Thumb Culture
HomepageThumb Culture's Reviews
Tiny Trax by FuturLab can only be described as a Scalextric virtual reality game. When I first laid eyes on this game, I was flooded with nostalgic feels. However, when I got into the game those feels dissipated and left me with a small sense of disappointment. Only a small sense though.
Ever wondered what it would be like to train dinosaurs just like Chris Pratt in Jurassic World? Well wonder no more with Dino Frontier by Uber Entertainment on the PSVR.
Perfect Universe by Indie Developer Will Sykes Games is this weeks deployment onto my Ps4. From the title I was not sure what to expect; a universe where Arsenal FC play consistently enough to win the Premier League? A day where Donald Trump's latest antics aren't plastered across my news feed? Unfortunately only one of these can probably happen (Arsenal winning the Premiership) however Perfect Universe is actually a cool collection of 9 mini games that are based around physics and gravity.
Dead Purge: Outbreak by Microlith Games is a first person zombie shooter set in a post-apocalyptic era that is available for the PC. With the zombie shooter genre constantly being pushed upon me via the daily shared videos on social media of Days Gone and my friend's showing off their latest gameplay from Call of Duty Zombies my appetite is constantly whetted. Boasting of "beautiful locations & dozens of weapons" along with a "realistic combat system & multiple game modes" I sat down at my PC and looked forward to what was going to unfold.
his game took me back in time to great games of the past, like Unreal Tournament and Quake Arena. This has a very old-school feel to it when you play and I loved this side of the game. Just like in days of old, I’m getting fragged left right and centre, but the strange thing with this game is…….. it doesn’t make me feel like raging.
Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of the original Yakuza game, which was released on Playstation 2 nearly 12 years ago, but it may as well be regarded as its own entity. Yakuza Kiwami is a fully done remake – with all new textures, extended stories, and more depth and cohesion than the original Yakuza could have dreamed of – so it’s not to be confused with a general remaster (*cough Sleeping Dogs *cough*).
I'm sure the intelligent folk who read my reviews won't need me to point out what my conclusion of this will be, but for writing purposes we will take a stroll down that path. To say Deadcore is a failure is incorrect. For the price and the simplicity of it, maybe some will get a kick out of sitting down with some friends and challenging each other to get the furthest or quickest record, but when placed against other titles, it severely lacks characters or personality. Sure, it's a video game at its purest form, however, it doesn't propose any advancements or improvements to the titles it's inspired by. Avoid, or wait for a deep sale. It's technically competent and brings a few good ideas to the table but its frustrating aspects make me more likely to recommend it to my enemies rather than my friends.
Overall, I see Save The Ninja Clan as a game that will be good for speed runners, but can also be fun for the casual gamer who likes a challenge. It’s by no means an easy game but the comedic elements make it feel less frustrating at the lack of ability by the player. The problem for me is the lack of content here, it really doesn't take that long to finish and personally unless I’m feeling nostalgic I don't see myself playing it again any time soon which is a shame because I feel what is there is very well made for an Indie title. The biggest question here is would I recommend the purchase? For the price tag, I would say if you are curious about the title it’s definitely worth the investment even if it turns out to be only for the experience of the single play through.
The Lost Bear is co-developed by Fabrik games and OddBug Studio and published by Fabrik Games and is available for PSVR. When you first sit down and put on the PSVR headset and dive into The Lost Bear you know you are in for a treat. Sitting down on the comfy chair in front of a large stage area is mesmerising.
The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II by Neocore Games is the second instalment in a trilogy of hack 'n slash Van Helsing games to come to console. Already available on PC since 2014, Van Helsing II boasts "PS4 Pro Enhanced" support and can also be played as a standalone game with no prior knowledge of the first adventure. For those of you that have never heard of Van Helsing, well he is the son of legendary vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing found in Bram Stoker's awesome novel "Dracula". If you love all things gothic and creatures such as zombies, ogres, vampires and other occult beings then this is for you!
What do I make of Sneaky Bears? Firstly I love this game. Sure not every hardcore gamer or trophy hunter will love this game. It’s not to difficult to play, also there is no platinum trophy either. But I loved my time on this game so I will go back time to time and shoot some more bears, after all we can’t have them taking over now can we?
Aporia ticks a lot of boxes without necessarily heading in a typical direction for a game these days. The combination of visual and audio make it an absolute pleasure to play. The puzzles are not overly taxing, but in keeping with the vibe of the game. I have made everyone in my family play this game now and the verdict is unanimous, they all like it. I'm sure that the game will be a bit Marmite for some, those that only like the adrenaline rush of facing 20 incoming zombies armed with only a stick might not appreciate the beauty and subtlety of the game. Maybe try something new?
PES 2018 is a very solid entry into the Football Gaming Genre and it ticks 90% of the boxes for me. So it's on its way to being a great game. I just can't seem to overlook the very simple things that Konami just haven't done to get over that line for it to be a classic in my opinion. It is a very enjoyable and addictive game (which is the main thing). I think people will get a lot of playtime out of it, but will be very annoyed by the same issues that seem to plague every PES release (Goalkeepers, Commentry etc.). As well as the amount of things that are identical to the 2017 release (which is much cheaper).
Shoppe Keep is a fun game for anyone to pick up. For the price point I would recommend to try it out. Yes it has its problems, some of them very annoying at times. But were not talking about an A List title here so it is to be expected
This game seems to be perfect in my eyes regarding gameplay, audio and graphically. If I was forced to say anything negative about this game then I would say it's not for the casual racer. Not even slightly. The casual racer would probably play for an hour, stand up and announce the game is broken and it sucks. I say move out the way Nancy and let me play this game while you play your arcade racer. I can't stress enough how good I found this game and there have already been a lot of great racers out this year. With only one other major racing release this year to come which I mentioned earlier. Buy this game if you don't already own it. If you do own it I will probably see you on the track for a long time to come.
With so many modes, any fan of the NBA Live franchise will have a great time. Putting hours into the career mode you can get lost while building your team up to be the next Chicago Bulls (Pippen and Jordan era) and along with the amount of time you can spend playing Ultimate Team. NBA Live 18 has something for everyone. So in conclusion a great comeback for the flailing NBA Live series actually brings this game back into the upper echelons of basketball games. Yes the company is still few and far between, but as with FIFA and PES, each game seems to be pushing each other ever closer to perfection. Are we there yet? Not quite, but its certainly getting close.
Shadow of War is a nice sequel to Shadow of Mordor. But, as with Mordor, some of the plot holes and annoyances are here and it stops this from becoming a great game. For me Monolith have gone out to improve the Nemesis system, which they have done very well with. But, in doing so forgot the most important part of any game. Tell a good story! If you’re a Tolkien fan and have issues with the lore being played around with, you will find yourself as rage filled as some of the orcs you’re going to be fighting. But, if you’re a casual LOTR / fantasy fan, then the story is there for you to enjoy and make the most of.
I like to say i'm a straight talking reviewer. I will censor myself here to save Maize any more embarrassment and give it an award of Thumb Culture Trash Award
Vostok Inc has a retro feel to it, so essentially it already feels like it has been around for a long time. The mechanics of the combat can be found in the original Asteroids game, albeit with easier controls. If you like the combat mechanics, then just playing the game as shoot 'em up is great fun. I think this game will still be as enjoyable in years to come, the simplicity of picking it up and playing for a bit and not having to dedicate hours to missions means that it will probably sit in gamer's collections with frequent revisits. I like Vostok Inc a lot and I will be playing it to conclusion. I confess that I don't normally get that into retro games, but Vostok Inc has won me over. Prepare for time to pass at an alarming rate. Nosebleed Interactive have spent their energies in the right areas to make this game top rated for fun.
There is certainly a lot of ways to play both alone and with friends on NHL 18 with jam packed online and offline modes. Although there is not a single player story campaign as seen in the recent Fifa and NBA games, EA is trying to appeal to new players by offering a new training system to enable them to learn the skills to enjoy the game. If you have followed the NHL series of games for a while you maybe a little disappointed in the latest offering as it will feel a little samey however the NHL Threes mode is exciting and different enough to possibly tempt you into a purchase. One thing is for sure, EA need to refresh their NHL franchise for next year if they want to keep their players interested as this years "what's new" is certainly light on the ground.