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Kazuma Kaneko’s Tsukuyomi is a game that you can play if you want to see some redesigns for certain demons and gods. However, playing it has small issues that the AI issue alone is to blame. The map in-game is another enemy you wouldn’t think is against you until you reach a split path. Sometimes, you’ll have a good look at what lies ahead. While another you can only see two lines, but no idea which path carries more benefits. With that in mind, I feel this game is just a play until you get to the end and never touch again. This game has a lot of potential, but some of it even in this remake did not achieve the top floor, but only the middle. I give Kazuma Kaneko’s Tsukuyomi the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
Hacked: The Streamer is a valiant effort by a new team, but it unfortunately falls flat. The narrative is convoluted and uninteresting. Gameplay is minimal and borderline unnecessary. And the game deliberately hides its actors, the most important part of an FMV game, behind Discord calls and AI art. There are signs of an interesting premise, but the delivery is wholly lacking. That’s harsh criticism, I know, but that’s because I can see the glittering of a solid game beneath all the ugly rubble. May this be a learning experience, and may their next project be an improvement. I give Hacked: The Streamer the Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
Pragmata has made me remember the joys of raising my nephew and then making a person like me want to raise a child of my own. This game like God of War, The Last of Us! and The Witcher 3 has the same element of storytelling. That family is important, and that when raising them to cherish their time and growth. I enjoyed this game and would be surprised if there was ever some kind of sequel that came out of it. If I had anything to grip about when it comes to the game, it would be the lack of fast travel. Sure you can go from the shelter to the any accessible you’ve unlocked. But the fact you can’t go between one ladder location to another from it is pretty insane. I give Pragmata the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
So where does Adorable Adventures rank in my games I’ve played this year. I’ll be honest, right at the top. Its been a lovely change of pace, something calm and explorative. Something that leaves a smile on my face, something that draws me back to play more. With so many cute little moments that I think will stay with me, its a wonderful story that is simply perfection. Adorable Adventures gets the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
The Spell Brigade is a surprising game to come across our board to review and I’m glad I picked it. It’s a fun survivor game to pick up and invite others to play with. If you have a controller, this game allows people to use either control stick. You don’t need to explain yourself, just know you have the option to make that choice. So pick up a copy and see if you get assistance from a celestial wizard like myself popping in to rid the forces of Cthulhu. Or you can do it yourself. I give The Spell Brigade the Thumb Culture Platinum Award
Whirlight: No Time To Trip is a brilliant little adventure game that feels like a genuine love letter to classic point-and-click titles without relying purely on nostalgia to carry it. The puzzles are clever, the writing is funny, the characters are genuinely lovable, and the presentation is fantastic from start to finish. More importantly, it’s just consistently enjoyable to play. Even when I got stuck on a puzzle, I still wanted to keep exploring the world and spending time with the characters. ImaginaryLab has clearly put a huge amount of care into this game, and it shows in every part of the experience. From the detailed environments to the sharp dialogue and inventive puzzle design, everything feels crafted with real passion. If you’re a fan of classic adventure games, this is an easy recommendation. And honestly, even if you’re normally not into point-and-click titles, Whirlight might still surprise you. It’s funny, charming, weird in all the right ways, and most importantly, it remembers that games are supposed to be fun. I give Whirlight: No Time To Trip the Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
Overall, I am quietly impressed with how the series continues to improve. While I think that the breaking system has changed, and not for the better, there is plenty to admire. This is definitely a game I see myself playing for a while, and I am excited to continue playing past this review. Based on everything I have spoken about within this review, I will be awarding MOTOGP 26 with the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
As I mentioned earlier, I did enjoy Bus Bound for a time. Eventually, though, there was less and less for me to do besides heading out on the road and picking up passengers. Sure, it makes sense that that should be the main focus of a bus simulator, but I would have liked a more in-depth sim to keep me engaged. However, for the budget-friendly price of £24.99, there’s quite a lot of fun to be had. Depending on what you’d call fun, of course… It looks great, the performance is smooth throughout, and it’s just a pretty laid-back simulator that doesn’t overwhelm players with too much. Therefore, Bus Bound receives the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
The Third Shift is a pretty solid horror game. The gameplay loop is simple but enjoyable, and I found myself mostly invested in the story. The graphical style lends itself well to the horror, and the soundtrack is decent. Finally, while short, it doesn’t overstay its welcome and has quite a lot to see in repeat playthroughs. I have to say, as much as I enjoyed The Third Shift, I didn’t find it too scary. There were a couple of solid jumpscares, and the atmosphere was fantastic, but I didn’t feel much looming dread outside of the worry that I’d fail the final minigame and have to redo the fight. Even so, I really enjoyed my time with it, and I’m sure plenty of people would find it more frightening than me. If you’re looking for a solid spooky time for a free weekend I’d suggest you give it a shot. I’m happy to award The Third Shift the Thumb Culture Gold Award and my recommendation.
Bring me back to my childhood by letting me build the most ridiculous and deadly vehicles I can. Then keep me engaged by turning it into a bullet hell roguelite? If this sounds good to you, then TerraTech Legion is right up your alley too. With vehicular combat at breakneck speed, simple progression and endless builds, this one is another Thumb Culture Platinum Award in my book!
Despite the confusing start and my lack of knowledge when it comes to Slavic folklore, The End of the Sun was a pretty interesting journey. That said, it isn’t without its issues. The lack of actual puzzles harms the game the most, with most simply being basic fetch quests. Coupled with the story that doesn’t reach the emotional heights I was expecting and the poor graphical performance, The End of the Sun is an interesting, if flawed, experience. Therefore, The End of the Sun receives the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
I have, unironcially, been waiting for a horse game that rivals the 2003 PS2 classic Barbie Horse Adventures and nothing has ever quite hit the spot. Rival Stars Horse Racing might be the closest I’ll ever get to that level of perfection. In all seriousness, I really do enjoy this game and I know I’m going to be playing it for a long time. It’s easy to play, it’s entertaining and is everything I want from a horse racing sim. I’ve got no choice really other than to give Rival Stars Horse Racing the Thumb Culture Platinum Award. It’s a fun game from beginning to unofficial end. I can’t wait to sink even more time into it.
Personally, Rumbral feels like it’s trying to be a little too gentle with the players. It relies heavily on curiosity and trusts the player to put the work in. For some it would definitely work but it just feels like there isn’t enough substance to push that curiosity further. There is a focus on the lonely feeling but the game isn’t long enough to make the most of it. The part I keep getting stuck on as well is that you can rush through this game in 45 minutes but it still has the £12.99 price tag. In the grand scheme of things that isn’t a lot, especially when AAA games are charge £70 for 8 hours. However, the lack of replayability doesn’t do it any favours. Ultimately, I’ve given Rumbral the Thumb Culture Bronze Award. This isn’t a bad game, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations.
Global Rescue is a triumph of “Local Scale” gaming. PeDePe GbR has managed to take the technical wizardry of real-world map integration and turn it into a compelling, often hilarious management sim. Is it perfect? No. The traffic AI sometimes has the spatial awareness of a goldfish, and the UI can feel a bit cluttered at times. But the thrill of seeing your own streets used as a digital playground is unmatched in the genre. If you have ever wanted to be the hero of your own high street (or just want to see a police chase end in a drive-thru), this is an absolute must-play. Just do not expect a Happy Meal if you end up in the Folkestone lock-up. I award Global Rescue the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
This version of ICARUS just isn’t for me. Hopefully things will improve over time for the console port. The game looks great and like it probably has a lot of enjoyable things in it, but the awkward controls, interface, and failure to just naturally feel playable on the console aren’t going to keep me around. ICARUS on PS5 is going to be a Thumb Culture Bronze Award from me.
Blades, Bows and Magic is a simple card battler that understands how to make a small ruleset feel readable and occasionally clever. Its best card abilities create the kind of sneaky reversals that make you grin, and its straightforward design makes it very easy to pick up. On the Other hand, the lack of real deckbuilding leaves the whole thing feeling lighter than it should. You can read the board, spot the threat, and understand the counter, but you cannot always shape the outcome satisfactorily. That makes the strategy feel reactive rather than authored. Still, there is something quietly likeable about it. Not flashy, not especially rich, but tidy, mischievous, and easy to grasp. Blades, Bows and Magic know exactly what sort of game it wants to be. It just does not always give the player enough say. Blades, Bows and Magic gets the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Aphelion is a gripping tale about two people, not just about surviving on an alien world, but also reuniting with each other. Although some players may find the gameplay too basic, those who love a good story will find themselves hooked from beginning to end. DON’T NOD have once again shown that they are masters when it comes to engaging narratives. So, with all that said, Aphelion receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
I enjoy the concept however, I felt that most of my time was spent too much messing around with roads and the turn-styles. With one glaring issue being setting rules for Humus’ to enter specific paths, but you aren’t able to actually stop them from entering your desired building. Well not without creating even more complicated routes. Being able to switch between both the Overworld and Underworld is interesting, but I wish there was a lot more to interact with in the Overworld. Like, actually moving the Humus to look around. Sintopia can feel rather slow at times, especially when starting out a new world. But when it does get going it is enjoyable. There is a learning curve, that I usually struggle with when it comes to these types of games. And this time it is the aforementioned roads and pathways, so that I can separate Humus better when needing to cure specific sins. So I will be giving Sintopia the Thumb Silver Award. This is a game that you will need to have a little bit of patience with.
First and foremost, Replaced is stunning to say the least, but what it does in visuals, it heavily disappoints in gameplay. Most of the players time is spent running through large corridors or vents that seem to go on, and on until R.e.a.c.h. drops into a swarm of enemies. Tie that with the constant avoid the spotlight segments and the whole game just tends to drag on. With some chapters being needlessly long or some too short and just padded for no reason. The best examples of this are chapters 2, 4, and 6. When it comes to chapter 2 and 4, R.e.a.c.h. is at the Station and here he can do exactly 2 side quests in each. But to go as far as have the whole area as a chapter seems odd. Chapter 6 however, go on for too long for only a slight sniff of story to be actually meaningful in the last couple of areas. There is a lot that could have been cut down. On the actual combat side of things, it flows okay, but nothing we haven’t seen before. It is mainly there to break up the abundance of running and platforming. It feels as if the story suffers the most in all this, with anything meaningful actually happening until the end of chapter 6 out of 10. I am giving Replaced the Thumb Culture Silver Award. Because Although the visuals are beautiful, it really gets destroyed by the boring and repetitive gameplay.
I enjoyed my time with Crime Simulator. Mostly… Whilst it’s undeniably better with friends, the solo experience grew tiresome after around 10 hours. If you can grab three other people, then this is absolutely a game worth looking into for some chaotic fun. If you’re strictly single player, then it’s harder to recommend. It can be satisfying to learn from your mistakes and pull off flawless heists, but as I said, it can get repetitive after a while. For those reasons, I’ll be awarding Crime Simulator the Thumb Culture Silver Award!