Previews & Early Access

Previews cover anything from Alpha and Beta games to Early Access games.

The Last Caretaker – PC Early Access Preview
Previews & Early Access

The Last Caretaker – PC Early Access Preview

The Last Caretaker is a first-person crafting survival game by developers Channel37. Embark upon a voyage on the vast planet-wide ocean while searching for clues to restore humanity. Explore, craft, and survive against rogue robots and a corruption spread across everything. The game is available starting November 6ths on Steam and the Epic Games store, with a later date planned for consoles. Last and Lonely Caretaker There have been so many survival crafting games over the past ten years or so that I've lost count. Too many involve zombies. Even more involve some facet of PvP as a core mechanic. But The Last Caretaker looks a bit different. A bit less jumpy and much more inquisitive. So what are my thoughts on the game as it hits early access? Check them out below. Gameplay The Las...
House Builder 2 – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

House Builder 2 – PC Preview

Built on the foundations made by House Builder in 2024, House Builder 2 paves its way into the simulation genre. Developed by FreeMind S.A. and published by PlayWay S.A., House Builder 2 is available now on Steam. Let's Get Building! House Builder 2 was released in early access, with the intention of developing it using feedback from its players. Therefore, this preview is based on its current early access state. Gameplay As the name suggests, the premise is, of course, to build houses! While the first task gives you a teeny introduction into the game by building fences, it isn’t long until you are chucked into the deep end. By the second task, you are well on your way to building your first house. After being given the blueprints of what the customer wants, you then need to trave...
Frosthaven – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

Frosthaven – PC Preview

Frosthaven is a RPG, Strategy game from Sanpshot Games. Fun fact, some of these developers actually worked on the X-COM games before forming Snapshot Games. Which greatly explains the RTS in a bird's eye view whole aesthetics. I have hundreds of hours under the X-COM flag. Besides at the very least a point-blank shot doesn't have a chance to completely miss. You must choose who to fight as from a list of six characters, but why did you choose the same character FOUR TIMES!!!!! The game is out now in Early Access on Steam. Which means this will be a nice little preview, rather then a full review. Being a multiplayer game, and to get a proper feel for it, I grabbed Thumb Culture's Stu, Kyle and Nathan, then headed on in. If you're specifically looking for my thoughts on the latest updat...
Eat The Rich – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

Eat The Rich – PC Preview

Eat the Rich is a multiplayer party game all about alliances, betrayals, and secret advantages. Developed by Maccima Games and published by Monstronauts, it was released on Steam into Early Access on September 10th. Sounds like Food Poisoning to me Who doesn't love a good party game? What about a mediocre one? While it's great when game developers have many ideas for their game, maybe putting all of them in at once isn't the best idea. Let's get into it! Gameplay Eat the Rich is a multiplayer party game in which you scramble through mini-games, betray your friends, and ruthlessly compete to be as rich as anyone could possibly ever be! Imagine a weird mix between Jackbox Party and Among Us. The main difference is that those games are actually fun to play. Eat the Rich tries to throw...
Jump Space – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

Jump Space – PC Preview

Jump Space is a co-op, mission-based FPS that just launched into early access on Steam and Xbox. For this preview we got hands on with the PC version.  Gather up to three of your friends and follow developer Keepsake Games into the void of space. You'll crew your own ship, fight in space and on the ground, and work together against a spreading robotic corruption. Join the resistance today! Jump... and Shoot and Fly and Loot! Ok before we get into it, I need to own up to something. In my opinion the Jump to Lightspeed content in Star Wars Galaxies was peak for me. It was my first experience in an MMO and I absolutely loved getting into space on a ship of my own or as part of a crew for someone else. It was a highlight in my gaming experience that I will forever pursue to feel again. Wh...
Rita – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

Rita – PC Preview

If you too are mourning the loss of the NY Times mini crossword to the deplorable paywall, then maybe this will tickle your fancy. Rita by Sporktank is an upcoming, crossword solving adventure where you play as a small chick Rita and learn about your world. The demo launched earlier this month and I was lucky enough to snatch it away from everyone else at Thumb Culture! Okay so one down is... something you play? Does this cosy little adventure have a lot of promise? Or is it a failed wordsearch looking for a dictionary? Well, let me tell you everything I know about little Rita. You can try out the demo for yourself here! Gameplay The focus of Rita is the word games. You waddle around the map, collect letters and then solve puzzles that affect the world around you. Starting as a hat...
Whiskerwood – PC Demo Preview
Previews & Early Access

Whiskerwood – PC Demo Preview

Whiskerwood is a settlement management simulation game from developer Minakata Dynamics and publisher Hooded Horse. The game is set to release on Steam in 2025, with a demo going live today too. Lead a colony of mice on untouched islands. Manage your resources, production chains, and the needs of your Whiskers while growing your settlement. All while surviving under the oppressive paw of your cat overlords. Just be sure to pay your taxes on time, or there will be consequences. Loving cats and settlement management games, I fell head over heels for Whiskerwood when I first saw it at the PC Gaming Show this year. I instantly put my hand up to cover this little preview for Thumb Culture. So let's get stuck in. Monarch Cat Overlords? So just a normal cat. This preview could have been writ...
DAVY x JONES – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

DAVY x JONES – PC Preview

Step into the boots of the folklore sea devil himself, in DAVY x JONES. This new action-adventure FPS is being created by PARASIGHT, and aims for action across the seas of the damned. I'm excited to be checking this game out after watching the trailers. It looks great, so hopefully the gameplay matches. You can pick up the game, which is currently in early access on Steam, for £8.50. Which isn't too bad of a price. Why don't we carve a new bloody legend for ourselves, eh? DAVY x JONES' story begins with a quick retelling of the titular character's grim fate at the hand of Edward Teach (Black Beard). Upon waking up in the Locker, which is an iconic location that comes with the tale of Davy Jones Locker, our head (Davey), and body (Jones), begin their plan to exact revenge on Black Beard a...
Recharge – PC Early Access Preview
Previews & Early Access

Recharge – PC Early Access Preview

Recharge is an RC car racing sim now available in early access. Room Games (Floor 9) is developing and publishing the physics-based small scale simulator for PC. Release to consoles will come in a future update. You can purchase now on Steam and the play the game as it continues development. Rippin' and Tearin' at RC Scale in Recharge I don't play a lot of racing games. Of the few I do, I enjoy those that are a nice mixture of simulator and arcade. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Recharge other than it being a game about racing RC cars, but, you know, the high-tech kind that your parents couldn't afford. Not the electric kind stuck to the track that just go around and around and around… Anyhow, read below for my current thoughts on the game. Gameplay The gameplay in Recharg...
Wild West Supermarket Simulator – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

Wild West Supermarket Simulator – PC Preview

I’m starting to lose count of how many sim games are released. And even when joking about an oddly specific one, it gets made. So with that, here comes a new sim preview from Sundust called Wild West Supermarket Simulator. Fastest stock in the west, I just can't keep them long enough. It’s out now in early access on Steam. So grab your lasso and try to wrangle up some customers while I tend to the store. Gameplay Wild West Supermarket Simulator starts with you cleaning up and throwing out debris in your new store. After that, the gameplay mechanics are roughly the same as any store simulator goes; you buy stock, try to beat or match the going market price (which changes daily), stock shelves, serve customers and provide them the correct change. Eventually, you can hire employ...