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Planet Zoo 2 has some good ideas, and the addition of aquariums, flying birds and wildlife reserves gives you more ways to build the zoo you have always wanted. The improved animal behaviour and presentation are welcome, and there is still something rather satisfying about watching a zoo grow from a few basic enclosures into a busy attraction. My main concern is that the sequel doesn’t change the formula quite as much as some people might hope. A lot of the familiar management is still here, and while that will be perfectly fine for fans of the original, it might not be enough to convince everyone to make the jump. There is also the question of all that extra content available in the first game. If you have already spent years building up your collection, it is worth considering what you might be leaving behind. For newcomers, though, there is plenty to enjoy. It is creative, surprisingly absorbing and occasionally frustrating, but that is all part of the experience. You just need to accept that things won’t always go to plan, no matter how carefully you have laid everything out. Planet Zoo 2 builds on a solid foundation and gives us some interesting new ways to play. I would have liked a few more changes to the everyday management, but there is still plenty of fun to be had here. Just remember to keep an eye on your finances, make sure the animals are happy and, for goodness sake, build enough toilets. There is nothing worse than having a beautiful zoo that nobody wants to visit because they are all desperate for a wee! I give Planet Zoo 2 the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Neon Abyss 2 is a massive step up in scale and intensity. It’s a loud, frantic, and occasionally overwhelming experience that rewards adaptability over rigid planning. If you can handle the chaos and enjoy the dance of managing RNG, it’s a highly addictive roguelite deserving of the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
It was a genuine joy to be able to recapture a small part of my youth by playing Toy Story 3: Complete Edition. I never would have guessed that, 16 years after the original release, I’d still be this charmed by a movie tie-in game for children. If you’re looking for a nostalgia hit, or perhaps have little ones of your own now, then this is an easy recommendation! With all that being said, I’ll be giving Toy Story 3: Complete Edition the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Stupid Never Dies is by far a great game to play. For GPTRACK50 Inc‘s first game, they hit it out of the park. This game was something that I felt the gaming industry has been slightly doing but too afraid to do themselves. Yet, we have a game whose personality is everywhere and there is almost no limit to what we can do. If this is what we should expect from them, I can’t wait what their next game is going to be like. I give Stupid Never Dies the Thumb Culture Platinum Award
We Were Here Tomorrow is an excellent continuation of the series. The puzzles are not too hard or not too easy, but just right. Exploring around the area and finding pictures of people’s pets and adorable doodles around the place is adorable as always. Honestly, the whole game has a unique charm that not a lot of games these days have. So, I recommend you grab someone you really enjoy playing with, schedule a whole day for just you two and have a fun time. I give We Were Here Tomorrow the Thumb Culture Platinum Award
Urban Games have hit the ball out of the park again. Having said that, when the previous pitch was knocked out of the park, it does make it easier. There is no question that Transport Fever 3 is a fantastic game; there are a few issues, but once you are aware of them, they are no longer issues. I sit here finishing this review with eyes half open and caffeine very close. I think that speaks volumes about what I think of my experience of playing. Transport Fever 3 did unfortunately leave me wanting more though. The good news for Urban Games is that it was for more hours in the day. I give Transport Fever 3 the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Ratatan is really a blast to play and a great tool for people to dip their toes into Rhythm games. It’s user friendly and there isn’t a huge learning curve to jump on in. Which is great, and I would definitely recommend this for beginners. One thing I would also point out, the steam page states it’s not compatible/supported on the Steam Deck. However, I’m here to tell you I played it entirely on the Steam Deck with no issues. Now go out there and Ratatan the world! I give Ratatan the Thumb Culture Gold Award
I had a lot of fun with BeamNG.drive, but it definitely has its issues. Limitations of both the console and the controller, as well as no mods, make this an inferior version of its PC counterpart. That said, this is definitely a game I will jump back into every now and then to play around with. Great for a quick gaming session when you just don’t want to commit to something for more than an hour or so. One I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on for future updates, and that inevitable 1.0 release. Therefore, I’ll be giving BeamNG.drive the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is by far a great comeback for Konami to bring back the series. After having the great Castlevania anime series, just getting the game is great! I was on edge thinking this would be something subpar or meek. But, man am I glad this proves me wrong in more ways than one. This is a great game respecting the classics and growing the story from there. I’m hoping for more of this from Evil Empire in the future or any Metroidvania projects they have in store for us. I give Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse the Thumb Culture Platinum Award
In a world where developers are happy to slap an £80 price tag on a new release, it was a breath of fresh air to see that Hellraiser: Revival was launching for £34.99. I really did enjoy Revival once it got into the story. It felt like it took a while to ctually get to the Hellraiser of it all. Even with the slight tutorial to the box at the very begining of the game it felt slow. Ultimately, Hellraiser: Revival is a really really good game and, as mentioned, I fully intend on getting that platinum trophy. I’m giving Hellraiser: Revival the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Toy Story: Retro Roundup is a thoughtful collection that preserves an important piece of gaming history. Digital Eclipse combines classic games with modern accessibility features, visual options and impressive behind-the-scenes material. However, these games aren’t flawless classics. Instead, this collection celebrates over 30 years of Toy Story gaming. Furthermore, its release seems perfectly timed to coincide with the fifth film’s home release. So whether you’re revisiting these titles or discovering them for the first time, there’s plenty to appreciate. For its historical value, thoughtful features and celebration of the franchise, Toy Story: Retro Roundup earns the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Dupery is a really cool take on the roguelike genre which I, personally, have never seen before. Even though it was really difficult and made me feel a little bit stupid I really did enjoy every moment of the game. Dupery easily deserves the Thumb Culture Gold Awards. Gilded Runes Games have done it again with this new game launch. If you’re a fan of puzzle games and love the repetitive nature of roguelikes then you should definitely add Dupery to your library!
Sunken Realm is slightly more robust than some of the more simple roguelites I’ve reviewed. But it could still have room for improvement. Thankfully Magic Puncher Games is keeping an eye on community feedback and adjusting accordingly. Though it’s not technically in early access, I would consider it more of a soft launch with ongoing improvement. With where it is now, its core is still solid enough to earn the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve really impressed me. Although some of the missions were duds, and the multiplayer is a little light on modes, this is air combat at its best. Fluid controls, incredible visuals, and one hell of a campaign make this a game I can easily recommend. If you’ve been clamouring for something in the air combat genre, then you need look no further! With all that said, I’ll be giving Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Dressmaker is a wonderful cozy game that offers a whole lot of gameplay for a relatively low price point. Whilst the gameplay did get a little bit repetitive for me, I can’t deny that this is a game made purely with love. I really did enjoy playing this game and I probably will go back to every so often when I want to switch off. Dressmaker has definitely earned the Thumb Culture Gold Award and I think this will be the perfect addition to any cosy gaming fan’s library.
For me, though, there is something a little more personal about this one. At 18, I was struggling to get the original running properly on a PC that simply wasn’t powerful enough. At 46, I can finally revisit it without spending half my evening adjusting settings and wondering whether my computer is about to give up the ghost. Much like my recent trip back to Alien Breed, this is another reminder of just how much gaming has changed and how much fun those older titles can still provide. The difference is that this time, my hardware isn’t the enemy. If you grew up playing PC shooters in the nineties, SiN Reloaded is well worth a look. And if you missed it the first time around, you’ve now got the chance to discover a piece of gaming history without needing to blow your wages on a new processor. Now, if someone could just remaster my reflexes from 1998, we’d really be onto something! I give SiN Reloaded the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Active Matter at its core is unique extraction shooter with a solid foundation. It is fairly unforgiving to the average solo player and I feel is likely best with friends. Getting started can be a bit overwhelming with the amount of min-maxing available and the overall layout of loading into a match. Thankfully, there are some guides around to help out new players. There is a lot of detail thrown into the game. However, it was just very jarring to encounter the AI voice. Especially when she keeps repeating the same lines over and over rather than talking conversationally. So not the best game I’ve ever had the chance to review, but certainly not the worst. It’s one of those niche things that earns a Thumb Culture Silver Award.
DYNASTY WARRIORS 3: Complete Edition Remastered is a very good remaster for a game I loved as a child. Will more modern gamers like it as much as us older ones? Possibly, as there is undeniably a lot of fun to be had in hacking and slashing your way through entire armies! It can and will get repetitive, characters don’t play all that differently from one another, and the voice acting is dire, but it perfectly encapsulates that classic Dynasty Warriors feeling. For a 25-year-old game, I’m actually surprised at how well it holds up. The improvements to the mechanics are minimal, but still welcome changes that modernise the gameplay. A game I’d highly recommend, especially for PS2/Xbox players who want a lovingly recreated hit of nostalgia. Therefore, DYNASTY WARRIORS 3: Complete Edition Remastered receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Hot Wheels Infinite Rush is a great addition to the Hot Wheels franchise. Taking this to the open world gives it a great change to the normal system. With all the cars that are recognisable in the game, featuring Bone Shaker, Dragon Blaster and even Duck N’ Roll. Each one looks like it’s come straight out of the blister pack. Hot Wheels Infinite Rush receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection is exactly the sort of release that reminds you why preserving old games matters. Yes, the graphics are ancient. Yes, some of the controls and gameplay mechanics feel dated. Yes, younger gamers who have grown up with modern shooters may wonder why anyone would willingly play a game with CRT effects on their monitor screen. But that’s not really what this collection is about. It’s about remembering! 35 years after Alien Breed first appeared, it’s quite something to be sitting here playing it again. The developers have done a good job of adding modern conveniences without completely messing with what made the originals special. Modern controls, save states, visual options, online multiplayer and new modes make the games much easier to enjoy today, while the original versions remain at the heart of the package. You start the game, hear those familiar sounds, see those chunky pixels and suddenly you’re 15 again, except now your knees hurt. Instead of worrying about whether your mum is going to tell you to turn the computer off, you’re worrying about paying your mortgage. Alien Breed might be 35 years old, but the little bugger still knows how to make you smile. For old-school gamers who remember the Amiga era, the Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection is a genuinely enjoyable trip down memory lane and a great reminder of just how much fun games could be before everything needed a 100GB installation. You don’t find yourself needing to source a new M.2 drive to play this! I give Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection the Thumb Culture Platinum Award!