Jordan Rooker, Author at Thumb Culture

Horizon Journey – PC Early Access Preview

18Feb

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Horizon Journey – PC Early Access Preview

Horizon Journey is a mars colonization survival simulator. It is being developed and published by Redivided Studios (Survive The Hill) and is now available in Early Access. You can pick it up only on Steam. Mars on the Horizon With my recent time in StarRupture, I was looking forward to checking out another exploration type simulator. Horizon Journey looked like it would be a fun one, with less focus on harvesting for profits. Games come to Early Access in all states though. Check out my thoughts on the current state of this one below. Gameplay Horizon Journey is a simulation sandbox game set on Mars during the colonization period. A few pre-existing structures are strewn about, but for the most part you're on an empty slate. The objective is as clear as with any survival game - ga...

11Feb

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

HumanitZ – PC Review

HumanitZ is an isometric, open-world zombie survival game. After a couple of years in early access on Steam, developer Yodubzz Studios is venturing into 1.0 release. Pick up the pieces as one of the few remaining humans to build, farm, explore, and survive as long as possible. It is available on Steam now with publishing by indie.io (Coromon, Dark Deity 2). The 1.0 release is live on Friday, sixth of February. How Long Can You Keep Your Humanity in HumanitZ? Zombies and survival games seem to just go hand in hand. The nice thing is that they come in all different flavors. I recall spending a number of days in zombie modes of CoD, and others in the early days of DayZ. I was curious to see how HumanitZ felt in comparison. Especially since that last zombie survival game was just... yeah. So...

14Jan

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

StarRupture – PC Early Access Preview

StarRupture is a new first-person survival crafting game now in Early Access on PC by Creepy Jar (Green Hell). Harvest resources, refine them, and fulfil requisitions from your corporate overlords as you pay off your debt. Just be mindful of the weather as it can be a bit hot... Check it out now on Steam. Game Title Is Key to StarRupture Survival games run wild these days, so it's hard to sift out the noise sometimes. Thankfully, Creepy Jar has a great reputation with Green Hell. Having a developer that knows what they're doing is definitely a leg up. See how StarRupture sizes up in its current state in the preview below. Gameplay StarRupture is a first-person survival crafting game, capable of co-op with up to four other players. You've been sent to the planet of Arcadia-7 to serv...

13Jan

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Cloudheim – PC Early Access Preview

Cloudheim is a new third-person co-op action RPG available on PC in Early Access. Noodle Cat Games, a studio founded in 2022 with a industry veterans at the helm, is both developing and self-publishing the title. You can pick it up now only on PC via Steam or Epic Games. Console versions for Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X|S plan to come out with full release. Explore Everywhere, Destroy Everything in Cloudheim I don't recall if it was originally a Vine or a TikTok - but one of my favorite short-form bits was of someone acting out Link going into a shop full of vases. Link destroys them all to the horror of the shop owner to collect rupees. He then leaves and returns to rinse and repeat. One of the top things I enjoy about Cloudheim is this simple mechanic. But there's more to the game t...

Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked PC Review

9Jan

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked PC Review

Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked is a digital tabletop game set within the D&D universe. Developed and published by Resolution Games (Demeo) in partnership with Wizards of the Coast, it builds on the original Demeo series by adding in familiar features from The Forgotten Realms. Play it solo or with up to three other adventurers across Steam, PS5, and Meta Quest. It is also playable via Steam on Mac. Digital D&D Tabletop Demeo Dungeons & Dragons is something I didn't really look into learning more about until I was an adult. I didn't have any friends that played it, nor did I hang out at a local gaming/card shop for any kind of exposure to it. Nowadays I play as regularly as I can with my wife and a few of our friends, but I'm still in the mostly learning stages. ...

12Dec

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Dream Garden – PC Review

Dream Garden is simulation game about creating your very own Zen garden. Developer Campfire Studio (My Dream Setup) provides the creative tools and set pieces based on real-life, tiny, Japanese dioramas. You can pick it up now for PC (and Mac) on Steam. Zen Garden of your Dream I never really got into any crafting type of hobbies, and miniature Zen gardens and bonsai trees were only things I saw in movies and TV. However, I'm intrigued by Dream Garden, as it seems like a way to engage with that type of craft in a familiar format. Check out my thoughts below. Gameplay Dream Garden is a creative simulation space for modelling a miniature Zen garden. The game provides a number of tools to shape, colour, texture, and decorate your choice of background and sandbox. It's basically like a...

8Dec

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Night Swarm – PC Review

Night Swarm comes to PC on December 4th. Build up your vampire kingdom, grow in power, and fight through waves of creatures in this survivors-like roguelite by Fubu Games (Rogue Loop). With publishing by Mad Mushroom (Hell Clock) and Gamersky Games (Tiny Pasture, Drova), you can pick it up soon, only on Steam. Vampires Always be Surviving I don't know if Vampire Survivors was the first ever of its genre, but I feel like it was at least one of the earliest. It most definitely defines the genre if nothing else. Night Swarm may not have vampire in the name but it sure seems more of that theme between the two. Let me tell you about this latest horde survivors-like in the review below. Gameplay Night Swarm is a horde survivors-like roguelite. Play as a young vampire chosen to lead the u...

28Nov

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

ASKA – PC Early Access Preview

ASKA is an open-world survival, colony management simulator. Currently in development by Sand Sailor Studio (Black The Fall), it is available right now as an early access title with Thunderful Publishing (GODBREAKERS). ASKA is only releasing on PC initially and you can pick it up over on Steam. Make ASKA Your Next Viking Adventure I will admit that I'm fairly sure I've seen advertisements for ASKA come across my feeds on occasion. I didn't look into it further because I heard "Viking" and "survival" and thought of Valheim. What I found was that and so much more; a pleasant surprise. I should have been remembering the fun times I had in Valheim and seeing else ASKA has to offer. Let me tell you why you should too in the review of its current state below. An impressive feature that is some...

13Nov

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Skopje ’83 – PC Review

Skopje '83 is a new first-person survival roguelite by indie developer Dark-1. Unravel the mysterious, time-warping clues about your surroundings and survive the mindless creatures outside your bus. The game is available now for PC via Steam and Epic Game Store with publishing by PM Studios, Inc. (Yooka-Replaylee, Hoa). Skopje '83 is Colourfully... Dull? I took a look at Skopje '83 in hopes of finding some sort of pseudo-Borderlands looter-shooter roguelite. Unfortunately, what I found was not what I was expecting. It's just one of those things that happens, and as I'll also note, it may honestly just be me. If you happen to pick it up and feel differently, please let me know! For now, let me explain through my review below. Gameplay Skopje '83 is a first-person shooter with a mixt...

The Last Caretaker – PC Early Access Preview

5Nov

By Jordan RookerNo Comments

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...