Charlie, Author at Thumb Culture

12Jun

By CharlieNo Comments

FORENSIC – M.E. Protocol – PC Review

FORENSIC - M.E. Protocol is a new crime scene investigation simulator developed by k148 Game Studio and published by JanduSoft, that hit the Steam shelves on May 28th. Step into the shoes of a forensic investigator, check out crime scenes, and try your best to solve the case! A Different Kind of Murder Investigation An investigator game like this honestly sounds fun on paper. Usually, in these kinds of games, you are either just a regular cop or the guy who gets sent to clean up after the fact. Getting to actually work on the forensic side of things is a great concept, but the execution isn't without its flaws. Have you seen a game like this before? Let me know in the comments! Gameplay In FORENSIC - M.E. Protocol, you play as a forensic investigator tasked with analysing crime sce...

8Jun

By CharlieNo Comments

PC Reviews

Service Area Simulator – PC Review

Service Area Simulator is a new shop simulator game that puts you through the standard management loop of building, restocking, and running your shops. Developed by ikika Games and published by PlayWay S.A., it was released on Steam on May 15th to mixed reviews. Stranded on the Side of the Road As you know by now, we at Thumb Culture have a knack for Simulator games. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I really felt like this game could be one of the good ones. Sadly, the reality of the game doesn't quite live up to that. Let's get into the details. Gameplay Service Area Simulator's core gameplay loop starts off pretty much like any other store sim you may have played before. You have just bought a tiny little store, in this case, sitting right at the side of a lonely desert road,...

8Apr

By CharlieNo Comments

PC Reviews

Hozy – PC Review

Hozy, developed by Come On Studio and published by tinyBuild, just released on Steam on March 30th. Discover your new passion for restoring the sense of community that once filled the streets of your hometown. Room by room, space by space. Hozy? Homey? Cozy? Who doesn't enjoy cleaning? Exactly. Everyone. Not a task I'm looking forward to, personally. Cleaning in video games tho? Now THAT is a different story. Gameplay Each level in Hozy follows roughly the same loop. First of all, you need to remove the heaps and heaps of trash that are covering the entire ground. With all of that out of the way, you have easy access to the floors that desperately need some sweeping. Then you clean the windows and throw some paint on the walls if the wallpaper is really beyond saving. And voilà! Yo...

17Mar

By CharlieNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Tiny Garden – Switch Review

Tiny Garden, a cozy gardening game developed by Ao Norte and published by Super Rare Originals, has finally made its way onto the Switch on February 26th! This version includes all currently available DLCs, including the Summer Breeze Cosmetic Pack and the Supporter's Pack, adding a lot more customization to the game. I choose you! I've heard a ton of great things about Tiny Garden back when it released for PC, so I jumped at the opportunity to get my hands on the newly released Switch version! Most cozy games will eventually make their way to the Switch, but really, some ports are more "miss" than "hit". Do you have any games that you would love to see ported? Or maybe any ports that you were extremely disappointed by? Let me know in the comments! Gameplay Tiny Garden begins by ha...

28Feb

By CharlieNo Comments

Features, News & Updates

Pokémon Presents February 2026 Round Up

In today's Pokémon Presents, we got a few updates on current and upcoming titles, in-game events and an early look at the 10th Generation! Were your expectations met? Tell me in the comments! Let's buckle up and get into it. Game Music Collection To celebrate Pokémon's 30th anniversary, the Pokémon Red & Pokémon Blue Game Music Collection: Game Boy Jukebox has been announced. It is, as the name suggests, a mini Game Boy-style jukebox that comes with 45 swappable song cartridges. It is available for purchase today, February 27th, at the Pokémon Center in the US, Canada and UK. Pokémon TCG A new Pokémon TCG set is coming in 2026. The trailer showed cards from various eras, hinting at this being another reprint set, similar to Evolutions, with Mew and Mewtwo as the main features. ...

18Feb

By CharlieNo Comments

PC Reviews

City Tales – Medieval Era – PC Review

Unleash your creativity and be the leader that your people need, in City Tales - Medieval Era. Developed by Irregular Shapes and published by Firesquid, this game is a medieval themed city builder that released on Steam on January 29th. A City Builder that is actually Chill? "Waaah, I am unhappy. My house is not studded with diamonds and my caviar is not covered in pure gold." Let's be real. We all played a city builder that feels like that. No matter what you do, your people are just so whiny and unhappy, even if they are well taken care of. Not in this game though! City Tales - Medieval Era puts a fresh, chill spin on the genre that both strategists and cosy gamers can enjoy. Gameplay City Tales - Medieval Era is a very relaxing city builder that does not pressure you to improv...

21Jan

By CharlieNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Obsidian Moon – Demo Preview

Obsidian Moon is an upcoming text-based detective adventure-simulator, developed and published by Lost Cabinet Games. While no release date is set yet, this demo is available on Steam right now! Take on the role of Sam Carter, a once-respected homicide detective, tasked with solving a series of interconnected murders. Follow leads, interrogate suspects, and get closer to the truth. Desk Clutter Sim Been a while since I last dipped my feet into the detective sim genre! Can't wait to see what this game has to offer. Gameplay While this demo is rather short, it still gives you a great first look at the overall gameplay loop. Starting off with a brief tutorial to cover the basics before you can jump into your first proper case. Your main workspace is your desk, cluttered with files ...

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault – PC Preview

3Dec

By CharlieNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault – PC Preview

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, developed by Digital Sun and published by 11 bit studios, is a direct sequel to the first Moonlighter game and is available now on Steam in Early Access. The full release date is still to be determined. The sequel picks up the story shortly after where the first game left off. Things aren't looking too great though, as Rynoka has been taken over, forcing everyone to flee and settle somewhere new. Now, their main goal is getting their hometown back. Conveniently, a mysterious, floating vault has appeared in the town square promising to grant wishes, but only if you manage to earn a massive amount of gold. So, it looks like Will is going to have to set up shop once more! Moonlighter 2: Endless Boogaloo? I absolutely love the first Moonlighter game, so I...

28Nov

By CharlieNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Whiskerwood – PC Early Access Preview

Whiskerwood is a settlement management simulation, brought to you by developer Minakata Dynamics and publisher Hooded Horse. It released into Early Access on Steam on November 6th. You are put in charge of a colony of mice on an untouched island, where you will need to manage your resources, set up production chains, and ensure the general welfare of your little Whiskers, all while trying to grow your home. The cats have taken over! Today, I am diving back into Whiskerwood to check out the newly released Early Access version! I previously played and reviewed the demo version, so feel free to check out that article before reading this one. While the general gameplay loop has stayed the same, there have been some really major updates that open the game wide up. I'm excited to talk about th...

20Oct

By CharlieNo Comments

PC Reviews

Twinkleby – PC Review

Twinkleby, developed and published by Might and Delight, is a cosy decoration game that hit Steam on September 23rd. Build adorable little dioramas across a whimsical archipelago of floating islands and make your little residents as happy as can be! Twinkle Twinkle Little Island It is once again time to review a cute decorating game! This one has a very unique vibe to it that I am excited to share with you today. Let's get into it! Gameplay Imagine diving into a peaceful, cosy world with a refreshingly simple premise. Twinkleby is like your personal digital dollhouse. You spend your time customising adorable floating islands, placing and decorating houses, building gardens and planting trees. But your work doesn't stop there! You will need to collect and place cute furniture all ov...