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So Europa is a stunning experience, a calming adventure of exploration leading to one of the most engaging storylines I’ve experienced in a long while. It is my pleasure to give Europa the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Whether your a fan of the original story or new to Wonderland the game provides a captivating journey. The story touching upon mental health was a really interesting take I hadn’t expected. I loved each and every puzzle too. There is very little to pick apart with Escaping Wonderland. You can tell the developers have really took there time to polish this game to give you the best experience. I recommend this game very highly and will definitely be giving Down the Rabbit Hole a try! Escaping Wonderland gets the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
At the time of reviewing, which was pre launch, there were some minor issues with Amber Isle. For example, some of the menus wouldn’t work when I clicked them. I also saw eyes sometimes meshing into characters models. Not the cute look the devs were going for I’m sure. Like I said these are minor issues and they can easily be addressed with a patch on release. Another quality of life improvement would be info boxes for items when attempting to recommend a product to a customer. The image is okay, but becomes hard when the client wants something small. For example, at one point I tried to give a customer a pencil and it was the wrong choice. As the icon was small and there was no info box this was a repeated mistake and it did become tedious. I also found the filter option didn’t work and using the sorting function could be better. I understand these may actually sound like major issues, but they didn’t break my gameplay experience. They were just minor nuisances. With all that said, Amber Isle is both fun and adorable to play and, just like the island, it needs a few fixes. The creative choices you can do for the shop and island feel like Animal Crossing (although not so in depth with custom designs). The inhabitants are quirky and entertaining with their personalities. That’s why I’m giving Amber Isle the Thumb Culture Gold Award. Now excuse me, if you need me I’ll be on Amber Isle completing my island fix up.
At it’s core Exploding Kittens VR is a party game, so it can potentially last a long time. As long as you have enough people to consistently play the game with and have fun, the time is endless. I did however experience a slight bit of discomfort when the transition between the loading screen and gameplay screen occurred. It wasn’t enough to make me nauseous but it was definitely a moment where I found myself reeling at the animation. It is almost a corkscrew circular transition from the centre of the screen and it just isn’t very smooth. Now don’t get me wrong its a small thing, but each time it happened I found myself a little discombobulated for a second or two. Final Thoughts Exploding Kittens VR lives up to the expectation set from the physical game as well as the ever popular Netflix series. With its comical graphics and gripping gameplay you will be able to lose hours of time while having fun with friends and strangers alike. Exploding Kittens VR receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
This game is amazing. I truly wish I had more time in the day to sit down and play for longer sessions at a time. I’ve barely touched on all the great things in this review. (I didn’t even mention that there are vehicles too until just now!) There’s always something that I am looking to do next. Just knowing how much time I’ll eventually put into it drives that even more. Satisfactory has become a modern gem from where it started five years ago in early access. It is well-deserving of the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Hidden in My Paradise is an adorable hidden-object game that offers bite-size challenges and encourages players to express their creativity through the main levels and the sandbox mode. The objectives are fun and keep you engaged. I even forgot I was reviewing a game whilst playing. I was so completely immersed in trying to find all the fairies! In terms of improvements, the only thing that came to mind was currency related. I do wish that the currency was used for other reasons than just buying assets. I would have loved to see different themed outfits for Laly and Coronya. Or even have been able to buy different types of pointers, for that added customization. I would also love to see a design challenge mode, where players have to match a certain theme but not be constrained to the exact items/positions as in the snapshot challenges. Hidden in My Paradise is an essential purchase for fans of light challenge cozy casual games, and so I award Hidden in My Paradise the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
I think I’m getting old and my reactions and problem-solving skills are in decline. Either that or I need to be able to dedicate some more time to practising because I struggled to get medals on most of the levels. If you are more spritely than me though, and you enjoyed games like Super Meat Boy, Splasher, or SpeedRunners, then this might be the next challenge waiting for you to overcome. Runman: Race Around The World receives a Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Creature has created a monster with Starship Home, but a great big friendly cuddly monster. One that you are going to want to hug and hold for a long time! Its unique use of mixed reality gives it a charm that is often missed when VR games are being designed. Taking you on an interstellar journey of discovery has never been so much fun. Starship Home receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Grunn is a wonderful mystery-horror game hiding under the cover of a simulation game. There are genuine jumpscares and moments that are so tense you’re waiting for something bad to happen. The art style, audio and the way you have to uncover the story have made it a really memorable game. I’m still playing through it and I cannot wait to be able to say that I’ve unlocked all the endings. Dan has done a really good job at creating a fun little experience that makes you want to play more. Given how much time I’ve sank into this game, it would be unfair to give Grunn anything other than the Thumb Culture Platinum Award
If you’re a fan of the vast majority of franchises in Funko Fusion, you’ll have an incredible time playing through the game. However, if you aren’t then I’m not sure how appealing this game is going to be for you. Fortunately for the game I am a massive fan of the included worlds and as such enjoyed every second of my play time. Playing through the worlds that I have either grown up with (The Thing) or just from my favourite movies (Hot Fuzz) was an absolute joy. Thankfully for all gamers out there a recent patch also made it easier to unlock worlds and expand your gameplay. Funko Fusion receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Close your eyes for me. Now imagine you’re walking down a dimly lit alley, the cold, damp air clinging to your skin like a bad memory. A flickering streetlamp buzzes overhead, casting jagged shadows that dance in the mist. Out of the corner of your eye, you catch the movement of a figure in a nearby window, fleeing like a ghost. Before you can react, they vanish, leaving the alley in a tense silence. You sprint toward the building, your gut twisting in suspicion. As you push open the door, the smell hits you. Inside, sprawled across the floor in a pool of blood, lies a body. Lifeless. Now open your eyes. You’re now back in the real world where you didn’t experience any of that. And that’s a bit like what playing Shadows Of Doubt on PlayStation 5 is like. It’s genuinely heart-breaking to say this, but in its current state, I cannot recommend Shadows of Doubt on console. There’s an amazing game here, but the technical problems are simply too big to ignore. It’s not just a matter of a few bugs. It feels like the game was released in an unfinished state on consoles. These issues constantly get in the way of enjoying what could otherwise be one of the most immersive and addictive games of the year. As it stands, I have no choice but to award Shadows of Doubt the Broken Thumb Culture Award.
Recycling Center Simulator is a fun and simple game. I wouldn’t say I liked it or disliked it. The gameplay isn’t anything extreme, and it depends if you enjoy doing the same thing over and over. I wish maybe some small secrets to find scattered around or some cheesy dialogue. If you’re unsure about picking it up, at the time of writing this review there was a demo for the game available. I’d suggest checking that out if you still can.
Charles Cecil and co. over at Revolution Studios know a winning formula when it comes to the narrative-style genre of games. I feel that releasing the Reforged version is a way of bringing the games to the modern audience. Hopefully, they will continue going through the series, especially with the 6th installment – Broken Sword – Parzival’s Stone in the works. I have loved the nostalgia that Shadow of the Templars brought about. Nostalgia but with the comfort of playing on my PS5 from my sofa. I certainly hope that others also share the same feeling and keep their support going for the studio.
Whilst it may not be the perfect game and the gameplay loop is a bit repetitive, the one thing that The Mixologist does have, that ensures you will have fun for hours, is the real-life drinks list. Getting to pour your favourite cocktails, maybe even try some fancy moves. One thing that will keep you coming back for more is the fun factor.
Anomalie Studios created a delightful yet thought-provoking story and I am here for it. They gave me the impression that Melobot was well loved when developing and it shows. I had been craving something a little different game-play wise for a while and Melobot delivered that to me. A word of advice though; do not underestimate this game in terms of ease. Imagine you are a first time PC player. Remembering where keys are for your attacks and moving your mouse to ensure you’re kept out of harms’ way? Ooft. It’ll be a quick boss fight and you’d be the reason for it. I am totally not speaking from experience here…
Overall, if Cat Rescue Story is on your wish list, I would encourage you to buy it. In all honesty, who doesn’t love cats? And if you don’t, what kind of monster are you? Players will easily get lost in this cosy and relaxing game. Therefore, I will be rewarding Cat Rescue Story with the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
In conclusion, The Holy Gosh Darn is a great addition to the Tuesday trilogy. If you’ve played the previous games you’re going to be content with this when you pick it up. For newcomers, nothing is stopping you from jumping in here and then moving on to the other titles. If the trailer below entices you to check out the game, you can expect more of the same absurdity and comedy throughout. I applaud the twists and turns of the story which kept me on my toes. There’s a clever re-use of locations as the story progresses which rewards a keen eye and good memory. The humour was also consistently good, managing to be entertaining even when the game is trying to frustrate you by delaying you in extended conversations and scenarios. I’ve been going back and forth on what award to give this. If you’re a fan of the previous games, this is an essential buy. If you’re new, and the trailer appeals, I’d say you should absolutely give it a go.
Brink Traveler has been out for quite some time, but being wireless on the Quest headset gives an incredible experience. Sending you on a journey around the globe to experience some once-in-a-lifetime locations. Brink XR are continuing to update the game and bring us new locations. Who knows, the next one may be somewhere you’ve already been.
Dovetail Games has done it again, they have brought another fascinating train simulator onto the track. As a train fan, this game feels incredibly authentic with everything where it should be. Train Sim World 5 reaches it’s final destination and gets the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Supermoves is a great game. There are areas where it could be polished a bit more, however, the quick-paced nature of throwing yourself from one platform to another is really exciting and certainly gives you a buzz. The arcade-feel and adrenalin that pumps as you calculate your next death-defying leap or massive miscalculation certainly keep you on your toes. I really hope that other gamers see how much fun this game is and begin hosting multiplayer lobbies. Supermoves deserves recognition!