DeVuego

To sum up, American Arcadia blends story with a aesthetic that gives it a distinct identity. The dual-character gameplay keeps things fresh, ensuring you stay hooked from start to finish. The game belongs on anybody’s playlist and so for its unique premise, polished execution, and sheer entertainment value. American Arcadia easily earns the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.

Despite the minor bugs that I experienced, there wasn’t a single moment where I wasn’t having fun with this game. It was a spooky breath of fresh air that twisted horror into something that I haven’t seen in other games. The infection of the real world added another layer of tension which made everything feel that much more intense. How far can an infection spread between video games? I’m very excited to see what comes next from Rat Cliff Games! I can’t wait to play whatever mind-bending horror they release in the future.

Arise: A Simple Story is a special game and it deserves your attention. The narrative, although like the title suggests is ‘simple’, how it’s told is not, and the game deserves to be lauded for this. The puzzles are fun with suitable challenge allowing you to progress through the game and experience the unique chapters with a smile on your face. If you’re a fan of artistic indie titles such as Brothers: A Tale of two Sons, Rime and Limbo then do yourself a favour, and check out this game. Not only does this game get the rare Thumb Culture Platinum Award, it’s also a game of the year contender!

Overall, I’d say that Block Factory is just “okay”. The performance issues right from the start were a huge let-down and having to turn the sounds off also wasn’t great for immersion. I also had to restart some levels because of a bug that prevented me from loading into already started maps, which was pretty frustrating. The game can feel very tedious at times. In other similar games, it feels more rewarding to progress, but in this one, you’re just handed more complicated things to tackle with pretty much the same equipment once you reach a certain point. To me, the game is neither here nor there, but also not a complete failure. Ultimately, the game does what it promises, and that’s what matters. If you enjoy simple factory builders, or you like to fiddle with building bricks, you may still want to have a go at it, though I’d suggest getting it on sale, and overall waiting a few updates for them to patch out the stability issues. All that being said, today Block Factory will receive the Thumb Culture Silver Award.

Citadelum takes the genre and adds new life to it by weaving divine interaction into the core of city management. Fans of games like Caesar, Pharaoh, and Zeus: Master of Olympus will feel right at home with the classic city-building mechanics. Still, the addition of the gods and the interplay between religious favour and urban expansion sets this game apart. The game’s unique three-layered approach—city-building, strategic expansion, and divine interaction—offers a depth of gameplay that keeps things interesting across multiple playthroughs. While the auto-battle mechanics might not satisfy those looking for deep military strategy, they work well in the broader context of the game. Citadelum is a must-play for fans of historical city-building games looking for something fresh and challenging. In conclusion, if you’ve ever wanted to play a game that lets you defy the gods—or curry their favour—while building the Roman city of your dreams, Citadelum is the game for you. Unfortunately, the game draws on and expands on elements from older titles yet lacks the depth needed to make it more appealing than its predecessors. For this reason, I award it a Thumb Culture Silver Award.

Creatures of Ava is a peachy little pep tonic for those who crave exploration and discovery of a whole new world. The creatures are charming, the world is rich and stunning and the character interactions are first-class.

The game improves slightly on its predecessor, but still there’s no case explanation, and you can brute-force solutions. I didn’t need pen and paper, which is why I finished all three scenarios in just 55 minutes. The killer never changes, unlike in recent murder mystery games, reducing replay value. As a genre fan, some murderers and motives felt overly simple.

While it has its fair share of graphical and mechanical debris, Everdeep Aurora is an endearing little story of trying to find home and a sense of togetherness when the world is falling apart. Quests may be imbalanced in terms of rewards, but the characters are charming. The map lacks definition, but the stripped-back colour schemes are atmospheric. You won’t know where you’re going, but you’ll lose yourself in the sensational soundtrack along the way. Therefore, it digs up a Thumb Culture Silver Award from the deep!

I got the chance to relive an experience that I enjoyed several years ago and go under some new tools and a fresh coat of paint. Foreign Gnomes made some amazing additions to their game for map/fight builder, speed runners and casual players. Yet, with all this, I feel like they did drop the ball on only one thing, being the manual input codes. I would understand that not having the codes being easy to revisit due to the story. But, at least they give us a key to the arena for easy access. So, play it on PC or on Steam Deck if you have one, because boy oh boy will eyes be on you if they can see what you’re playing. Though, don’t break out the fight stick unless it’s necessary! I give Everhood 2 the Thumb Culture Platinum Award

Just like STAY before it this is a game that I highly recommend and Appnormals are a team that should most definitely be on your radar.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing Hunt The Night and highly recommend players check it out. When the game suggested playing with earphones and a controller, they weren’t kidding. The controls felt tight and accurate to use. I’ve already said my thoughts about the music. I will be doing another play-through to find any secrets I may have missed, that’s for sure. I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing what Moonlight Games comes up with next time.

The game Inner Ashes bravely tackles the sensitive topic of Alzheimer’s disease with great skill and sensitivity. The developer’s approach is both educational and tasteful, showcasing a deep understanding of the subject matter. As a result, the game is a beautiful and impactful experience. It is for this reason Inner Ashes is awarded the Thumb Culture Platinum Award

Although I really enjoy Killsquad, it is not without its shortcomings. It has all the groundwork for an amazing game ahead. But without a better loot system, more diverse zones, and some tweaking of the gameplay overall, it will fall short of its full potential. Thus I award Killsquad the Thumb Culture Silver Award. Here’s hoping for a long life after launch.

Even though the game’s story wasn’t super long, I still had a really great time playing it. The graphic style is adorable, the gameplay is fun, and the characters are charming and cute. I genuinely enjoyed helping them out and just exploring the island in general. While I do think the story could have been a tiny bit longer, it is still a solid game that delivers exactly what it promises. It absolutely made my evening and I had a blast playing it. I am very happy to present Kity Builder with the Thumb Culture Gold Award!

Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara is designed to be playable by all ages, and suits different play styles. Whether you’re a speed runner who wants to set record times or an explorer who prefers to visit every corner of the map, Koa has you covered. There’s enough gameplay to keep things interesting, and the developers have left it open to DLC or expansion in the future. Being level based and containing loot-able items and in-game shops, Koa has serious potential for growth. Perhaps some more advanced levels or trickier puzzles could be added in future updates?

Whilst I’ve listed a few nit-picks during this review, I thoroughly enjoyed playing Laika. Within the first few hours, I was already telling fans of the genre that they had to check this out, and that’s still the case now. I feel like the lack of a general buzz around this game is only down to the fact that it has launched during such a busy period of big-budget titles.

Overall, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a delightful game that would resonate well with any age group. It’s a game that allows you to relax, unwind, and fulfil your dreams of being a little witch, working hard to fulfil her dreams, alongside learning lessons about life and building long-lasting friendships. It feels like a love letter that combines fans of Studio Ghibli and cozy games together in one neat package. This was a project made with love and care by gamers for gamers. Which is apparent by the immense support of their Kickstarter page. Whilst the flying mechanic could be smoother, it was a joy to experience. It also highlights a gap in the market of 3D games where you can freely fly around, uninterrupted. The main deterrent for players to not pick this up is how short the game is in comparison to the price. The game is still in Early Access, but some players may want to wait to see how it develops further.

As a survival crafting game, Oppidum doesn’t do all that much to separate itself from the pack. However, I couldn’t help but be charmed by this vibrant, magical world. There’s a rewarding progression system that made me want to carry on playing just a little longer. Boss encounters are also a highlight, and having to plan my strategies to defeat each one was a lot of fun. If you’re a fan of the genre, chances are you’ll find a lot to love here. Therefore, I’m giving Oppidum a Thumb Culture Gold Award!

Horror comes in all shapes and sizes, and WildSphere’s Oxide Room 104 thinks bigger is not always better. This self-published title takes cues from body horror and escape rooms to combine them into this neat, but short, horror-puzzler package.

PLahHP is an enjoyable puzzle title with enough twists and turns in both the plot and gameplay to keep the player engaged for its relatively short run-time. What first seems like a simple concept is expanded with the introduction of characters with questionable motives and interesting new mechanics which change up the pace considerably. The game is not without its flaws but I found the combination of tricky puzzles and (very) light sci-fi horror quite satisfying. A quick glance over BeautiFun Games’ Twitter shows the enthusiasm and passion they have for this project, which is always heartening to see. In a sequel, I would like to see more of a focus on visuals and atmosphere, and with a bit more polish with regards to the script and voice-acting. I advise you to check out some gameplay footage as I suspect quick glance will tell you if this game is for you. Much like Professor Lupo’s pets, I found it quite hard to put down. I will be awarding it the Thumb Culture Silver award!

Overall Scholar’s Mate provides a very different take on an escape room game. With a tense atmosphere and plenty of puzzles to keep your brain busy. However, I will say the game is quite short and offers not much else apart from this. The audio is where the game shines and is a positive to take away from the experience. I hope the developers use this well in their upcoming games! If you are looking for a quick experience and to spend a small amount of money to keep yourself entertained then Scholar’s Mate will reach that expectation!

Scrap Riders is a compelling little title that’s a little rough around the edges, and I had a blast playing it. You should definitely check it out if you’re interested in beat ‘em ups, point ‘n clicks, or both.

SO: TD is a short but sweet game that delivers an interesting horror experience. It does suffer from being too short and the abstract narrative left mostly unexplained. In its two-hour playtime, there are stunning visuals and solid audio to go with it. And for a linear game, it delivers a compelling plot to ponder and revisit afterwards. But I do wish there were more answers than being left with mostly questions. I enjoyed my time playing SO: TD and am curious to see what Juan-Mod brings us next.

Whilst it may have taken a little while and a couple of patches to get my review out. Stars In The Trash was always on my mind as a game I enjoyed. From the nostalgic graphics to the incredible animations, Valhalla Cats have hit the jackpot with this one. I just hope that they keep doing this sort of game and bring us more cats. Stars In The Trash receives the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.

Super Dodgeball Beats is a simplistic game and a button masher. It lacks depth and gets stale after a while. It’s fun at first don’t get me wrong, but it severely lacks content, other then what it comes with. I would like to see DLC that builds on what makes the game good, its music. While Super Dodgeball Beats isn’t bad, it’s not good either. It is begging out for more content and FinalBoss Games might well need to go back to drawing on this one. I give Super Dodgeball Beats a ThumbCulture Bronze Award.

Having played a fair few games recently that looked like I would enjoy, but ended up as an epic fail, I was a little sceptical. My fears were quickly alleviated though as I entered a fantastically created world full of wonders and awe. Simplistic gameplay and challenging levels awaited and I had to be on top form to progress steadily. Tenebris Pictura takes all the flavours to create the perfect blend of modern gaming. Pentadimensional had an idea, they rolled with it and the end result is as close to perfection as I have experienced for a long time.

I had a pretty decent time playing through The Cabin Factory. It’s a really unique and interesting approach to the horror genre. It definitely has the ability to eventually be a contender for one of the best. That being said, the ending (which I have and haven’t mentioned) really did disappoint me. I also found that once you were in the post-game and just had endless cabins coming at you that things got really repetitive for very little reward. I really am looking forward to seeing where this game goes and I will revisit it at some point but for right now, it just didn’t live up to the hype. As a result, I have to give The Cabin Factory the Silver Thumb Culture Award.

I enjoy the pacing of The Last Case of John Morley, as it is easily digestible, and doesn’t throw so much information at you to make it confusing. This is not without issues, however, since the plot becomes quite easy to guess. Gameplay is rather light, and there are only a couple of puzzles scattered around. Minor issues I had were that some interactable icons would not work unless I was far enough away, while others did not appear. The only thing I’d suggest is that when it comes to uncovering what happened at the scenes, the player should put it together themselves. Instead of the game just making you interact and tell you. I think The Last Case of John Morley deserves the Thumb Culture Silver Award, for the enjoyable story and decent atmosphere.

The Spirit of the Samurai has a great art style, but the story itself needs fleshing out. I had a few major issues with input lag throughout the game, which led to many pointless deaths. The combat is okay, but I found the combo system useless and the same for leveling up. I didn’t really use the bow either, as most of the time it felt like I had to be near the enemy. I really hated the checkpoints in this game and more so in the end-game area. If you die, you go all the way back, which was annoying. Especially when you have to fight across a bridge before fighting a boss. Some areas go on for too long, especially with waves of enemies. Chisai’s segments are cute but felt like they could be removed from the game and it wouldn’t change anything. The biggest thing to really tick me off was the final boss fight. I had horrendous drops in the frame rate when against him. The boss himself wasn’t hard, but frames would screw me over when attacking. The game seems a lot more on the artsy side for me compared to the actual gameplay. I find it deserves the Thumb Culture Silver Award, maybe after a couple of updates to fix the frames and controls it could be bumped to a gold.

Overall, with a slightly higher than the expected price point of £19.99, I wouldn’t recommend you take a punt on the game if you’re slightly interested in the genre and/or theme. This game is for fans of the RTS genre who are looking for a challenge and I’m sure that the game will build a cult following of hardcore RTS fans, however with no tutorial and campaign to support newcomers to the genre, I’d give the They Are Billions a Thumb Culture Bronze Award.

Timothy’s Night was a very pleasant surprise for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this game. I experienced a couple of graphical glitches, one of which I couldn’t seem to get around as it seemed to save itself into my game save. The on-screen mini-map seemed to freeze for me. My objective arrows were moving around, but my character and the actual mini-map were not.

I’ll be honest the more I played Tiny Garden, the more it won me over. I’ve got lost in trying to collect all the seeds and plant types. Deciding between prioritising buying new seed types or more customisation options. Puzzling together how to get the right soil type in the right place in order to maximise my space. It’s been like a cosy puzzler but without the stress. Ao Norte and Super Rare Originals are currently offering the game at an introductory price of £9.59, and honestly you should be snapping it up. Even for it’s full price of £11.99 this is a cosy game that packs a lot in a compact environment.

UFOPHILIA is just meh, all the work you do to uncover an alien’s spawn point just feels needless. And when it comes to snapping a photo, you need to get stupidly close. Which sucks since they are able to spot you easily and lock doors. I’m a little disappointed in the actual designs as well, due to me thinking there might be some cool looking aliens. That was not the case. The tutorials did not give me much hope to begin with, as some of the tools would not even spawn. It also comes across too much like a ghost hunting game rather than aliens. I do like catching footage of the aliens on camera, but the fact that it does not count towards evidences is just plain silly. Since the feed goes to the laptop, the same way as audio. In the end, the game just comes across as cheap, from the tools to the actual aliens themselves. So, I am gonna give UFOPHILIA the Thumb Culture Bronze Award.

Overall I enjoyed playing Youtubers Life 2 quite a bit. The setting was fun and entertaining and I found the gameplay mechanics to be straightforward, especially when done often. The loose story was engaging and I enjoyed the use of social media, streaming, etc beyond simply recording videos. There were some glitches forcing me to restart the game that soured it for me a little. It looks and sounds great and if you like lifestyle simulators, I have no doubt that Youtubers Life 2 will be your cup of tea.