Tag: Casual

If you’re looking for a game that won’t take up too much time or brain space, come browse the Thumb Culture news pieces and reviews of the latest casual games.

Dave The Diver – PC Review
PC Reviews

Dave The Diver – PC Review

There's something fishy going on in Dave the Diver! The scuba diving, sushi restaurant managing RPG is developed and published by South Korean-based Mintrocket, a subsidiary of Nexon. Originally released back in June for PC, it will be released on the Nintendo Switch on October 26th 2023. Today we'll be taking a look at the Steam version which will require 10 GB of available space, and will cost you £16.99/$19.99 at the time of writing. Here Fishy Fishy Dave the Diver is described by Mintrocket as a casual, single-player adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Overall, that's the game in a nutshell. Dave the Diver is a simple game on the surface, but take a deeper look and the little pixel-art aquatic RPG...
Party Animals – PC Review
PC Reviews

Party Animals – PC Review

The latest video game from developers Recreate Games involves fluffy foes battling it out to be the last animal standing. Party Animals is an online multiplayer party game, released on September 20th, 2023. It is currently available for purchase on Xbox and PC, with the base game retailing for £15.49 or £23.49 for the deluxe edition. A Timeline of Party Animals Before getting into the game, some past issues need to be taken into consideration to explain the Steam reviews, which currently stand at mixed/negative. These reviews come from players who have pointed out the lack of local multiplayer, the abundance of microtransactions on a paid game, and the several delays in releasing the game. The game was officially teased in September 2019 and became available to wishlist on Steam in...
The Fabulous Fear Machine – PC Review
PC Reviews

The Fabulous Fear Machine – PC Review

The Fabulous Fear Machine (TFFM) comes from developer Fictiorama Studios (Do Not Feed the Monkeys) and is published by AMC Games & Shudder. TFFM is an indie outbreak sim horror game with a fresh spin on the genre. Not your typical outbreak though, fear is what is spread through the machinations of the titular machine. The game is set across 3 distinct campaigns where each character makes a wish to Kirlian, a sentient fortune teller carnival-style machine. We're all cogs in The Fabulous Fear Machine TFFM tells its stories in comic book format, panels and all, reminding me of classic comics and pulp fiction horror. In return for helping them achieve their wish, Kirlian takes the character's life story for mysterious reasons. Through spreading fear, each character manipulates stock mark...
Stray Gods – PS5 Review
PlayStation Reviews

Stray Gods – PS5 Review

Stray Gods is developed by Summerfall Studios, based in Melbourne, Australia. A multi-format title is available for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation. Stray Gods hits all the right notes Initially, my interest was low when the trailer for Stray Gods was released. I already had a backlog of other titles that I wanted to dedicate­ time to, thanks to several new releases. However, upon watching it, my perspective shifted completely and I found myself wanting it eagerly. Gameplay Step into an e­nchanting urban fantasy realm where music and adve­nture intertwine at every corner. Boundaries be­tween reality and the supernatural world seamlessly me­rge, creating a mysterious and tre­acherous domain. You assume the role­ of Grace, who has recently inhe­rited the gift of song from the L...
Pioneers Of Pagonia – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

Pioneers Of Pagonia – PC Preview

Pioneers of Pagonia is a world-building simulation game developed and published by Envision Entertainment. Envision had a hand in 'further developing' Command & Conquer - working alongside Electronic Arts. They also received the Best Studio 2011 award, MMO of the year award, and many, many more. So we have an award-winning indie studio with buckets of experience... I go into this one with high hopes and great expectations. The Return of Volker Wertich Colony Sim fans may remember a gentleman who goes by the name of Volker Wertich. Back in 1993, he was the brain behind The Settlers - a classic real-time city-building game. Considered by many to be an all time childhood memory, we're excited to see Volker make a return to the industry with Pioneers of Pagonia, acting as creative direct...
Sunkenland – PC Review
PC Reviews

Sunkenland – PC Review

Sunkenland is an open-world survival crafting game with base building, in a similar vein to the likes of The Forest and Raft, but with underwater exploration. Developed and published by Vector3 Studios, this is their first-ever title. Sunkenland is out now for early access on Steam for £16.50. The Sea Is Key To Survival Sunkenland starts the player with a near-naked character on deserted land, left with only the memory of being tortured and nothing more. Sunken cities are your only hope for survival, as they're rich in resources and essential to progress. Build bases, explore and survive on and off the land. Gameplay Survival is the key, of course, and there are a few things you need to manage to do so. The player has four meters: Hunger, Thirst, Health, and Energy. Stave off Hunge...
ForeVR Suck It! – Meta Quest 2 Review
VR Reviews

ForeVR Suck It! – Meta Quest 2 Review

I checked out ForeVR’s latest installment, ForeVR Suck It! Some of ForeVR’s previous work brought Pool, Darts, and Bowling to the Virtual World but this time around, players get to …clean? Can You Suck It? Suck It is a brand new addition to their series, which was released on September 20th, 2023. It is currently in early access and available to play for free on Steam. Points to note, obviously you will need a compatible VR headset. Gameplay In Suck It, the goal is to be the rootinest tootinest space vacuum-er this galaxy has ever seen. It’s quite simple, suck up all the things! From ice cream and cookies to frisbees and shopping bags…maybe even some chickens too. However, this isn’t the only challenge. Along the way, you have to collect stars, but to do so you have to upgrade your cha...
Alchemy Garden – PS5 Review
PlayStation Reviews

Alchemy Garden – PS5 Review

In the current trend of cozy indie games, it’s hard to stand out amongst the crowd, will a game three years in early access manage to prevail over its competitors?  Alchemy Garden was developed and published by MadSushi Games. after three years of early access, the game was released on the 12th of December 2022 on Steam, later released on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch on the 7th of September 2023- Almost a year later. A Mixed Pot Personally, I’m loving the trend of farming cozy games, there is a game in the genre for everyone. Will Alchemy Garden be the one for you? Gameplay Alchemy Garden begins with quite a simple but appreciated character creator, with few customization options. Then the hardest part of the game begins…choosing a name for your potion shop. After hours of d...
RoboDunk – Switch Review
Switch Reviews

RoboDunk – Switch Review

RoboDunk is a Roguelite fast-paced arcade basketball fighting game releasing on the PC and Switch. Developed and published by Jollypunch Games, a one-person team created by Gabreiele Libera, it bills itself as “the first Basketball roguelite”. RoboDunk – Nothing but net! JollyPunch’s mission is “to help friends smash each other with glee in the safety of videogames”. Their first game, Fly Punch Boom!, certainly met that criteria, and with RoboDunk, it seems that record is intact. So, let’s assemble our Dunkball teams and take to the arenas! Gameplay In the future, a great war has scarred the Earth and left only destruction. From the ashes, only one thing remains: the DUNK. Robodunk follows the matches and dust-ups of the teams of robots left in the wake of war, and their pursuit of...
Pool Cleaning Simulator – PC Review
PC Reviews

Pool Cleaning Simulator – PC Review

We check out the latest Simulator on the market. Developed by Rubens Games and FreeMind S.A. comes Pool Cleaning Simulator. Clean pools, take out the trash and watch for crocodiles? Fans like myself can pick up the game now on Steam for £9.99. If you want to test the waters first, a demo is available to download.  It's just a summer job. I always love checking out new Simulators, and Pool Cleaning isn't any different. I enjoy seeing what tools and upgrades are available to help with the job and finding some gags. The screenshots show that we get to clean a nice variety of locations. Let me know in the comments below any Simulators you recommend and if you liked this review. Gameplay In Pool Cleaning Simulator, you get tasked with. Well, cleaning pools! Before the player dives into ...