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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!
Overall, I enjoyed playing Football Referee Simulator. It is a different take on the football simulation genre, putting us in the shoes of those that most football fans hate. The developer can make this game even better by making some slight tweaks and additions. But for the £0.89 price tag, you can’t go too far wrong at all. It is with all this in mind, that I will be awarding Football Referee Simulator with a Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Now in the end, I sadly can’t say if Disney’s Epic Mickey: Rebrushed does the previous version justice. But what I can say is that it’s a blast! The world is fun and with the lighting improvements, it does great at setting a darker tone and look. Seeing classic characters was cool, especially since I love classic cartoons (particularly Rubber hose animation). Combat is enjoyable and not tedious. New enemies get introduced just as I’m feeling bored with the current ones, which helps it stay fresh.
Pneumata’s gunplay was still solid, and I enjoyed using the guns. You can feel the weight behind each swing of a melee weapon. I still didn’t like the block/dodging from the demo. It was annoying during specific parts of the game where they would throw a hoard of creatures at you. The few reasons I say this was annoying was because of explosive barrels in poor locations. Enemies basically breathing down your neck while running so you can’t detonate said barrels.
Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is a delightful romp through both the past and present. It’s a game that doesn’t try to be anything more than a fun, nostalgic platform and succeeds. While it may not have the depth or challenge of some platformers, it makes up for it with charm, style, and a heap of nostalgia. Whether you’re a long-time Rugrats fan or just looking for a light hearted platformer to enjoy with a friend, this game is well worth your time. Just remember to grab your screwdriver—you never know when you’ll need it. For its merits, Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Frostpunk 2 has a specific way of making you feel urgency, all the time. The stress I felt when the death and illness count was rising in my city was beyond terrifying. Knowing your city is on the brink of collapse isn’t the end through. There is a reward for playing again. You start a new game now knowing the outcome of your actions. It helps you become a better leader and this is reward enough. I will absolutely be playing more of this game. I won’t be surprised if I beat my record time spent on Frostpunk with this one!
I did say this game needs co-ordination and unfortunately, I am a button masher extraordinaire. I can, however, appreciate the beauty and the message of this story. Kazimir’s journey needs to end with the peace he needs and deserves. Selfloss is a bittersweet yet stimulating game that incorporates both story and gameplay. I recommend this game to anyone wanting to dive into a deep narrative about ‘self-loss’ (pun fully intended). This is a great start for Goodwin Game, I can’t wait to see what they publish next.
Caravan SandWitch is a cozy, thoughtful game that stands out due to its emotional depth and engrossing world. The lack of combat might deter some, but those who enjoy narrative-heavy adventures will find plenty to love here. At the time of writing the performance issues on the Switch make it that bit harder to recommend on the system. But regardless of platform, Caravan SandWitch offers a touching, memorable journey that lingers with you long after you’ve finished playing.
What The Car? is exactly what you expect from the description with even greater unexpected turns. It’s a silly adventure game where you play as a little car in a world run by adorable bears with jobs. Every level is a new journey and a new challenge. The game is short and sweet but delivers on what it sets out to achieve. There’s enough content in the game that offers a lot of replayability, especially when it comes to trying out player-made levels or finding all the hidden secrets. Players who were fans of Triband‘s previous titles or fans of this genre will enjoy this new addition, especially at its affordable price tag.
Elsie is by far the best rougelite I’ve played this year and a great way to kill time until the next Hades II major update. Being Hispanic and seeing the small nods of representation was comforting to me. Honestly this game shows even small things can make all the difference with inclusivity and representation. Such as the Forge being called the Candero (which means candlestick in Spanish), this had me laughing because of the difference in fire power between the two. I really hope Knight Shift Games creates a sequel or bring their experience from Elsie into their next title.
Ultimately, Copycat is a game about loss, heartbreak and finding a place to call home even when it feels like there isn’t one. Despite the simplistic design, Copycat takes minor moments and makes them bigger than a game about a cat should be able to. The care and attention to tone and messaging has made this one of the best games I’ve played in 2024. It’s the perfect addition to the library of any narrative game fan.
As a gamer who has played on the vast majority of the platforms available in Antstream Arcade, getting back onto some of these games was an absolute joy. I had a permanent smile on my face even from just scrolling through the available games.
Star Wars Outlaws represents a significant advancement in open-world design for Ubisoft. Despite a flawed middle section, the game excels in its opening and closing hours, showcasing a promising shift towards deeper immersion. The game’s structural innovation positions it as a bridge between Ubisoft’s traditional formula and a more immersive experience. However, technical issues such as frequent crashes, glitches, and outdated AI detract from the otherwise engaging Star Wars experience. These issues prevent the game from fully realizing its potential in my opinion.
I didn’t end up finishing the game due to too many crashes and poor optimization. However, I reached chapter seven, although it was a gruelling journey. Unholy’s story isn’t very complex and is easy to understand. Notes you find tend to repeat the same gibberish. I liked the concept of your ammo being emotions, but I wish they played a bigger part in the overall game. For example, affecting the moods of creatures or having elemental effects to use in the environment. I was genuinely surprised emotions did not play a bigger part in general, since the game itself says emotions can warp/change the world.
Compared to other games, Supermassive Games made The Casting of Frank Stone is surprisingly light on gameplay and heavily disappointing on delivering a frightful story. I know these games aren’t usually gameplay heavy, but this nearly made it feel like a seven hour long movie. The game started strong, but once I had reached chapter seven, I was disappointed. It felt as though nothing interesting had really happened. I was also upset to find out that from chapter two all the way to chapter thirteen, nothing major story-wise had happened. What I mean by this, is there is no real character development from any of our protagonists. Nor any real times of danger from the main villain until near the last two chapters. The game had me thinking the whole time, where the hell is Frank? I found the dialogue from the characters to be cringy, random and sometimes added nothing to the plot. I enjoyed Officer Green and Robert as characters as brief as they were. The whole game feels like filler and at lacks actual suspense. If you’re looking for a good horror game, I’d either pick up the currently released, Until Dawn (or wait for its remaster) or play The Quarry.