REVIEW: FIRE AND ASHES (2026 Video Game) - on PS5

Review by Jon Donnis

FIRE AND ASHES is a first-person psychological survival horror game that mixes disturbing imagery, a sinister psychiatric hospital and a mystery surrounding its protagonist, Henry Gray. Set in 1977, the game opens with Henry waking up in a bathtub filled with blood inside a psychiatric ward. It is an unsettling introduction to a nightmare involving deranged patients, secret experiments and horrors that may have as much to do with Henry's past as the world around him.

There is a decent game here, but FIRE AND ASHES never quite fulfils its potential. It gets plenty right when it comes to atmosphere and storytelling, yet some questionable design choices and a lack of polish hold it back.

The atmosphere is easily one of its strongest features. The hospital feels threatening, with dark corridors, unsettling surroundings and effective lighting that helps build tension. I particularly liked the way the game uses its environments to create a sense of unease, making exploration feel dangerous even when there is no immediate threat in sight.

The sound design also contributes to the experience, reinforcing the disturbing atmosphere without relying entirely on jump scares. There is a persistent feeling that something is not quite right, which suits the psychological horror setting nicely.

Henry's story provides another reason to keep playing. As you explore locations connected to his past, clues gradually reveal more about the tragedy that led to his confinement. The mystery is intriguing, and the suggestion that Henry's own mind may be as dangerous as the creatures pursuing him adds another layer to the narrative. Although some developments are difficult to follow, I found the central mystery interesting enough to maintain my curiosity.

There is also a reasonable variety of enemies, ranging from crazed patients and cannibals to experimental subjects and stranger creations. This gives the game a suitably disturbing collection of threats, although encounters can become repetitive, particularly when combat starts to feel more like an inconvenience than a genuine test of survival.

Unfortunately, combat is one of the areas where FIRE AND ASHES feels rough around the edges. Fighting lacks the polish and responsiveness I would expect from a more accomplished survival horror game, and some encounters become unnecessarily clumsy. The game is generally straightforward to play, which makes it accessible, but simplicity is not always a substitute for satisfying mechanics.

The puzzles are another mixed bag. They provide a welcome break from exploring and fighting, but most are fairly straightforward and rarely offer much of a challenge. The pacing can also be uneven, with quieter stretches occasionally taking the momentum out of an otherwise tense experience.

My biggest disappointment, however, is the voice-based mechanic. This is presented as one of the game's defining features, with players supposedly able to use their breathing, whispers and other vocal sounds to influence encounters. You can attract enemies, distract them or create opportunities to escape, while a microphone is recommended for the intended experience.

The idea sounds promising, but the execution left me disappointed. There is no genuine voice recognition in the experience I played. When presented with dialogue choices, I instinctively spoke my answer aloud, expecting the game to recognise what I was saying. Nothing happened.

Instead, the mechanic is essentially about producing sounds at the appropriate level, rather than actually understanding your voice. While it is an interesting gimmick initially, the novelty wears off quickly. Before long, pressing a button to achieve the same result feels like the more sensible option.

It is a shame because proper voice recognition could have made encounters far more immersive, particularly when trying to remain quiet while enemies are nearby. As implemented, the mechanic feels underused and ultimately adds much less to the experience than I had hoped.

Visually, FIRE AND ASHES has its moments. The lighting works well, and some environments are genuinely unsettling, but the presentation is inconsistent. Certain areas lack detail, while character animations and enemy behaviour can occasionally undermine the atmosphere. These issues are not disastrous on their own, but they become harder to overlook when the game depends so heavily on immersion.

The story also relies on familiar horror conventions. There is nothing inherently wrong with secret laboratories, disturbing experiments and sinister medical facilities, but FIRE AND ASHES does not always do enough with these ideas to make them feel fresh. Some narrative developments could also have been explained more clearly, leaving parts of the experience feeling underdeveloped.

Despite these shortcomings, I did find things to enjoy. The atmosphere is effective, Henry's story gives you a reason to keep exploring, and the combination of investigation, puzzles and survival provides a decent foundation. It is also relatively easy to pick up, without demanding extensive experience with the genre.

My main frustration is that FIRE AND ASHES feels like a game with better ideas than execution. The developers have established an interesting setting and introduced a potentially distinctive mechanic, but the combat, presentation and underwhelming voice system prevent the experience from reaching the next level.

For a PS5 game released in 2026, I would have liked to see more polish. That said, this is not a complete failure. There is an engaging story beneath the familiar horror tropes, and the unsettling atmosphere makes the journey worthwhile if you can overlook its rougher edges.

FIRE AND ASHES is a decent survival horror game that shows flashes of promise without delivering anything particularly special. I enjoyed parts of it, but I came away feeling that a little more refinement and a more ambitious approach to its central mechanic could have made a considerable difference.

I score FIRE AND ASHES a fair 6 out of 10

Out Now on PlayStation

https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/concept/10019396

REVIEW: YAR: Forgotten Throne (2026 Video Game) - on PS5

Review by Jon Donnis

YAR: Forgotten Throne is an open-world RPG that feels like a throwback to the early 2000s, when sprawling fantasy adventures were a familiar sight on PC. Set in the lands of Borea, the game follows a journey to uncover what is poisoning the forests and wildlife with darkness. With over 100 quests, three character classes and a range of crafting and progression systems, there is plenty to get involved in. Unfortunately, some frustrating design choices and a lack of polish hold it back.

Players can choose between a Warrior, Mage or Archer, each offering a different approach to the adventure. There are two factions, three large settlements and a variety of biomes to explore, alongside secrets to discover and character attributes to develop. Crafting also features heavily, with alchemy, cooking, blacksmithing, enchanting, fishing and jewellery making among the available activities. Multiple difficulty settings cater for different preferences, ranging from a story-focused experience to hardcore challenges with limited saving.

Visually, YAR: Forgotten Throne makes a decent impression for a relatively low-budget indie game. The graphics have a distinctive style, and the presentation is good enough to make exploring Borea worthwhile. It does not need cutting-edge visuals to work, and there is a certain charm to its straightforward approach.

The biggest problem is how the game feels to play. The controls are stiff, making movement less responsive than it should be. Jumping has a floaty quality that feels out of place, while various bugs further undermine the experience. These issues make it harder to settle into the adventure, particularly when the basic controls should be the least of your concerns.

Navigation is another frustration. There is no on-screen map while playing, which makes finding your way around more awkward than necessary. In an open-world RPG with so many quests and locations, I would have appreciated a map that was readily available during exploration.

Combat can also be poorly balanced, especially in the early stages. Some enemies are far too difficult, capable of killing you with just a couple of shots. Challenging encounters are part of the RPG experience, but these fights can feel unfair when you are still finding your feet.

These problems are disappointing because the foundations are there. The range of quests, character classes and crafting options gives the game plenty of scope, while its visual style and old-school design have genuine appeal. However, content alone cannot make up for controls that feel awkward, frustrating encounters and technical issues that interrupt the experience.

Perhaps I have been spoiled by modern RPGs, with their more refined controls and smoother gameplay. There is nothing wrong with returning to an older style of adventure, but nostalgia only goes so far when the mechanics feel dated for the wrong reasons.

YAR: Forgotten Throne is a mixed bag on PS5. It looks decent, has plenty to offer and captures something of the old-school RPG experience, but it lacks the polish and refinement needed to make the most of its potential. Fans of traditional role-playing games may find enough here to enjoy, although the stiff controls, uneven difficulty and bugs make it difficult to recommend without reservations.

I score YAR: Forgotten Throne 7 out of 10.

Out Now on PS5

https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/concept/10019397

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: Virtual Hunter (2026 VR Video Game) - on MetaQuest

Review by Jon Donnis

Virtual reality has often struggled to find the right balance between realism and entertainment, particularly when it comes to simulation games. Virtual Hunter takes a bold approach by leaning heavily into authenticity, delivering a hunting experience that values patience, observation and skill over fast-paced action. The result is one of the most convincing hunting titles currently available on Meta Quest and a game that understands exactly what audience it wants to serve.

From the moment you step into its expansive wilderness, it becomes clear that Virtual Hunter is aiming for immersion above all else. The landscapes are impressively detailed, with dense forests, open fields and rolling scenery that create a genuine sense of being outdoors. The map feels substantial in scale, encouraging exploration and rewarding players who take the time to learn the terrain. Combined with the dynamic weather system, which adds further atmosphere and unpredictability, the environment often becomes one of the game's greatest strengths.

Unlike many shooting games on VR platforms, Virtual Hunter refuses to rush the player. This is a deliberate and methodical experience where every decision matters. Animal behaviour plays a major role, with creatures reacting to sight, sound and scent. Careless movement can easily ruin a hunt before it begins, while a poorly placed shot may result in a lengthy tracking session. The game consistently encourages players to think ahead, study their surroundings and approach each encounter carefully.

Weapon handling is another area where the developers have clearly invested considerable effort. The realistic ballistics system and stabilisation mechanics make shooting feel satisfying without becoming frustrating. Landing a clean shot at distance requires concentration and practice, but the sense of accomplishment when everything comes together is rewarding. It captures the challenge of hunting while remaining accessible enough for newcomers willing to learn.

Fortunately, those newcomers are well catered for thanks to an excellent tutorial system. Hunting simulations can often overwhelm players with information, but Virtual Hunter introduces its mechanics in a clear and understandable manner. By the time players venture into the wilderness on their own, they have a solid understanding of tracking, weapon use and hunting strategy. It is one of the better onboarding experiences seen in the genre.

Progression is supported by a surprisingly engaging trophy system. Successfully hunting larger animals and using the correct equipment unlocks various rewards, while the detailed trophy lodge allows players to display their achievements however they choose. The ability to position taxidermied animals around the lodge adds a personal touch that makes successful hunts feel more meaningful. Whether placing a prized red deer above the fireplace or creating a showcase of personal bests, the system gives players a reason to keep returning for another expedition.

Multiplayer support allows up to six players to hunt together, and on paper it sounds like a natural fit for the game. Sharing hunts and comparing trophies has obvious appeal. Unfortunately, this is also where most of the game's shortcomings currently reside. Multiplayer can be prone to bugs and technical hiccups that occasionally disrupt the experience. While some of the early issues have already been addressed and further updates appear to be on the way, it remains the weakest aspect of the package at present.

Thankfully, these problems do not significantly affect the core single-player experience, which remains where Virtual Hunter truly shines. Players who prefer solitary exploration will likely find the game at its best when quietly tracking animals through the wilderness and soaking in the atmosphere at their own pace.

Virtual Hunter succeeds because it respects the fundamentals of hunting rather than turning them into an arcade-style shooting gallery. The detailed tracking systems, realistic animal behaviour and thoughtful pacing create an experience that feels authentic without becoming inaccessible. Combined with attractive visuals, a strong tutorial and rewarding progression systems, it stands as perhaps the finest hunting game currently available on VR platforms.

Score: 9 out of 10

Virtual Hunter delivers a compelling and immersive hunting simulation that rewards patience, planning and precision. Despite a few multiplayer issues, its excellent single-player experience, strong realism and impressive presentation make it one of the standout simulation titles on Meta Quest.

Out Now on MetaQuest

https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/virtual-hunter/10039970526115789/

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/