Jordan Rooker, Author at Thumb Culture

21Jan

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Airoheart Art And Beta Test Date

Airoheart publisher SOEDESCO has revealed the game's new key art and logo. In development by Pixel Heart Studio, the announcement also included the start date of its upcoming Closed Beta. Bringing Back Those OG Zelda Feels Airoheart is a pixel-art adventure game similar to the original Zelda games. In addition to the 16-bit pixel art style, it is a top-down, story-based puzzle platformer with real-time combat. The story takes you across the land of Engard to encounter unique characters, dungeons, and bosses. Some of the features found in Airoheart include: a hand-crafted, beautiful pixel art open world to explore real-time combat inspired by classic puzzle platformers fully animated and choreographed story scenes. It truly is a homage to the classic top-down adventure ga...

6Jan

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews, Previews & Early Access

KEO Preview

KEO is a new team-based vehicular combat game now available via Early Access on Steam. The post-apocalyptic, remote-controlled vehicle rumble is in development by Redcatpig Studio and published by Digital Matters Publishing. The game has already been in development for a few years and is currently planning for release sometime in 2022. Remote Cars + 3v3 Battle Arena = KEO in a Nutshell For those of us that grew up when the PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 were current gen, I can't imagine there wasn't a pre-teen or teenage boy/girl around that didn't play some version of the Twisted Metal series. The carnage, the ridiculous characters and vehicles, and oh man the crazy fun. The first footage I saw of KEO reminded me of the good times I'd had of going over to friend's house to play. Did yo...

10Dec

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Battlefield 2042 Review

Well, it's finally here. The latest instalment of the Battlefield series has come to life with Battlefield 2042. Despite the new venue for vehicular and infantry combat, the Battlefield games are known for, it has been met with some harsh criticism from long-time fans of the series. Some feel that DICE has made poor development decisions with some of its changes to the game. Others believe that DICE took Battlefield 2042 out of the oven too soon due to deadlines set by publisher Electronic Arts. Regardless, Battlefield 2042 is currently available for purchase on PC via Steam, Origin, and Epic as well as Xbox Series X/S/One and PlayStation 5/4. Much like my bullets, Battlefield 2042 misses the mark I have been a fan of the Battlefield series since I built my first PC in college and picked...

6Dec

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews, Previews & Early Access

Core Keeper Preview

Core Keeper is a 1-8 player co-op sandbox adventure with mining, crafting, building, fighting, and farming elements. It is in development by Pugstorm (Radical Rabbit Stew) with publishing by Sold Out (Mechwarrior 5: Mercenaries, Disjunction, KeyWe). It is now available for "Open Alpha" via requesting access from the Steam store page. Currently Pugstorm is planning for an early 2022 release but as always that is subject to change. Explore The Depths of Core Keeper Pixel graphics games like Core Keeper seem to be becoming a genre of their own. Originally it felt like they were trying to have a nostalgic theme to them. But as they've become more and more common, I can't say that this is still the case. To be honest I can't remember specifically when they slid into the mainstream. If you...

29Nov

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Dysterra Preview

Dysterra is a survival, crafting, and multiplayer open world game currently in development by Reality MagiQ (Space Block Buster, Special Force VR: Infinity War) with publishing by Kakao Games (Elyon, Path of Exile). It currently doesn't have a planned release date but it recently had a beta test week from November 15th thru the 28th. I was able to dip a toe into the game to see what it's all about. As of right now Dysterra may only be found on PC via Steam. Dysterra - Gather, Craft, Build, etc. etc. For a game not having any sort of planned release date, Dysterra looks dang pretty. But then there comes the question of which is more important to you as a gamer. Do you prefer a game that looks amazing but may not have the best gameplay? Or would you rather play one that may not look gr...

16Nov

By Jordan Rooker3 Comments

PC Reviews

Moonglow Bay Review

Moonglow Bay is out now! This casual voxel fishing adventure game is the debut game by Bunnyhug with publishing by Coatsink (Kingdom Two Crowns, Gang Beasts). It is available now via Steam, Epic (as of Nov. 11th), and Xbox. It is also included as a part of Xbox Game Pass. If you're looking for something new to kick back and relax with, be sure to check it out! Fishing is the Way in Moonglow Bay Moonglow Bay looks like some kind of Stardew Valley crossover with Trove at first glance. Instead, you'll find it to be a quaint little gem that focuses on fishing without making your life difficult. No big deadlines or making sure to get home by a certain time - just simple, casual fun. For anyone that has read some of my previous reviews, you'll know that I'm a strictly keyboard and mouse ki...

9Nov

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews, Previews & Early Access

Despot’s Game Early Access Preview

If you're looking for a game that let's you play battles between puny humans and all sorts of strange denizens, Despot's Game may be the one for you. In development by Konfa Games (Despotism 3k) with publishing by tinyBuild (Graveyard Keeper, Hello Neighbor), Despot's Game became available for Early Access on Steam on October 14th. Though it's currently only available on Steam, it is possible that the game may eventually release on mobile and Switch as well similar to Despotism 3k. Despot's Game of Puny Human Carnage If you enjoy this review, be sure to check out my other reviews here. I haven't played Konfa Games' previous game, Despotism 3k, but just comparing screenshots to Despot's Game I'd take a wild guess that the two are related. Both seem to relate to the spurn toward hum...

22Oct

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Killsquad Review

Killsquad, a co-op action hack and slash, is boiling to a full release on October 21, 2021. The genre-blending game developed and published by Novarama has been in Early Access on Steam since July of 2019. Over the course of these two years and change, the developers have been listening closely to feedback from the community. At this point there have been 16 major updates and they don't intend on stopping anytime soon. Killsquad will initially only be available on Steam but Novarama is planning for a PS4 and PS5 release as well. Gun, Run And Carve Your Way Through The Galaxy In Killsquad I recall seeing Killsquad when it initially hit Early Access on Steam in the summer of 2019. I don't recall why I put off playing it until recently though. Perhaps it was due to the unpleasant taste that...

19Oct

By Jordan Rooker1 Comment

PC Reviews, Previews & Early Access

Undying Early Access Preview

Undying isn't your typical survival/crafting/zombie game. Developed by Vanimals and published by Skystone Games Inc (The Last Friend), Undying enters Early Access on Steam on October 19th, 2021. It has been in development over the past three years. Vanimals is hopeful for it to be in Early Access no longer than six months. The Early Access version of Undying consists of roughly the first half of the game. Vanimals is also planning for an eventual release to consoles as well. Undying - Complete a Mother's Undying Wish When I first heard about Undying, I wasn't certain I was ready to add yet another zombie apocalypse game to my library. There are just so many available out there with varying degrees of success. This becomes especially true when you add the "crafting" and "survival" tags to...

14Oct

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Grim Earth Review

Grim Earth is a 2D platformer created by George Allan and published by Clockwork Pixels Ltd (also George Allan). It has been in early access for about two and a half years now and was originally slated for launch at the end of September. Allan wanted to make sure he launched his best product possible though so the current release date is September "44th" (or rather October 14th). Look for its full release on Steam. Explore A Grim Earth In... Grim Earth! I seem to be getting myself into all sorts of less-than-familiar genres here at Thumb Culture. This time I waded into the waters of the platformer genre with Grim Earth. As far as I can remember I've only played a handful or so platformers over the years. The most notable being of course Super Mario Bros 1 and 3. Ah... those were such sim...