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There’s something curiously promising about The Book of Aaru. The concept is fantastic—a cursed feline in a techno, mythic Egyptian underworld with destructible tombs and time, manipulating combat. It should work. But for now, it’s buried under a tombstone of glitches, clunky design, and uninspired combat. The charm of the setting and music can only carry it so far. Roguelites thrive on tight gameplay loops, juicy upgrades, and a reason to keep returning. Sadly, The Book of Aaru fumbles on almost every count. Hopefully, future patches can resuscitate this title and grant it the nine lives it deserves. Until then, it’s a fascinating but broken relic. The Book of Aaru gets the Thumb Culture Bronze Award
Set in a whimsical world full of flippable levels, sentient craft supplies and chirpy companions, PaperKlay wears its inspirations proudly. With music composed by Banjo-Kazooie’s Grant Kirkhope and a distinctly Paper Mario-meets-crochet-dollhouse art style, it’s a game that will tug at the nostalgia strings for anyone who grew up with platformers or enjoys games bursting with charm. PaperKlay is not a perfect platformer, and it’s not trying to be. It’s charming, heartfelt and full of personality. The lack of a tutorial and the soft-focus story might throw some players off, but the humour, visual creativity and brilliant soundtrack more than make up for it. What truly sets PaperKlay apart is its dedication to a distinctive visual identity. In a sea of photorealistic AAA titles, it is refreshing, even brilliant, to play something that looks like it was made by a particularly artistic goblin on a crafting binge. There’s something special about games that feel like someone truly enjoyed making them, and this feels like one of those. It’s silly, warm and just the right amount of strange. If you’re after something relaxing, with soul and silliness, PaperKlay is well worth unfolding. PaperKlay gets the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Even though the game’s story wasn’t super long, I still had a really great time playing it. The graphic style is adorable, the gameplay is fun, and the characters are charming and cute. I genuinely enjoyed helping them out and just exploring the island in general. While I do think the story could have been a tiny bit longer, it is still a solid game that delivers exactly what it promises. It absolutely made my evening and I had a blast playing it. I am very happy to present Kity Builder with the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Zombie Cure Lab is a relatively enjoyable title, but with some issues. Going from having nothing to do one minute to being inundated with alerts and text pop-ups the next makes gameplay feel disjointed. That said, there are some well-thought-out, deep mechanics that fans of the genre will relish. Although the PlayStation 5 version is playable, this is perhaps best suited for PC gamers. Taking all of that into account, Zombie Cure Lab gets the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
If you’re returning to Yakuza 0 after the previous console versions, I’m not sure whether there’s enough here to hold your interest. Most of the new additions are welcome, but having the QTE events mapped to the Nintendo B, A buttons might be enough for you to walk away. That said, for newcomers, Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is a logical place to start. The disadvantage is that progressing further in the series will feel like a step into the Stone Age, even if you play the ‘Kiwami’ remasters. As a man who has weathered every entry in this series, I would still recommend Yakuza: Like A Dragon over this. It’s a turn-based RPG with different fighting mechanics, but it feels modern, has heaps of charisma, and a far better localisation. That said, when taken alone, Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is a slice of genius. A must-play, even if its hair is going a bit grey, and it audibly groans when getting up off the sofa. An oldie, but still a winner of the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
My only real complaint about Trash Goblin is the mechanic of selling to the Strangers (non-named characters). As I mentioned above, I almost never had something someone wanted. It would have been great if players could have placed stock, similar to Moonlighter or Amber Isle. Although the market you’re able to go to does help with this issue a little. Any minor bug issues I did encounter during my playthrough were all in relation to the trinket bag, and they were sorted easily by a reload of the game. Overall, Trash Goblin succeeds in being a casual game. Its gameplay is fun, simple, all while letting you go at your own pace. I confess there weren’t a lot of characters I liked, but on the other hand, there weren’t any I hated either. Which for me adds to the whole running a store vibe. I award Trash Goblin the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Date Everything! is certainly unique in its premise. I genuinely wonder how someone even came up with the idea. However, I’m glad they did! Whilst the idea of trying to date your furniture is not for everyone, it is certainly worth trying out the game. The quirkiness of the game really draws you in. While the premise of it seems silly, there is a lot of love poured into the game. Making it a very fun sandbox dating simulator. People should certainly give Date Date Everything! a go, it is definitely worthy of the rare Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Ghost Town is one of the most accomplished VR experiences that I have had. Bringing incredible storytelling, with great graphics, and then delivering it in an experience that will blow you away. Easily Ghost Town receives the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Ghost Frequency has left me feeling a bit conflicted in all honestly. I love the concept and the build up to the end of the game. I thought the atmosphere was amazing and the audio only enhances an already spooky experience. This game was set up to give so much more and if it went from case to case it would have definitely received a higher rating. By all means, Ghost Frequency is still a good game to pick up however it falls short on fully establishing itself as a ghost hunting contender in an already saturated genre. You also can’t beat the amount of game that you get when the price point is so low and affordable. Ghost Frequency gets the Thumb Culture Silver Award from me, and I look forward to seeing what the developers bring out next!
It’s a shame, really. This game had a lot of potential but nothing has been done with it. If anything, it feels more like a prove of concept rather than a full proper game. It feels rushed. It’s short. There is barely anything to do. While it looks cute, it just feels so very barren. It also appears that there will be paid DLC in the future, as there is an Extras menu that links you to the eShop, though I can not seem to find what it is going to be or whether it will me cosmetic only or add content to the game. I’m sorry, I just do not feel comfortable giving this game a rating. If you want to get the game, please look at some gameplay videos first. Even on sale, this one would be a hard pass from me.
1f y0u’re a gh0st ca11 me here! is high on tropes and text, but the actual game within is curiously alluring. If you are a fan of visual novels with a splash of innovation, you will enjoy the calm of the story elements versus the storm of incoming calls. To coin an appropriate cliché, it’s a game of two halves that balance each other out into a fun-filled few minutes. 1f y0u’re a gh0st ca11 me here! is a deserving winner of the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
Nice Day for Fishing is a unique take on an RPG revolving around, you guessed it, fishing! The interesting battle mechanics and humorous dialogue go a long way in creating an enjoyable game that fans of VLDL will love. Yet, even if you aren’t a fan, this is still a fun, if repetitive, title that will undoubtably make you crack a smile. For these reasons, I’m giving Nice Day for Fishing a Thumb Culture Gold Award!
At first, I thought that ELDEN RING with roguelite elements sounds like a huge drag. But getting to try the playtest events and getting to play the full game completely proved me wrong. The way FromSoftware thought up this idea to mix these two different genres to make such an excellent game was quite a gamble. Yet, it was honestly the best gamble I have seen a company make that goes from just making one genre of games. Adding just one thing and making a new roguelite that I have the biggest grin when either failing or succeeding a battle, makes it worth it. This game is a great collection for those who love either Souls-like or Roguelites. And it’s a game that I don’t feel like I can put down if friends want to raid a Nightlord. I give ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN the Thumb Culture Platinum Award
F1 25 feels like a real step up, not just a new number on the box. With immersive career progression and stunning next-gen visuals, it’s a must-play for returning fans. It’s also perhaps the ideal starting point for newcomers looking to jump into the cockpit. F1 25 puts you in control, delivering authentic, rewarding race experiences—whether chasing pole or avoiding the gravel. Due to all of this, I am giving F1 25 the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Sedap is actually a popular Malaysian expression meaning delicious, and this game really tried to be. Much like a succulent meal, SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure is a game that is best enjoyed with someone by your side. There is enough similarities that if you enjoyed games such as PlateUp! or Overcooked! you will enjoy the chaos of this game. However, SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure is also different enough that it will have you playing not just for the frantic cooking. I loaded into this game with the hope it would be a new Cuisineer and it isn’t. It has taken the core combat ingredients of Cusineer, combined them with the spices of cooking party games such as PlateUp! and let them marinate. Although there is still the garnish of stress. For this reason, I give SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
If you are a fan of virtual pets, then this one is definitely for you. It expands on a tried and tested formula and offers an experience like no other. From the first moment, Ember jumps into your play space. To each time you head out and explore the Otherworld. There will be a permanent smile on your face guaranteed. Stay: Forever Home receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
While Cattle Country was a bit buggy upon my initial playthrough, most issues have been fixed as I am writing this review. Only some minor, non-game-breaking ones remain. Despite the issues, it has been a truly fun experience to play this game and I have found something to do every single day. I genuinely love this game. I’m nearly a full in-game year in and it has been an absolute blast. The gameplay loop is fun, the characters are so lovable, and it feels nice to befriend them. It really pains me to deduct points, but I unfortunately have to as the biggest issue this game has, is quite a big access issue. It’s really hard to figure out how to complete the game’s main objectives without looking it up on Steam. For example, implementing a hint system that could give you a pointer on how you can achieve a certain goal for the Town Recognition checklist, would be lovely. Unfortunately, that is lacking and since the quest UI is such a major part of the game, it does tank the ranking a bit. On a very positive note, the developers are incredibly active in the Steam discussions, taking bug reports and feedback and answering questions. It is a rare and impressive sight to see. I’d say if they were to make that one change to the quest logs, we would be more than good. Golden even. However, cautiously for now, I am giving Cattle Country the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
The Siege and the Sandfox is a great parkour metroidvania to add to the small library of games with the same idea. With no way to kill anyone and having to be the best agent of stealth, is a fun time in my books. Although the bugs I encountered may out some people off, I persevered. The characters in the dungeon and their little stories always kept me going. Curious on what kept them ticking or what life down here is like. So, if you like a metriodvania that is all parkour all the time, pick up the Siege and the Sandfox today. I give The Siege and the Sandfox the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Cubic Odyssey is definitely not a game to judge by its cover. It adds in its own unique flavour to make it stand apart after that initial impression. It’s going to take me a long, long time to fully wade deeper into the game. If you’re a fan games like Minecraft, this isn’t one you’ll want to miss. With a vast amount of content to explore and means of doing so, Cubic Odyssey is well-deserving of the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Honestly, I think I need to have a word with Olive and her daughter about what just happened. And while I am having words, I recommend that you give Copycat a try. Whilst the story is an emotional rollercoaster, I think it is an important story to listen to and try for yourself. It is with this in mind that I will be rewarding Copycat with the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.