Thumb Culture
HomepageThumb Culture's Reviews
SHUTEN ORDER was honestly under my radar until Stu gave me a heads up about it. The game having so many different genres that falls on each Minster member which I completely love about it. Going from a survivor game to a slight dating sim really was breath taking for me. It keeps itself separate from any other game in the same genre wheelhouse. Basically, the game has it’s unique charm and story that will either have you already guess the plot of each attempt or open up more of the game’s lore to you. Honestly, when you learn that everyone is a █ █ █ █ █, God is really █ █ █ █ █, and that God’s power is █ █ █ █ █ █ █. It feels good getting all that off my chest. Either way, this game is really worth the pick up and see if you will also figure out who the murderer is. One piece of advice, always check the setting to see if auto-save is active or not. Because auto-save will literally be your godsend. I give SHUTEN ORDER the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
What more could one ask for from a game like this? Experiencing the true stone life has never been more convenient and accessible. You are being given exactly what has been promised to you. For just £2.49, you too could experience true zen. Stone Simulator truly deserves a solid Thumb Culture Gold Award. The G in Gold stands for Game of the Year.
Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The Brainioids definitely feels like it could be one in a series of games. But this being just the first, I would say it is worthwhile checking out. It runs well on PC, Steam Deck, and is available for PS5 and Xbox. It’s a beautiful 3D action adventure with a flair of strategic management. If anything, maybe more focus on keeping up with your strategy could be in order. Maybe that’s just me. Definitely deserving of the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Overall, I absolutely love this game. Every day is packed with things to do. You really always have something to keep you busy, which I really love about this game. In a lot of farming games, by the time year 2 hits, I often find myself skipping days right after I watered my crops. Not here though! I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of all that the game has to offer. The addition of voice acting was a fantastic surprise. I love all the quality-of-life improvements and the overall gameplay loop is just so fun. The game really knocked it out of the park for me. It is easily one of my favorite games that released this year. Honestly, I don’t have anything to complain about. I’ll probably even take on the grind for 100% completion just because I can’t get myself to stop playing! What more can I say? Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar absolutely deserves the Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
Maki’s Adventure isn’t perfect, but it’s brimming with charm and ambition. From its inventive shark mechanics to its side-quest-driven exploration, it offers more depth than many games twice its size. Technical hiccups and underwhelming boss design hold it back slightly, but these are forgivable in light of its creativity and heart. For those seeking a short, satisfying indie title that blends nostalgia with originality. Take your time to explore, and don’t forget those side quests; you might discover that it makes all the difference. Maki’s Adventure gets another Thumb Culture Gold Award
The open-world side is really barren and empty regardless of the amount of enemies scattered around. Like, I am grateful, since the focus on collecting mech parts requires large groups of enemies. But there isn’t anything in the actual world to break up the constant fighting. Maybe I haven’t played enough games in the mech genre to truly give my opinion, but Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion ends up feeling hollow. Combat does well to look flashy but comes across as oddly empty. I spent most of my time just firing missiles or chasing enemies who would strafe without actually attempting to fight. Bosses on the other hand stick to two sections, stupidly easy, or needlessly hard. Without trying to spoil the game. The best examples I could give are Void and Legion. Void just kinda floated there without doing anything, with occasionally popping off some weak projectiles. While Legion would spam the skill Mirage all while beaming you with lasers, that’s damage output is ridiculous. Sadly Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion gets the Thumb Culture’s Silver Award from me, although fans of the other game might enjoy it more.
Although it’s not the most in-depth cleaning sim I’ve played, it does well to still be a fun game to relax with. Collecting the Ragamuffins, and creating their own little areas in your home, help provide some breaks from cleaning. Gameplay is smooth, and I didn’t have any major bugs happen, however, the level called The Collector seemed to not award me the S rank. Even though I’ve cleaned and removed everything that was needed four times. I found the maps becoming a little too samey (besides the levels you do revisit) which leads to Monster Mop up needing more variety. All in all, the game is simple, fun, and a great game to start for your own little ragamuffins. So it gets the Thumb Culture Silver Award. It would have been gold, but like I said it’s simple and lack some unique look levels.
Catto’s Post Office is a cute adventure that could do much more if time allowed. This game would have been a platinum for me if there was just a bit more to it. That, by no means, is me saying this game is bad. It was a really cute little break from horror and games where you need to be able to think before you can do anything. Sometimes all you need is a short game to take a breather, and this game is perfect for that. More than anything, I just want to play more of it! I’m giving Catto’s Post Office the Thumb Culture Gold Award — a game definitely worth its price point!
Sengoku Dynasty has many positives going for it, so much so that I’ll absolutely carry on playing after I’ve finished reviewing it. There are, unfortunately, several issues that stop this from being a must-play title. Despite that, seeing your settlement slowly expand, crops grow and ripen, and planning what to build next is a rewarding experience. If you can look past some of its rough edges, there’s a decent survival/city building game here! So, with all that being said, I’ll be giving Sengoku Dynasty the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
Mafia: The Old Country is a compelling addition to the series, offering a narrative set in a rarely explored era. Its linear structure allows for a focused storytelling experience, and its visual and audio design create an immersive atmosphere. While the gameplay mechanics may not be ground-breaking, they serve the story well. The game’s compact length ensures that it doesn’t overstay its welcome, providing a satisfying experience without unnecessary padding. For those interested in the Mafia’s origins, Mafia: The Old Country is a title worth experiencing. Its delicious mix of storytelling, atmosphere, and character development makes it a series standout and a well-deserving recipient of the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
All in all, Whimside is a charming little game that is great for what it is and absolutely delivers on what it promises. The art is adorable, and the sound design is great. While it might not have a ton of content and I would love for some more late-game objectives, it is still a fun little game to have running while you are busy doing other tasks. It is currently on sale for £4.39 until August 21st, and honestly, for that price, it is absolutely worth checking out if this is your kind of genre. All in all, I will be giving Whimside the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
The Fantasy Finds DLC is a great addition to an already great game. People who purchase it will absolutely love what it adds to the game. Two Point Museum: Fantasy Finds DLC receives the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
With the big machines taking to the small screen, you are in for a treat. WWE 2K25 Switch 2 Edition plays incredibly, and that alone is a feat of engineering. Add to it the comparative options and modes, you’re getting a great version of the game. Now, whether £60 is a bit too steep for you to pay, that is a decision for you to make. WWE 2K25 Switch 2 Edition receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
I am a big fan of the original Bee Simulator game. I’ve played it a couple of times on my PlayStation. There’s no doubt this game is a really good way of combining gaming with educational elements without feeling like you’re learning something. When I heard there was going to be a new release with new features, I was really really excited! But in all honesty, Bee Simulator: The Hive didn’t need to be a full release. Whilst it adds some really fun elements, they’re only accessible post-main game and it doesn’t really add all that much. It’s quite difficult to figure out what rating to give it. If you’ve played this game before then realistically I don’t think you’ll be massively impressed. If you’re a brand new player I think it does definitely add something to the base game. The bees keep buzzing and this continues to be a good game, ultimately I just don’t think it’s worth buying the game over again. With that I’ve given Bee Simulator: The Hive the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Ritual of Raven is a delightfully charming game that celebrates the wonders of both the arcane and the feeling of community, infused with the intricacies of coding. Colourful and cosy, it’s perfect for settling down for a quiet night in. Puzzles and conversations could be explored a little more, but with playtime in double figures and a unique take on farming, there’s enough to keep you coming back for more. Thus it receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award, charged under the sun for a vitality boost!
Doctor Life Simulator’s gameplay is terrible and lacks any depth. Meeting the same NPCs and instantly knowing what ailment they had quickly removed all joy. The large amount of bugs made playing the game a struggle with, especially that fourth day game over one! The game comes off as lifeless, and the A.I. voices don’t help at all. I would highly suggest leaving this game out of your backlog. Doctor Life Simulator is a perfect example of why I don’t agree with the use of certain A.I. tools. All you end up with is a hollow game that comes across as a cash grab. Other games I’ve reviewed in the past have minor parts, but this game overuses them. From the trailer to the voices in game, it feels wrong. I think this is the first time I’ll be giving a game the Thumb Culture Broken Award.
Overall, I’d say that Block Factory is just “okay”. The performance issues right from the start were a huge let-down and having to turn the sounds off also wasn’t great for immersion. I also had to restart some levels because of a bug that prevented me from loading into already started maps, which was pretty frustrating. The game can feel very tedious at times. In other similar games, it feels more rewarding to progress, but in this one, you’re just handed more complicated things to tackle with pretty much the same equipment once you reach a certain point. To me, the game is neither here nor there, but also not a complete failure. Ultimately, the game does what it promises, and that’s what matters. If you enjoy simple factory builders, or you like to fiddle with building bricks, you may still want to have a go at it, though I’d suggest getting it on sale, and overall waiting a few updates for them to patch out the stability issues. All that being said, today Block Factory will receive the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
The best way to describe Hungry Meem is rough around the edges. There are a number of great elements of this game that are overshadowed by some smaller issues. Watching time count down to the end of the day whilst the Meems are still struggling to pick up sticks and berries really just ruined the ease of playing the game. Overall this is a decent game but the never ending attempts to eat the different materials as well as the Meems just struggling to gather, regardless of their level, made it a hard experience to enjoy at times. Ultimately this has led me to giving Hungry Meem the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
The King is Watching is a strategic gem hiding behind cute sprites and a duck with nerdy specs. It’s a roguelite builder that dares to do something different, even if that sometimes means being confusing or needlessly punishing. There’s a joy in experimenting within the King’s Gaze; rotating your influence to power a barracks before the goblins crash the gates desperately, and a real sense of satisfaction when a plan comes together. While the lack of a save system and progression hurdles are definite thorns in the crown, Hypnohead still crafted a refreshingly weird and mechanically rich experience. With tinyBuild behind them, we’re hopeful for updates, tweaks, and perhaps a few more ducks. The King Is Watching receives a Thumb Culture Gold Award. A worthy kingdom, ruled with charm, chaos, and just a little quackery.
If you’re looking for an excellent and well-crafted world with small RPG mechanics, then Back to the Dawn is for you. I enjoyed the premise but fell in love with the wide cast of characters and amazing storytelling it offers. Although I botched my first run, taking what new info I had made it more interesting on my second attempt. The dice rolling is fair and offers a great variety of ways to improve them. Making Back to the Dawn is a great game for beginners to the RPG genre. Although there isn’t a lot of choice in-game, I never felt forced down a specific path. For example, having to side with someone to actually survive in the prison. You can keep to yourself and only befriend those you need to. It was great to have the deadline feel way more like a motivator. Rather than it being an actual time-restraint. Gameplay keeps you engaged, but doesn’t force you to do the stuff you hate. Which, for me, was some of the job mini-games. Bonding with the other inmates doesn’t feel like a chore, for filling their rapport bars. It is plain to see that the devs have put a lot of love and passion into Back to the Dawn. With its various Easter eggs and references for you to find. So, in the end, screw trying to bust out of prison. I’m going to need someone to help me out with putting this game down. That’s why I’m giving Back to the Dawn the Thumb Culture Platinum Award. I can’t wait to see what you come up with in the future!