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My final thought is that the Capcom Fighting Collection does what it does in catering to the needs of retro gaming fans. It has a great little selection of games. Even if most of them are from the same series. It’s great for passing a couple of hours away solo or playing with some friends but it just feels like the same old collections that Capcom have released in the past.
For one of the few 4x space strategy games I’ve spent time in, Distant Worlds 2 is a decent game. It launched with a full trove of content and immense number of options to suit your playstyle. Overall it sticks to a basic formula that is safe but does not make it stand out above and beyond. It also sounds like there are some bugs that Code Force needs to iron out. Without having any prior bias from playing the previous game, I am giving Distant Worlds 2 the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Redout 2 does a lot of things right. It so excellently captures the sense of speed, the sound design and soundtrack are phenomenal and it runs like a dream. It does however fall down in some critical areas, most notably the career mode and extremely steep learning curve, that could turn off newcomers to the franchise. Once over that steep learning curve though it delivers a crisp, smooth and rewarding experience that will have you beaming when you start to master it. Hopefully, the talented team at 34BigThings bring some additional features and tweaks to the game with future updates. I applaud what they have achieved here and would love to see them entrusted with making a new Wipeout game. They would bring some fresh ideas to the franchise.
My final thought on Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic II is an absolutely fantastic game. It’s not as good as the first game in the entry but it is a sequel that would make it into any of the Top 10 lists of best sequels. The Nintendo Switch port is perfect for any Star Wars fan, whether you’re playing on tv or laying in bed on the handheld. You will easily blow away hours of your life and it is certainly worth the money.
There were parts of F1 22 that left me thinking, why is this part of the game. However, mostly I was blown away. This could be because I haven’t picked up an F1 title in quite some time. But, I do feel that it had a lot to offer any F1 fans who are also gamers. This title is a perfect companion piece for any fan who enjoys the sport and for those who love a racing title. Comparing it to various other racing titles it did feel like it was on rails. However, on this occasion that is not necessarily a bad thing. Did I think it was the best racing game I have played, no? But is it one hell of a racing title, The answer is yes. I award F1 22 a Thumb Culture Gold Award
I had a decent time with Barn Finders which does make a novel addition to the simulation genre. While the narrative is a little scattered, it feels like a port from VR and suffers as a result. Overall it was fun to play after a slow start and pleasant to look at but it just wasn’t the best experience. I did enjoy the soundtrack and score, very much in keeping with the setting. And while perhaps short and sweet the game will keep completionists happy.
I am a cyclist and a cycling fan and yet again Tour de France 2022 has left me disappointed. This may be because I live in the cycling world so know about the nuances of racing and the differences between bikes, maybe a Zwift review should follow?!
My final thought is that after waiting for quite some time. Fans (myself included) have finally got the expansion that we had hoped for. There is so much to do and new things to get used to that you’ll never get bored. Plus there’s more dialogue from the ever-so-brilliant Dr Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum). So with that in mind, I am going to give the Jurassic World Evolution 2 – Dominion Biocyn Expansion the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Gibbon: Beyond The Trees is a short yet sweet experience. There has clearly been a lot of research and love poured into it. Creative liberties have been taken, but the subject matter has been respectfully handled through collaboration with locals and experts.
Whether this game is for you, again, depends on whether you’re looking for a competitive multiplayer arcade-style game. If that’s for you then Mario Strikers: Battle League has plenty to offer. With its fun presentation—and the good time I had with Toad as my star striker—along with its satisfying gameplay and deep controls, Mario Strikers: Battle League gets the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
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.