Michael, Author at Thumb Culture

7Jan

By MichaelNo Comments

Thrill of the Fight 2 – Quest 3 Review

With the inevitable rush of “New year, new me” ambitions, why not skip the pricey, long-term gym membership and spend £15.99 on Thrill of the Fight 2 instead? Developed and published by Halfbrick Studios, this sequel to the hugely popular and well-received 2019 release Thrill of the Fight offers a fun and engaging way to burn extra calories. Available to purchase now from the Meta Store, Thrill of the Fight 2 is available on Quest 2, 3 and 3S. The elephant in the...ring? I’ve really enjoyed some of Halfbrick Studios’ early mobile games, so I was curious to see what their VR title would be like. However, the Meta store page shows mixed reviews. It seems the userbase is divided, with many saying it’s not as good as the original Thrill of the Fight. Since I haven’t played the first game...

Men in Black: Most Wanted – Quest 3 Review

8Dec

By MichaelNo Comments

VR Reviews

Men in Black: Most Wanted – Quest 3 Review

In what almost feels like a shadow drop, Men in Black: Most Wanted has been released on the Meta Store. It's available now for download on the Quest 2, 3 & 3S. MIB: Most Wanted is an action, adventure, shooter with some light puzzle elements thrown in for good measure. Published by Sony Pictures Virtual Reality, the game was developed by Coatsink, who have brought us some great VR titles over the years, including another major franchise IP in the form of Jurassic World: Aftermath. I was genuinely surprised when I received my review copy, as I'd not seen any build-up for this game. Is that a bad thing? Let's jump in and find out! Have I been neuralised? Considering how big the MIB franchise is, I would have expected to see a lot of trailers for this game. Was it just me, or did I comp...

Tracked: Shoot to Survive – Quest 3 Review

25Nov

By MichaelNo Comments

VR Reviews

Tracked: Shoot to Survive – Quest 3 Review

Imagine being stranded on an island crawling with wild animals and ruthless cartel members under orders to shoot on sight—could you make it out alive? Now’s your chance to find out. Tracked: Shoot to Survive is available now on the Meta Store for Quest 3 and 3S. Developed by the team behind Green Hell VR & Bulletstorm VR. Incuvo combines exploration, combat and survival into their latest release, TRACKED: Shoot to Survive. You play as Alex and quickly find yourself stranded in the wilderness after your plane is shot down. You'll need to explore your environment, craft tools and weapons, hunt and protect yourself from the local wildlife, as well as fend off attacks from those who are hunting you. Gameplay After your plane is shot down and the pilot is killed, you find yourself str...

12Aug

By MichaelNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Maecker Quest Charging Dock Review

Our friends over at Maecker offered to send Thumb Culture their Charging Dock for Quest to review. As this is an accessory I was already wanting to add to my personal collection, I was more than happy to offer to test and review this device. Currently on sale direct at Maeckers website for £51, let's see how this unit holds up. What's in the box Inside the box we get a nice little collection of assortments. There is obviously the charging dock unit itself, which is where the headset and controllers will rest. We get 2 USB-C cables. One to supply power to the dock and one to charge a additional battery pack. The dock is powered by the included 3 pin 20w plug. The Maecker website has the option of 4 different plug types based on region. We also get 2 rechargeable batteries. One for each co...

31Jul

By MichaelNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Maecker Quest Controller Grips Review

Since I've been playing more VR titles for review purposes lately, I figured it was time to invest in some new accessories. And so when I was asked by Thumb Culture management if I wanted the opportunity to review the Quest Controller Grips from Maecker, of course I said yes! If you want to get your hands on a pair they are available to buy now direct from Maeckers website. At the time of writing they are on sale for £31 with discounts available if you by multiple accessories at the same time. What's in the Box The box includes two rubber controller grips designed to fit your Quest controllers, two rechargeable batteries for each controller, a USB-C to twin USB-C cable, and a small instruction manual with installation instructions. As the Quest 3 and 3S use the exact same controllers, th...

24Jul

By MichaelNo Comments

VR Reviews

Cave Crave VR – Quest 3 Review

Published on the Quest 3 by 3R Games, Cave Crave VR promotes itself as a mysterious and immersive caving experience with no cheap horror tricks. That being said there is a horror mode which has been added as part of a comprehensive road map of updates due to have regular releases. It's available now on the Meta store for £12. I Do Enjoy Saying Spelunking Spelunking! A word that entered my lexicon in 2008 thanks to The Dark Knight movie. It has since become an inside joke between me and my wife as to how often I say it. I seldom use the term, however she insists I use it with an unnecessary frequency. So imagine how she responded when I explained my next VR review was on Spelunking! Obviously she thought I was trying to be funny, but no, a spelunking simulator for VR. Lets get stuck in! ...

Prison Boss: Prohibition – Quest 3 Review

14Jul

By Michael1 Comment

VR Reviews

Prison Boss: Prohibition – Quest 3 Review

I spent the week diving into the fantastic Prison Boss: Prohibition on the Meta Quest 3. Developed and published by Trebuchet, it's a sequel to their earlier game, Prison Boss VR. I've not played the original so I wasn't sure what to expect. I think I might just have a new favourite VR game? Who says crime doesn't pay? Who knew prohibition could be so fun and lucrative at the same time. Lets dive into the world of being a chicken in the 1920s-esque New Yolk City and see if we can end up ruling the roost! Gameplay Within Prison Boss: Prohibition you play as a shop owner in the poultry populated city of New Yolk, where the overly zealous mayor has outlawed almost everything. This opens up a lucrative opportunity for you to make a quick buck by selling produce that customers can't fin...

18Jun

By MichaelNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Sintopia – PC Preview

A God sandbox, meets micromanagement simulator? Sign me up! Think Black & White meets Theme Hospital, and when you add in the cartoonish humour of Worms you might just find yourself in a gaming Utopia Sintopia. Developed by Piraknights Games, a Sintopia demo can be downloaded from Steam right now. Early Access is planned for 4th September 2025. I Write Sins This is my first contribution to the Thumb Culture community, so I wanted to have a go with something that really stood out for me. And what stood out the most was the prominent character of Lili, advertising the PC game Sintopia. My initial reaction was “What in the mobile gaming ad hell?” but my concern was immediately laid to rest when I found that this game was published by Team 17. The company that gave us the excellent Worms...