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Directive 8020 is frustrating because all the right ingredients are in place, but they never fully come together. The paranoia, mistrust, unsettling body horror and occasional bursts of genuine tension all hint at something special. When the game commits to its identity, it delivers some of the strongest moments Supermassive has produced in the series. However, the central setting lacks personality, and some characters rarely leave a lasting impression, holding the experience back. The stealth mechanics also fail to develop, limiting the overall tension they are meant to create. There is still plenty here for Supermassive fans to enjoy. The branching choices lead to entertaining moments of panic, and the latter half of the game does show flashes of the tense sci-fi horror experience it is aiming for. Directive 8020 is a solid sci-fi horror adventure built on strong ideas. These ideas never fully evolve into something exceptional. Despite this, it delivers enough tension, intrigue and cinematic spectacle to comfortably earn the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
If I had to sum up NITRO GEN OMEGA in one word, that word would be “cool”. Its effortlessly stylish aesthetics and flashy animations took me back to watching shows such as Gurren Lagann or even Megas XLR. Nostalgia aside, though, this is an entertaining and often challenging RPG that doesn’t hold your hand. This is a very rewarding title that, despite a lack of an engaging story, had me hooked for the majority of the time. Some pacing issues aside, I’d highly recommend giving this one a try. There’s even a demo available, so what have you got to lose? For it’s stylish aesthetics, engaging gameplay, and everything else mentioned, NITRO GEN OMEGA receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
After I entered the 3 biome in Scale The Depths, it was becoming a little too repetitive for me. I enjoy fishing games, and the game-play loop isn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t up my alley either. Controls are simple, even more so If you stick to just using the mouse. And each environment adds something a little different. But it became stale too quickly with having to work towards the knife, rod, and hook, etc. I’m giving Scale The Depths, the Thumb Culture Silver Award. It’s okay, just not up my street.
Thick As Thieves, as it stands, is less of a game and more of a highly polished paid demo. Everything is decent, but nothing is spectacular. The core stealth loop is solid, but balancing around randomised co-op and a lack of combat removes some of the deeper gameplay and narrative systems that really make stealth shine. The art style is charming, but not especially memorable. The audio design is decent, but can be mostly ignored thanks to the more convenient X-ray system. And the game’s total content is too sparse to really be considered a full game, but large enough to not warrant a “demo” title. I enjoyed my short time with it, and I believe it could become solid down the line. However, as it stands, Thick As Thieves is more of a promise of a game. For now, I’ll be giving it the Thumb Culture Silver Award and my continued attention.
As much as I wanted to love it, I just don’t think Hydroneer is a title for me. From a personal standpoint, I didn’t especially enjoy Hydroneer‘s gameplay loop. Would an inventory system have alleviated this? Possibly, but then that would take away the one unique thing about the game. It’s just a shame that that unique feature isn’t something I clicked with. I can absolutely see why people would love playing this, and for these people, Hydroneer will no doubt be a blast. Unfortunately, for me, the unwieldy controls and slow early game left me too frustrated. There are other automation games out there that are more my speed, so, unfortunately, I don’t see myself returning to Hydroneer. For those reasons, I’ll be giving Hydroneer the Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
Vulture is a fun game with some straightforward and easy to learn combat. Although it can seem a little too easy at times, thanks to the knife’s upgrade that allows instant kills. As it made me sneak through whole levels just one-tapping zombies, except for the explosive ones. There is a nice variety of weapons and replaying levels doesn’t seem boring thanks to the shortness of each one. Atmosphere is excellent, but the horror side does lack creepiness. I still think Leopoldo should have something to make him shine a little more. Like maybe allowing him hit harder with a knuckle dusters or something. A glaring problem is that Vultures, suffers with way too many crashes, and if it wasn’t for the saves being set just before leaving a room I would have stopped playing entirely. The game also suffers with various smaller issues here and there as I progressed. Action commands would just stop working, and the whole list would turn grey. On enemy turns they wouldn’t move or doing anything forcing me to quit the game to reset the room. Which is a shame since I am really enjoying Vultures. Level designs offer up that nice grunge that I just love to see in horror games. Without making everything seem oddly clean at the same time. So if you are looking for a fun survival, Vultures – Scavengers of Death isn’t a bad shout. And hopefully the crashes will be fixed at one point too. So right now, I am giving it the Thumb Culture Gold Award! I’d love to see a sequel to this game in the future.
The main appeal for Toll Booth Simulator is the fact that it isn’t just another store sim. It goes far beyond just working at a toll booth as well which means its got a bit more going for it. It’s a nice, chill time with a few aliens thrown in for good measure. Giving Toll Booth Simulator the Thumb Culture Gold Award was an easy decision.
Space Haven heavily reminds me of games like Rimworld, and Lords and Villains. You have to take your time and find out what works best, and with every mistake you learn to do it better next time. It rewards you for your failure in small amounts. I do think the space station mode is a lot more challenging compared to the normal one. As most of the time, I spawned in with barely any materials; however, I am also too stubborn to lower the difficulty. I’m not sure if someone who has a better grasp of these types of games will love it. But like me, I can see a few new players getting some fun out of it for a while. So if you do like games similar to what I said, Space Haven might just be another that takes most of your time. That is why I am giving it the Thumb Culture Gold Award. I’m going to be playing this on and off for sure in the future to come.
I only recently got into the series, so Coffee Talk: Tokyo marks the first release I’ve had to wait for. Thankfully, Chorus Worldwide has brewed up something special. The presentation is smooth with the atmosphere continuing to roast up some cosy charm. More importantly, the fresh setting and stronger personality helps it stand out from previous instalments. Tokyo proves to great as a backdrop, giving the series a fresh flavour while still serving up a comforting atmosphere. The addition of iced drinks and stencil art gives players more to do. The excellent character writing once again proves why the series continues to resonate with players. It is a rich, story-filled blend that fans of cosy games and visual novels will drink right up. Sometimes, all you really need is a drink, good conversation, and somewhere to escape from the noise of everyday life. For that reason, Coffee Talk: Tokyo easily earns the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
I found Hotel Architect a little easier to wrap my head around compared to other management sims. I liked making and decorating rooms, although it was tricky to actually get my desired quests. I also struggled to keep the happiness level up for both staff and guests. The hotel does become chaotic rather quickly without having a way to slow down the influx of customers. That is what usually messes up my play-throughs, but that is all part of the fun when it comes to these games. A good thing this game has is zoning, It makes it easier to visualise each section I create. If I could suggest something, maybe more filters on the furniture, so that we can focus on certain customers. It gets tedious having to hover over each item and see who prefers what. It may seem small, but when you try doing a whole refurb to tailor your hotel, it becomes tricky. Hotel Architect’s campaign allows the player to learn more at their own pace. All while not holding your hand so much that you are spoon-fed. Take the start of the game, you get a nice and easy run down, then level two just says “oh yeah you need a bar now.” I did enjoy doing the level objectives. If you are looking for a new sim, then Hotel Architect is a good first choice, so it’s the Thumb Culture Silver Award from me.
The Spell Brigade is a surprising game to come across our board to review and I’m glad I picked it. It’s a fun survivor game to pick up and invite others to play with. If you have a controller, this game allows people to use either control stick. You don’t need to explain yourself, just know you have the option to make that choice. So pick up a copy and see if you get assistance from a celestial wizard like myself popping in to rid the forces of Cthulhu. Or you can do it yourself. I give The Spell Brigade the Thumb Culture Platinum Award
Whirlight: No Time To Trip is a brilliant little adventure game that feels like a genuine love letter to classic point-and-click titles without relying purely on nostalgia to carry it. The puzzles are clever, the writing is funny, the characters are genuinely lovable, and the presentation is fantastic from start to finish. More importantly, it’s just consistently enjoyable to play. Even when I got stuck on a puzzle, I still wanted to keep exploring the world and spending time with the characters. ImaginaryLab has clearly put a huge amount of care into this game, and it shows in every part of the experience. From the detailed environments to the sharp dialogue and inventive puzzle design, everything feels crafted with real passion. If you’re a fan of classic adventure games, this is an easy recommendation. And honestly, even if you’re normally not into point-and-click titles, Whirlight might still surprise you. It’s funny, charming, weird in all the right ways, and most importantly, it remembers that games are supposed to be fun. I give Whirlight: No Time To Trip the Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
Overall, I am quietly impressed with how the series continues to improve. While I think that the breaking system has changed, and not for the better, there is plenty to admire. This is definitely a game I see myself playing for a while, and I am excited to continue playing past this review. Based on everything I have spoken about within this review, I will be awarding MOTOGP 26 with the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
As I mentioned earlier, I did enjoy Bus Bound for a time. Eventually, though, there was less and less for me to do besides heading out on the road and picking up passengers. Sure, it makes sense that that should be the main focus of a bus simulator, but I would have liked a more in-depth sim to keep me engaged. However, for the budget-friendly price of £24.99, there’s quite a lot of fun to be had. Depending on what you’d call fun, of course… It looks great, the performance is smooth throughout, and it’s just a pretty laid-back simulator that doesn’t overwhelm players with too much. Therefore, Bus Bound receives the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
The Third Shift is a pretty solid horror game. The gameplay loop is simple but enjoyable, and I found myself mostly invested in the story. The graphical style lends itself well to the horror, and the soundtrack is decent. Finally, while short, it doesn’t overstay its welcome and has quite a lot to see in repeat playthroughs. I have to say, as much as I enjoyed The Third Shift, I didn’t find it too scary. There were a couple of solid jumpscares, and the atmosphere was fantastic, but I didn’t feel much looming dread outside of the worry that I’d fail the final minigame and have to redo the fight. Even so, I really enjoyed my time with it, and I’m sure plenty of people would find it more frightening than me. If you’re looking for a solid spooky time for a free weekend I’d suggest you give it a shot. I’m happy to award The Third Shift the Thumb Culture Gold Award and my recommendation.
Bring me back to my childhood by letting me build the most ridiculous and deadly vehicles I can. Then keep me engaged by turning it into a bullet hell roguelite? If this sounds good to you, then TerraTech Legion is right up your alley too. With vehicular combat at breakneck speed, simple progression and endless builds, this one is another Thumb Culture Platinum Award in my book!
Despite the confusing start and my lack of knowledge when it comes to Slavic folklore, The End of the Sun was a pretty interesting journey. That said, it isn’t without its issues. The lack of actual puzzles harms the game the most, with most simply being basic fetch quests. Coupled with the story that doesn’t reach the emotional heights I was expecting and the poor graphical performance, The End of the Sun is an interesting, if flawed, experience. Therefore, The End of the Sun receives the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
I have, unironcially, been waiting for a horse game that rivals the 2003 PS2 classic Barbie Horse Adventures and nothing has ever quite hit the spot. Rival Stars Horse Racing might be the closest I’ll ever get to that level of perfection. In all seriousness, I really do enjoy this game and I know I’m going to be playing it for a long time. It’s easy to play, it’s entertaining and is everything I want from a horse racing sim. I’ve got no choice really other than to give Rival Stars Horse Racing the Thumb Culture Platinum Award. It’s a fun game from beginning to unofficial end. I can’t wait to sink even more time into it.
Personally, Rumbral feels like it’s trying to be a little too gentle with the players. It relies heavily on curiosity and trusts the player to put the work in. For some it would definitely work but it just feels like there isn’t enough substance to push that curiosity further. There is a focus on the lonely feeling but the game isn’t long enough to make the most of it. The part I keep getting stuck on as well is that you can rush through this game in 45 minutes but it still has the £12.99 price tag. In the grand scheme of things that isn’t a lot, especially when AAA games are charge £70 for 8 hours. However, the lack of replayability doesn’t do it any favours. Ultimately, I’ve given Rumbral the Thumb Culture Bronze Award. This isn’t a bad game, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations.
Global Rescue is a triumph of “Local Scale” gaming. PeDePe GbR has managed to take the technical wizardry of real-world map integration and turn it into a compelling, often hilarious management sim. Is it perfect? No. The traffic AI sometimes has the spatial awareness of a goldfish, and the UI can feel a bit cluttered at times. But the thrill of seeing your own streets used as a digital playground is unmatched in the genre. If you have ever wanted to be the hero of your own high street (or just want to see a police chase end in a drive-thru), this is an absolute must-play. Just do not expect a Happy Meal if you end up in the Folkestone lock-up. I award Global Rescue the Thumb Culture Gold Award!