Tony C, Author at Thumb Culture

4Jul

By Tony CNo Comments

F1 23 – PS5 Review

The release of F1 23 brings back Breaking Point, continuing the story mode that went on hiatus in last year's release from EA and Codemasters. Hit your Breaking Point Played here on PS5 the game is also available on PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam and Epic Games. Gameplay Precision Drive Technology delivers greater control for players using a controller to play. It gives a feel to the driving that has never been present in any F1 game I have ever played in the past. Start to lose the back end of your hybrid beast from getting a bit trigger happy with the accelerator and you can now correct the slide with confidence. This allows you to push the limits knowing that you are one with the car rather than a passenger who is along for the ride. The game is broken down into 3 main sec...

Life In First Person – John Romero Interview

28Jun

By Tony CNo Comments

Features

Life In First Person – John Romero Interview

There are only a few people that can be called true rockstars in the videogames industry - John Romero is one of them. With a legacy of over 40yrs creating games, the Doom Guy himself turns his hand to being an author as his highly anticipated autobiography - Doom Guy: Life In First Person hits the shelves. Doom Guy - John Romero If life wasn't already so crazy busy with running his studio Romero Games, working on the sequel to Sigil - Sigil 2, while also working on the recently announced, highly anticipated, brand new FPS game, then taking on a load of writing an autobiography and all of what that entails is certainly no easy task. I had the great pleasure to sit down with John recently to chat about his upcoming book, his early days making games, his passion for gaming and life...

27Jun

By Tony CNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Street Fighter 6 – PS5 Review

From The World Warrior to Turbo, endless hours in the early '90s for me were spent playing Street Fighter II with my pals. With iconic music and beloved characters, the hit Capcom game defined a new genre in which players faced of 1v1. Mastering your favourite fighters repertoire of moves with the aim of inflicting the humiliating "Perfect" gave serious bragging rights in the school yard. With the launch of Street Fighter 6 it's finally time to dust off my dragon punch and return to the series that consumed so much of my early gaming days. FIGHT! Street Fighter 6 Hits The Streets Played here on PS5 the game is also available on PS4, Xbox Series X|S and Steam. It can be purchased in Standard, Deluxe and Ultimate editions. Gameplay It is clear that Capcom is taking a new approach with th...

8Jun

By Tony CNo Comments

Features

Strategic Moves – Summer Game Fest 2023

What was traditionally known as "E3 Season" is upon us. Summer Game Fest Opening Night beams to our screens on Thursday June 8th and gamers around the world are excited to see what juicy announcements are shown during the showcase. Having been quiet for 2 years, PlayStation precluded this event with their own showcase at the end of May. While I personally thought it was a fairly strong showing, many online bemoaned its lack of big reveals as the show failed to live up to the over-hyped expectations being bandied around the internet. All eyes are now on Microsoft as they host their Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday June 11th. There is a lot of discontent among Xbox players who feel they have been let down and left with handfuls of false promises. Many believe this is make or break for the...

8Jun

By Tony CNo Comments

News & Updates

PS Plus June Monthly Games

The PS Plus June monthly games are available to play now for all PS+ subscribers. Remember, even if you do not plan on playing these games now, make sure to add them to your library so you can access them at any time in the future. NBA 2K23 – PS5/PS4 Genre: Sports | Longevity: 100hrs+ | Trophies: 46 (incl Platinum) Metacritic: 78 | OpenCritic: 79 | Release: 9th Sep 2022 With best-in-class visual presentation, up-to-date rosters and historic teams, the game has never felt more real and complete than it does in NBA 2K23. Compete as your favorite NBA and WNBA teams and stars and experience the pinnacle of true-to-life gameplay. Prove yourself against the best players in the world and showcase your talent in MyCAREER or The W. Pair today’s All-Stars with timeless legends in MyTEA...

5Jun

By Tony CNo Comments

Hardware & Tech, Retro Reviews

Epilogue GB Operator Review

Retro gaming, collecting and preservation are becoming more and more popular these days. There is also a burgeoning community of indie developers creating and releasing brand new games for beloved systems from the gaming days of old. The GB operator is a small, very useful device that has appeal for players, collectors and developers alike. GB Operator - Retro Revolution It is the creation of a small team whose passion for retro games and for game preservation is evident from the helpful articles on their website. One such article covers how to spot counterfeit cartridges while another details how best to clean the contact pins on your beloved game cartridges. It is available to purchase directly from the Epilogue website at a cost of $61.49 (£50/€57). Features Compatible with G...

2Jun

By Tony CNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Gibbon: Beyond the Trees – PS5 Review

Games often take us to fantastical worlds and allow us to take on roles that we could only dream of. Gibbon: Beyond the Trees takes players back down to earth with a sobering tale of the destructive force of human civilisation. Gibbon - Beyond Games A 2D hand drawn adventure set in Southeast Asia, the game was crafted with care by the multi-time BAFTA nominated Austrian studio Broken Rules. Originally released on Apple Arcade in Feb 2022, it arrived on Nintendo Switch, Steam and itch.io later that year. It now comes to PS5 & PS4 on June 1st 2023. Played here on PS5 the install size comes in at 1.04GB of your precious SSD storage. Gameplay Just like with Broken Rules previous game Old Man's Journey, the narrative in Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is told through its imagery. Players ta...

19May

By Tony CNo Comments

News & Updates

PS Plus May Game Catalogue

The PS Plus May Game Catalogue games are available to play now for PS+ subscribers at the Extra & Premium tiers. There are some great games added to the PlayStation subscription service this month and here’s all the info on the games available: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – PS5 https://www.youtube.com/embed/55PRv_e00wc Genre: Adventure | Longevity: 10hrs+ | Trophies: 47 (incl Platinum) Metacritic: 88 | OpenCritic: 89 | Release: 11th Jun 2021 Blast your way through an inter-dimensional adventure. Go dimension-hopping with Ratchet and Clank as they take on an evil emperor from another reality. Jump between action-packed worlds, and beyond at mind-blowing speeds – complete with dazzling visuals and an insane arsenal – as the intergalactic adventurers blast onto the PS5 c...

18May

By Tony CNo Comments

News & Updates

PS Plus May Monthly Games

The PS Plus May monthly games are available to play now for all PS+ subscribers. Remember, even if you do not plan on playing these games now, make sure to add them to your library so you can access them at any time in the future. Grid Legends – PS5/PS4 Genre: Racing | Longevity: 75+ | Trophies: 51 (incl Platinum) Metacritic: 77 | OpenCritic: 75 | Release: 25th Feb 2022 Welcome to GRID Legends: a high-stakes driving experience that combines thrilling and unpredictable motorsport, incredible race variety and an immersive narrative that puts you at the heart of the action. Take the spotlight in an engrossing racing story, brought to life by a world-class cast including Ncuti Gatwa in a ground-breaking extended reality production. Face fierce personalities, paddock politics, on-...

15May

By Tony CNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Teslagrad 2 – PS5 Review

Back in 2016 I played a game called Teslagrad on PS Vita. I was so wowed by its art design and excellent use of clever gameplay mechanics that I went on to platinum the game and also purchased the physical edition too. It was a critical and commercial hit and needless to say when Teslagrad 2 was announced in 2022 I was excited for its release. Teslagrad 2 - Magnetic Norse Norwegian team Rain Games also shadow-dropped a new remastered version of Teslagrad alongside this sequel. Both are available now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Gameplay Players take on the role of Lumina who is on a quest to return home to her family after her airship is attacked leaving her stranded. Using magnetic abilities to solve puzzles to traverse the treacherous lands of Wyrmh...