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I had a lot of fun with You Suck At Parking and really enjoyed Happy Volcano’s take on driving/racing games. It is very creatively made and the gradual introduction of new obstacles and challenges made playing feel fresh and engaging. I did have my moments of wanting to rage quit but the occasional issue kept me playing. YSAP looks and sounds great, going hand in hand with the light-hearted overall tone. With plenty of content, both single and multiplayer, you will find plenty to do and achievements to complete. I can’t wait to see what Happy Volcano releases next and I’m pleased to award You Suck at Parking the Thumb Culture Gold Award. If you enjoyed this review, check out my thoughts on Ultimate Fishing Simulator 2.
SD Gundam Battle Alliance is primarily a game for those that are familiar with the IP. Focused around replayability, it makes the player build an admittedly interesting cast of characters. Sadly, it stumbles and falls with repetitive gameplay, strange design choices and overly long, intrusive dialogue. The goal of the game is admirable, but it almost sets itself up to fail. Bringing together things from such a storied franchise is no easy feat. It’s a fairly decent introduction, with lots of history and some context to dive into. At the very least it has piqued my interest regarding Gundam. I wouldn’t say I had fun playing though it, with there just being too many flaws overall. It is a love letter to the wider franchise but not one addressed to this reviewer. Unless you are a hardcore Gundan fan, or want a rough and ready introduction to it, I would probably give this a miss. Overall, I give SD Gundam Battle Alliance a Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
My final thoughts on Dreamlight Valley are that after a shaky start, the game has built up some speed and is an enjoyable game to play for a few hours. The nostalgia is there for Disney fans with the likes of Goofy and Minnie Mouse. Then there is the appeal for the new generation with Moana and Frozen. It has the potential to be really addictive if Disney adds new characters sometime in the future, like Star Wars, then it will certainly hold a place in gamers’ hearts. With that in mind, I am going to give Dreamlight Valley the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
So there we have it. F1 Manager 2022 review done and dusted. So what do I think about the game? Personally, it’s great. There is plenty to keep you interested. Yes there are going to be some people that don’t quite get on with the amount of stats and everything else involved, and that is fine. Any F1 fan though should really give this a play. Being able to manage your own team is the thing of dreams. Just don’t stand for it if anyone “fok smash your door” F1 Manager 2022 receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award
When Sam And Max was announced, I was excited about returning to it after so long. Being a big fan of point-and-click adventures and episodic games this had a lot going for it. The humour throughout gave me laughs and that wasn’t always limited to the main characters. What I would love to see next is a brand-new adventure. However that is my one criticism of a number of titles lately. It is for this reason Sam and Max Remastered receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award
My final thought on Soul Hackers 2 is that it was definitely worth the wait for a sequel. You fall in love with the cast instantly and root for them the whole way. While the game has a few snags here and there, you barely notice them. It’s a game to be loved by any JRPG fan and especially of the Persona franchise. So with all that in mind I feel it would be only fair to give Soul Hackers 2 the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
The remake of the original achieved a lot of positive reviews. Destroy All Humans 2 – Reprobed, sadly suffers from a number of remakes being released. I believe these should be judged individually and not review bombed on sites without experiencing the game. I contacted THQ Nordic regarding the problem with rendering within cut scenes, and it is being worked on so expect a patch in the not too distant future. This was the only aspect of the game that for me was a negative. Destroy All Humans 2 was the last game that was featured on the PlayStation so this may mark the last outing for Crypto unless a new title is created. The characters, and the inuendo’s within provide the comic value. This is alongside a really good and enjoyable adventure and for this reason I award Destroy All Humans 2 – Reprobed the Thumb Culture Gold Award
I must say that I enjoyed my time playing Train Life – A Railway Simulator. Despite the initial simplicity of what I was required to do, I still managed to pick the wrong tracks and slam into buffers countless times causing no end of problems for myself. If you fancy playing a sim game that is chilled at times but can be a little more practical than the usual run-of-the-mill management games, then I would say this is for you. Train Life – A Railway Simulator scores a Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is, without a doubt, a fantastic title. The nostalgia that oozes out of this title is unreal for hardcore fans. There is so much content to be had. Having said that I personally think if you aren’t a TMNT fan from back in the day then this title will not hold you for long. I also think for the casual TMNT fans who just love a quick trip on the original Turts arcade title. Then unless the price drops drastically you are probably better off having a quick trip to the Arcade Club for some IRL arcade action. For me personally, this was a treasure trove of titles. It even gave me the chance to play some Game Boy titles that I never had a chance to pick up back in the day. I award Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection a Thumb Culture Gold Award
My time with Cult of The Lamb was a delight. I have recommended it to a lot of my friends already. Massive Monster and Devolver Digital are likely to grab a stack of awards for this “Cult” hit. I award Cult Of The Lamb the Thumb Culture Gold Award
Ultimately, Lord Winklebottom Investigates was a charming, entertaining, and altogether wonderful game that I thoroughly enjoyed playing. The puzzles were fun, the writing fun, and the story was engaging, all of which contributed to a delightful experience. As a result, I am happy to award Lord Winklebottom Investigates the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Cursed to Golf brings a fresh spin on the Roguelike genre, which is very welcome. It’s charming, funny and mastering the levels gets very addictive. While its learning curve can be steep at times the sense of achievement when beating a boss utilising all of your skills is really rewarding. As it sinks it hooks into you be prepared to say “Just one more run”…. a lot. I would love to see multiplayer added in the future as this game would lend itself well to couch co-op or online matches. This would be a tonne of fun. If you want a fun and challenging game that delivers an addictive adventure then look no further than Cursed To Golf. It takes home the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
So what does all this mean for the Saints Row score. Well the game isn’t perfect, there are the odd little nuance of the game, but boy oh boy is everything just fun about the game. It doesn’t take itself seriously, which is easy to do when previous iterations of the franchise have allowed you to fight using a large purple dildo.
At WASD I thought this would be a game to look out for and I'm glad to have been proven right. Arcade Paradise is a masterpiece of how to mix both the simulation and retro genres together and not loose the vital elements. I can't put it down and for that reason, I award Arcade Paradise the Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
My final thought on Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is that maybe, just maybe the Nintendo Switch could have found its game of the year. It's an experience that will stay with you forever and has the ability to make a grown man cry. Words are pointless right now so all I'm going to say is. That if you have a Nintendo Switch then it is an absolute must to play this game. So it's with great pleasure that I give Xenoblade Chronicles 3 the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
The attention to detail in this game is a brilliant display of confidence. Every little bit of it triangulates and octagulates (100% accidental reference to the other Square Enix games mentioned above) and enchants the mind. Every bit of the experience is worth it. The question is often asked, ‘Are games art?’ Well, of course, they are—and 32 years ago this great example was released. Now, love and passion—by all those in Square Enix responsible—have given us a remake to be savoured. Live A Live gets the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
This compilation is a fantastic addition to any retro or modern game collection and is the definitive Wonder Boy experience. The four games on there have been carefully curated and are the best to be included. They have brought the old into the new age by making it more accessible for all generations. They are as fun to play now as they were back then, and kids will love them. If you missed out on these games when they were first released, now is your chance to get on and enjoy them. Even with the rose-tinted goggles removed, I award the Wonder Boy Collection the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
As I’m sure you can already tell, I adore this game. From gameplay to atmosphere The Tarnishing of Juxtia is an experience that I will love playing for years to come. There are very few games that I would call perfect, but The Tarnishing of Juxtia is one of them.
For an Early Access release Terraformers is well on the right path to being a great fun game. All the right boxes are ticked for the game style and with ever-increasing difficulties, it will be hard to walk away from. The gameplay is challenging but still fun and can be entertainingly frustrating without wanting to rage quit. If this is your bag, then you should definitely bag it, it is definitely worth the investment.
My final thought on the Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium collection is that it’s a game with so much content that it will last forever. The gameplay is great, the audio is absolutely fantastic and there is something for all ages across every genre. It can be fast-paced or slow as hell. The choice in gameplay is up to you.