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Starship Troopers: Terran Command is exactly what you’d expect. It’s all about decimating bugs with fire and explosions, you can even use mechs! As someone who played all Command & Conquer games I can say with confidence that Terran Command looks promising, and is worth picking up.
I found Winter Ember a game that is soo close to being one that you could sink hours into. With a few tweaks to the annoying controls/movement and menus/progression this would vastly improve the gameplay. Making it more optimised for the current generation of consoles would make it shine even more.
Get your favourite shell suit out, put your Pogs away, slap a Mega Drive label on it, and add it to your collection now! Final Vendetta, although short is fun from start to finish with tons of replay value and I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of beat-em-ups. Even if you’re not a fan, I would recommend it because it is that much fun! I found it hard to put down without picking back up and saying “just one more game”. The biggest lie we all tell ourselves. The combat is classy and the beats are sick. Therefore Final Vendetta gets the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
My final thought on The Hand of Merlin is that it is a fantastic game and is executed really well. From the designs of the environments to the core gameplay. The story is riveting and is not like any other turn-based tactical RPG that I can think of. If you are a fan of this genre of video games then this is definitely one for you. Take in the story, have a laugh, and get slaying. You’ve earned it.
As true as those things may be, my last word on Gloomhaven is that it was an utterly difficult bastard. Despite that, the bloomin’ thing kept pulling me in anyway, and I loved every blasted second of it. All of which is why I’m giving Gloomhaven the Thumb Culture Golden Award, one bastard to another.
Silt is the beginning of what will hopefully become a fresh new studio in indie gaming. The visual comparison to games like Limbo will soon be forgotten I’m sure. Silt is an indie game with its own nightmarish rules and a subtle logic. There is challenge to be had in its puzzles, so if mind-bending nightmares are your thing, and if you like the thought of possessing and sucking up the souls of giant creatures then hopefully you also think it deserves the award below.
verall, I’m walking away from my first session of Eternal Edge + with a very positive outlook. I still have much to explore, and can honestly say I’m VERY much looking forward to completing this game. If you’re a fan of games like Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I HIGHLY encourage you to check out this game. I don’t think you’ll be sorry!
Earlier I asked, “Will the game be filled with wonder and treasures, or will it be empty and nothing but bare-bones?”. Well, it is unfortunately the latter. That’s not to say it’s a bad game, because there is some enjoyment to be had. Part of the problem is the developers of Soulslike games have set the bar very high. With all its clunkiness, it would have been ok 10 years ago while the genre was still in its infancy. But Dolmen did just release in the wake of Elden Ring, and that’s a very big shadow to try and shine in. Is it good? No. Is it bad? Also no. It’s just sort of OK which is why I award Dolmen the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
I really enjoyed my time with The Quarry as Supermassive Games has delivered another quality game. I was hooked right away by the engaging story and characters. The motion capture and acting were very well done, kicking it up a notch from 2015’s Until Dawn. The countless choices have weight by the ending but ‘failing’ a choice isn’t always the end of the world. The graphics and audio were superb in setting the scene no matter the mood. There is also a lot of content to play through with items to find and achievements to unlock. The full release of The Quarry has barely happened and I can’t wait to see what Supermassive Games bring us next!
The appeal of Best Month Ever! is entirely dependent on whether you are interested in interactive narratives. For those who are interested, like me, I would be inclined to give the game the next award up than the one below. The game is perhaps priced a little too highly right now considering its run time. But if narrative is your thing and you have the money to spend, then I hope you enjoy the game as much as I did.
My final thought is that with DEADCRAFT being made by Marvelous. A developer with amazing games like Story of Seasons and Rune Factory. I expected so much better. The game just feels like a chore and you get no satisfaction at all from playing it. While it may appeal to others of the game genre. It just failed in so many ways.
Farm Tycoon is a game that has a lot of menus to read and tags to find and there is a lot of planning to do.
I just couldn’t bring myself to pick up the controller and play it again. One time was more than enough for me. If the graphics were made for a next-generation console and some combat was involved then maybe I would give it another go.
Out There: Oceans of Time has solid foundations and the potential to be a great game. However, in its current state it’s confusing and a little lost.
The Evil Dead Game is a must-have for fans of the films and the series. For those players who haven’t seen either, you can still jump in and pick it up quickly. The 4vs range of games is extremely popular and hopefully Sabre Interactive provides more support than Gun Media did for Friday The 13th. Sabre Interactive have the benefit of the game being delayed a few times to polish it off and make adjustments, and to their credit, I’ve not had any single game-breaking bug or crash. I definitely enjoyed my time and will continue playing for a long time yet. It is for this reason that I award Evil Dead The Game the Thumb Culture Gold Award
Dinosaur Fossil Hunter is in a world of its own when it comes to simulators. This is simply one of the greatest simulators that I have ever played. When it comes to levels of detail and processes to follow the simulator does not want to stop. The museum interior design aspect in itself feels like its own game. For anybody that wants to experience being a palaeontologist or has a dino mad child in the household, this is a game you do not want to miss. Dinosaur Fossil Hunter scores a Roarsome Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
Looking at Midnight Ghost Hunt, I can tell you that it is a genuinely entertaining and enjoyable game. If you want to kick back with a handful of friends, then this game is a brilliant option. I certainly had a blast while I was playing, even with its issues. I’m sure I’ll be going back for more before long too, which is why I’m happy to award Midnight Ghost Hunt a Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Doodle Derby is a great indie game, and as you can see in the video I thoroughly enjoyed playing it and keep going back for more, dam those medals are addictive! For that reason I award it the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
For all that, it’s a fun game from a nostalgia point of view. I loved this game originally and I still love it now. Sure, it badly needed some upgrades and it’s disappointing that it wasn’t given them. But the story is a load of fun and the definite highlight and you have an excuse to listen to Star Wars music which always gets you pumped. It seems like that’s what they were going for with releasing this on the Switch. You shouldn’t have to rely on nostalgia to sell a game. All it’ll do is remind people of how poorly this game has aged and how little there actually is to it. Unfortunately, the decent story and soundtrack aren’t good enough to outweigh the negatives. If you never played it originally, then you’ll be left wondering what all the fuss was about. And if you have, you’ll be laughing at the time when this game looked absolutely amazing compared to now. You’ll also notice how the gameplay is severely lacking in so many ways. That said, I’m a sucker for Star Wars, so will I continue the game through to completion? Yes, yes I will. But I’m not going to be entirely happy about it and I definitely won’t be playing it in front of anyone else. I would likely get judged based on the graphics and questioned on it. It’s a fairly mediocre game compared to what we can play in 2022. So with that in mind, I score Star Wars: The Force Unleashed the Bronze Award. Still love the game though!
MarineVerse Cup fulfils the brief very well, there are 7 destinations to visit, many different modes including 4 different vessels, mini games and training as well as the races. I became borderline addicted and would be up early every morning to set my initial time in the yacht races. There is a shallow learning curve to sail the boat, but a steep one to snatch the vital seconds to increase your position. The easy to learn and hard to master may put some people off, but I think it works well. Whilst everything is done well, my only real reservation is that there isn’t enough to do. I would like to see some epic races around far more distant buoys that you get one shot at. Hopefully the developers will be on the case soon. I have decided that MarineVerse Cup sails into a Thumb Culture Silver Award spot.