Disco Simulator PS5 Review 7.5/10 "Can people please stop spewing on the dance floor?" 🕺🪩💃 @GamesIncubator #IndieGame #GameDev

As someone who has a partner that grew up on The Sims games, I quite fancied the idea of settling down of an evening and spending a few sessions with Disco Simulator, a game in which you run your own nightclub (I do really feel that this should have been called Nightclub Simulator, by the way, but it looks like that name was already taken). 

The game begins with a brisk tutorial that lays out the setting, you begin each scenario with certain goals in mind – reaching a certain amount of cash, hitting certain metrics etc. – and from there, you pretty much get free reign of how to run your club, from naming it through to shaking cocktails, unclogging toilets, checking tickets for entry, and ensuring that the power stays on – or will you delegate all this nonsense to your ever-growing team of staff?

Crisol: Theatre of Idols PS5 Review 8.5/10 “A Bloody Good Start for Vermila Studio” 🪆🩸 @CrisolGame @VermilaStudios #IndieGame #GameDev

When viewing the trailer for Crisol: Theatre of Idols it was immediately obvious where a lot of inspiration had come from it. looked like a mix of Bioshock and Resident Evil, which are two of my favourite game series, so I was very excited to see whether it could live up to its lofty inspirations, or would it be a pale imitation? 

Especially as this is the first game by the studio. I think they hit it out of the park, a slam dunk, a hole in one.. and that's all the sports metaphors I know. For a first outing I think it’s fantastic. Crisol knows what it wants to achieve, it is a love letter to the horror games that inspired it, and whilst it may not reinvent the horror game wheel, it has wonderful art design and a cool new mechanic that makes the game a delight to play.

Gaming Genres You Might Not Have Considered Before 🎮

Over half of the UK population now plays video games. It’s a weird and wonderful world, with all kinds of titles available to explore. If you’re feeling bored with the big blockbuster titles, here are some new genres worth picking up your pad (or mouse) for at the end of a long day.   

Cosy and slow-paced

So-called ‘cosy’ games are designed to help you breathe out. They focus on cute, calm routines rather than fast reactions, inviting you to settle into a rhythm. You tend to look after a small environment, chat to a handful of characters, or gather useful items in your own time. This kind of play can become a form of mindfulness, with no real rush or consequence to your decisions.

If you want to ease into the genre, choose something that encourages small daily habits. Set aside ten minutes to tend a garden or arrange a room, for example. These pockets of activity give you a sense of progress without demanding hours of commitment or high performance.