Today we're checking out a selection of recent ports that cover very different corners of the gaming spectrum. On PlayStation 5, The Cabin Factory and Bloodshed take opposite approaches to tension - one through eerie restraint and environmental unease, the other through relentless waves of retro-styled chaos. Hell is Other Demons sharpens its arcade precision for another round of punishing, rhythmically charged combat, while Reus 2 brings its intricate, slow-blooming god game systems to Xbox with mixed but ambitious results. Together they form a snapshot of how smaller developers continue to refine and reintroduce their work across consoles, highlighting both the strengths and quirks that define these distinct experiences.
The Cabin Factory review (PS5)
The Cabin Factory sets up a concise, procedural premise: inspect cabins and mark them as clear or dangerous. That binary task turns routine looking into the main engine of unease, with half-lit rooms and small, telling details doing most of the atmospheric lifting rather than non-stop shocks. Narrative delivery is fragmentary - scattered audio and incidental environmental clues invite players to assemble a story from hints - and while that works for players who enjoy filling gaps, it can feel thin for anyone wanting a more explicit throughline.
Gameplay is tightly focused and calibrated for a single sitting of around an hour; searching rooms, flagging anomalies and watching for subtle cues produces satisfying, tension-filled moments when the detection systems behave as intended. There are times, however, when triggers register inconsistently - in one run we encountered a haunting that felt like it should have registered earlier - and the short length plus a repetitive post-run loop reduce incentives for repeated play. As a result, the game reads more like a sharp, experimental short than a long-form haunt.
On PlayStation 5 the controls are unobtrusive and mostly let the walking-sim template breathe, though a few fiddly interactions occasionally interrupt immersion. Visual design and lighting are the clearest strengths: liminal interiors, carefully placed shadows and subtle lighting cues create genuine unease, even if abrupt lighting transitions or rough presentation edges occasionally break the mood. The audio design is sparse but effective - well-timed silences, creaks and distant announcements carry more weight than music, making sound a core contributor to the game's creeping tension.
As a compact package The Cabin Factory offers an intelligent study in atmosphere and procedural dread: its focused mechanics and evocative spaces deliver memorable jolts, and its modest price suits the ambition. Players seeking a longer, narratively dense horror may find the brevity and occasional inconsistency limiting, but those drawn to liminality, careful observation and psychological unease will find this PS5 outing an effective, if short, experience.
Reus 2 review (Xbox)
Reus 2 returns to the business of being gods, and leans into that fantasy with confidence: six distinct Giants remain the beating heart of the design, each able to coax different plants, animals and minerals into existence so that fledgling human settlements can flourish or falter under your hand. The sequel expands the canvas - runs now span planets across a solar system, and a draft-style progression gives each playthrough its own palette of biotica and goals. That broader structure makes progression feel meaningful and gives experimentation real payoff; watching a civilisation evolve through eras - from simple projects to ambitious quests - creates satisfying long arcs that reward curiosity.
Mechanically, Reus 2 is gratifyingly intricate in a way that will delight tinkerers: placement, adjacency and micros matter, and the interplay between biotica tags and Era objectives produces smart min-max moments without feeling punitive. Meta-progression and the collection systems ease players into new toys over multiple runs, which keeps the loop fresh rather than repetitive. That said, the depth cuts both ways - some systems are under-explained and the new Draft options (and rare Apex biotica) can produce analysis paralysis for players who prefer clearer signposting. The learning curve rewards patience, but newcomers may feel left to learn by trial and error more than tutorial text.
On Xbox the experience is mixed: the game's relaxed, untimed pace and ambient score suit couch sessions perfectly, but the interface still wears its PC roots. Text scaling and UI legibility are noteworthy issues on a TV, and controller navigation sometimes feels like a thumbstick standing in for a mouse - promising ideas are hampered by awkward mappings and occasional rough edges. For now the title feels more comfortable on PC, though the Xbox build is perfectly playable once you learn its quirks.
Visually and aurally, Reus 2 does a lot with a restrained palette: stylised, colourful biomes and a warm ambient soundtrack create an inviting atmosphere for long, slow runs. The joy of seeing an ecosystem click - tiny synergies yielding surprising results - is where the game finds its charm, and the sequel's additional strategic layers provide plenty of reasons to restart and refine. Ultimately, Reus 2 is a clever, contemplative god game that grows on you: it's full of rewarding systems and moments of creative satisfaction, but its complexity and current console interface issues mean it's best approached with patience (or on PC if you want the smoothest ride). Fans of methodical strategy and systems play will get a lot from it; players who need clearer onboarding or a polished couch-friendly UI might want to wait for patches.
Hell is Other Demons review (PS5)
Hell is Other Demons strips its premise down to the essentials and then sharpens them until they sing: you're dropped into compact, arena-style encounters and asked to survive by mastering movement, timing and weapon choice. The narrative is intentionally spare - more a framing device than a story - but it serves the game's mechanical focus well, giving each level and boss a clear purpose without getting in the way of the action. That minimalism will be a strength for players who want pure, bite-sized challenge, though those seeking a deeper plot or character work may find the package a touch thin.
At its core the game is a lesson in precise design: jumps, dashes and slams feel immediate and reliable, and the variety of weapons and upgrades encourages experimentation rather than rote repetition. Combat plays fast and tight - deaths usually feel earned rather than cheap - but the difficulty curve can spike early, demanding near-perfect execution in short order. The upgrade system and selectable loadouts soften that edge, giving players tools to approach encounters in different ways, yet the learning wall will turn away some casual players who prefer a gentler ramp.
Visually, Hell is Other Demons pairs minimalist pixel art with bold palette choices to produce a look that's both retro and modern; the arenas and boss designs stick in the eye without ever becoming cluttered. The audio complements that economy perfectly - pulsing synthlines and crunchy retro effects drive momentum through every encounter and lift the proceedings beyond simple nostalgia. The soundtrack and sound design supply much of the game's personality, turning repeated runs into a rhythmic, almost musical experience.
Taken together, campaign and arcade modes give the package replay value: the campaign's structured progression rewards investment with satisfying boss encounters, while arcade mode offers infinite runs for score-chasing and mastery. For players who love high-skill, score-oriented shooters this is a tightly made, addictive title; for others the steep early challenge and the barebones narrative may feel like deliberate gatekeeping. Overall, Hell is Other Demons is a compact, well-tuned bullet-hell that knows exactly what it wants to be - and mostly pulls it off to great effect.
Bloodshed review (PS5)
The developers at com8com1 Software and publisher Headup have crafted their latest title, Bloodshed, for the PlayStation 5 with the promise of a roguelite first-person shooter that blends boomer-shooter nostalgia with modern endless-wave mechanics. Players pick from a roster of characters, each with unique abilities, and face wave upon wave of cultists, demons and undead in short-to-medium runs, relying on persistent upgrades to deepen the experience. At its best this is a relentless, satisfying romp; at its weakest it sometimes feels measured in content and depth.
From the outset the game nails its pitch: movement is fluid, the gibs fly, and the screen fills with enemies in a way that harks back to classic '90s shooters but with a roguelite upgrade curve layered on top. The auto-shoot mechanic simplifies aiming and lets players focus on movement and survival, though the lack of manual control or nuanced gunplay can make extended sessions feel repetitive. The variety of weapons and character abilities offers genuine fun, especially when the right build synergy clicks and the carnage ramps up. Melee weapons feel under-developed, however, and the gun upgrade loop, while serviceable, lacks the depth one might hope for in a game of this ambition.
Visually Bloodshed embraces a pixel-rich boomer-shooter aesthetic with chunky sprites, retro-style environments, and a carnage-heavy presentation that sells its frenetic tone well. On the PS5 this means smooth performance and no glaring technical issues. The soundtrack leans into heavy-metal fare, and the one-liners and voice work add flavour, though the limited variety means the repetition can set in during longer play sessions. So while the presentation hits the intended mood, the audio design might start wearing thin over time.
As a package Bloodshed offers a robust burst of action for fans of its hybrid niche. The persistent upgrade systems give reason to return after death, and the runs are often exhilarating. Still, the game could have aimed higher in terms of scope: content feels somewhat limited with a small number of maps and short campaigns, and the unlock systems occasionally come across as grindy or uneven. PS5 players looking for a lean but brutal shooter-roguelite will find plenty to enjoy; those hoping for a broader or more complex roguelite journey may find the experience ends sooner than expected.