TC Staff Writer, Author at Thumb Culture

BenQ EL2870U 28-Inch 4K TN Monitor Review

7Jun

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

BenQ EL2870U 28-Inch 4K TN Monitor Review

As with any maturing technology, 4K monitors are slowly starting to go down in price since they’ve been around for a while now, but 4K monitors that also come with built-in HDR support are still pretty rare, making BenQ’s brand-new EL2870U something of a specialty. Without further ado, let’s see just how good this product, realistically, fairs. About The EL2870U comes as a 28” screen with a 4K TN (Twisted Nematic) panel, boasting HDR, Freesync and a 1ms response time to boot. On top of that there’s a pair of anaemic built-in speakers, a couple of HDMI 2.0 ports, a single DVI 1.4 input and BENQ’s eye care tech for those who spend their life in front of their monitors. In case you aren’t sure what HDR is, this next part is lovingly just for you - HDR, or high dynamic range, is a ...

ROCCAT Vulcan: New Mechanical Keyboard, New Design Story

7Jun

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

News & Updates

ROCCAT Vulcan: New Mechanical Keyboard, New Design Story

Computex, Taipei, 6th June 2018, ROCCAT introduces a brand-new design story with its new Vulcan mechanical keyboard, combining striking aesthetics and powerful mechanics. Featuring the self-developed Titan Switch Tactile, the addition to ROCCAT’s portfolio not only stands out by its appearance, it also offers the most swift and responsive keyboard in ROCCAT’s line-up. “The most important thing about a mechanical keyboard are its switches, we wanted to showcase them” says Andreas Jost, Head of Industrial Design at ROCCAT Studios. Design played a decisive role in the development of the switch, with a transparent housing offering insight on its mechanism in combination with ultra-light keycaps. The Titan Switch Tactile is also the perfect companion for ROCCAT’s latest RGB lighti...

4Jun

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Gaming

Vampyr Review – Where Will Your Moral Compass Take You?

How refreshing is it to see something other than zombies in a game? Don’t get me wrong, I love zombies, but a bit like the Battle Royal epidemic that’s taken over the world, you do get a little tired of seeing the same thing all the time, right? I'm pretty sure this is exactly what the developers Don’t Nod (geniuses behind Life is Strange) had in mind, when they created this dark, blood thirsty, RPG – Vampyr. Even with this fairly ‘newer’ concept in games of today, is it actually good and should I spend my hard-working cash on it? That’s why you’re here, after all… Gameplay You wake up in a pit of dead bodies, what do you do? This is the very situation Dr. Jonathan Reid, a well renowned doctor, was faced with as he entered a very different world to which he was previously used ...

1Jun

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Gaming, PC Reviews, Switch Reviews

Animal Super Squad Review

Animal Super Squad is developed and published by DoubleMoose Games, so what exactly is this bright and colourful game all about, lets dive in and find out! Gameplay Animal Super Squad in essence is a 2.5D platformer with vehicles. The game has a short story mode where you collect the different characters, hats, and vehicles. Even though the story is short the game depends a lot on community made content which ranges from laughable easy to so challenging you will want to go back and play the easy ones. The game reminds me a lot of Trials (motorbike game) but instead of motorcycles you roll around until you find a motorised toilet on wheels that helps you get through obstacles. Some obstacles take multiple tries to understand and get through, but thank goodness for checkpoints! ...

Introducing the ROCCAT Titan Switch – Tactile and Fast!

1Jun

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

News & Updates

Introducing the ROCCAT Titan Switch – Tactile and Fast!

Hamburg, 31st May 2018 - ROCCAT presents the Titan Switch Tactile, the first mechanical switch designed in-house in cooperation with TTC, a leading manufacturer in its field. The Titan Switch Tactile is the perfect synthesis of competitive speed, first-class typing feel and striking aesthetics. ROCCAT’s challenge was to make a more responsive and swift switch. The first step was to reduce the actuation point from 2 to 1.8 mm, keeping in focus the quality feel of the key stroke. In addition, the switch bouncing time was reduced by 20%, this was achieved by optimizing the ROCCAT firmware working in conjunction with high-quality components, therefore securing the stability of the switch. The crisp, tactile pressure point paired with solid precisio...

Driveby Gangster – The Concept That Could Have Been

31May

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Gaming, PC Reviews

Driveby Gangster – The Concept That Could Have Been

Driveby Gangster is a Steam Greenlight game belonging to Verto Studio LLC. There’s a reason the Greenlight system was shut down, and games like Driveby Gangster are prime examples as to why it needed to go. What makes it so bad is completely beyond me, there’s no way of explaining it. The game manages to transcend awfulness and go straight into numbingly dull very quickly. But that’s not to say the game doesn’t have some enjoyable moments to it. No, for the first few levels do provide a slight amount of enjoyment. It’s horrendously comical but in one of those slapstick ways, similar to that of Surgeon Simulator, but without the proud sense of satire or half decent graphics. Story You are a gangster strapped mercilessly into the passenger seat of a car with what seems to be a Great Dep...

Spacehulk Deathwing Enhanced Edition Review

25May

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Gaming, PC Reviews

Spacehulk Deathwing Enhanced Edition Review

When I was a kid, I used to walk past the Games Workshop stores in my town and admire the posters and figures in the window. The design and detail in the Warhammer 40,000 universe was immense to a young me and I loved their take on Space Marines, aliens and intergalactic warfare. There was so much story and background to them, it seemed like a secret universe that I felt like I would enjoy. Problem was I preferred a joystick to a paint brush and video games to board games, so I just never took up on the hobby. If they had been larger action figures or in a video game I would have been a lot more invested. A young me would have dreamed of what it would be like to be a Space Marine, equipped with oversized weaponry and mech-suit armour; fast forward 30 years and by the power of Pla...

21May

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Gaming, PC Reviews

Warcube, Buggy, Brilliant Fun

Warcube is a humorous game that takes the simple concept of cubes and makes them the core of attention. The result? Cubes in a fantasy setting with an overly dramatic combat system that could be something really magnificent. Haven Made have created a game that looks incredibly simple on the face of it, but as you progress, Warcube becomes a lot more interesting. I gained access to the title quite a few years back now, and the progression has been both impressive to see, but also worrying. I booted up the game with the excitement of being a cube fizzling around within my gut. And after the introduction cut-scene throws me down to the Old Kingdom like a cubic Superman on fire, I smashed my way through the easy-peasy tutorial. After slapping some scarecrows around with my big stick,...

Juicy Realm Review – Get Your Fruit Blasters Ready

16May

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Gaming, PC Reviews

Juicy Realm Review – Get Your Fruit Blasters Ready

Get your fruit blasters ready, it’s going to get messy, Juicy Realm published by X.D Network Inc brings us fruit, but not as we know it! Gameplay Have you ever played a game like Enter The Gungeon and thought to yourself, “I really wish this game was a bit fruitier”? Well here is your chance! In Juicy Realm you can choose to play from a number of different characters, each starting out with different weapons and ability. Once you choose your character, you start off at a camp and blast your way through different areas full of fruit. Sounds easy right? Well not when that apple is toting a shot gun and trying to put an end to all of humanity. Once you annihilate all the homicidal fruit in that area you are rewarded with a chest! In that chest may be more health, ammo, or a randomised ...

#LetsPlayMay – Shining a Positive Light on Family Gaming

15May

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Features

#LetsPlayMay – Shining a Positive Light on Family Gaming

The world is a very judgemental place, and when you bring children into it, it becomes even more judgemental than you originally thought. Even more so when you throw video games into the mix, with both parents and non-parents scowling at the idea of your child playing "toxic video games". #LetsPlayMay seems to be wanting to change that mindset. The slight mentioning that a child plays video games is usually enough these days to have people attack the parents of said child. Online users calling the parents lazy, or accusing the parents of neglect are just a few examples I’ve seen. I have also experienced this attitude. There’s also the current political situation which I’m not going to go into, but it keeps the long running “belief” that children playing video games with violence lead t...