Jordan Rooker, Author at Thumb Culture

19May

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Empyreal – PC Review

Empyreal is a single-player, action RPG dungeon crawler by Silent Games. Explore the hidden depths of an ancient monolith while gradually improving your gear and abilities to take on tougher and more challenging areas. With publishing by Secret Mode (Still Wakes the Deep), Empyreal is available now on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Empyreal is Almost a Roguelite, Light Even when I'm not trying to play a roguelite I seem to end up with one. At least in a slight fashion. Though Empyreal doesn't call itself that, I could see some similarity. Besides, you had me at loot and dungeon crawler. Check out my thoughts on this new one below. Gameplay Empyreal is a 3rd-person, action RPG dungeon crawler. As a representative mercenary of the Company, you are sent to assist an expeditio...

7May

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – PC Review

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a narrative-driven JRPG by Sandfall Interactive, an indie development team from France. The game is a solo adventure with publishing by Kepler Interactive (Windblown, Pacific Drive). It is available now on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam or Epic. For this review I'm taking a look at the PC version. Embark on an Expedition into a Vibrant, Deadly World Oh hey look a game that isn't a roguelite! There has seemingly been a lot of hype leading up to the release of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I'm not sure if it was word of mouth or simply good advertising that caught my eye. But I'm taking the plunge into a genre nearly wholly unfamiliar to me, so bear with me. Honestly the most prominent recollection I have of playing anything even similar is o...

RuneScape: Dragonwilds – PC Early Access Preview

4May

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

RuneScape: Dragonwilds – PC Early Access Preview

RuneScape: Dragonwilds is a new survival game twist on the classic IP of the same name. It came roaring into Early Access out of nowhere in mid-April, with developing and publishing by Jagex Ltd (RuneScape, Old School RuneScape). It may not be free like the previous games, but is still at a reasonable price point. You can pick it up today on Steam for £24.99. Solid Survival Gameplay with a touch of Dragons I honestly don't recall ever playing RuneScape growing up. The original launched in 2001 and that would have been the same time that I was more into Counter-Strike than anything else on PC. Before I really even knew what MMOs were. I wasn't friends with anyone that was playing it either, so I've only roughly known bits and pieces about it. RuneScape: Dragonwilds caught many by surprise...

29Apr

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

KIBORG – PC Review

KIBORG is a fast-paced, action beat 'em up roguelite. Developed and published by Sobaka Studio, it releases on the 30th of April on console and PC. I mentioned in a recent review about how I seem to be finding myself with an abundance of roguelite games to play lately. KIBORG falls into this category too, though in a fairly different format than those previously. Brawl to the Top in KIBORG KIBORG moved up higher on my potential review list after spending some time first in the demo. I've actually been finding myself looking into demos more frequently lately as better insight into potential plays. Do you tend to check out demos first or prefer to dive first into the real thing? Check out my thoughts on the more complete game below. Gameplay KIBORG is a fast-paced, 3rd-person action...

Wildkeepers Rising – PC Early Access Preview

14Apr

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Wildkeepers Rising – PC Early Access Preview

Wildkeepers Rising is a horde survivor meets bullet hell, meets creature collector by Lioncode Games. A roguelite set in a hand-drawn world, free Guardians to help fight back against attacking hordes. The game just recently went into early access and is available on Steam. A Unique Blend of Genres If it wasn't obvious by now, I seem to be playing various roguelites often lately. From the most recent bullet hell, Odinfall, to the more survival-like Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel. Each thus far, including Wildkeepers Rising, has thankfully been unique in its own way to keep things interesting. Anyone else play variations on the same genre of games to keep things more interesting? Check out my thoughts on the game's current build below. Gameplay Wildkeepers Rising is a game that combines...

2Apr

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Odinfall – PC Early Access Preview

Odinfall is a fast-paced, roguelite bullet-hell now available in early access. It is an evolution of the game Gaunt Valkyr by indie studio Ember Paw Games. With publishing by Fireshine Games (Core Keeper, Shadows of Doubt), you can pick it up today over on Steam for £11. Weapons Abound in Odinfall I sure seem to be hitting up a lot of roguelite games lately. Not only that but ones relating to Norse mythology too. The pace of bullet-hell games has kept me mostly away from this area of the genre, but Odinfall has been a positive experience. Has a game's pace ever kept you from trying something new? Check out my thoughts on this early access entry below. Gameplay Odinfall is fast. It's also a bullet-hell. But fear not, it's also a roguelite! Loki, in disembodied form, has been sent to...

1Apr

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Wreckfest 2 – PC Early Access Preview

Wreckfest 2 recently became available in early access on Steam. Developers of the first Wreckfest, Bugbear, return with the demolition derby racing simulator with publishing by THQ Nordic. They feel its initial tracks and vehicles ready for playing and want to share their work with the community for further feedback as development continues. Wreckfest 2 is currently available only on Steam, with console releases with the 1.0 build yet TBD. I'm gonna wreck it! One of my core childhood memories is attending a demolition derby with my grandpa. I'm not sure if it was the loud destruction or just the fact that it was something like I'd never seen before. Regardless, any chance to play a game like Wreckfest 2 is one I'm going to take. Come to think of it, it was likely the destruction as I'm m...

Dragonkin: The Banished – PC Early Access Preview

17Mar

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Dragonkin: The Banished – PC Early Access Preview

Eko Software (How to Survive, Warhammer: Chaosbane) teams up with publishing from Nacon for their latest ARPG project Dragonkin: The Banished. Take up the fight as a hero of the realm to fight back draconic forces threatening to corrupt everything. It is now available in Early Access on Steam with a plan for release on consoles at a later date. Dragonkin: The Banished is Certainly Not Eko Software's First Rodeo Having just recently taken a look at Coridden, it felt appropriate that I take a look at another contender in the isometric ARPG genre. Dragonkin: The Banished appears to be a completely different aesthetic though, with a darker but still striking setting. So what else does it have to offer with the experience Eko Software has under their belt? Quite a bit for an early access rele...

28Feb

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Sancticide – Early Access PC Preview

Sancticide is an early access third-person action game with souls-like combat and roguelite systems. Red Square Games (SlavicPunk: Oldtimer) and Sylen Studio (The Sin Collector: Repentless) are both developing and publishing the game. Explore the dark world of an apocalypse of biblical proportions today only on Steam. The Apocalypse is a Dark, Brutal Place... Reading up on a game description can really only gets you so far. I really am not sure what I was expecting going into Sancticide. What I found was definitely not it. Have you ever run into this before? Where the content within the game isn't what you were expecting? I mean I had an idea but check out my thoughts in the preview below. Gameplay Sancticide is a third-person action game based in the midst of the biblical apocalyp...

26Feb

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Turbo Overkill – PS5 Review

Turbo Overkill is an intense retro shooter by Trigger Happy Interactive. Previously only available on PC, thanks to publishing by Apogee Entertainment it is now available on consoles. If you want to grab a PS5 version you can do so for around £16. If you're looking for your next Doom-esque throwback while awaiting The Dark Ages, then take a moment to read this review. Trust me. The Most Colourfully Lethal Boomer Shooter There have been at least a couple of other Doom-like boomer shooters that have come my way in my time writing for Thumb Culture. Each had its own bit of flair but still not quite as visual of one as Turbo Overkill. The colour palette is nothing less than a striking, modern retro too. Must be that cyberpunk theme I suppose. But check out my thoughts of this pc gone consol...