Cameron J Keywood, Author at Thumb Culture

24Jun

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

Copa City – PS5 Review

As someone who usually focuses on the action on the pitch, I had never really considered just how much planning goes into hosting a major football match. Copa City offers a chance to step into that role and see what it takes to get a city ready. Released on the 16th June, Copa City is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S for £32.99. However on PC players can pick it up for £26.95. Developed and published by newcomer Triple Espresso, the game puts a fresh spin on football. It shifts the focus away from the players and onto the people responsible for making match day happen. The question is, does Copa City earn its planning permission, or does the whole project collapse before kick-off? City Planning in Progress Football games usually have you scoring goals, lifting trophies,...

23Jun

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Tour de France 2026 – PS5 Review

The most recent addition to Cyanide Studio's established cycling simulation series is Tour de France 2026. Published by Nacon, it released on June 4, 2026, for £34.99 for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Players can take on the route for the 113th edition of the cycling epic. The question is, does this year's instalment ride away in the yellow jersey or does it struggle to keep pace with the peloton? Equipping the Training Wheels I have never been much of a cycling fan. I do not dislike the sport, but it is not something I would normally sit down and watch by choice. At most, I might leave it on in the background during a lazy Sunday afternoon, occasionally looking up in disbelief at the endurance of riders who can tackle hundreds of kilometres when a few sharp turns and a modest ...

10 Concept Ideas for Future Dark Pictures Games

15Jun

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

Features

10 Concept Ideas for Future Dark Pictures Games

The Dark Pictures Anthology has established itself as one of horror gaming’s most compelling experiments. It combines cinematic storytelling, branching narratives with a healthy dose of fatal consequences. Directive 8020 recently emerged from deep space recently and the potential for the series feels broader than ever. Before we begin, a quick disclaimer: I have no knowledge of any future Supermassive Games projects. I also have no "insider" information, and no connection to the studio. I'm just a fan who enjoys watching fictional characters make consistently poor survival decisions. These are concepts I have come up with based on real life events and the possibilities of “what if?” storytelling. Here is how it will work. Each entry includes a quick photoshop concept image, title, setti...

28May

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Directive 8020 – PS5 Review

In space, no one can hear you scream. That may be for the best when it comes to the horrors inside Directive 8020. Developed by Supermassive Games, the game was released on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on the 12th May 2026. Supermassive know their cinematic horror, so prepare for the return of branching choices, gruesome deaths and Hollywood faces. The Standard Edition costs £39.99. The Digital Deluxe Edition increases the price to £49.99. So does it get off to an astronomical start, or is it just a waste of space? A Fear Orbit Experience Directive 8020 feels like an unholy union of Alien and The Thing. A cramped spaceship? Check. A hostile shape-shifting threat? Also check. Growing paranoia making every crewmate feel suspicious? Triple check. The setup captures the suffocating tensi...

18May

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Coffee Talk: Tokyo – PS5 Review

They say good things come in threes: The Musketeers, primary colours and Egyptian God cards to name a few. So when I heard that Toge Productions had teamed up with Chorus Worldwide for a third entry in the cosy late-night conversations experience that is the Coffee Talk series, I was ready. This time, the series swaps Seattle for Tokyo, trading the American midwest for the bright lights of one of the busiest cities in the world. Coffee Talk: Tokyo launches on 21st May 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch and Steam for a reasonable £12.99. So, does this latest blend hit the spot like a perfectly brewed espresso, or is it about as appealing as Monkey Spit Coffee? A Place to Venti The core premise of Coffee Talk: Tokyo stays true to previous entries as each evening, you serve drinks and...

27Mar

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

PC Reviews

NUTMEG! – PC Review

NUTMEG! A Nostalgic Deckbuilding Football Manager kicked off on 26th March 2026 for PC via Steam. Sumo Digital and its development pathway Sumo Digital Academy created it, while Secret Mode published it, the same team behind Still Wakes The Deep. At a fair £12.99 for launch week, which just about covers a pint and a packet of crisps at most football grounds these days. It then shifts to £19.99. What makes it stand out? Imagine 80s and 90s football, deckbuilding, and roguelite chaos all mashed together like a last-minute scramble for a relegation-saving equaliser. So is this a match-winner, or warming the bench all season? Bovril, Boots, and Bad Tackles NUTMEG! A Nostalgic Deckbuilding Football Manager doesn’t bother with a proper story. You don’t need one. You pick ...

26Mar

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Thomas & Friends Wonders of Sodor – PS5 Review

Thomas & Friends: Wonders of Sodor rolled onto PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC on 17th March 2026. Developed by Dovetail Games and priced at £29.99. You may recognise Dovetail from titles like Train Sim. I was fortunate enough to get the £39.99 Deluxe Edition which included James as a playable character. As a child on the spectrum, I was completely enamoured with Thomas and his adventures. Stepping into Sodor felt like a pure childhood dream brought to life. There is something special about finally seeing the island realised in a fleshed out console game, not locked to a handheld, not tied to a plastic peripheral (eye-toy), and not forcing you to dust off a SNES just to revisit The Adventure Series from 1993. But does it take you on that nostalgia train, or does it leav...

24Mar

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Screamer – PS5 Review

Screamer roared onto the track on 23rd March for Deluxe Edition players, with everyone else jumping in on 26th March across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It was developed by Milestone, the same team behind the recent Hot Wheels Unleashed games, and notably the studio lineage that created the original Screamer back in 1995 under the studio name Graffiti. There are a few editions floating around, including a top-end version that throws in a model car if you’re feeling fancy. For most people though, the standard edition lands at £49.99, while the Deluxe Edition will cost you an extra £10 for the early access and bonuses. So, the big question: Has Milestone modernised their classic to perfection or should it have been left on the scrapheap? The Fast and the Waifurious ...

13Nov

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Syberia Remastered – PS5 Review

Syberia, originally released in 2002, is a cult classic. The brainchild of the late Belgian comic artist Benoit Sokal, it combines steampunk and Art-Nouveau aesthetics with melancholic storytelling. 23 years later, Microids Paris and Virtuallyz Gaming present Syberia Remastered, launched on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on 6th November 2025. This was my first time playing the series as a whole. However I've played a click and point game before so I'm going to give it everything I've got. The remaster promises updated visuals, modern controls, and a few reworked puzzles. Does it live up to the hype, or is it just a dusty classic with a fresh coat of paint? A Journey of Rust and Snow In Syberia Remastered, you control Kate Walker, an American lawyer sent to the fictional town of Valadilè...

7Nov

By Cameron J KeywoodNo Comments

Features

10 Franchises That Need a Good Scrub in PowerWash Simulator 2

Now that PowerWash Simulator 2 is in the hands of players around the globe, fans are soaking in the relaxing rhythm of blasting away dirt with high-pressure water. Indeed, the game hits that sweet spot of giving you a satisfying feeling every time a surface gleams once more. Furthermore, the sequel takes everything that made the first game a surprise hit and makes it even better. It refines the steady, methodical gameplay, adds more tools to get every job done right, and while that familiar rewarding ding still sounds when you finish a clean, you now also get free soap. With fresh features and new locations, it’s easy to imagine where FuturLab might go next with the series. The first PowerWash Simulator set a pretty high bar, especially when it came to fun collaborations. For exampl...