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All in all, the game absolutely nails the cosy, calming vibe it is going for. The core gameplay loop is fun and never really gets repetitive, even as you move through new islands doing basically the same thing as before. I do wish there was a bit more furniture available, but maybe that’s just me. While the price of £14.29 feels a little steep to me, the sheer amount of gameplay you get can make it worthwhile if you enjoy this type of gameplay, and it will probably go on sale eventually, too. Despite a few of its annoying quirks, Twinkleby is a very solid game that delivers what it promises, even if I still really feel like a little more content would have been nice. Here is hoping that some more furniture will be added down the road! But for today, I am giving Twinkleby the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Dicealot is a beautiful paradox: simple to play, yet capable of infuriating complexity the longer you roll. It’s brimming with charm, clever mechanics, and fantastic art direction, even if its repetition eventually dulls the shine. The missing polish around merchants and progression holds it back from true greatness, but when the dice start rolling in your favour, there’s nothing quite like it. It’s the sort of game that’ll have you swearing one minute and cheering the next, a cycle that’s all too easy to get lost in. It may not save Camelot, but it’ll definitely steal your evening. Dicealot gains the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Splatterbot is a fun, while it lasts kind of game. Without much depth to the game modes and maps, it’s always going to be hard to recommend it. However, if you have young children who want a fun game for a short while. It might be exactly what you need. Hopefully, more maps get released and even a difficulty setting for the AI bots, just to make it slightly more challenging. Splatterbot receives the Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
Train Sim World 6 may not lay new rails, but it keeps the journey running smoothly. The new random events and station announcements deepen immersion, while the visuals and audio remain among the best in class. Returning players gain the most from their existing content, but newcomers like me face a bare-bones experience that feels restrictive without extra investment. Dovetail Games shows that familiarity can still deliver a strong experience when executed well, but based on my time with the game, I have to award it the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Galaxy Grove exemplifies building sims well in Town to City. Buildings grow with your town whilst removing some of the annoying limitations that you see in other games. The lack of grid was one of the best things for me, as I hate not having full control over placements. I can’t wait to continue to develop my little town into a sprawling, ugly mass and see what else this game has to offer! Town to City receives a Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Before this review ends, I just want to showcase the amount of work that went into Accessibility. High Contrast mode allows players to customise the colour of the pitch to grey. It also gives options for teams, balls, and referees to be transformed into bold hues, making it easier for visually impaired players to differentiate teammates from opponents. This is the first competitive multiplayer PvP game to offer such a feature. Players can also disable shadows for teams and the stadiums, improving visibility and clarity. EAFC 26 is a well-rounded evolution rather than a revolution. However, bolder change will not occur until the old generation versions are retired. Meanwhile, Authentic Mode brings a more tactical approach, thereby offering fans a deeper, more immersive simulation. In addition, Pro Clubs and goalkeepers see major improvements. Although issues such as Ultimate Team monetisation and repeated trophy designs persist, they are minor blemishes on an otherwise polished experience. Overall, it is a solid, enjoyable entry that will appeal to both newcomers and long-time fans. It not only delivers refined gameplay, but also improvements across each mode, along with accessibility features that set a new standard. For players seeking a tactical, responsive, and visually stunning football experience, EA Sports FC 26 fully deserves the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Katanaut is a great and challenging addition to the roguelite space. However, apart from the setting and faster-paced combat and difficulty level, it doesn’t do much to distinctly separate it from similar titles. It does check that Steam Deck library box for me though and will remain on my deck for some time to come. Definitely deserving of our Thumb Culture Gold Award!
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.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a fun and colourful racer that moves the series forward. The CrossWorld mechanic is a clever twist that keeps races unpredictable and exciting. Handling is smooth, tracks are varied, and the different vehicle types make each race feel unique. The soundtrack and visuals give the game plenty of personality, it isn’t perfect as progression can feel slow and items can sometimes create chaotic moments that feel unfair. Occasional visual bugs appear, but none of these issues stop the core gameplay from being fast, fun, and often thrilling. For fans of the series, there is plenty to enjoy and master. Newcomers will find an entertaining ride that captures the chaos and charm of Sonic. In short, CrossWorlds is bold, refreshing, and full of surprises, making it a standout arcade racing game. It fully deserves the Thumb Culture Gold Award, even if it occasionally drops a few rings along the way.
Mars Attracts is a refreshingly weird take on the park sim genre, equal parts management and dark comedy. It’s clever in premise and satisfying in execution: building the perfect, perverse little martian museum is weirdly rewarding. If you enjoy sims that let you tinker, experiment, and occasionally lose your moral compass for the sake of a high-earning exhibit, this one’s worth a trip to the red planet. Keep your tinfoil hat ready and your research grants closer. Outlier has built a mischievous little game that’s a lot more fun than I really could have imagined. Ack! Ack! I give Mars Attracts the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
To put it simply, Arctic Awakening was really boring. The story does little to improve as the player completes each episode. Never do I feel that Kai is actually bothered by anything going on, but instead he comes off bored himself. With each episode feeling like it gets worse and even when uncovering information, it left me feeling like nothing actually happens. Big government facilities, why are they here? Who cares? What happened here? Ah don’t worry this doesn’t need explaining. The ending plays off like it was added in last minute with even less explanation, especially with the random reveal. This might be due to me not selecting the decoder that translates drones for Alfie, but nothing really gets expanded on, and that annoys me. On the gameplay side, it’s what you’d expect of a walking sim, but only thanks to a good few moments such as the cliff climbing or elevators. Even then I would be forced to replay a scene as Kai wouldn’t be able to move. Another large bug I came across was me finding a massive area you could fall through. In fact you saw it in the gif in the previous section of this review. This wasn’t just a small layer issue. This bug causes the player to fall to a later segment of the game and then become stuck. Which doesn’t exactly make you want to continue playing. In the end Arctic Awakening suffers with a dull story, one-dimensional characters, and dragged out scenes. So it’s the Thumb Culture Bronze Award from me.
Frostpunk 2 feels like a true sequel to the first game. Although the basic mechanics aren’t too different, it’s bigger and more complex, albeit at the expense of the more personal feel of Frostpunk. It can be unforgiving and cruel, and may leave you feeling like an evil doer at times, but this gripping strategy title is definitely one to play. So, with all that said, Frostpunk 2 is getting a much deserved Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Class of Heroes 3 is a curious relic: part love letter to classic dungeon crawlers, part frustrating reminder of how far the genre has come. Its charming art, rocking battle themes, and customisable teams are offset by stiff character portraits, clumsy movement, punishing restarts, and quest design that borders on opaque. For seasoned JRPG fans who relish grind, strategy, and a taste of Japanese gaming history, this remaster is worth a cautious enrolment. For newcomers or those expecting modern conveniences, consider auditing rather than committing to a full-time schedule.
Discounty is one of those games where you can easily lose a few hours just by repeating the supermarket mechanics. I have adored this game, from the start of my time with it and I’ll continue to enjoy it even after writing this review. I’m always looking to up my stats. Discounty gets the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Gears of War: Reloaded walks a fine line between simply honouring an old-school horror shooter and making a video game worthy of modern gaming. The game aims high and could quite possibly be one of the best remasters I’ve ever played. Sure, nostalgia hits hard, and this review is slightly biased, but game developers The Coalition created something special here. They have left the classic duck-cover-shoot combat system intact, while greatly improving the game’s graphics. Sharper visuals, smoother controls, and a higher frame rate all make it feel like a modern game without losing its brutal, rugged, gory, dystopian, old-school soul. Gears of War: Reloaded is worthy of Thumb Culture’s Gold 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.