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My final thought towards WWE 2K22 is that the difference between this one and the previous instalments is night and day. Each game mode is great and it always pushes you towards that one last game. It is every wrestling fan’ dream come true from making matches like The Rock and The Undertaker to dream matches like The Big Boss Man and Rey Mysterio. You owe yourself as not just a fan of the WWE franchise but as a game so that’s why I’m going to give WWE 2K22 the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
For a free-to-play game, Century: Age of Ashes is actually really fun and quite innovative really. It could be likened perhaps to Star Wars: Squadrons in its dogfight style however this is fire-breathing dragons battling it out across a variety of beautifully drawn arenas!
Although only priced at £4.99, I can’t help but feel a bit let down by the Carnaval Streetwear kit. It does not bring the Brazillian vibe and instead looks like a summer range from Primark. If you are a die-hard fan of The Sims 4 feel free to expand your available items, however, sadly for me it missed the mark. The Carnaval Streetwear kit gets a Thumb Culture Silver from me.
Well. I have spent a long time sucking up waste, constructing buildings, taming animals and collecting resources. I love it. The level design is great and the hands-on tutorial at the start gets you into the gameplay from the off. I found myself just feeling really calm with an almighty sense of achievement as I clear the rubbish to reveal a beautiful untainted natural countryside. Well done Chicken Launcher, No Place Like Home bags a Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
My final thoughts on Music Racer: Ultimate is that the game caters to people who really love music and racing games and I’m just not one of those people. While I did have fun unlocking the many stages and cars while also rocking out to some of the music. I just think that it can get boring very quickly and the fact that I couldn’t play the game for maybe more than 30 minutes. The flashing and strobing effect of all the neon were just a little too much for me. Therefore I’m going to give Music Racer: Ultimate the Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
To wrap it up, I am disappointed with what should have only been DLC in my opinion. The lack of sustenance made it feel like the content that WAS on offer was a chore. Sadly because of this, I found little enjoyment after the tutorial stages, which in fairness were quite well done. The reputation of Dynasty Warriors 9 was left in tatters by gamers and press alike, and I was hoping Empires would be bold enough to pick up the pieces to make up for the main game’s misdeeds. I award Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires the Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
I found Festival Tycoon a charming indie game to dive into, there have been numerous updates and patches since I have been playing the game ranging from guests bringing their own beer which you have to get security to sort, to the ability to add human foosball tables and volleyball courts to your festival activities. Since its official launch in September 2021, there have been 17 updates ranging from small bug fixes to the ones mentioned above. For a single dev team, this has to be applauded. It is for this reason Festival Tycoon receives a Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat has so much to offer to gamers. It’s the game to pick up when you want some solo gaming, it’s the game to pick up with friends and family. It is the game for literally any occasion. The amount of fun and laughter this game brings is unreal. Whether you are working as a team or fumbling with your frying pan. Keeping calm is the only way you are going to get your three stars. From picking up, to playing what Overcooked! All You Can Eat has to offer, I thoroughly enjoyed every bit. I am not going to lie, at times it was extremely stressful. However, this is a game that is staying installed and I will be looking to the rest of the team for some online multiplayer kitchen chaos. I award Overcooked! All You Can Eat a Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Overall, Aztech Forgotten Gods is a fairly decent game. It has some great cultural references and decent gameplay, but is lacking in other areas more common with modern games. It also suffers the fate as many other story-driven single player games. There isn’t really much to look forward to seeing different on another playthrough. I’d have to give it the Thumb Culture Bronze Award for these reasons. Check out my previous reviews here.
It has to be said that King of Fighters XV is a fantastic game. For long-time franchise fans and newcomers, it is sure to please. SNK is at the peak of the franchise so far. But I can’t help but feel there is a little further to go to get to the summit. As I said, it is a great game, but it doesn’t offer much in terms of anything new. It feels like the previous game, but better. That’s by no means a bad thing. But, I feel that with just a little more content, this could have won the platinum award. It’s not quite an ‘SN-KO’, but it’s close enough. As such, I award King of Fighters XV the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
I had a blast playing Not Tonight 2. I enjoyed the story of quirky characters stuck in a dystopian America. The road trips across the country are unsettlingly on the edge of ridiculous and totally what the World will look like in a few years. The pixel art and animation are outstanding, and I found myself staring at the screen instead of playing the game. If you enjoyed Papers, Please or the previous game in this series, give Not Tonight 2 a whirl. Not Tonight 2 is worthy of the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
If you’re looking for a comfy adventure to slip into, one that will put a smile on your face and pass a happy few hours, then Dexter Stardust: Adventures in Outer Space is for you! Definitely a game to play while travelling or to make the morning commute a little more fun. Point-and-click newbies will have a warm introduction to what makes these games tick and veterans will find the writing, references and humour they know and love. Those wanting more brain-teasing puzzles for their buck however may not necessarily find what they’re looking for. But either way, it’s definitely a space adventure worth taking for a spin. And for this, it receives the Thumb Culture Silver Award. Give it a try for yourself, see where you end up!
Bungie seems to have Destiny 2 where it belongs and that is in the heart of true Destiny fans. It’s been a long road but personally, I think it was worth the wait. This DLC is great, funny and compelling
From picking up ForeVR Darts to now, I have no doubt that this game will be staying in my library. From the fun lobbies, to the games and even the environment you are surrounded by. This all makes up one hell of an experience.
If you want a great co-op puzzler then this is the game for you! We loved playing KeyWe and it is so much fun with a friend.
If you were a fan of Elex, or even the Gothic or Risen series by Piranha Bytes for that matter, Elex II is most definitely worth picking up. If you’re looking for that next story-driven game that you can just power through, this is not at all what you’re looking for.
Little Orpheus delivers on The Chinese Rooms’ goal of crafting the types of games that we love and are familiar with but delivering them with their own brand of twist. An epic tale filled with humour, gorgeously designed worlds and truly stellar score and voice acting.
Model Builder is an amazing game. For a small indie gaming company, this game makes something enjoyable that I really thought wouldn’t be. With a whole host of free DLC and very good support, Model Builder still receives a Thumb Culture Gold Award from me.
We don’t need reminding of how good Naughty Dog is at their craft but playing through The Lost Legacy in Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection has renewed my excitement for what’s to come from them in the future.
I didn’t expect to like Atelier Sophie 2 on paper but I was pleasantly surprised, just like with the Atelier Mysterious Trilogy. It has engaging and very likeable characters