Players can still access the title and earn 104 new items from a 500-tier free Battle Pass, which includes event rewards and Season 1-3 content. Crash Coins will no longer be purchasable; any with existing amounts can use them for tier skips on the Battle Pass.

Crash Team Rumble launched on June 20th, 2023, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and PS5. It received mixed reviews from critics (check out ours here), but Toys for Bob continued adding new characters – Spyro the Dragon is the latest – and maps alongside other new features.

As for the future, Toys for Bob is working on a new title and hopes to partner with Microsoft (Activision’s parent company). Though it’s “early days” for its next project, the team is “excited to develop new stories, new characters, and new gameplay experiences.”

As reported by SF Chronicle, state filings in California have revealed that Activision Blizzard is laying off 86 employees at a studio headquartered in Novato at 4 Hamilton Landing- which is the address of Toys for Bob’s office. Toys for Bob is, of course, the creator of the Skylanders franchise, and has also developed Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon titles, including, in recent years, the likes of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, Crash Team Rumble, and Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

In addition to losing a significant portion of its workforce, Toys for Bob is also shutting down its office. However, as reported on Twitter by Windows Central’s Jez Corden and Seasoned Gaming’s editor-in-chief Ainsley Bowden, the developer isn’t shutting down, with the closure of its physical office suggesting that it will be going fully remote- at least on a temporary basis, until it relocates to a smaller (and presumably cheaper) office.

Call of Duty studio Sledgehammer Games has also reduced its workforce significantly as part of Microsoft’s layoffs, having let go over 70 of its employees. Previously, it was reported that, due to the layoffs, Blizzard Entertainment’s unannounced survival game had also been cancelled after over six years of development.

I also got confirmation that Toys for Bob is not closing down. https://t.co/UQzxRzudpf

— Jez (@JezCorden) February 8, 2024

As confirmed by the official X page for The Game Awards, Crash Team Rumble will be adding Spyro the Dragon as a playable character on December 7, as part of its third post-launch season, titled All Fired Up. Details on what else the season will add are currently sparse, but that information looks set to be unveiled at The Game Awards on the day of release itself.

In our review of Crash Team Rumble, we awarded it a score of 7 out of 10, saying, “If you’re a fan of Crash Bandicoot, then you might owe it to yourself to consider giving Crash Team Rumble the old college try. The platforming you love from the series is ever-present, but mixed in with a healthy dose of competitive multiplayer action. With several maps, powers, relic summons, and all manner of chaos at your disposal, Rumble is thrilling, fun, and engaging. However, it does put all of its eggs into one basket with its solid, but sole game mode. For longevity, Rumble could use a smattering of other modes or potential options to alter the current game mode to stave off rapid burnout.” Read the full review through here.

Crash Team Rumble is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

https://twitter.com/thegameawards/status/1725362286750323071

There are five new mini-games, namely Speed Run, Get Lit, Dig Deep, What’s Cookin’ and Bounce Balloons (as part of Season 2: Party Mode) to experience. You can also check out new maps like Waste Deep and the seasonal Jazz Junction. Both are large maps with plenty of room for experimentation and strategizing.

Crash Team Rumble is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. You can check out our review, where we awarded it a 7 out of 10. Though it launched with sparse content, subsequent updates have helped remedy this. Stay tuned for more details on future additions in the meantime.

Teammates who are close together can chain electricity, and when passing through an opponent, it knocks them out. The mode is available through the weekend and provides some “unique rewards.” “We plan to make more of these modes in the future and deliver them throughout future updates, but for now, jump into the game this weekend to enjoy our first run at LTMs!”

Ricossa also confirmed that fixes for crashes and stability issues have been live for a few weeks. There have also been some balance changes and with the release of Ripper (one of two new characters in Season 1), the team is observing “how the meta shakes out before we consider and drop another round of adjustments.”

A new map, Bogged Down, is coming up, and two other updates, additional XP, a Badge, and more Limited Time Time events are also coming. The midseason update is set for the next few weeks and will focus on bug fixes while also teeing up “our events for the second half of this season.”

Finally, Ricossa revealed a new power coming soon – Sticky TNT. When attached to a player, it starts counting down. You must pass it to someone else before it blows up. Stay tuned for more details on the same.

Crash Team Rumble is available on Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and PC. Check out our review here.

In order to score upwards of 1200 Wumpa in a single match, you’ll have to become the Scorer for the team.

How to set up for the task?

Activate all the gem platforms for your team. Once that’s achieved, you’ll be able to carry 260 Wumpa in one go. Now there are multiple ways to further increase that number. Here are all the options:

• Wumpa Stash Gear – After you’ve equipped the Wumpa Stash Gear, you’ll be able to carry 100 more Wumpa at once.

• Big Bonsai Powerup – The Big Bonsai Epic powerup is available in the Serenity Garden map. Once you grab it, you’ll receive 100 more Wumpa.

• Bonus Bank Powerup – The Bonus Bank Epic powerup is available in the Just Beachy map. Grabbing it doubles the number of Wumpa you deposit every time.

How to deposit 1200 Wumpa in a match

Now that you know how to deposit upwards of 300 Wumpa at once, keep repeating the process until you hit the mark. Coordinate with your teammates so that they take over the other roles and let you concentrate on depositing the Wumpa.

REDFALL

Redfall always looked like it was going to be very different from Arkane’s traditional offerings, but the general expectation was that, given the studio’s innate talent and impeccable track record, it would at least be a good, well put together game. In the end, it definitely wasn’t. Not only does Redfall almost completely lack the strengths one usually associates an Arkane game with, it’s not even good at the new things it tries, with everything from its open world and its co-op gameplay to its loot mechanis coming with major issues. Add to all of that some significan technical hiccups, and what you have is a game that woefully falls short of expectations for an Arkane joint.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: GOLLUM

Let’s be fair here, no one really expected The Lord of the Rings: Gollum to be anything more than middling or passably enjoyable at best- but we also didn’t expect it to be literally one of the worst games in recent memory. Daedalic Entertainment’s stealth action-adventure game took its sweet time to finally release, and when it did, it stumbled with its first step and fell flat on its face. Nothing about The Lord of the Rings: Gollum works. It has boring quest design, little to no exploration, broken combat and traversal mechanics, and a deluge of technical and performance problems that make it nigh on impossible to get through. You don’t play The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. You endure it.

LAYERS OF FEAR

For a while, Bloober Team has been pumping out psychological horror games that range from middling to genuinely good, and this year, the studio went back to the very beginning to bring back Layers of Fear. Combining, connecting, and reimagining the first two games while adding its own new content on top, the new Layers of Fear looks excellent and has a fascinating premise- but as is often the case with Bloober, it doesn’t do justice to that premise. It ends up being a fairly dull, repetetive, and rote game that relies on its visual prowess to the exclusion of almost everything else. We can only hope the Silent Hill 2 remake fares significantly better.

TCHIA

We’d had our eye on Tchia for a while before it launched, with Awaceb’s tropical action-adventure game looking increasingly promising with each of its pre-launch showings, and though the final product is certainly not without its merits, it didn’t quite live up to our expectations. Yes, it has a gorgeous setting, and making your way around the island is fun, for the most part. But the game’s mechanics and systems never quite manage to get their hooks in, leaving us with a pretty but fairly unremarkable experience.

CRIME BOSS: ROCKAY CITY

Over the years, many have tried their hand at the co-op first person shooter heist genre, and very few have managed to enjoy the kind of success that the Payday series has seen. Crime Boss: Rockay City was certainly eyeing that throne, and with its star-studded cast of actors, it looked like it might actually take a big swing. The actual game itself, however, was not only disappointing, it was just downright terrible. Whether you’re playing its single player roguelike campaign or diving into its co-op offerings, the game’s aggressive mediocrity taints every second you spend with it, with its awful voice acting, bland design, repetitive loop, and boring core gameplay dragging down the experience into the doldrums.

RAVENBOUND

Ravenbound has a promising premise on paper as an open world roguelite set in a world inspired by Scandinavian folklore, but when you actually get down to playing the game, you realize that it’s woefully underbaked in almost every way that matters. Its world is a vast one, but given how empty, bland, and vapid it generally feels, exploration ends up being significantly de-emphasized. Combat can get repetitive instead of decent enemy variety, while the game also does itself no favours with its poorly balanced difficulty curve. Add to that an unfortunately healthy dose of technical issues, and you get a pretty underwhelming game.

FORSPOKEN

A big new AAA open world IP from Square Enix? To say that people were curious to see how Forspoken would fare would be an understatement, even back when it was called Project Athia, though unfortunately, it didn’t even come close to matching expectations. A premise that’s interesting on paper is let down by annoying characters and poor writing. An open world that should have been begging to be explored ended up being empty and uninteresting. The combat system, while flashy and enjoyable, failed to make up for deficiencies in boring quest design. The fact that Forspoken failed to meet Square Enix’s commercial expectations was, ultimately, not surprising in the slightest.

THE LAST OF US PART 1 PC

Frankly, we’re still baffled that this was allowed to exist. Naughty Dog, more than almost any other studio in the entire industry, is associated with an obsessive level of attention to detail and quality assurance. Polish and Naughty Dog go hand-in-hand- which is why it’s so surprising that The Last of Us Part 1’s PC port might be one of the worst PC ports in recent memory. Even looking at brief clips and individual screenshots, it was hard to believe that something this broken had been allowed to release. When you actually played it, it quickly became apparent that the state of the game was somehow even worse. It’s a real shame, too, because this will forever be remembered as the manner in which this legendary franchise made its PC debut.

LEGO 2K DRIVE

Unlike many other games on this list, LEGO 2K Drive is not without its merits. Its world is vibrant and colourful, it has an impressive suite of customization options for building any kind of car you want, and, as you’d expect from a LEGO game, it’s very kid-friendly and easy to get into. It is, however, also quite vapid. What you see is very much what you get, and with that lack of depth, LEGO 2K Drive ends up like a shallow experience that runs out of steam too quickly, whether that’s because of its how uninteresting open world exploration is, or its lackluster optional content, or any number of other issues.

LEAP

LEAP isn’t exactly a game that’s grabbed a whole lot of headlines, so to say that expectations were high wouldn’t exactly be fair. But this is still very much a game that doesn’t do justice to its interesting premise. The sci-fi competitive FPS boasts slick visuals and cool traversal options, but all of that gets bogged down in its tedious gameplay loop and how unsatisfying its moment-to-moment gameplay largely feels. Especially in a genre that’s this competitive, LEAP fails to make a mark in any meaningful way.

STRAYED LIGHTS

We don’t want to be unfair on Strayed Lights here, because for a game developed by a small team with a unique vision, it does actually get some things right. The story, the music, and the aesthetic, for instance, are legitimately solid and worthy of praise. There’s plenty else in the game, however, that drags the experience down, from its frustrating combat to the lackluster platform to its technical issues. The fact that there are parts of the game that are genuinelty good makes the parts that aren’t feel that much more frustrating.

STRAY BLADE

You’ll never see us turning down the chance to play a new Soulslike, especially one that’s trying to shake up the genre’s formula the way Stray Blade was promising it would. But though there’s something to be said about the idea of viewing the genre through a less gloomy lens, the actual execution of many of the game’s core pillars leaves a lot to be desired. The clunky controls, uninspired level design, and technical issues combine to make Stray Blade quite a frustrating experience, even if it isn’t one that’s totally without its merits.

CRASH TEAM RUMBLE

Again, in the name of fairness, it’s worth pointing out that Crash Team Rumble is definitely a game that you can have plenty of fun with- especially for fans of the series, given how well it translates that Crash feel into a MOBA experience. As it stands right now though, it’s also pretty barebones, with its launch offerings, especially in terms of the modes on offer, being quite limited. Of course, we’re hoping that Crash Team Rumble will be supported so well that including it on this list in retrospect feels like a mistake- but with live service games, you can never tell how long of a lifespan to expect.

GREYHILL INCIDENT

A small production in every way possible, criticising Greyhill Incident would almost feel unfair under most circumstances- but unfortunately, there’s plenty to criticize in this game. The core premise of a survival horror game where your main enemies are aliens is certainly an interesting one, but from its awful dialogue to its painfully shallow mechanics to the mind-numbing level design, Greyhill Incident messes up (to say the very least) in too many ways to be anything more than a disappointment. And even that might be a generous description.

RISEN (PS4)

In the many, many years since its launch, the original Risen has amassed a reputation as one of the RPG genre’s proper diamonds in the rough, though with its 2023 port, there was way more of the rough than there was of the diamond. Janky animations, disappointing and minimal updates to the gameplay and visuals, clunky combat, and technical problems combined to paint the ageing experience in what wasn’t exactly the most flattering light. Maybe this is one flawed gem that should have been left in the past.

Now, Activision enlisted the development studio Toys for Bob to craft a wild multiplayer experience set in the Crash world. Crash Team Rumble is the result of their efforts. The real question, however, is whether it’s fun and engaging enough to pull in players for extended play.

"The controls handle just like any Crash Bandicoot platforming experience. You can run, double jump, and attack. From a control perspective, everything handles nicely and is tight and responsive."

Crash Team Rumble is a 4v4 strategy game that pits two teams of characters in an arena where they must collect Wumpa Fruit and deposit them in their respective team goals. The controls handle just like any Crash Bandicoot platforming experience. You can run, double jump, and attack. From a control perspective, everything handles nicely and is tight and responsive. As you collect Wumpa Fruit, you must deliver them to your team’s bank which is a circular blue pad. The first team to reach 2,000 Wumpa Fruit in their team’s bank wins. It sounds simple enough, but it is far more nuanced than you might expect, and strategy is everything. For instance, there are platforms containing gems. Teams can jump on these gems and attempt to hold them for a few seconds in order to capture them which results in a score boost for a period. Of course, the opposing team will likely be trying to knock you off of the gems and claim the boost for themselves.

To stir the pot even further, there are purple relics appearing all across the map. Collecting these relics is an important task given that they enable you to activate bonuses around the map. There are several minor relic stations that may require 8 relics to be deposited to activate. Their results might include effects such as enabling your team access to spikey roller balls or rocket-boosted jumps.

Then there’s one ultimate relic station on every map. This relic station requires several relics and players on any given team will have to make several trips depositing relics to activate it. But once activated, it’s a real boon for the team of the player who claims the station. The effect is different based on the map as it is unique to the map’s themes. For instance, Calamity Canyon’s ultimate relic station enables one team to summon a UFO that chases the opposing team around with a giant laser for a period. In the Just Beachy map, the unique relic station can summon Uka Uka who brings down a hail storm of fiery meteors that only affect the opposing team. Other maps include torrential upsets in their ultimate relic stations that include a tornadic sandstorm, drones that chase and attack the opposing team, and even a dragon. There are 10 maps at launch in total. So, that means there are 10 unique relic stations for you to discover. Keep in mind, that as you deposit relics into the station attempting to claim it, the other team may be trying to fill the meter on their end. Everything is a game of tug-o-war in Rumble.

"Everything is a game of tug-o-war in Rumble."

Collecting fruit is hardly you’re only motive here. Stopping the other team from scoring is equally just as important. This is where the “rumble” aspect of the title comes into play. If a player’s life bar is depleted from being attacked, they will respawn but they lose all the Wumpa Fruit and relics they were carrying. There are even specific classes of characters designed for different aspects of the game. Crash, Tawna, and Catbat are all considered Scorers. They move quickly and can hold a higher maximum of Wumpa Fruit than the other characters. Dingodile, Dr. N. Brio, and Dr. N. Tropy are all blockers. They have brute strength attacks that enable them to go to an enemy’s bank and be a royal pain for any opposition attempting to deposit fruit. Then there’s Coco and Dr. Neo Cortex who specialize in supporting the team. They’re known as Boosters. They are able to capture gems for score boosts quicker and snag more relics for those game-changing relic stations. Despite the fact that these characters are designed for specific roles, they can still score, block, or retrieve boosts like all the rest. Your selected character just might not be as efficient as the other tasks other than the one designed for them. Each character also has their own attack patterns. Just because Crash and Tawna are both Scorers, that doesn’t mean they do the exact same attacks. Toys For Bob ensured that each character is unique in their individual performances and abilities. Players will no doubt find their favorites and latch on to them. The characters do feel rather balanced from both an attack and movement perspective. Dingodile might be slow and plodding, but he packs a wallop of a tail whip. Where Crash lacks in strength, he makes up for in speed.

With that said, strategy comes into play right from the get-go before a match even begins. While in the lobby, it’s important to even out the team. If you have a team full of Crashes, they might have an awfully hard time scoring if the other team employs the brute force of a character like Dingodile. Even though you might have a favorite character, it may not always be the best choice given what the rest of the team has selected. Aside from the character, you also have the opportunity to select a Power. This Power is separate from the character and it charges up throughout the match. The quickest way to charge your power is to perform the task your particular character class is assigned. For instance, if you are Crash (a Scorer), collecting Wumpa Fruit and scoring will speed up the charge on your power.

So, what powers can you select from you might ask? Well, you can summon a Flytrap plant that spits at enemies within range. Or you can bring down a locker that heals you or your teammates within a certain radius. Based on my experience, a current fan favorite seems to be the Gasmoxian Guard. Players with this power can summon this beast to induce shock attacks in a contained area. Popular Strategies are to plant this beast on enemy banks so guard inherently blocks the other team from scoring for a short period. Additionally, you can plant him on your own bank to keep enemy players from jumping on to block you from scoring. Or maybe, both teams are extremely close to depositing enough relics in the ultimate relic station that you wish to close the deal by placing your guard on this station keeping enemy players off it for a period while you obtain the remaining relics you need. There are many ways to strategize even the use of one simple power. This wild card is just another layer in this chaotic thrill-ride.

"Each of the 10 maps inspired by the world of Crash Bandicoot are rather exquisite."

Each of the 10 maps inspired by the world of Crash Bandicoot are rather exquisite. Most of the maps contain a significant level of verticality and they still require players to run, jump, and smash crates just like the platforming Crash titles of yesteryear. Of course, they’re inspired by the various locales of past Crash games and are just as colorful and fantastical as one could expect. From a gameplay standpoint, Crash DNA is strong despite this being an online player-versus-player structured game. Each locale is as colorful and wild as the one before it. Once you begin learning the maps, the real fun begins as you can strategize your collection patterns and modes of attack more efficiently.

From a progression perspective, players can level up each of the characters and earn character-specific rewards. Additionally, there is a Battle Pass that everyone who purchased the base game has access to. Future Battle Passes will likely cost you just like any other title. All of these rewards seem to be totally cosmetic, however. It’s clear, the way the game is structured, that Activision and Toys for Bob plan to bring more content to the title by way of maps, characters, and Battle Passes. Progression seems quick, but the Battle Pass is lengthy. There’s enough there to keep players engaged for quite some time during a “season” (if that’s what they’re calling it). Future support of the game with enticing rewards, events, accolades, and Battle Pass content will ultimately determine whether players are inclined to keep returning for the long haul. With several customizable options for each character, however, it shows promise.

As an online-only title, one element that is of utmost importance is the quality of matchmaking. Rumble keeps things simple. At the main menu, you either select to play online or start up a private match. Selecting the former instantly puts you into matchmaking for the game’s one and only mode. In my experience, matchmaking has been rather quick with no hiccups. I’ve always been placed in a match with full teams within a matter of seconds. For what the game is – a singular mode – the matchmaking is quick and efficient.

With all that said, Crash Team Rumble is fun and far more engaging than a game with this premise has any right to be. If you would have explained the basis of this game to me a year ago, I would have scoffed at the idea that this could be engaging and successful. But I’m genuinely surprised at how much fun there is to be had. There’s a real competitive edge to the gameplay that hooks me match after match. My only true complaint is that the game still feels like its lacking content. This mostly boils down to the game mode offering. The one and only game type is solid and fun, but it a little more diversity as far as game modes, events, or even slight adjustments to the current mode would go a long way. For instance, a mode totally focused on controlling relics and assaulting the other team might be a fun twist that shakes things up a bit. The game has great potential for future modes, iterations, and various content, however. While I have had a great time with Crash Team Rumble, only time will tell as to whether my engagement wanes playing the same game mode on repeat. For now, however, I’ll see you in the arena collecting that sweet Wumpa Fruit.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Season 1 will go live at launch on June 20 and run until September 2, and will add plenty of new content, including two new playable characters in Ripperoo and N.Gin, new maps, new powers, and new limited time modes. Of course, you can also expect it to be accompanied by a Battle Pass and cosmetic unlockables. Check out the trailer below.

Crash Team Rumble is due out on June 20 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is the first mainline sequel in the series since 2016 and the first in a long time without producer Yoshinori Ono at the helm. It returns to its roots of fighting on the streets but also introduces new combat mechanics like the Drive System for unique parries, reversals, dashes, and stronger versions of Special Moves called Overdrives. There are 18 fighters available at launch, from veterans like Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Dee Jay to newcomers like Marisa, Manon, JP and Jamie, with a wide range of play styles.

Fighting Ground is where you’ll find Arcade Mode for each character, Extreme Battle for zany fights with unique gimmicks, Training and 1v1 battles, and online matchmaking for Ranked and Unranked fights. Battle Hub is where the real online competition is, with players meeting up in a virtual arcade to duke it out for supremacy (with rollback netcode and crossplay supported). You can also take a break and partake in retro titles like Street Fighter 2.

Single-player fans have World Tour, where you create a custom fighter and explore environments like Metro City from Final Fight, challenging everyone and becoming stronger. You encounter characters like Luke and Chun-Li who can act as masters, participate in mini-games like breaking boards, and customize your character with sweet cosmetics. Of course, there are other cool features like Real-Time Commentary, which provides simulated commentary from a range of professionals like Steve “TastySteve” Scott, James “jchensor” Chen, Thea Trinidad, and much more.

Street Fighter 6 releases on June 2nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Whether it becomes a massive success or not, it’s looking much better than its predecessor did at launch.

We Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie

MONKEYCRAFT of Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series and Katamari Damacy REROLL fame is back with a remaster of We Love Katamari. REROLL retains the same gameplay loop that fans know and love. You have a Katamari and can roll it around on things to gather them up, thus making it bigger. The Katamari has to be the same size as other objects to roll them up, so there’s some strategy required to grab everything.

Royal Reverie is the new content with players controlling the Great King in his youth as he undergoes the same Katamari rolling to become worthy of the throne. This results in five new challenges, which should test the skills of long-time players. Put all this together with some sleek-looking visuals. We Love Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie is out on June 2nd for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Diablo 4

Diablo 3 launched in 2012 and went on to sell over 30 million copies by 2015, yet it took this long to get a sequel. Nevertheless, Diablo 4 is nearly upon us and features yet another world-ending threat. As the Wanderer, you’re…wandering around and seeing all this evil business before taking it upon yourself to stop it. After all, who can say no to sweet loot?

With five classes, each with unique skills, play styles and specializations, there are several ways to customize your monster killer. Despite a more visceral, macabre story rife with suffering, Blizzard won’t overtly restrict you. The five regions are mostly free to explore with side quests, World Events, World Bosses, Whispers of the Dead, PvP via the Fields of Torment, +100 Dungeons, Strongholds, and much more to conquer with tons of loot to collect and Aspects to draw on.

Of course, post-story, you get to the real meat – the end game. You’ll progress through World Tiers, add affixes to Dungeons to turn them into Nightmare Dungeons for more rewards, encounter Helltides, complete Capstone Dungeons, fill in Paragon Boards, collect Uniques, and much more to chase on the path to power. If you brave all that and somehow hit max level, a pinnacle boss awaits at the end. And hey, if that’s not enough incentive, Blizzard is begging you to buy the game in their latest live-action launch trailer. Why not do ’em a solid for $70?

Diablo 4 is out on June 6th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC, with Deluxe and Ultimate Edition owners gaining access on June 2nd.

Layers of Fear

Previously called Layers of Fears and now known as, uh, Layers of Fear, this follow-up from Bloober Team and Anshar Studio remakes the first two games and the Inheritance DLC in Unreal Engine 5. It means prettier-looking visuals with more impressive fire effects, particles, textures and lighting. Some new mechanics have also been added, like the oil lamp for burning away ink splotches and fighting off the Artist’s wife in the first game.

The main appeal is the new content surrounding the mysterious Lighthouse and The Final Note DLC. The former sees players controlling the Writer, who is holed up inside the lighthouse and discovers aspects of the other Layers of Fear stories. The Final Note takes place from the perspective of the Artist’s wife and gives some more context to their relationship.

Layers of Fear seeks to link all these stories together with ray tracing, 4K and HDR support. It’s out on June 15th for PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5, and probably worth checking out for those who didn’t play the original games.

Aliens: Dark Descent

The quality of games based on the Aliens franchise is hit or miss post-Isolation, but Aliens: Dark Descent looks promising. Releasing on June 20th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, it focuses on a Colonial Marine squad which crashlands on the backwaters planet Lethe and quickly finds it swarming with Xenomorphs. As the commander, you lead a Marine squad through various locations, purging enemies throughout. It’s a tactical squad-based strategy title where you issue commands to units in real-time.

There are five classes of Marines with different weapons, specializations and abilities to customize them with, and each level offers various paths. They’re also persistent, so any motion trackers and shortcuts unlocked will carry over when you return. However, the Xenomorphs will adapt to your strategies eventually.

Keeping your squad healthy and sane while managing resources is key. If any of them fall, you’ll need to train replacements since death is permanent. With various tactics and enemies to encounter, Aliens: Dark Descent looks like a tense but fun action strategy experience while maintaining the scary atmosphere of the movies.

Crash Team Rumble

You’ve seen Crash and friends in kart racers and platformers, but what about a 4v4 multiplayer game with MOBA elements? Not the most enticing proposition, but Crash Team Rumble does have a lot going for it. It’s developed by Toys for Bob of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time! fame. Along with the titular bandicoot and his sister Coco, you can play as his arch-nemesis Neo Cortex, an alternate-universe Tawna, and Dingodile, among others.

The objective of each match is to gather Wumpa fruit and deposit it in your goal. The opposing team will try to stop you, though. Each character has unique abilities and roles, with Scorers gathering the fruits, Blockers attempting to stop them and Boosters activating Gem Pads for powerful assists. There’s a decent amount of strategy involved, but platforming and understanding each map is the key to success.

Crash Team Rumble launches on June 20th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, with crossplay support. Though it has post-launch seasons and battle passes, you earn heroes and their abilities by completing in-game challenges.

Final Fantasy 16

Square Enix’s next mainline Final Fantasy, and perhaps its biggest single-player game, was first announced in September 2021. However, it’s been in the works for longer, starting with its concept in 2015. Final Fantasy 16 is darker and more brutal than its predecessors, taking place in Valisthea, with six nations battling over the Crystals. Many of them have Dominants on their side who command powerful Eikons like Titan, Ramuh, Bahamut and much more.

The story focuses on Clive Rosfield, who becomes a Branded after the invasion of his home in Rosalith. With the power of Ifrit, he’s somehow capable of harnessing the power of other Eikons, adding their abilities to his repertoire. Final Fantasy 16’s combat is fully real-time with hack-and-slash mechanics, dodging and combos to chain in various insane ways. Only Clive is playable, with party members coming and going depending on the story.

By exploring the massive world, divided into four large zones, Clive seeks to defy his fate and comes into conflict with the other Dominants. Thus far, Final Fantasy 16 has looked very impressive with its visuals, enemy design, combat and presentation (which includes over 11 hours of cinematics). With a hefty campaign and side content, not to mention New Game+ and end-game challenges, it promises to be a brave new beginning for the franchise when it releases on June 22nd for PS5.

Fans won’t have to wait too long to get their hands on it since a demo goes live roughly two weeks prior, with progress carrying over.

Sonic Origins Plus

Sonic Origins may have turned heads due to its convoluted chart of pre-orders and price, but Sonic Origins Plus may be a more worthwhile proposition. It features the base game with Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and 2, Sonic 3 and Knuckles and Sonic CD. You also get all the previously released DLC content like Mirror Mode, Extreme Missions, backgrounds, music and new character animations.

The Plus Pack is new and adds 12 Sonic games from the Game Gear era, including Sonic Drift 2, Tails’ Adventure, Sonic Triple Trouble, Sonic Labyrinth, Sonic Blast and more. Granted, not all of them are the best, but there is some nostalgia value. Also, you can play Amy Rose in all of the base titles or control Knuckles in Sonic CD. Sonic Origins Plus launches on June 23rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch

Trepang2

Do you miss the days of F.E.A.R. with its slow-mo kills and fast-paced action? Trepang2, from the appropriately named Trepang Studios, may feel that niche. As an amnesiac soldier on the run, you have powerful abilities to assist in mowing down hordes of foes. Slow-mo, like in F.E.A.R., lets you quickly empty a clip for massive damage, but you can also turn invisible and snap necks, slide, take an enemy hostage, throw them or just kick them in the face.

It’s over-the-top and more than a bit ridiculous (like the reloading animation for when you’re wielding dual shotguns), but that makes it fun. Trepang2 releases on June 21st, exclusively for PC.

Amnesia: The Bunker

Frictional Games’ latest survival horror title in the Amnesia series is taking a semi-open world, sandbox approach. Set in an abandoned bunker during World War 1, Amnesia: The Bunker sees Henri Clément, a French soldier, trying to escape. It’s easier said than done when the darkness is overwhelming, a vicious monster is on the prowl, and he only has a revolver with one bullet.

Exploring the environment and scavenging resources while evading hazards and the monster forms the main gameplay loop. The sandbox approach means multiple solutions to different problems. However, the monster also constantly adapts to your actions. Every death and respawn sees the world randomized, which means you’ll need to stay on your toes to survive. Solving questions like how you ended up in the bunker and where your allies have gone is also paramount.

Amnesia: The Bunker has suffered several delays since its initial announcement, but seems to be on track for its release on June 6th on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Here’s hoping it reignites interest in the franchise while delivering a terrifying narrative.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

The underrated Capcom adventure finally comes to contemporary platforms. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective launches on June 30th for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch, and sees Sissel, a recently deceased individual turned ghost, trying to find his killer. He only has a few hours to do so but can possess objects for puzzle-solving and go back in time.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was renowned for its aesthetics, soundtrack and unorthodox mechanics. The remaster packs some new musical arrangements (though you can always switch back to the original tracks) and a brand-new track. You can also check out artwork in the Collection tab, play the Ghost Puzzles from the iOS version and complete new challenges. All this is in gorgeous new HD visuals with a revamped interface and higher frame rates.

Dordogne

Developed by UN JE NE SAIS QUOI (French for a pleasing indescribable quality) and UMANIMATIon, Dordogne is a narrative adventure focused on Mimi. In the past, she explores the area of Dordogne, which is rendered in gorgeous hand-painted watercolors, to remember the times spent with her late grandmother.

There are photos to collect, a journal to maintain and much more as Mimi explores caves, kayaks and ventures into forests. It affects Mimi in the present, as she solves puzzles her grandmother left behind. Dordogne promises to be “a heart-warming narrative experience” when it launches on June 13th. It’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

F1 23

After last year’s overly safe entry, F1 23 is doing things differently by…bringing back Braking Point (but with a “2” at the end). The gameplay sees changes, with F1 2014’s Red Flags returning, new vehicle physics, the option for a 35 percent race distance, and the arrival of F1 World.

F1 World features daily and weekly challenges with a seasonal cadence, and players can unlock new cosmetics and liveries for customization. As you advance through the ranks, your Tech Level improves, lending more parts and upgrades for Team Members to your car and unlocking even more events. Since it links all the modes, a new Safety Rating system is in place to match players who focus on clean driving.

There’s more to look forward to, including two new tracks, the return of classic tracks and Precision Drive tech for more responsive racing via a controller. F1 23 is out on June 16th for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Thankfully, it supports Dual Entitlement, so buying the game on one generation of console grants ownership to the other.

Park Beyond

If you’ve been craving a new theme park simulator, Tropico 6 developer Limbic Entertainment has you covered with Park Beyond. As the Visioneer, it’s your job to design and manage amusement parks, create and research rides, terraform the environment, place shops and appeal to your visitors in various ways. Everything is customizable, with thousands of props available to mess around with.

There’s a Campaign Mode where you team up with Cloudstormer and face Hemlock in a war of the parks. However, you can also unwind in Sandbox Mode and build to your heart’s content (or make things much more difficult). Whether it excels over classics like Rollercoaster Tycoon or not, Park Beyond does look pretty appealing. It launches on June 16th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Crime O’Clock

A hidden object game with a twist, Crime O’Clock is about exploring the maps of multiple eras and preventing crimes like hacking, theft and murder. You’ll take in the machines of the Steam Age, venture underwater to the Atlantean Age, explore beautiful Milan in the Information Age, and even venture to the cyberpunk future in the Aeon Age.

There are markers to investigate, and you’ll have to find clues to piece everything together and find success. However, this isn’t the end, as maps can change and new cases open up. While these crimes are happening in isolation, there’s a common link throughout the eras – it’s your job to find it. EVE, an AI, will accompany you as you hold sessions to deduce clues and solve puzzles.

Crime O’Clock releases on June 30th for PC and Nintendo Switch.