Jordan Rooker, Author at Thumb Culture

8Nov

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Moon Mystery – PC Review

Moon Mystery is a sci-fi adventure FPS available now for PC by indie developer Cosmoscouts. It is a steady mix of gunplay, puzzles, and exploration across more than just a moon. Published by indie.io (HumanitZ, Coromon) and successfully backed via Kickstarter in May of 2023, you can pick it up over on Steam today. There are also plans for it to be available via GOG at a later date. That's no Moon! With a title like Moon Mystery, one expects to spend a fair amount of time on the moon. I'm here to inform you that in this game, that is not the case. Are there any games that come to your mind when thinking how a simple title held a larger world than you expected within? I'd have to say this is definitely one of them for me. Gameplay In Moon Mystery, you set out to discover a way back home ...

1Nov

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Vampire Hunters 1.0 Release – PC Review

Vampire Hunters is a roguelite, 3D survivors fps by Gamecraft Studios (For Sparta, Rogue Summoner). It rolled out of early access and into a full 1.0 release on October 30th. The game is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox One/X|S. Like Some Version of DOOM and Vampire Survivors' Lovechild. I'm no stranger to the FPS or Survivors genres. The latter has more recently become a popular form of entertainment for me on the go. With titles like Vampire Survivors, Halls of Torment, and Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor being easy to pick up and play. It looks like Vampire Hunters is trying to give that survivors aspect a different perspective. Any crossover games that come to mind of similar type? Let me know what I should be checking out after my thoughts on the game belo...

9Oct

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Satisfactory – PC Review

Satisfactory is a first-person factory simulator set in an open world. It was originally available for the first year exclusively on Epic when it hit early access in March of 2019. Developed by Coffee Stain Studios (Goat Simulator) and published by Coffee Stain Publishing (Deep Rock Galactic, Valheim), it opened a new chapter with a 1.0 release in September. If you're looking to sink a lot of time into a game, pick it up today on Steam or the Epic Games store. Symmetry is so Satisfactory I'll just be flat out up front: I don't know when exactly I'll be done playing Satisfactory. I completely underestimated just how much depth it has brought to the table. Especially when you compare it to when it first went into early access. Needless to say I will be putting in quite a lot more time to t...

24Sep

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Drill Core PC Early Access Preview

Drill Core is a mix of strategy, simulator and roguelite. It is in development by Hungry Couch Games (Black Skylands) with publishing by tinyBuild (Hello Neighbor, among many others). It is now available in early access on Steam. Dig Deep with this Pixel Roguelite Mashup Drill Core first caught my eye when I had a chance to play the demo earlier this year. I didn't have quite as much time with it as I would have liked so I was eager to get another chance to check it out. Not to mention I've been a fan of most of the games out there with the help of tinyBuild. What about you, reader? Is there a publisher you tend to follow as tried and true? Let me know in the comment section. Gameplay In Drill Core, you work for the corporate company... DrillCore... as a Platform Manager. Your prim...

It’s Only Money (Chapter Three) – PC Review

5Sep

By Jordan Rooker1 Comment

PC Reviews

It’s Only Money (Chapter Three) – PC Review

It's Only Money is a new indie open-world life/sim/action game by Usual Suspects Studios. Brought to us on Steam by Firestoke (Hauntii, Bish Bash Bots), live your best poor life as a citizen of Rockhaven - doing whatever it takes to rise above the mayor. It is exclusively available in early access on Steam for PC. How About a New Playground to be a Menace to Society? I never really thought of games like the Saints Row or Grand Theft Auto series as life simulator games. Now that I'm a decade wiser I suppose I could see how they'd be classed as so. After all, the developers and players of It's Only Money seem to think so. But what about these games strikes you as a simulation of life? Check out my thoughts on how this game lines up with those of its kind in the review below. Gameplay It'...

Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate – PC Review

27Aug

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate – PC Review

Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate is an action roguelite adventure by Moving Pieces Interactive. It was previously only available on the Epic Games store for PC or Xbox One/Series X|S but as of August 12th is now available via Steam. Though simply named Shoulders of Giants at its prior release, the title has been updated to reflect the Ultimate changes that have been made to the game since then. Frog and Robot - another Dynamic Duo Adventure There have been many video game duos over the years: Ratchet and Clank, Sam and Max, Jak and Daxter, Kratos and Boy, etc. Though the Froggie in Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate would assert that the robot is the sidekick, I think an argument could definitely be made for the latter. When you think of other game duos, who are the most memorable to you? Let me...

15Aug

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Hellbreach: Vegas – PC Review

Hellbreach: Vegas is a wave-based zombie co-op shooter moving from Early Access to a 1.0 release on Steam. It has been available in Early Access on Steam since early March this year, but solo indie developer Infinity Ape Studios has stuck to his 6-month timeline. With publishing by Iceberg Interactive (Star Dynasties, AirportSim), the official 1.0 launch date was yesterday i.e. August 14th, 2024. Now this is Zombie Slaying! Fresh off my preview for Last Whisper, Hellbreach: Vegas definitely looks to be a horse of a different colour. At a glance it immediately hearkens back to spending some late nights with friends fighting zombie hordes in any number of Call of Duty games. Gameplay Hellbreach: Vegas is a wave-based zombie co-op FPS for you and up to three other friends to enjoy. It...

9Aug

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Last Whisper – PC Preview

Last Whisper is a zombie survival exploration game for you and up to eight other friends. It is being developed by solo developer MxzStudio with publishing by RockGame S.A. (Scrapnaut, Cafe Owner Simulator). The game is available now in Early Access on PC via Steam. Yet Another Zombie Survival Game... Zombies have been in video games for a long time. So it's hard to not compare new to old, especially with the plethora out there. Upon first glance I was hoping that Last Whisper would be different. This one though, didn't really feel like it was much. Check out my thoughts on the preview build below. Gameplay Last Whisper is a zombie survival game. My guess is that if you're reading this review you probably already have an idea of what that entails. And guess what? You're right. Quit...

6Aug

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Kristala – PC Preview

Kristala is a dark fantasy action-rpg available now in early access on PC by developer Astral Clocktower Studios. It is self-published and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch upon full launch. Welcome to your Feline Fighter Fantasy Fresh off my latest preview of No Rest for the Wicked, I thought a look at a similar genre game would be interesting. This brought me to check out Kristala. While many others were returning for DLC for that one game with a really old circle, I was busy getting my butt handed to me once more in a different game. Sometimes we are just gluttons for punishment! Gameplay In Kristala, you take on the role of a feline warrior on their quest to master six magic specialties of the sacred Kristals. The intent by doing so is to ...

19Jun

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

No Rest for the Wicked – PC Preview

No Rest for the Wicked is a new Action RPG, Souls-like crossover. It is in development by Moon Studios (Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of the Wisps) with publishing by Private Division (Kerbal Space Program, The Outer Worlds). It became available in Early Access in mid-April on Steam. The full release version will be available for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It has the Souls-like tag for a reason! Moon Studios is already known for visually stunning and atmospheric games. Though I personally have never played either Ori game, it is on my ever-growing list of games to play when given the chance. No Rest for the Wicked appears to be just as eye-catching and immersive as the Ori series. Do previous games from the same developer ever draw you to a new IP? For me it was ...