REVIEW: Ariana and the Elder Codex (2026 Video Game) - On PS5

Ariana and the Elder Codex is a visually appealing Metroidvania that builds its identity around entering magical books and restoring them piece by piece. The hand drawn art gives it real charm, while the variety of spells and abilities allows for flexible playstyles that keep exploration engaging. Combat stands out as the highlight, feeling smooth and responsive throughout.

There are a few issues that hold it back from being something truly special. Dialogue can drag on and interrupt the pacing, and some boss fights lean more towards frustration than fair challenge. Even so, the core experience remains enjoyable, making it a solid and entertaining action platformer overall.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2026/03/review-ariana-and-elder-codex-2026.html

REVIEW: REDMI Buds 8 Pro

The REDMI Buds 8 Pro, released on February 28, 2026, impress with richer sound, Hi-Res Audio, and Dolby clarity. Music, games, and videos feel immersive, while dialogue is clear and detailed. Active noise cancellation works brilliantly on trains and buses, automatically adjusting to surroundings, and ambient app sounds like rain or wildlife add a relaxing touch. The fit is comfortable thanks to extra ear tips, and touch-sensitive controls make music and calls easy to manage.

Connectivity and battery life are excellent. Pairing is effortless, with dual-device support avoiding constant re-pairing. The charging case is premium with a magnetic snap and battery indicator. Eight hours of listening on a single charge, or 33 with the case, combined with fast charging, removes battery worries. Overall, the REDMI Buds 8 Pro feel high quality, affordable, and a clear improvement over previous models.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2026/03/review-redmi-buds-8-pro.html

REVIEW: Project Hail Mary (2026 Film) - Starring Ryan Gosling

Project Hail Mary delivers a large scale science fiction adventure that balances humour, emotion and suspense, with Ryan Gosling's performance providing charm and grounding throughout. The film's visual ambition and organic design help maintain a strong sense of immersion, while its central mystery keeps the story engaging.

Despite its strengths, the film can feel overly focused on being a feelgood experience, and its 156 minute runtime leads to slower pacing in places. Even so, it remains an entertaining and well made epic that stands out thanks to its scale and strong lead performance.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2026/03/review-project-hail-mary-2026-film.html

REVIEW: Only Up Rush (2026 Video Game) - on Playstation 5

Only Up Rush keeps things simple with a clear goal. Climb as high as possible, reach checkpoints, and try to beat your previous run. The straightforward design makes it easy to jump into, while the risk of falling adds tension that keeps each attempt engaging.

The game shines with its visuals, rewarding progression, and replay value, especially for speed runners chasing leaderboard positions. While some jumps feel slightly floaty, the overall experience remains enjoyable, built around that familiar pull of just one more go.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2026/03/review-only-up-rush-2026-video-game-on.html

REVIEW: Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead (2026 Film) - Starring Marco Ilsø

Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead is an ambitious dystopian science fiction film that stands out for its world building and visual strength. Set in a fractured future shaped by catastrophe, it creates a vivid setting defined by scattered islands and a constant electrical storm. The cinematography, particularly the Croatian landscapes, adds real weight to the atmosphere, while the CGI remains polished and convincing. The film builds intrigue around its central mystery and closes with an ending that clearly sets up further stories.

At the same time, the film leans heavily on familiar genre ideas and does not always give its characters enough depth to match the scale of its world. The pacing feels tight, with a lot of material packed into a relatively short runtime, which limits emotional impact in key moments. Despite these issues, it remains an enjoyable and engaging watch that shows clear potential for future instalments.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2026/03/review-storm-rider-legend-of-hammerhead.html

REVIEW: Dark Trip (2026 VR Video Game) - on MetaQuest

Dark Trip is a strikingly original VR horror game for Meta Quest that blends escape room puzzles with psychedelic hallucinations. Players take on the role of a detective investigating a disappearance in a small German town, exploring an abandoned laboratory filled with the remnants of twisted experiments. The game's unique mechanic of consuming pills to hallucinate alters the environment and puzzle logic, creating a constantly shifting and unsettling experience. The visuals are strong, with a mix of cold, clinical spaces and surreal, grotesque hallucinations that effectively amplify the horror atmosphere. The storytelling is mostly environmental, encouraging players to piece together the narrative through scattered notes and evidence, while mature themes give it a clear adult focus.

While the game impresses with its inventive mechanics and immersive atmosphere, it does have a few drawbacks. The overall length is short, around two hours, and some AI-generated art slightly undermines the otherwise polished visuals. Minor bugs appear occasionally, though ongoing updates address them. Replayability exists but is limited, primarily through experimenting with different hallucination states. Despite these issues, Dark Trip remains a memorable and unsettling VR experience, offering something genuinely different in the escape room and horror genres.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2026/03/review-dark-trip-2026-vr-video-game-on.html

REVIEW: Scream 7 (2026 Film) - Starring Neve Campbell, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard and Courteney Cox

Scream 7 continues the saga with Sidney Prescott trying to build a quiet life in Pine Grove, Indiana, until a new Ghostface emerges and begins targeting her teenage daughter Tatum. The film revisits classic franchise beats with intense violence, suspenseful stalking sequences, and plenty of familiar faces, including Gale Weathers and the Meeks Martin twins.

Fans of the series will appreciate the strong return of Neve Campbell as Sidney, the nostalgic nods to previous films, and the brutal, gory kills that maintain the franchise's signature style. While the story takes few risks and follows a familiar formula, it delivers an entertaining and tense horror experience.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2026/03/review-scream-7-2026-film-starring-neve.html

REVIEW: Planet of Lana II (2026 Video Game) - On Xbox

Planet of Lana II returns players to the quiet, mysterious world of Novo, continuing the journey of Lana and her small companion Mui. The sequel expands Lana's abilities with new movement options while introducing smarter puzzle mechanics that rely on cooperation between the two characters. Its hand painted environments and gentle orchestral score create a striking atmosphere, while the story explores the consequences of technological progress on the planet and the growing tension between its tribes.

Although the game looks beautiful and delivers a heartfelt narrative, the experience struggles to fully improve on the original. Pacing can feel slow, some puzzles lack challenge, and the controls do not feel quite as intuitive as before. With a relatively short six hour runtime and a cliffhanger ending, Planet of Lana II works as a continuation of the story, but it never quite reaches the same level as its predecessor.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2026/03/review-planet-of-lana-ii-2026-video.html

REVIEW: The Bride! (2026 Film) - Starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale

Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! is a bold and unusual reimagining of the Frankenstein myth, blending Gothic horror, crime drama and surreal fantasy. Jessie Buckley delivers a commanding performance as Ida, the resurrected Bride, while Christian Bale brings a surprisingly tender edge to the monster known as Frank. Their strange partnership drives a chaotic journey across 1930s America, filled with violence, rebellion and unexpected moments of connection.

The film's ambition gives it a distinctive visual style and several memorable scenes, though its many ideas sometimes pull the story in too many directions. Uneven pacing, heavy handheld camerawork and an overstuffed narrative prevent it from fully landing, particularly in the final act. Even so, strong performances and a fearless approach to the material make The Bride! an intriguing, if imperfect, take on the Frankenstein legend.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2026/03/review-bride-2026-film-starring-jessie.html

REVIEW: BOULDER DASH 40th Anniversary (2026 Video Game) - On Xbox

BOULDER DASH 40th Anniversary brings the classic diamond-collecting adventure to modern consoles with 320 levels, updated graphics, and new game elements. Players can switch between authentic 8-bit visuals or modern HD, tackle six new worlds, and enjoy exclusive fan-designed levels. The level editor and community content extend the game's replayability, offering a fresh challenge for both returning fans and newcomers.

The soundtrack by Chris Huelsbeck adds energy to every cave, and the option to play as one of six Rockford characters celebrates the series' history. While the retro levels feel dated compared to modern games, the new content is engaging and rewarding. BOULDER DASH 40th Anniversary is a simple-to-learn, hard-to-master puzzle game that delivers hours of fun for all types of players.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2026/03/review-boulder-dash-40th-anniversary.html

REVIEW: Mirage 7 (2026 Video Game) - Released on Playstation 5

Mirage 7 is a visually striking dark fairytale adventure on Playstation 5 that blends fantasy and sci‑fi. Players follow Nadira and her pet lizard Jiji as they traverse a vast desert in search of the legendary oasis of Jala and Princess Taishma, hoping to save Nadira's sister. The game excels in exploration and puzzle design, encouraging creativity and strategic use of Jiji to solve environmental challenges. Ancient temples, hidden secrets, and atmospheric landscapes provide a rich backdrop for the story, which unfolds across multiple timelines or worlds.

Combat and general gameplay can feel slow at times, and encounters with enemies are limited in variety, but the narrative and dual-character mechanics keep the experience engaging. The game rewards patience and curiosity, with detailed ruins, clever puzzles, and a mythic story that encourages exploration. Mirage 7 offers a memorable journey for those willing to invest in its world.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2026/03/review-mirage-7-2026-video-game.html

REVIEW: Shelter (2026 film) - Starring Jason Statham

Shelter follows former government assassin Michael Mason, who lives in isolation on a remote island off the coast of Scotland after going rogue from the elite Black Kites unit. When a young girl named Jessie becomes stranded during a storm, Mason reluctantly helps her, drawing the attention of his former handler Manafort and the agency determined to eliminate him. Forced back into the world he tried to escape, Mason must protect Jessie while fighting off the agents sent to kill him.

Directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Jason Statham and Bodhi Rae Breathnach, the film delivers intense driving scenes, brutal fist fights and strong performances from its central pair. While the story is predictable and the concept familiar, Shelter remains an entertaining action thriller with a solid pace and a memorable Scottish backdrop.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2026/03/review-shelter-2026-film-starring-jason.html