Welcome to the Alex And Tom Experience, in which Tom slides across the visually gorgeous but mechanically sparse Solar Ash and Alex descends into the visually sparse but mechanically delightful Dungeon Encounters. Also discussed: Returnal, Demon’s Souls, Radiohead and The Matrix.

• Radiohead’s Kid A Mnesia virtual museum/experience is neat, but also covered in QR codes that link to the band’s merch store.
• The Matrix is also getting an “experience” which is going to change all of gaming.
• Whatever it is, hopefully it’s better than the ambitious but naff Enter The Matrix. Alex can’t dig out the article he referenced on its development being a car crash, however.
• Solar Ash, from the creators of Hyper Light Drifter, is gorgeous but frustrating and empty.
• Dungeon Encounters is visually sparse but cleverly designed and brilliant to play. Here is a referenced interview with its smart creators, Hiroyuki Ito and Hiroaki Kato.
• Alex and Tom both got PlayStation 5s. Tom has been playing Housemarque’s roguelike shooter Returnal, and dreading the return the starting pistol after each death.
• Both have also been admiring the lovely flagstones in the Demon’s Souls remake.

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Our intro music is by The Mandibles from their track Clambake. Many of the band members now tour as Count Bobo And The Bullion.