Stuart, Author at Thumb Culture

15Oct

By Stuart2 Comments

Celebrate Classic Gaming In Style

Thumbs Up! The gift and gadget website has recently launched some incredible goodies. Namely Atari's Iconic Collection. So join us as we check out each one of the six collectables, and don't worry, they aren't all wall art. 80's Nostalgia Here We Come Join me on this short journey of discovery as we unpack the details of each piece of history. Official Atari 3D Wall Art - Cartridge Collection With nine cartridges on show the Cartridge Collection in Atari's Iconic Collection shows off some of the most popular games. Perfect for giving your gaming area a neat talking point for any visitors. The Cartridge Collection is available for £39.99, a link will be placed at the bottom of this article. Official Atari 3D Wall Art - Pong Collection If you have ever played Pong then you are o...

15Oct

By StuartNo Comments

VR Reviews

Maestro – Quest 3 Review

Have you ever been sitting at the opera and always wanted to have a go at the stick? Well now is your chance, developed by Double Jack and VR label Creature bring you Maestro. After a hugely successful free demo, the full-length game will be released on the Quest 2, 3, 3s and Pro on October 17th, with SteamVR releasing on October 22nd. Musicality at its finest. So just what does that guy at the front of the orchestra do exactly? Well read on and you might just find out! Gameplay Maestro is, in essence, a rhythm game with a few differences. I won't tell you what they are yet, but stick around for the rest of the review, and all will become clear. When you start up for the first time, you are introduced to the game very gently. It is a nice, neat tutorial that takes you through the co...

14Oct

By StuartNo Comments

News & Updates

GameSir Launches The Tarantula Pro

GameSir, the world-renowned brand in the gaming peripheral market have released the Tarantula Pro. Don't worry, this latest controller doesn't bite, but what it does do is pack an impressive punch in the features department. GameSir Weaves A Web The Tarantula Pro features a myriad of features that personally I love to see on a controller. Standing out with its unique design and lightning-fast response times. It's the ideal controller for gamers who want to stand out from the crowd. Compatible with the Switch, iOS, Android, PC and Steam, there is plenty of opportunity to get to grips with your Tarantula Pro. Flipping from PC to Switch also brings in a neat feature that I've never seen before. A face button gear mechanism rotates the face buttons so that they are all in the right alignm...

11Oct

By StuartNo Comments

PC Reviews

Europa – PC Review

Fancy something a bit more peaceful? Fancy a game where the focus is on exploration and meditation? Well, Europa might be exactly what you are looking for. This is the creation of a small team led by the former Overwatch and Diablo3 Art Director, Helder Pinto. Then published by Future Friends Games Europa attempts to go against the grain and give you a more chilled experience. Chilled, Peaceful, Exploration So let's dive into this peaceful game of adventure. Join us on this journey. Gameplay I will start off by saying, the game is only around 4 hours long, Don't let that detract you from continuing your reading though, as it packs a lot into a small game. All in all Europa is an incredible game with simplistic controls, which leaves a smile on your face. Europa has a very touching s...

11Oct

By StuartNo Comments

Features, LEGO

LEGO Fortnite Peely Bone Set Review

Back in July, we covered the exciting news that LEGO and Fortnite were bringing their collab outside of the virtual world and into the hands of brick lovers everywhere. As an avid Fortnite player and LEGO collector these sets made my little gamer's heart jump for joy. At least that's what I'm telling myself that's what those palpitations were. One set in particular immediately went on our must-have list. Ok, ok, one set in particular went to the top of our must-have list. This was of course the LEGO Fortnite Peely Bone set. And thanks to our friends over at LEGO we got our hands on it early! Fortnite (backstory) build mode If you're reading this, we're going to assume that you know who Peely Bone is. Just in case you don't, and you're here simply because you think this LEGO set looks coo...

10Oct

By StuartNo Comments

VR Reviews

Exploding Kittens VR – Quest 3 Review

If you haven't heard of Exploding Kittens then where have you been hiding? Not only is it a popular physical card game but also a Netflix series. It is now, thanks to Asmodee Entertainment and Saber Interactive, a video game. I present to you Exploding Kittens VR! I know what an unexpected name. Released on the Meta store for Quest 3, Quest Pro as well as the Quest 2 you can take on friends, foe and AI in this heart stopping chaotic card game where the main aim is to blow up your friends. WARNING: HIGH LEVELS OF EXPLOSIVI-KITTY As someone who loves it when card games make the jump to VR I was super excited to play Exploding Kittens VR. So let's dive into the virtual world and see the experience. Gameplay The gameplay loop is quite straightforward in Exploding Kittens VR; Don't Blow Up!...

Ari Buktu and the Anytime Elevator – PC Preview

9Oct

By StuartNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Ari Buktu and the Anytime Elevator – PC Preview

When you get asked if you want to check out an upcoming 2.5D being developed by a former Disney Imagineer, I mean you have to say yes right? That's exactly what happened with Ari Buktu and the Anytime Elevator when an opportunity to check out it's Steam Next Fest demo early came across my desk. A Magical Ride Developed by Adventure Works, with one of the lead designers of the Millenium Falcon ride bringing cinematic moments, this 5 person team are trying to bring a fully voice-acted game that screams of nostalgia straight to you. But how are they doing so far? Lets find out! Gameplay Before we get into it, I want to make it really clear this is simply a preview of Ari Buktu and the Anytime Elevator. A wonderful fun preview nonetheless. This preview demo was purely the introduction to t...

7Oct

By StuartNo Comments

News & Updates

Gaucho Coming in 2025!

Gaucho and the Grassland from Epopeia Games is heading to PC in February 2025. With a console release coming later, you can get your hands on a Steam Demo in November. Gaucho or Gaucha? Playing at Gaucho, you get to learn everything from the basics to crafting your own tools to help expand your farm. That's not all though, you will be able to explore nature. Go hunting for materials, or just buy them from a local vendor, it's entirely up to you. Using your helpful horse and faithful dog you will unlock and explore many different biomes, both at different times and in various weather conditions. You can help out local residents to increase your charisma, helping to unlock new paths and resources to continue to evolve your farm. There are also some supernatural encounters where you ...

PDP Release the Afterglow Wave Wireless Controller for Switch

7Oct

By StuartNo Comments

News & Updates

PDP Release the Afterglow Wave Wireless Controller for Switch

Leading gaming accessories maker Turtle Beach Corporation, and Performance Designed Products LLC (PDP) today announced the launch of the Afterglow Wave Wireless Controller with Motion for the Nintendo Switch system. Colour me Intrigued The new wireless controllers join the rest of the Afterglow Wave product family allowing Nintendo Switch owners to experience RGB lighting. Four new Afterglow Wave Wireless controllers in either black, white, purple or blue are coming in at a reasonable £49.99. A wired variant will be released at the end of October at half the price. Nintendo officially licenses the controllers which are compatible with all consoles in the Nintendo Switch family. With eight customisation RGB zones with four pre-set lighting modes. The Afternoon Wave will be a great ...

4Oct

By StuartNo Comments

VR Reviews

Starship Home – Quest 3 Review

Ever had dreams about your front room being a starship and journeying around space? Well, developer and publisher Creature have aimed to achieve just that. In Starship Home you set out on an expedition to discover new plants and maybe just maybe, restore balance to the universe. Sounds good right? InterPLANTary Journey Released on Quest 3, this mixed-reality game really sets the bar for what is possible. Now read on to find out just what happened when a little box got delivered to the middle of my front room. Gameplay Starting up the game you are launched straight into mixed reality and heading through the setup process. If you haven't set up your room space yet, now is the opportunity. I urge you to take your time and create the space as accurately as possible. Take extra care to add ...