice, and hearing him slip effortlessly back into character is a joy. His timing is spot-on, and every line lands with the kind of warmth and wit that made the original such a cult hit.

The hand-drawn art style is gorgeous. It's full of detail and personality, with lush backdrops and expressive characters that look straight out of a storybook. There's something lovely about seeing a modern game embrace traditional animation in this way, and it gives every frame a touch of charm. The world feels alive, packed with odd wizards, talking beasts, and peculiar devices that constantly draw your eye.

In terms of gameplay, this is pure point-and-click comfort. The puzzles are cleverly designed, often testing both your logic and your patience. Some of them are tricky enough to make you question your intelligence for a while, but the sense of reward when you finally figure things out is exactly what you want from this kind of game. The dialogue and item combinations keep things light, and you can tell the team had fun writing all the absurd scenarios Simon finds himself in.

That said, playing on Xbox takes a bit of getting used to. The controls work fine, but it's hard to shake the feeling that this sort of game still feels best with a mouse. Navigating menus or interacting with smaller items can be fiddly with a gamepad, though switching between control options is quick enough. On the positive side, playing on a big TV really shows off the artwork and helps you get lost in the world.

If there's one thing that might test your patience, it's the puzzle difficulty. A few of them border on obscure, and the temptation to reach for an online guide is always lurking. But if you can resist that urge, the satisfaction of solving everything on your own is worth the effort.

Simon the Sorcerer Origins is a fine example of how to revive a classic properly. It doesn't try to reinvent what made the original special. Instead, it leans into its roots with care, delivering a funny, clever, and beautifully drawn adventure that feels both nostalgic and fresh. For fans of the series, it's everything you'd hope for. For newcomers, it's a charming introduction to one of gaming's great comic heroes.

A well-earned 9 out of 10. Here's hoping Simon's next spell isn't too far away.

Out Now on Xbox - https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/simon-the-sorcerer-origins/9nnm6qrczx76