The Best Thunderful Games Available Right Now

Yesterday Thunderful Games had their first digital showcase, Thunderful World, as presented by Luke Skywalker. No, that’s is his name. He’s real. We all have our go-to developers and publishers, and Thunderful genuinely are one of my favourites, having covered a good deal of their titles of late.

So, let’s update the homepage with a new banner and feature article: Some of the best Thunderful Games available right now. It’s only an opinion piece; you don’t have to agree; besides, I can’t hear you complaining. Also, note that you’ll see a lot of Headup Games in here too – two birds, one stone as these are another favourite publisher, part of the Thunderful Group.

Games aren’t in any particular order either. Enjoy…?

Source of Madness

Let’s begin with a Lovecraft-inspired title. Why not? Currently in Early Access, Source of Madness is a rogue-like where you’re part of a cult, thwarting the evil on the outskirts of your sanctuary.

The art style is a particular standout, comparable to cut-out puppetry or bunraku. Still, more importantly, there’s a constant uneasiness throughout as the experience is procedurally generated and the AI has machine learning too. Things have changed since Lovecraft’s days…

Read the Source of Madness Early Access preview.

INDUSTRIA

A unique approach to the events during the fall of the Berlin Wall, you’re whisked away in this parallel universe of ‘what if’ scenarios where humanity has seemingly been wiped out, and all there is left are robots.

A first-person experience that mixes up FPS elements and puzzles, this is an indie title under the Headup Games moniker that is worth looking at. It’s also on sale on Steam and coming to consoles in 2022.

Read the INDUSTRIA PC review.

Lonely Mountains Downhill

My GOTY for 2020, I love this zen-biking experience. Ever since it launched, it’s had an abundance of updates, frequent challenges and even new locations, making this a title on the playlist of any (wannabee) mountain biker.

I can’t say enough good stuff about it, so just read the Lonely Mountains Downhill Switch review.

Curious Expedition 2

Surely you’ve heard of this by now? Anyone keen on exploration and who like to take it a little further than gaming will be familiar with Jules Verne. Maschinen-Mensch knows their source material well and embraces the spectacular, all the while being engaging and unique to the last playthrough.

Read the Curious Expedition 2 PC review.

Say No! More

Everybody at some point has had difficulty in saying no. Whether that’s to a loved one who wants help moving a sofa or going on a night out when you know you’ll pay for it in the morning. More so, if you’ve ever worked in an office – Say No! More captures the mentality perfectly.

However, the only thing you need to do is say No! Like a super Saiyan, you’ll propel your co-workers into the photocopier and inspire others to assert themselves properly.

Read the Say No! More PC review.

Aerial Knight’s Never Yield

A solo effort by Aerial Knight, it’s a runner experience running through the streets of Detroit with so much finesse, it makes daily walking seem so laborious. Perhaps I’ll stay in and keep playing this?

Super stylish both in its fluidity of avoiding obstacles and an incredibly cool soundtrack throughout; this is one of those rhythm type games that could potentially hide your wedding reception moves you usually bust out.

Read the Aerial Knight’s PS4 review.

Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood

Dipping into Headup Games’ catalogue, Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood is from the same team as The Coma series. A mixture of puzzle, adventure and, in some parts, visual novel, this is an interesting taking on a familiar tale and turning it on its head.

Read the Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood PC review.

Pumpkin Jack

I opted not to do any Halloween features this year as I was busy, but if there were a best of, Pumpkin Jack would have featured. One the of better PlayStation games that wasn’t originally on a PlayStation (though it is now). It’s almost like a blast from the past.

A 3D world reminiscent of those we used to play a few generations back, Pumpin Jack is a lot sharper with some fun mechanics to appeal to the modern gamer and nostalgia fans.

Read the Pumpkin Jack PS4 review.

Deadly Premonition 2

I’m going through another David Lynch phase (unrelated to Dune) and have been revisiting Twin Peaks once more, among others. Many games claim to have been inspired by the influential series, but one of the closest is Deadly Premonition 2.

You don’t get more quirky than Francis York Morgan, written by SWERY, a somewhat Tarantino type of games, clearly passionate about pop culture and able to blend those references in their narratives. He makes Nicholas Cage look like scenery.

Read the Deadly Premonition 2 Switch review.

Upcoming Titles

And to remind you that the Thunderful World was as much about the new titles as all the current sales, there are some decent titles in the line-up.

Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue was a great demo, and I didn’t have any reservations that it wouldn’t be. Playing as a firefighter for hire, in true arcade-style, you have to rescue each civilian to earn more time to put out the neverending infernos. Out next month, this is well worthy of a spot on your wishlist.

After seeing the Planet of Lana trailer during the Summer, I was blown away. It’s a cinematic puzzle game in an off-world odyssey where you play as the titular Lana and her companion Mui. Check out the vid for yourself:

Giving off a flair of German Expressionism, visually, White Shadows is a title I’m drooling over. Ok, perhaps not that creepy, but excited enough. With hints of Inside, this is one to watch.

Cursed Golf is still unknown to me at the moment. The sport doesn’t stand out, but the developer name, Chuhai Labs, grabbed my attention first. Because I’m silly. Anyway, let’s sum this one up in two words: golf purgatory.

The Gunk is a brand new one that showed up in the Thunderful World promo video. It’s exclusive to the Xbox and Windows. You’ll explore a forgotten planet in this third-person adventure featuring crafting and survival too. It looks beautiful and will be out next month.

Finally, if any of the games in the list take your fancy, you might be pleased to note that there’s currently a Thunderful Games Steam sale of all these top games. Ta for reading.