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Mortal Shell 2 is an excellent game that creates its own identity, despite technically qualifying as a Soulslike. Since it doesn’t require any knowledge of the original, it isn’t a stretch to say that jumping directly into Mortal Shell 2 is the way to go for newcomers. The developer’s still releasing updates to tweak the difficulty and fix some graphical issues, but the game is still a blast to play through. It’s for this reason that I give it the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
If you already own EVERSPACE 2 on PC, PS5 or Xbox and are happy playing it there, I wouldn’t suggest buying it again purely for the graphics. But if you’re someone who loves the idea of being able to pick up a game like this and play it anywhere, the Switch 2 version makes a very convincing argument for itself. For me, that’s the biggest achievement here. EVERSPACE 2: Galactic Edition is a big, ambitious space RPG that really shouldn’t feel this comfortable running on a handheld. Yet somehow it does. I am so impressed that I’m giving it the Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
At its heart Meat Grinder is just a simple simulator with just a pinch of darkness to it. But the story wasn’t too bad, although it is really just at the beginning and end. I had fun serving the customers, but wish there were more upgrades or something to actually work towards. Or maybe some hidden lore/secrets to uncover, the room is there. All in all though it’s a fun game, so I’m giving it the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
It’s worth mentioning that Weird Beluga is a small development team. The amount of passion and effort that has gone into Duskfade is clear from the offset. It’s a callback to the (in my opinion) greatest gaming generation in the best possible way. Importantly, though, it still feels like a modern title. Despite the combat being a bit on the simple side and the opening hour’s worth of story being a bit all over the place, Duskfade is a game well worth playing. Especially if you’re a fan of the PS2 era! Therefore, Duskfade receives a timely ThumbCulture Gold Award!
Yellowcreek Stories: The Cabin Watcher doesn’t do well when trying to build suspense. After the initial first couple of tasks, everything just moves so fast. Hell, even the killer does not do what the title says and even “watch” the cabin. He just goes for it. The price tag seems a little steep for something that isn’t even an hour long. So I’m going to give Yellowcreek Stories: The Cabin Watcher, the Thumb Culture Bronze Award. If it is a first episode, it wasn’t one that pulled me in.
The Sinking City 2 impressed me immensely. I was unsure at first if I’d like the drastic change in gameplay, but those uncertainties were quickly put to rest. If you’re a fan of Lovecraftian horror, or horror games in general, this is definitely worth a look. Frogwares have stepped out of their comfort zone with this title, and the gamble has definitely paid off! Therefore, The Sinking City 2 receives the ThumbCulture Gold Award!
ReStory is a cosy game that takes cosy to the next level. It’s easy to get into, and it’s easy to pass the time with. It creates that itch where you spend your day thinking about it and can’t wait to get back to it. Giving ReStory the Platinum Thumb Culture Award was an easy decision to make. I’ll be playing this game for the foreseeable future, and I’m sure I’ll keep going back to it as my fallback game when I can’t decide what to play.
I absolutely loved Twisted Towers; the level design was fun, although not too crazy, and the gunplay worked well. Sadly, the story was rather obvious with its plot, but boy, the little twist at the end made me laugh. No real twist with the story, just a snippet of dialogue that took me by surprise. The decent amount of weapons are all good to use; however, some do tend to shine more than others. The pistol felt underpowered at the get-go. I wasn’t sure if BioShock played a part in some of the design and music choices. But it gave me that feeling, and I loved it. Only suggestions are maybe a tad more detail in the environments and more enemy types. Twisted Towers is fast action, fun, and short, making it worth another playthrough with all your gear. So I am giving the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Although the game is simple by design, you will have a blast with swapping modifiers and creating your ideal spinner. The mouse-only control makes it a lot easier, and once you’ve played a couple of runs, you get used to it rather quickly. Battles are fast and enjoyable, and the flow of the game never left me bored, adding even more fun to the classic Beyblade-style. I’d highly suggest picking up Slayblade for how good of a time killer it is. So I’m going to be giving it the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
It’s rare that a life sim keeps you engrossed as a game and also makes you want to see it turned into a show. Lou’s Lagoon taps into those warm nostalgic fuzzies of simpler times with cosy crafting and exciting adventures. The world is vibrant and enticing, the characters are full of heart, and the gameplay elements have you hooked from the get-go. It more than earns the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Dodo Duckie is a great debut title from the studio. I’m not usually a fan of playing platformers on my PC, but I had a surprising blast here, even if it was short. I can’t wait to see what the developers bring to the table next, because I’ll definitely be giving it a shot. It’s for this reason that I give it the Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
Project P.I.T.T is more on the slow burner side when it comes to its gameplay. It was interesting at first, but I just felt as if you don’t get rewarded at a steady pace. At the point of this review I had only reached the second item and that was the cash register, and this was fully upgraded. I was expecting horror vibes to gradually build as well, but sadly I was mistaken on this side too. A couple of issues I would like to point out, the physics are at times unpredictable causing some of my fans to launch stuff randomly. At first, they were being knocked out of place by the rumbas you are able to get. But I locked them in place and still had the same results. Panels can get stuck when accidentally clashing with one another. Project P.I.T.T isn’t a bad game and does well if you wish to take your time, so it’s getting the Thumb Culture Silver Award. For me, it was just too grindy, and making the constructs was such a pain.
As much as I wanted to give this game a Platinum Award, it just doesn’t deserve it in my honest opinion. This was supposed to be an easy home run for Halo Studios and Xbox Game Studios. This game was supposed to entice new players on the PS5. I’m not convinced it does much more than cater to its home base. Despite my harsh criticism, Halo: Campaign Evolved is challenging, gorgeous, fun, nostalgic, and most importantly, incredibly replayable. It is for this reason that I give Halo: Campaign Evolved The Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Gameplay is bog-standard, and if you don’t mind walking with minor interactions then you will be good. Story-wise, I think Nightmare Shift could have been a little better. Mainly with dropping better hints as to what might be going on or building up on some events. I would have replayed the last couple of chapters but for some reason the chapter select reset. Which is a shame as the game is a really easy platinum. So in the end Nightmare Shift is okay, but nothing stood out and the horror was eh. It’s the Thumb Culture Silver Award. One more thing to mention is that the start of the game does have a lot of flashing images so be wary.
I’m pretty sure at this point I should just name my Steam Deck the Roguelite Deck. Yet Another Zombie Survivors will likely join the ranks of others that have taken up permanent residence there. It features depth, design and gameplay just unique enough to make it stand apart from its peers. I’m looking forward to continuing to unlock and progress through the various modes over time. I don’t think I could give its 1.0 release anything less than the Thumb Culture Platinum Reward!
Zombutcher really is a little diamond that I didn’t expect to find. Yes it has its quirks and some minor issues but it really feels like a one of a kind game. I have had a wonderful time testing this game out and will be continuing to play it. I’ve got to give Zombutcher the Thumb Culture Gold Award. It’s a shop sim like I’ve never experienced before.
Cultic is one of the best modern retro shooters available on PS5 right now in my opinion. It’s stylish, brutal, atmospheric, and endlessly fun. If you enjoy fast shooters with horror vibes and clever level design, this is a must‑play. The joy I felt shooting through the levels and thinking of new ways to play was incredible. The amount of tools you are given at your disposal to wreck havoc on the cult members felt truly executed to perfection. Full pun intended. With all this in mind I am happy to be awarding Cultic the Thumb Culture Platinum Award. Don’t hold back and get this game for yourself. You’ll thank me later!
I mentioned that this game reminds me of Papers, Please and if you enjoyed that game, then pick this up. It has really great game mechanics and the changing of the rules keep you on your toes. At first my attention felt split for just understanding the new items and looking at the time. But, once you get a rhythm to bounce on, you can blaze through shifts like butter. It’s fun, creative and some of the surprises you’re exposed to are rather enjoyable. I give Security 51 the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
As far as games go for killing time Toy Shop Tidy up isn’t too bad. The game runs smooth, and the only glitch I had was more of a fun one, where I launched through the ceiling and noticed some flying books. Besides not being able to oddly find one plush – if it clipped through the floor, who knows – I finished the game. So it really depends if the restocking and organizing toys is your kinda thing, but overall not bad. Here’s the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
The Caribou Trail is a powerful, atmospheric WWI narrative experience with minimal gameplay but exceptional emotional depth. Its slow pace and repetitive tasks are intentional, serving the story rather than traditional game design. This may not be for everyone, but I sure enjoyed my time with it! If you value immersion and character drama over action, it’s a memorable and meaningful journey. With this in mind, I’ll be awarding The Caribou Trail a Thumb Culture Gold Award! Hopefully we see more from these developers going forward!