Tag: Strategy

Discover detailed reviews of top strategy games, including real-time tactics and turn-based challenges right here on Thumb Culture. Perfect for players who enjoy deep thinking, careful planning, and mastering complex gameplay mechanics.

The Academy: The First Riddle Review – Back To School And This Time Pay Attention
PC Reviews

The Academy: The First Riddle Review – Back To School And This Time Pay Attention

Pine Studios brings us The Academy: The First Riddle, a mystery just waiting to be solved. It would appear that need to go back to school to unravel the goings on. Oh well, time to put on my rucksack (one shoulder or two?) and start my academic career once more, who knows, maybe I'll get better grades this time?   Gameplay The Academy began with a quick tutorial to get me wandering around and interacting with objects. It was simple enough for me, WASD to move, Shift to run and E to interact. Oddly familiar, but unsurprisingly as it's a staple for PC games. Sticking to tried and tested always pleases me. There is a school to explore, people to chat to, and adventure to be had. It was like I had been transported into a Famous Five novel. Unlike a Famous Five novel, the engagement with ...
Inkulinati Early Access Preview – Time To Draw Your Weapons
PC Reviews, Previews & Early Access

Inkulinati Early Access Preview – Time To Draw Your Weapons

Yaza Games brings us an interesting take on Medieval warfare with Inkulinati. Pen and paper at the ready, or possibly quill and parchment would be better. Draw your armies and get ready for war, this is no Battleships, this is real blood and guts stuff. Time to see if Inkulinati is worth the paper it's written on. Quill sharpened and inkwell filled, time to draw my weapon. Gameplay Inkulinati is like no other game that I have played, and in today's market of repetitious releases it certainly got my intrigue awakened.  Multiplayer wasn't available so I had to play the single-player side of the game. I figured it would work the same but I would die less. I was assigned the name Godfrey and my opponent the rather holy Hildegard. First up was the tutorial. This can make or break a game f...
Aeronautica Imperialis Flight Command Review – Ready Red 5
PC Reviews

Aeronautica Imperialis Flight Command Review – Ready Red 5

Binary Planet brings us Aeronautica Imperialis Flight Command, a Warhammer board game set in the skies but adapted for PC. So if you get RSI from rolling the die, or are a bit clumsy and keep on knocking your planes over or off course, then this might just be what you are looking for. Games Workshop have already done the hard work, so hopefully the PC version is true to the original. Time to exchange my bow staff for a joystick and geek it up. Gameplay Aeronatical Imperialis is essentially a 3D representation of a board game. I know, I'm not really selling it, but you need to hear me out. The first screen I come across gives me my options: I can start a campaign, play individual scenarios or do the tutorials. So I did the sensible thing, yes really. I played through the tutorials. Eac...
Two Point Hospital: Off The Grid DLC Review – Wholesome Environmental Fun!
PC Reviews

Two Point Hospital: Off The Grid DLC Review – Wholesome Environmental Fun!

As a big fan of Two Point Hospital, reviewed by Rich on the PS4 back in March, there has been a constant progression of DLC dropped into the PC arena to expand your gameplay as well as challenge the way that you think.  The latest DLC to drop is the aptly named "Off The Grid" that sees you build and run your hospitals in a variety of eco-friendly environments along with a range of new ailments to treat.  So is the new DLC worth getting for £6.99 on Steam? Read on! Gameplay The back story to Off The Grid is that the Mayoress, Tabitha Windsock, is desperately trying to stay in office and is aware that the environment is what everybody is talking about.  She therefore founds the Department of Green Things and this is where you step in to expand your hospital into three new parts of Two Poin...
The Complex Review – Intense Isolation
PlayStation Reviews

The Complex Review – Intense Isolation

Wales Interactive is slowly becoming the ‘go-to’ company for narrative-driven games. They reignited the FMV, interactive film genre with fantastic games such as The Bunker and Late Shift. Does The Complex reach the heights of their previous outings or is just a bit too simple? After a bio-weapon attack in London, the city is on high alert. Dr Amy Tenant, the lead scientist at Nanocell Technology, is somehow connected to the blood-vomiting event that is being circulated in the media. Due to a string of events, she finds herself trapped inside a laboratory deep in the depths of London. With little time and air, will you be able to connect the dots and make the right decisions to uncover the secret that ties the events together? Gameplay Every choice you make matters and that it the ...
Yes, Your Grace Review – A Crowning Achievement?
PC Reviews

Yes, Your Grace Review – A Crowning Achievement?

Lo! Sound the bugle! A new game this way comes and thou will now bow and pay homage to its review. Be the latest offering from developer Brave at Night fair or foul? Gather close, simple peasant, and all shall be revealed. But hark, speak ye not unless spoken to, and reply to my demands only with 'Yes, Your Grace', otherwise you'll be in an iron maiden for so long people will start mistaking you for Eddie. Gameplay Yes, Your Grace is a story-based medieval fantasy kingdom management simulator (or an SMFKMS, as the genre is more commonly known...). You play King Eryk, a man devoted to his wife and three daughters, and ruler of the small realm of Davern that is somewhat down on its luck. Aside from the usual pressures that rulers face, some years ago, you rather stupidly promised you...
Warcraft 3: Reforged Review – Humans and Orcs And Undead
PC Reviews, Previews & Early Access

Warcraft 3: Reforged Review – Humans and Orcs And Undead

Way way back in the distant year of 2002, Blizzard Entertainment launched the third instalment to the genre-defining Warcraft franchise. Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos released to both critical and commercial success, selling over one million copies by summer of 2006. The expansion, The Frozen Throne came out just a year after the original game, again, to amazing success. Fast forward to 2020, and Blizzard Entertainment remastered and re-released Warcraft 3 as Warcraft 3: Reforged. Let's jump in and see how Blizzard has done, remastering one of their greatest games. Gameplay Warcraft 3: Reforged is a high fantasy-set real-time strategy game. Taking place in the fictional world of Azeroth, Warcraft 3: Reforged follows the story of several different heroes from different factions. Warcraft 3: ...
Top 10 Narrative Games of the Generation
Features

Top 10 Narrative Games of the Generation

As the curtains are closing on the 8th generation of consoles and the bigger, more powerful consoles are eagerly awaiting to take centre stage, I believe it’s time to reflect on the generation. As a film fanatic, I adore cinematic games. In my opinion, the medium can explore narratives in a fascinating way. Not only can games tell stories through characters, but they can also intertwine gameplay and the environment in order to build a world around the core narrative. So, not including re-releases (sorry Last of us) and focusing solely on games that were released on the PS4, Xbox One and Wii U (Yes, it’s an 8th Generation console), let’s look at the Top 10 Narrative Games of the Generation. God of War God of War is a cinematic masterpiece. The execution of the single-cam...
Worbital Review – Ready, Aim, Fire!
PlayStation Reviews

Worbital Review – Ready, Aim, Fire!

Worbital, developed by Team Jolly Rodger and published by Advanced Interactive Gaming is a real-time strategic artillery game set in space where you must build a whole host of weapon and defense platforms on your orbiting planet while trying to blow up the enemy ones! Out now across all consoles and PC, was I going to find Worbital out of this world or a failed launch? Gameplay Worbital, from the game title I was left to think that this game would be something to do war and orbiting, I was happy when I got it right! The basis of this game is a simple one however when it comes to strategy and timing, you will really need to keep your wits about you amongst the chaos!  Reveal the core of the enemy planet and blow it up! There is a campaign mode that lets you play through a sto...
Stories Untold Review – Stranger Things Could Happen
Uncategorised

Stories Untold Review – Stranger Things Could Happen

Stories Untold is a creepy collection of interconnected short stories that will have you gripped from beginning to end. The spine chilling text adventure, which is smothered in 80s nostalgia, will leave you in awe, pondering what you just experienced. Gameplay The game has four distinct episodes that all have unique gameplay mechanic. The first, House Abandon, is text adventure. You are seated at a desk in front of a Spectrum-esque computer and a CRT monitor. The game starts innocently but soon, it takes a dark turn. It was during this episode that I realised the pure brilliance and innovation of the developers No Code. The atmosphere that they create during the episode is astounding and that is due to the fantastic writing and sound design.  After finishing the first episode, I c...