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My final thought for Chernobylite is that I actually enjoyed playing the game from start to finish. It doesn’t feel like a drag at times and with a compelling story. It keeps you on your toes. But for me, it was the horror elements. Being a huge horror fan it really got my scare factor up there. So if you love a good jump scare in your video games then this is the one for you. So I’m going to give Chernobylite the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
I knew immediately upon seeing Rainbow Billy that I would have to play it. I’ve struggled to put it down. The experience has been an absolute joy and I can’t wait for more. It’s a game that has packed its world with unique characters, all with their own personalities without ever feeling shallow or padded. There’s also plenty to do and collect without it being an overwhelming or seemingly insurmountable challenge. I’m giving Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan a Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
I feel like Embr has a lot of potential for a great party/co-op game. While being easy to play it is harder to master but can provide a fun experience for friends. Single-player for me was a bright but fast-burning flame however it was still very much enjoyable. Therefore, I award Embr a Thumb Culture Silver Award.
My final thought is that Xuan Yuan Sword 7 is a great game with a rich story into Chinese mythology. You really create a bond with the characters and you just wish it had a longer playtime. For me, twenty hours is nowhere near enough for a game of this much potential. Even with some graphical flaws I had an absolute blast playing it and would highly recommend it to any RPG fan. So I would like to give Xuan Yuan Sword 7 the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Here are my final thoughts of Inked: A Tale of Love. It is most definitely a great little puzzle game and I enjoyed playing it. The graphics and audio are really good in the game. The only thing was I felt I could only play an hour or so at any one time. Otherwise, I felt as if I was getting bored, even though I was enjoying the game. Of course, this is no fault of the devs or the game itself, it’s just me. I give Inked: A Tale of Love the Thumb Culture Gold Award
Overall the developers have done a great job. The game has some interesting twists on the genre and I really think it will appeal to a wider audience. There are a few things I would like to see improved, which I touched upon a little already. It would be nice to see some more weapon types in Arboria, maybe some take on a bow and arrow or crossbow? Some ranged spells, perhaps? From the time I spent playing I was only able to find melee weapons, and while they do behave differently it still feels a little bit repetitive. I award Arboria the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Overall, I believe that AWAY: The Survival Series has a lot of potential. While there may be some bugs in its current state once these are fixed then gameplay and longevity would greatly improve. Despite its current flaws, it is still very much playable and very enjoyable. A hybrid between a platformer, a puzzler and also a nature documentary. This is definitely one to keep an eye on, for this reason. I award AWAY: The Survival Series a Thumb Culture Silver Award.
A wonderful addition to the Life Is Strange series, True Colors has everything that has made the series a success. Bringing back Steph was great as she is the standout character of the series for me. Deck Nine have produced a superb title that I really enjoyed. It is for these reasons that Life Is Strange: True Colors gets the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Combat is great, exploration is exciting, Rots are cute, the world is beautiful, the music is perfect. Buy it now, and again in November when it is released on disc. I award Kena: Bridge of Spirits a very high-spirited Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
There’s no doubt that A Juggler’s Tale is going to leave you wanting more. Whether you feel that is down to the game being too short, or just that you would love to spend more time in the world will be personal to you. I fall into the latter category. I’m happy that the game is well structured and very well executed. It’s important for an initial impression of a game and a developer to be strong and A Juggler’s Tale is a fantastic first foray into the world of game development. To avoid spoilers I’ve been unable to delve too deep into certain part’s of the game, but just know that there’s more to the story than you may think. You’ll have to go and check it out! With all that being said, A Juggler’s Tale gets the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Is Sonic Colours Ultimate a bad game? By all means no it isn’t. It is certainly a fun time, albeit not very long-lasting. It’s just sad that is marred by overly complex level design and finicky controls. The Wisps add that replayability factor to the game for completionists, and it sounds and mostly looks great. I think the new generation of young players will enjoy this with its simple and easy-to-follow story. It is undoubtedly the best way to play Sonic Colours, but for now, I will be sticking with my 2D pixelated Sonic games. I award Sonic Colours Ultimate the Thumb Culture Silver Award. It’s a high Silver though, just not quite enough to be a Gold.
Encased is a game that plays into fond memories of similar games that came before it. Although it is a theme that feels a bit overdone at this point, it still adds value to the genre in its own right. If you have been itching to play something that reminds you of the other games mentioned above, I highly suggest you pick it up. It’s a healthy balance of turn-based action, exploration, and story. I am looking forward to my next playthrough already. From what I’ve experienced, Encased receives the Thumb Culture Gold award.
UnMetal is a top tier game from a low tier developer. This is some fantastic work from @Unepic_Fran and I can not wait to play the next game from him. UnMetal earns the highly coveted Thumb Culture Platinum Award from me. Fantastic work dude!
Hot Wheels Unleashed brings the ultimate car collection to the current generation. Gamers young and old will no doubt have an insane amount of fun playing through each environment with plenty of nostalgia at the ready! Hot Wheels Unleashed gets the coveted Thumb Culture Platinum Award
My final thought is that even while writing up this Dustwind Xbox One review I had the urge to go back and just do one more mission. But we all know one more mission just isn’t one more mission. There may be some faults for players but I found the game really enjoyable and great to pass the day with. If there were some more original ideas that went into it then maybe it would have been better. But I just can’t shift the fact that it is so like Fallout that it seems hard to see past that. Therefore I am going to give Dustwind on Xbox One the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Tails of Iron is more of an adventure game with RPG elements. This is a really charming game, and quite cute, but not in the traditional sense. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and meeting new characters, even the unique bosses of which there were many. The combat is challenging and punishing, but rewarding when you do take down a boss that you have been stuck on for half an hour. The art style is fantastic and suits the game exceptionally. And of course, the legendary Doug Cockle narrating is just the icing on the cake. Add into that, this game is great value for money and isn’t one you can complete in an evening. The best part is that it is out now! What are you waiting for?
Overall, what Flat Hill Games have produced is a joy to play. With bright colours, straight forward gameplay, it brings cooking simulators into the living room. Clash of Chefs VR receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award
Super Arcade Football really surprised me, it is a smashing game. From the moment you start to the moment you stop, you will have fun. I see some controversy online, particularly Steam reviews, about this game how apparently it completely changed when the game launched on September 6th from the Early Access program on Steam. It was a 3D-based football arcade game and of course as we now know it’s a 2D retro-inspired football game. However, for me, I think this game has taken the right direction. I absolutely love it. Great work OutOfTheBit Limited. I award Super Arcade Football the coveted Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Lost in Random was a complete surprise to me. I had not heard of it until I saw it become available for review. So I watched the trailer and simply thought “Wow, that looks class!”. Boy, this game did not let down. The team at Zoink Games has done an absolutely phenomenal job with this game. You can really tell they have put their heart and souls into this game. From the moment you pick it up to that moment you finish it, you will be laughing, enjoying the action, and taking in the top-notch story. Great work! I award Lost in Random a very much deserved Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Having waited for 9 months to play I can say that it didn’t disappoint. Bloober team have done a brilliant job at bringing this title to Playstation 5 with a lot of unique features. I thoroughly enjoyed The Medium, the writing was great and the story was very engaging. It isn’t a game that sets out to scare you for the sake of it. I can think of only 2 sections that actually made me jump. So bear that in mind especially if you are worried. As a gamer with Epilepsy, it is nice to see a very clear warning about photosensitive seizures. Whilst I didn’t experience any problems please stick to the recommended guidelines when playing this or any title. Having thanked the team on Twitter for a superb title it will not come as a surprise that I award I am giving The Medium the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.