TC Staff Writer, Author at Thumb Culture

The Eternal Castle [REMASTERED] – Flashback to Another World

11May

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

The Eternal Castle [REMASTERED] – Flashback to Another World

The Eternal Castle [REMASTERED] claims to be a remake of a lost 1987 title but don't be fooled. This is not a remaster but rather a reinterpretation of adventure games of the 80s. Those of us who remember classics such as Another World, Flashback and Prince of Persia will instantly be aware of what the title will entail. However, does the genre need to be resurrected and will the mechanics work with modern audiences? Gameplay You are a pilot that has crashed onto a strange world. In order to escape, you need to gather parts to fix your ship. Each part is located in three distinct and uniquely designed worlds. Not only are they visually different, but the gameplay mechanics also alter on each making each area feel distinct. Whether you are mowing down enemies, sneaking past creatures...

John Wick Hex Review – Every Dog Has It’s Day

6May

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

John Wick Hex Review – Every Dog Has It’s Day

Given the nature of the John Wick franchise, it comes as no surprise that the blockbuster film would hand the license over to a video game developer. We have seen and experienced countless crossover titles but unfortunately, the majority of them lack the quality and passion that the source material deserves. This is why I was shocked to learn that the immensely talented Mike Bithell and his team were developing John Wick Hex, a prequel to the film series. Could this crossover hit the bullseye or will it miss the target? Gameplay John Wick is about relentless action at a break-neck speed. He floats between enemies and orchestrates a symphony of death in an instance. John Wick Hex successfully replicates the glorious violence in a considered, tactical, and cerebral manner. Each miss...

29Apr

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Streets of Rage 4 – PS4 Review

It's been a long 26 years for fans of the classic beat 'em up series, but finally, Streets of Rage is back! Constant rumours and rebooted projects have given plenty of hope for a fourth title, but it just never materialised. Now that's all changed. Published and developed by Dotemu (alongside Lizardcube, and Guard Crush Games), Streets of Rage 4 hits PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Steam on April 30th. As some of my earliest gaming memories involved taking every chance to shun my Super Nintendo, sneak into my brother's room and take down Mr X as many times as possible, you better believe I jumped at the chance to dive back into the city. The all-time classic Streets of Rage, known as Bare Knuckle (ベア・ナックル Bea Nakkuru) in Japan, is a trilogy of beat ‘em up known for this timeless...

23Apr

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Uncategorised

Moving Out Review – PIVOT!

Packing its bags and setting up residence on the Nintendo Switch is Moving Out. Taking inspiration from the fantastic Overcooked, the crazy, chaotic multiplayer is available on April 28th but is this worth the relocation fee? Gameplay You work for a professional removal service and your task is simple. You need to ensure that the identified items are moved from the house (or other crazy locations) to your truck. Although this may sound simple, I guarantee you, it isn't. As a family, we sat together, joy-cons in hand, excited to experience the co-op fun. Smiles beamed across the kids’ faces as the bright lights of the title screen sparkled in their innocent eyes. 5 minutes later… “I said grab the f**king sofa! Come on! Pivot! PIVOT!” At this point, I realised that the Mov...

Boot Hill Bounties Review – Joycon Wayne

20Apr

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Uncategorised

Boot Hill Bounties Review – Joycon Wayne

Yeeehaw friends. It's time to posse up with the JoyCon and ride into the sunset. Gunslinging has hit the Switch. Ok, so it's not quite the port at the top of everyone's wish list, but when I tell you Boot Hill Bounties is Red Dead Redemption crossed with Earthbound, you know to expect a hog-killin' time. Brought to us by Experimental Gamer Studios, Boot Hill Bounties is available now on Switch and Steam. Gameplay Describing a game as a retro RPG can mean a lot of things and will not paint the same picture for everyone. So, to give you a better idea of what you'll be playing, let me start by telling you Boot Hill Bounties comes directly from the school of Earthbound. The game is full of quirky characters, funny dialogue, and fourth wall breaking moments. But, it's not ...

Doom 64 Review – Left In Hell: The Forgotten Slayer

14Apr

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Doom 64 Review – Left In Hell: The Forgotten Slayer

Back in 1997, the world was going crazy for 3d. The Nintendo 64 was out, Mario 64 had changed the gaming landscape, and a behemoth of the First Person Shooter genre was released on the world - GoldenEye. In its wake, Doom 64 struggled to get the attention it truly deserved. Bethesda are now rectifying that with the re-release of the cult classic Doom 64, available now across all major platforms (PS4, Xbox One, PC and Switch). Whether you're done ripping and tearing in Doom Eternal, or looking for something to hold you over until its Switch release, let's see if this forgotten release can stand up with its peers. Gameplay Doom 64 is a fast-paced shooter with a focus on movement, big guns, and all kinds of hellspawn trying to stop you from reaching the exit. So far, so Doom. And ...

Persona 5 Royal Review – Takes Your Time, Takes Your Heart

9Apr

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Persona 5 Royal Review – Takes Your Time, Takes Your Heart

Atlus' Persona 5 released on Playstation 3 and 4 in 2016 to widespread acclaim. Fans of the J-RPG genre loved the lengthy story, in-depth character relationships and action-stealth exploration and critics were into it too. Persona 5 Royal is an upgraded, even more content-rich edition of the original title. There is a lot to explain, and I hope to make this review accessible for those like myself who do not have a degree in Shin Megami Tensei lore. Persona 5 Royal can be purchased digitally for £49.99. In Persona 5 Royal you play as *name of your choice* (we'll call him Phil from now on), a nerdy looking fellow who got chucked in the sin bin for using his fists to stop a powerful man from carrying out a rape. Phil is a good lad, but has been forced to transfer across the country to a ne...

Exit the Gungeon Review – Exit, Strategy

8Apr

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Exit the Gungeon Review – Exit, Strategy

Enter the Gungeon released on Nintendo Switch back in late 2017. For the uninitiated, Enter the Gungeon was a rogue-lite with more guns than you can shake a broomstick at, and it hooked me immediately with its fast-paced, bullet-hell action and wild boss design. The story, such as it was, revolved around four characters entering a towering structure called The Gungeon, which was populated by sentient, aggressive bullets. They had each heard the legend of a revolver which could kill the past and wipe out mistakes. Weapons ranged from bog-standard shotguns to screen-dominating lasers. And that's not all, we're talking egg-firing grenade launchers, a guitar which launched wild solos as you hold down the trigger... even a t-shirt cannon. Exit the Gungeon picks up after each character achiev...

Resident Evil 3 Review – Bloody Brilliant!

3Apr

By TC Staff Writer2 Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Resident Evil 3 Review – Bloody Brilliant!

News footage infests the television showing chaos from around the world. A disease. An infection. The brain dead roam the desolate streets hunting for food. Yes, the Coronavirus has really done a number on us. In order to escape this horrid reality, the majority of us turn to the virtual world. Here we can lose ourselves in a universe far different than our own. Lurching on to the Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC on April 3rd is Resident Evil 3, a remake of the 1999 classic which shares more than a few similarities to our current predicament. Capcom reinvigorated the Resident Evil franchise with the horrifyingly terrific Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. In a landmark move for the franchise, Capcom transformed the game from a sub-par action-orientated horror game (Sorry Resi 6) to a dark, tw...

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Review – Now, That’s A Name I’ve Not Heard In A Long Time

1Apr

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Review – Now, That’s A Name I’ve Not Heard In A Long Time

It's a good time to be Star Wars fan. Despite a few rocky releases, it's as popular as ever and after the fantastic Stars Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (see Stu's thoughts here), there's a new hope for gamers. Whilst we wait for the next big release for the franchise, classic titles are hitting modern consoles. The latest port sees Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy hit the Nintendo Switch and PS4. Brought back to us by Aspyr, the online multiplayer classic comes to Nintendo Switch with modernized controls. Take on the role of a new student eager to learn the ways of the Force from Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. You can pick it up here, but first, read on to find out if you should. Gameplay Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a hybrid 3rd person/FPS action game, and is actually the 3rd...