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Empyreal is a solid dungeon crawler with a complex and engaging core gameplay loop. It allows the player to build a character that suits their playstyle and a familiar, visible path for progression. Anyone that enjoys 3rd person ARPGs should really pick this one up. It would be a shame to award it anything less than the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
I said it at the beginning that RoadCraft was a banger. From the minute I started reviewing this one, I absolutely loved it. From the incredibly nostalgic experience that the trailer brings, to the fist bump when you get the flood wall finished. Every job you finish is a great achievement. Saber Interactive have delivered another amazing game that is an absolute joy to play. From start to finish, I loved my entire time with RoadCraft. RoadCraft receives a Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
So, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, should you buy it? Honestly, it is one of the most rounded games I’ve played in recent times. Giving you control of one of the most iconic characters in film. Allowing you to play through one of the most iconic sequences in cinema. Come on, what’s not to get excited about! Indiana Jones and the Great Circle receives the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Grandma, No! is another entry on my list of “turning off my brain” games, because of its nature. This game has no right or wrong way of playing, which makes it perfect. I was playing thinking hours had passed by, but really it took less than two hours to complete the game. Thanks to the outfits we unlock from completing certain events and their effects, there is another element of re-playability. I genuinely want to go back to use them. Especially ‘Apocalypse Grandma’, who shoots lasers! Who knew Grandma was so full of chaos? I give Grandma, No! the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
To sum up, Raccoon Logic didn’t reinvent the wheel but added some shiny new spokes and rims when it comes to the game. The vibrant environment, exploration, and side content make it easy to lose many blissful hours in its world. This is why I give Revenge of the Savage Planet the Thumb Culture Gold Award
Although I appreciated the mixture of action and simulation gameplay mechanics, I wasn’t completely blown away by The Precinct. The story was engaging enough (despite subpar voice acting) that it made me want to know what happened next. And the gameplay, whilst mechanically solid, became rather repetitive towards the end. Still, this is an enjoyable title that feels like a throwback to the PS1 era with a modern aesthetic. That’s by no means a bad thing, and I wish more games would take inspiration from previous generations! For these reasons, The Precinct gets a Thumb Culture Gold Award!
As a game proudly rooted in Indian culture, Detective Dotson gets credit for embracing its heritage rather than hiding it. It gets it mostly right. Though a few minor missteps on the journey leave the game feeling a little rough around the edges. If you are a fan of LucasArts games like Monkey Island or Sam and Max, you will probably enjoy solving the puzzles and tracking down clues. However, unlike those games, the route to the end is logical and less esoteric. It’s true, nothing here will make you jump out of your seat or fall off your chair. That being said there is a sense of something potentially much bigger in the future. And I look forward to playing more of Dotson’s adventures and seeing where the story takes him next. So, for his hard work and effort in the field of crime fighting, I give Detective Dotson the Thumb Culture Silver Award
In summary, I mostly enjoyed Spellcaster University. The random nature of the cards dealt meant that each “run” felt fresh enough to keep me playing. That said, there is only so much to do before you end up idling the game until enough money or magic has been saved in order to buy new cards. The events do alleviate the tedium when they appear, and despite the relative simplicity of the game, it was still fun to start a new university and see if I could improve upon my previous one. So, that’s why the console version of Spellcaster University is getting a Thumb Culture Silver Award!
I thought I’d leave playing Haunted House Renovator for a bit because I suffered a lot of issues. Mainly texture/gameplay problems, such as items clipping through walls and floors. Now that the game has released, a fair amount of my issues were fixed, but sadly some new ones have also turned up. For example, key items for spirits not appearing or new flooring becoming a solid white colour. The ghost busting part of the game also feels a little underwhelming as well, mainly because of Haunted House Renovator’s instructions not being clear. Take the gremlin (where you’ll find most of the issues), in the bestiary it explains on how to deal with it, either nasty or nice. Personally, I prefer to handle things nicely. Now, with the gremlin, it says place more expensive items nearby and bam, you got it. This isn’t the case at all. What you actually have to do is buy the Gremlin Clock and place it instead. The renovating side is okay but becomes tedious with all the bugged up menus and visual problems. Hopefully, with enough fixes and updates, Haunted House Renovator will be a worthwhile purchase. But as of right now, I’d suggest holding off. Sadly, Haunted House Renovator gets the Thumb Culture Silver Award from me.
If the developers were to address my concerns above, Wings of Endless would receive a strong recommendation from me, assuming it’s price point will be similar to Isoca Games’ previous game. As it stands, the great art, varied world-design, and decent story are not quite enough to outweigh my frustrations. Given that, Wings of Endless receives a Thumb Culture Silver Award and a warning that it may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
I enjoyed my time with Kiryu Stamp and the Ice Age II freezing boogaloo. I love the world building done here for the fact that only rabbits survived everything. No foxes, no wolves, just rabbits. It’s honestly clever with the fact that if you visit the church, you can learn the stories they have turned into a faith. Like seriously, you need to invest in getting the cost to get each story unlocked. It’s a bloody hoot. While everything about the game is amazing to me, the only thing that holds me back from giving this game the Thumb Culture Platinum Award is the game handling. I died too many times because the Junkster jumped too high or far, meaning that I either land improperly or slid off the blocks. I’m willing to revisit my review if those issues are resolved. Now, go out there and enjoy the junk out of this game. I give Rusty Rabbit the Thumb Culture Gold Award
I find myself really enjoying Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m looking forward to finishing the main story and seeing what a run through with a little more challenge is like. Despite being my first real game of this format and style, I found it to be fairly easy to pick up on for the most part. With it’s breathtaking visuals, engaging combat, and unique narrative arc, I couldn’t see giving Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 anything less than the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Cash Cleaner Simulator is a simple game with a simple premise. It may have a seemingly repetitive gameplay loop, but the game is still very fun and rather addictive, even with some more tedious tasks on your checklist. It is surprisingly relaxing to be surrounded by piles of cash and the rattling of the counting machines. If you are into sorting, organizing, counting, and a bit of fun, this game is probably right up your alley. Today, Cash Cleaner Simulator earns the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
I’m going to be recommending this game to all those I work with. With them enjoying spreadsheets as much as I do, I know they’ll enjoy a little play-through and find the same enjoyment that I had. Spreadcheat isn’t a difficult game, nor is it one that you will play over and over. What it is, though, is a smile in an EXE file. Spreadcheat gets the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Freeride is best to approach blind to get a great understanding of the game, and I recommend you play a new loop afterwards. Immediately after finishing, go back and make opposite choices to see what could have been. I did find new things that I didn’t find the first time, and it was a nice surprise. I hope this spoiler free review of Freeride has you wanting to find out more. Either way, I’m going back in again after you finish reading this. I award Freeride the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
In the old argument of “Are video games art?” BOKURA: planet would be exhibit one for the “yes” argument. It encapsulates all the great things that an indie title can give us: style, originality, and a sense of bravery that would have instantly been vetoed at a private investors meeting. A bit like your favourite band that no one else listens to, it’s important that games like this exist, even if they reach only a few thousand players. Unfortunately, the biggest barrier to entry will be finding a like-minded friend ready to be mentally challenged and mildly disturbed by BOKURA: planet. If you can get past that, the beauty of what lies inside is well worth the reward. It’s a pleasure to hand BOKURA: planet a Thumb Culture Gold Award.
So should you be rushing to the Meta store to pick up Rival Stars Horse Racing: VR Edition? Personally, for me, it’s going to be a no. However, I can appreciate the game that is there. It’s an immersive simulator that has a lot of positives. Unfortunately, I think I was just the wrong person to fully appreciate this game. However, it was a good work out, and I’ll definitely dive back in and check it out again. Rival Stars Horse Racing: VR Edition receives the Thumb Culture Silver Award
Amongst the roguelites I’ve played recently, KIBORG definitely stands more apart than the others. Not to mention it’s the first complete one in a while. It brings a slick change of pace as more of a brawler than something like a bullet-hell or hack and slash holds. Though the repetitive nature of the genre is there, it keeps you moving along well with bloody, brutal speed and a mix of melee and gunplay combat to boot. I’m proud to say that KIBORG earns it the Thumb Culture Gold Award from me.
Obviously, at least for me, this game hits right into the nostalgia feels. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shed a small tear when it actually got announced. Apart from the frame rate issues, the game really does have the same feel as the original Oblivion had. At least, unlike the original, it doesn’t crash every 4 minutes if you look at it the wrong way (at least not for me). I really, truly love the game, with all of its quirks and mechanics and whatnot. I could sit here and repeat myself over and over again, or I can just make it simple. Game = Good. Enough said, right? I did purchase the Deluxe Edition, and though I have yet to check out the new quests, the art book looks stunning. It’s a chonky 10GB and has artwork for a majority of the things in the game. To me, that alone is worth spending an extra tenner for the upgrade, but that decision is entirely up to you. Trust me, the base version will definitely have more than enough content and will serve you well as is. With that being said, there is only one question left: Morrowind Remastered when?!? Regardless, today The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered gets a big thumbs up and with it, a Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Hanako’s Flower Shop is a beautiful exploration of so many heavy hitting emotions that need to be handled with care. It’s simple game mechanics and the way they work mean you have a real opportunity to pay attention to what’s happening rather than striving to just do everything perfectly. This game is definitely a great addition to any gamer who loves story mode or is a fan of cosy games. It was an easy decision to give Hanako’s Flower Shop the Thumb Culture Gold Award