Tag: Puzzle

Looking for that next puzzle game to stretch those brain muscles? Thumb Culture has news and reviews of the newest puzzling genre games.

DETECTIVE: The Motel – PC Review
PC Reviews

DETECTIVE: The Motel – PC Review

I’m checking out a crime deduction game developed by k148 Game Studio. Although no story is set, our location is. In DETECTIVE - The Motel we aim to uncover the evidence in a murder. If you’re looking to check it out for yourself, then head over to their Steam page. Looks like foul play The last game I picked up for crime deduction was called The Painscreek Killings. I enjoyed walking around the small town and looking for clues. DETECTIVE - The Motel caught my eye for the same reasons. Although, for a smaller map. Gameplay The first thing I noticed when playing the game, is that there isn’t any proper set up to what you have to do. We are simply at a hotel to uncover what events have taken place. DETECTIVE - The Motel recommends writing down key information you find, as the gam...
Loco Motive – PC Review
PC Reviews

Loco Motive – PC Review

Loco Motive, out now on Steam, GOG, and Nintendo Switch from Robust Games, published by Chucklefish, delivers a slapstick murder mystery with a retro point-and-click twist. Buckle up, mystery fans; this one's a ride worth taking! Imagine this: you're nestled in the plush Art Nouveau cabin of a 1930s luxury train, expecting a leisurely ride with perhaps a touch of class. Then, before you know it, there's a murder, and you're smack-dab in the middle of a whodunit that would make Poirot swap his moustache for a magnifying glass. What's your motive for going loco? But before we dive in, let's get one thing straight: I'm giddy about this game. If you've ever fancied yourself a detective in an Agatha Christie novel or dreamt of sleuthing on the Orient Express, this is your chance! Got a favour...
Sherlock Holmes: Phantom’s Hour – PC Review
PC Reviews

Sherlock Holmes: Phantom’s Hour – PC Review

After the last review of an online escape room experience from Wolf Escape Games, Hallows Hill, we wanted to see what their newest offering was like. Thankfully the team over there are incredibly friendly and offered us a code for their newest experience. Queue Sherlock Holmes: Phantom's Hour. Elementary...apparently. What happens when a team of wannabe detectives from the TC team all band together? Read on to found out how they got on. Gameplay I won't go into the ins and outs of how a Wolf Escape Game works. Instead, I recommend checking out Jason's review of the Hallows Hill experience here. Right, you're back, now on discovering all about Sherlock Holmes: Phantom's Hour. When a stranger writes to you, the infamous Sherlock Holmes, accused of something they haven't done, you ...
Chicken Police: Into The HIVE! – PC Review
PC Reviews

Chicken Police: Into The HIVE! – PC Review

Chicken Police: Into The HIVE! is the follow up game to Chicken Police: Paint it RED! Which doesn't take a genius to figure out, so my apologies there. Developers The Wild Gentlemen and Publishers Joystick Ventures, promise the game to be a story driven, film-noir detective point and click adventure. But instead of humans, all the characters are animals or bug-anthropomorphised creatures. It was released earlier this month on Steam. If you don’t love chicken puns, please find the eggs-it Having read my review of silly point and click Death of the Reprobate, the PR team for Chicken Police: Into The HIVE! reached out and asked if I'd like to take their fun, strange and unique point and click game for a spin. Ever the one for fun, strange and unique, of course, I said yes. But did I have fu...
BOBO’S FUNZONE: New Horror Puzzle Adventure Coming Soon
News & Updates

BOBO’S FUNZONE: New Horror Puzzle Adventure Coming Soon

Prepare to face your fears in Bobo's FunZone, the latest horror-puzzle adventure that plunges players into a sinister kindergarten birthday party gone horribly wrong. Developed by indie studio Uisco Games and published by Mascot Bro Studio, the game promises a blend of nerve-wracking tension and intricate puzzles, set to release on Steam on December 13th 2024. A horror puzzle adventure full of scares, confetti and party hats! You arrive at Bobo’s FunZone, a once-thriving children’s party venue that now feels more like a nightmare factory. Your daughter attended a birthday party here—but when you come to pick her up, something is horribly amiss. The venue is eerily empty, save for faint laughter echoing from the darkened corridors and unsettling whispers in the shadows. Your mission: fi...
Bubble Ghost Remake Demo Pops Onto Steam
News & Updates

Bubble Ghost Remake Demo Pops Onto Steam

The gap between video game remakes and remasters compared to their original counterparts is simultaneously shortening and widening. On the one hand, we have The Last of Us 2 getting a remaster 3 and a half years after initial release. On the other, we have Bubble Ghost which is getting a remake after a whopping 37 years. Originally released on the Atari 1040 ST, with versions on other consoles including a 1990 GameBoy version, Bubble Ghost Remake is coming soon to Steam, Nintendo Switch, and Epic Games Store. Bubble Ghost Remake Demo Available Now Publisher Selecta Play and developer Nakama Game Studio are also excited to reveal that Bubble Ghost Remake is getting a demo on Steam and Nintendo Switch. Based on the nostalgic platformers first released on consoles like the Commodore 64 ...
Beta MAX – PC Review
PC Reviews

Beta MAX – PC Review

Beta MAX is an upcoming first person puzzle platformer, Developed by Nexcide and published by The Game Publisher. I got a chance to play through the game prior to its release on the 22nd November 2024. There is a small demo available now should you wish to try it out before then. BE KIND - RELAX AND UNWIND I'm a big fan of these kind of puzzle games with interesting mechanics. This game is challenging enough to have you scratching your head and thinking abstractly to complete levels. This game is a spiritual successor to games such as Portal, Viewfinder, The Talos Principal among others. Are you are fan of this kind of games? If so, leave a comment below with your favourites! Gameplay In Beta MAX you play as a teenage boy called Max. The game starts in Max's bedroom and judging by ...
Mindcop – PC Review
PC Reviews

Mindcop – PC Review

Mindcop is a "whodunnit" detective game developed by Andre Gareis and published by Dear Villagers. Available on Steam from the 14th of November, Mindcop brings a whole new way of putting yourself into the mind of others while solving crime! Playing a simple yet addicting tile matching game to access someone's inner thoughts has never looked more appealing. You have 5 days to solve a crime and murder of an innocent woman. Question folk and intrude on their utmost dreams and fears. Will you solve the murder or go down the wrong path entirely? Guess there was too much on her mind for a chat? Accessibility and Tutorials The gameplay in Mindcop may seem quite overwhelming at first due to the amount of mechanics but don't worry, Mindcop holds your hand in just the right and loving way. The ...
Great God Grove – PC Review
PC Reviews

Great God Grove – PC Review

Great God Grove is a puzzler game launching in 15th November. The game will be available on on Steam, Xbox, and Switch. It was developed by LimboLane and published alongside Fellow Traveller. Imagine being a divine postie tasked with stopping the apocalypse while handling the gods. Armed with the Megapon, you'll use sentences to help avoid full-on world collapse. It's a wacky, beautifully crafted adventure that piqued my interest with its mix of quirky art and dry humour. Great God Grove: So I guess you can call me Hermes It's time to put on your postman hat. You'll occasionally see a cat, speak to the Gods, and save the world from disaster. Be sure to let us know in the comments below what you look most forward to in Great God Grove. Gameplay Once in a generation, the gods...
Ballionaire – PC Demo Preview
Previews & Early Access

Ballionaire – PC Demo Preview

It's not surprising that indie game devs can create experiences that delight us consistently. Many indie projects in recent years have been a direct result of game jams during the pandemic years. However, what does surprise me is the growing genre of rogue-like score attack games that take influence from casinos. Ballionaire, created by newojbect and published by Raw Fury, aims to be one of the most cartoonish and fun in this emerging genre. The House always wins Vampire Survivors famously draws its repeatable gameplay loop and old-school graphics from casino psychology. We've seen Balatro and Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers bring poker and blackjack off the table and onto Steam Deck. Ballionaire adds penny drop machines/pachinko to the list, being self-described as a "fast-paced, kin...