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There’s no doubt that this game was created with passion and love, using the personal experiences of the devs to build a fantastic world. The story of Isla and her journey through the land is a beautiful, challenging yet rewarding adventure. Most players interested in investigating and following clues to unearth the story will find it a great experience. Those who were expecting more survival themes may find this to be tedious. The gameplay itself is not reflective of the already-established survival games currently available. Having to eat or drink water every couple of minutes comes across as the stats being very unbalanced. There is no major risk to ignoring these, except for Isla passing out and being put back at a checkpoint. Using intel and maps as a means to move the characters forward in the world and story is done well. This is refreshing to see as it is both challenging and rewarding. The soundtrack had the most effect during my playthrough. It was fantastic throughout the game and captured the overall ambiance quite well. I would love to recommend the game wholeheartedly, but there are just too many issues in making this a comfortable experience for players. Especially at the current price point. Albatroz gets a Thumb Culture Silver Award as most players will like the sound of it but it might not live up to their expectations.
Sengoku Dynasty has a slow burn start, but as soon as things fall into place it’s quite a fun experience. My preference would be to play with friends and grow towns together, as being the only active player managing everything is slightly overwhelming sometimes. It’s improved a lot from the early access, however, and it’s a solid game. I’m glad to hear the developers have more plans with this game even after its current 1.0 launch and look forward to seeing what they have in store. That’s why I award Sengoku Dynasty the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Garden of the Sea is a cute little game that allows you to build up the world around you. It’s friendly vibes make it easy to get lost in the moment as you find the ingredients and explore the world around you. Ultimately my review award for this game has been impacted by the glitches and crashing. It is still a good game and I would recommend it, but these bugs definitely get annoying to deal with. For this reason Garden Of The Sea gets the Thumb Culture Silver Award
I would love to give Moon Mystery more love. However, I am hesitant to do so without knowing what lies beyond that first complete playthrough. There are also various tweaks that could be made to the game. Mostly just simple quality of life things, that I’ve covered above. Saying that, this is not a bad game at all for Cosmoscouts‘ first release. Moon Mystery is definitely deserving of the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Monarchy brings some unique ideas to the 2D strategy genre. Its open-building system and automated military mechanics offer an experience that feels both ambitious and at times a bit overwhelming. If you’re a player who enjoys figuring things out and can overlook some of the game’s quirks, Monarchy could be a charming addition to your strategy collection. However, for those who prefer clear tutorials, and smoother progression, it may feel like a rough-around-the-edges experience. Monarchy has potential but could use a few more jousts to iron out some of its issues. Still, it’s an intriguing journey for strategy enthusiasts. Monarchy is awarded the Thumb Culture Silver Award. For a top down city builder title check out our review of Citadelum
I have been following the development of Death of the Reprobate for a while now, eager for more Renaissance silliness in my life. This could have easily been a disappointing game. After all, aren’t the third games in a series infamous for being terrible? But, praise be it wasn’t. Whilst I played through the game, my partner was sitting on his computer and would periodically look over bemused, as I sat at my PC snort laughing at something utterly ridiculous. Usually, this was due to a swear word in pretty script whilst a character was doing something equally vulgar. A true gift. So, what can I truly say to summarise the game? The storyline is funny. The art is pretty. The classic music is catchy. Altogether they create a juxtaposition of perfect absurdity. I have no other choice than to award Death of the Reprobate the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
While incredibly simple in its premise, Wilmot Works It Out is extremely charming and cunning in its challenge. There’s a real satisfaction to figuring out each puzzle and a sense of pride in hanging and arranging your completed artwork. I adored the story and interactions between Wilmot and Sam, and the culmination of the game in the final puzzle was splendid. The game is well worth it’s £12.79 price on Steam. Now that we’ve squared all that away I can tell you that Wilmot Works It Out earns a Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Overall Ark Of Charon is a slightly challenging but enjoyable experience. It’s a bit of a learning curve to start, which makes me grateful for the Idyllic mode on the main menu I mentioned earlier. This mode greatly helped me to get my bearings with the actual gameplay. I also appreciated being able to return to previous areas on the map. Since the new area has more foes and higher difficulty, it felt good to return to an easier previous level to gather more materials at your own pace. However, I wish a job system would replace the Golems’ priority system. Though it’s nothing new, I feel it would be more efficient and simpler to have Golems specialised in set roles, such as farmer or builder, instead of toggling their priorities. I award Ark of Charon the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
AWAKEN – Astral Blade was a beautiful adventure that I’m glad I got the chance to enjoy. With its beautiful artwork, amazing storytelling, and fun mechanics, this entire game is a treat. I hope that Dark Pigeon will continue this pace and make another game that I can’t take my eyes off of. Take it all in when you start this exciting adventure. I give AWAKEN – Astral Blade the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Voidwrought was an excellent experience that felt like I got a good dose of something to keep me coming back for more. My only gripe with the game is that I wish it was longer or had more bosses. It was honestly a great distraction from the pain of waiting for Silksong. So, if you like game designs close to Darkest Dungeon, but want it in a Metroidvania build, Voidwrought is the game for you. I award Voidwrought the Thumb Culture Gold Award
So how do we summarise Black Ops 6? With a tense and exciting campaign, going alongside the always frantic multiplayer. With a sprinkle of zombies for good measure. All in all, it’s a great addition to the Call of Duty franchise. Giving fans of the series something new as well as newcomers being welcomed in with a comprehensive experience.
Amanda the Adventurer 2 is a unique horror experience that brilliantly flips beloved kids’ show tropes into unsettling territory. Its puzzles are occasionally too challenging, and the bugs need attention, but the overall experience is refreshingly creepy. Whether you’re here for the nostalgia, the horror, or the puzzles, Amanda’s adventure will leave a lasting impression. If you’re up for a test of patience and bravery, give it a go. For its bold concept, atmosphere, and nostalgia-tinged horror, Amanda the Adventurer 2 deserves a nod, bugs and all. And so I award it the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Karate Survivor is a love letter to ‘80s action movies, with teeth-collecting upgrades, retro graphics, and an improvised combat system that’ll keep you entertained despite some early pacing issues. The single playable character and a somewhat clunky attack timer do nonetheless leave room for improvement. That being said, the game’s creativity, humour, and attention to retro detail make it an enjoyable and unique brawler. Grab your best toy hammer, watch for the boss designs, and dive into a street fight that’s as nostalgic as it is exhilarating. I give Karate Survivor the Thumb Culture Silver Award
Ultimately, The Night Is Grey is an exploration of Graham and his past with allusions to cruelty, death and other triggering topics. The tone is set throughout the game and is definitely not suitable to younger audiences. That being said, it is a really well written story that is presented in a careful yet enticing way. When I found out that this was Whalestork’s first game I was shocked. There are many newly released games from established developers that have their flaws yet Whalestork have hit a home run on their first chance to bat. The story doesn’t give you a second to catch your breath with constant twists yet isn’t overbearing in its delivery. It’s an addition to my Steam library that I’m very grateful to have. As such, it is a very easy decision to give The Night Is Grey the Thumb Culture Gold Award. I’m very excited to see what this team does next!
Survivors like games are a genre that is worth taking a look into if you haven’t already. Vampire Hunters breaks the mould a bit, but keeps that driving force behind what has made games of the genre so popular. It also gives a definitive throwback to old school FPS classics. I have to say Vampire Hunters is definitely deserving of the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
I am in awe of this game and will keep playing it in the future. For fans of fast-paced gameplay, I can’t recommend this game enough and with a demo available there’s no reason to see if this is your type of game. See if you end up being like me and getting addicted to Vendetta Forever. Vendetta Forever receives the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Puppet House was a short and sweet game, clocking me in just over two hours. And for £13.99, I’m not complaining. It was a fun, simple story and the puzzles were enjoyable. Now, the scares aren’t really there. I’d say it’s more of a comedy, especially with the main character’s voice (like get this Man a Lozenge). The game ran smooth, and I didn’t have any problems while playing. There isn’t overly a lot to say on Puppet House except it deserves the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
For me, Metaphor: ReFantazio is an instant classic. We’ve had another stellar year of video games in 2024, and whilst it’s hard to look past my love for Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Metaphor could easily walk away with Game of the Year at The Game Awards in December. I have loved every aspect of the game, from its story to its characters, its combat to its world-building. Small grievances with some of the audio ticks and my stress from the time management aside. I’ll be fondly reminiscing on this experience for a while.
Overall Scholar’s Mate provides a very different take on an escape room game. With a tense atmosphere and plenty of puzzles to keep your brain busy. However, I will say the game is quite short and offers not much else apart from this. The audio is where the game shines and is a positive to take away from the experience. I hope the developers use this well in their upcoming games! If you are looking for a quick experience and to spend a small amount of money to keep yourself entertained then Scholar’s Mate will reach that expectation!
Citadelum takes the genre and adds new life to it by weaving divine interaction into the core of city management. Fans of games like Caesar, Pharaoh, and Zeus: Master of Olympus will feel right at home with the classic city-building mechanics. Still, the addition of the gods and the interplay between religious favour and urban expansion sets this game apart. The game’s unique three-layered approach—city-building, strategic expansion, and divine interaction—offers a depth of gameplay that keeps things interesting across multiple playthroughs. While the auto-battle mechanics might not satisfy those looking for deep military strategy, they work well in the broader context of the game. Citadelum is a must-play for fans of historical city-building games looking for something fresh and challenging. In conclusion, if you’ve ever wanted to play a game that lets you defy the gods—or curry their favour—while building the Roman city of your dreams, Citadelum is the game for you. Unfortunately, the game draws on and expands on elements from older titles yet lacks the depth needed to make it more appealing than its predecessors. For this reason, I award it a Thumb Culture Silver Award.