30. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Don’t Nod’s second major action RPG, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden was released early last year, and it turned out to be a way better experience than Vampyr. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden was an excellent action role playing game with plenty to do with story being its main focus. Throughout the game’s narrative, players would have to make tough decisions which can result in any of the five endings.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Say what you will about the Destiny franchise, but with all the ups and downs, shifting trends, studio problems and controversies, it’s still the top looter shooter. With The Final Shape, Bungie looks to conclude the near-decade-long Light and Darkness saga with new Light-based subclasses, Prismatic (combining many abilities into one subclass), a linear campaign and a hopefully memorable raid. It’s a tall order, and between all of the changes to Exotics, ability changes, new Exotics (including new class items) overhauling bounties in favor of the Pathfinder system and more, The Final Shape could be a memorable end leading to a promising beginning when it launches on June 4th. It will be available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.

Monster Hunter Stories

Limited to Nintendo 3DS, iOS and Android for years, the first Monster Hunter Stories is finally coming to modern-ish platforms on June 14th. Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC players can dive into a world where humans and monsters coexist, working together as Rider and Monstie to overcome challenges. Combat is turn-based with three attack types, each overcoming the typical triangular fashion. The remaster sports all the title updates, full voice-acting, additional languages, improved character models, textures and lighting in HD, and even a Museum Mode.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

Once PS4 players are done enjoying the original, there’s Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, launching on the same day. Players take ownership of the mysterious Razewing Ratha, an allegedly ruinous Rathalos. Journeying together and teaming up with other Riders, they seek to rid the world of raging monsters. With a more refined presentation, recognizable armor and weapons from the series, and extensive ways to cultivate and customize Monsties, Wings of Ruin promises a fun turn-based experience. It also benefits from all of the updates released to date, including a co-op quest against Fatalis.

Still Wakes the Deep

Dear Esther and Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs developer The Chinese Room is back with its latest survival horror, set on a drilling platform in 1975. The premise sees Caz McLeary struggling to survive against some unknown monster while navigating the platform’s various mechanical failures. That means navigating ruined walkways, traversing claustrophobic water-filled rooms, and much more. With The Thing, Suspiria and even the Southern Reach Trilogy as inspirations, Still Wakes the Deep promises a deeply personal and nerve-wracking horror experience when it launches on June 18th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Perhaps the biggest release of the month, Shadow of the Erdtree is the first and only paid expansion for Elden Ring, launching on June 21st for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC. It sees players venturing to the Land of Shadow to pursue Miquella, discovering hidden truths (including an untold war) about the place and battling with new threats like Messmer the Impaler. With over ten new boss fights, multiple new weapon types, skills and armor, and a new region that’s larger than Limgrave with a “denser and richer level design”, it’s FromSoftware’s biggest expansion to date. Will it close the story on a high note? We’ll have to wait and find out.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD

Before there was the brilliance of Luigi’s Mansion 3, Dark Moon was the series’ peak. Fortunately, it’s coming to Nintendo Switch on June 27th as Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD. Featuring improved visuals in HD, Luigi must collect pieces of the Dark Moon to save Mario once more, utilizing the Poltergust 5000 to solve puzzles in more complex haunted mansions. You can also hop into the ScareScraper with up to three other players to tackle fresh challenges locally or online. Whether you’re reliving the masterpiece or playing for the first time, it should be another worthwhile addition to the Switch’s library.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble

Speaking of returns, Super Monkey Ball gets a new title on June 25th on Nintendo Switch, courtesy of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble features AiAi, MeeMee and the rest of the crew, including newcomer Palette, as they seek the Legendary Banana in Adventure Mode. Multiplayer supports up to 16 players online (or two locally), with modes like Race, Banana Hunt, Goal Rush and more. It even supports bots and offers more than 300 items to customize characters with.

Star Wars: Hunters

First announced in February 2021, Zynga’s Star Wars: Hunters actually soft-launched in late 2021 for mobiles. Multiple delays later, it’s finally getting a release on June 4th, enabling Nintendo Switch players to join the fray. As a free-to-play competitive shooter, players can choose from an array of bounty hunters divided into Tank, Support and Damage roles, with maps on Endor, and four unique modes. Whether it can survive as a hero shooter in this day and age remains to be seen, but it looks decent.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road

After bragging about offering the “equivalent of more than ten single-player games” with The Elder Scrolls Online, ZeniMax Online Studios is preparing for its next big expansion. Gold Road sees players venturing to the West Weald from Oblivion with locations like Skingrad, the Dawnwood and the Colovian Highlands to explore. Players can modify skills with the new Scribing system, which should help when embarking into new dungeons and the latest trial. The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road is out on June 3rd for PC, with the console versions launching on June 18th.

A Twisted Path to Renown

You’ve seen modern combat PvEvP extraction shooters, but Game-Labs’ A Twisted Path to Renown puts a Wild West spin on things. Entering early access on June 6th for PC, it sees players exploring the United States in 1899 with revolvers, double-barrel shotguns and even bows. Battle all kinds of threats, including hostile wildlife, while garnering reputation among vendors, earning better gear, and even engaging in some farming and mining. With realistic weapons and trading available at launch, it may very well be the freshest take on the genre yet.

ASKA

Whether you’re already done with Valheim’s new Ashlands update or just in the mood for a fresh survival crafting title, there’s Thunderful’s ASKA. Launching on June 20th for PC via Steam Early Access, the title allows up to four players to strike out as Vikings, building up their tribe, assigning jobs to villagers, customizing the layout and setting up defenses. They can also venture into the procedurally generated world with its dynamic weather system and discover various landmarks and resources. Launching in 2025, with two major updates forthcoming, ASKA may be worth checking out.

Kingdom Hearts Series (Steam)

Just when it seemed condemned to the Epic Games Store for life, the Kingdom Hearts series is finally coming to Steam on June 13th. Three titles will be available, though at least two are collections of individual games. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX contains the Final Mix versions of Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 and Birth by Sleep, Re:Chain of Memories and all the cutscenes (plus some new ones) from 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.

These are in high-definition and offer a substantial amount for first-time PC players. Kingdom HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue contains a remaster of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, a “film” of sorts based on Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover and Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage, a side story.

It all leads to Kingdom Hearts 3, the conclusion to the Dark Seeker saga, and Re Mind, with multiple new challenges and additional story content. Memory of Melody isn’t arriving, which is a bummer, but these three releases still offer the definitive Kingdom Hearts experience.

Sadly, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, a rhythm-based game that takes place after the third game’s events, isn’t part of the deal. Nevertheless, those who have waited to get their hands on the series through Steam for many years have plenty of reason to be happy. The question is whether they’ll receive discounts at launch.

As for the series’ future, Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently in development on Unreal Engine 5. Rumored to launch in 2025, it sees Sora in the world of Quadratum, though he’ll eventually reunite with Donald and Goofy. No platforms have been announced, so stay tuned for future updates.

Kingdom Hearts is coming to Steam!#KingdomHearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind (DLC) launch on June 13th 👑 pic.twitter.com/vueQXoE3Nx

— KINGDOM HEARTS (@KINGDOMHEARTS) May 21, 2024

PS4 subscribers gain access to Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory. There’s also Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, and What Remains of Edith Finch. Rounding out the line-up of PS4 titles is Earth Defense Force: World Brothers, Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain and Onee Chanbara Origin.

PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers also gain access to five classic Ratchet and Clank titles on PS3. These are Ratchet and Clank, Ratchet and Clank 2: Going Commando, Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal, Ratchet and Clank: Deadlocked, and Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. For details on the PlayStation Plus Essential titles available for November, head here.

Arthur Morgan – Red Dead Redemption 2

Arthur Morgan has it pretty rough. With the Wild West simmering down, his leader Dutch Van der Linde taking great risks, and various forces plotting the gang’s downfall, he’s constantly on his guard. Nevertheless, Arthur is a warm presence in the gang, keeping things together even when later discovered to be dying from tuberculosis.

In the end, after finding out that Micah has been an informant for the Pinkertons, Arthur tries to convince Dutch of the betrayal (besides also helping John Marston make his escape). Even when the latter doesn’t believe him and Arthur is riddled with sickness while fighting off Micah, he still works to protect his friends. Eventually, he dies in peace, watching the sunrise, assuming the player has high honor.

METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS

As always, we’re going to kick things off with the obvious choice- because you all knew this game was going to be in here. Metal Gear Solid 4 has been notorious for its many (and long) cutscenes for as long as it’s been around. The total length of cutscenes in the game is over eight hours, which is longer than entire games can often be, and quite a few of those are ridiculously long. One particular infamous sequence stretches on for over 70 minutes- that’s longer than a hockey game.

Of course, Kingdom Hearts back then was still a digestible tale of Light and Darkness, Good and Evil, Right and Wrong. Chain of Memories on the Game Boy Advance would follow and felt like more of a side-story…until it proved to be an integral link to Kingdom Hearts 2. The sequel is when things properly nose-dive into a tale of data towns, Nobodies, shadowy Organizations and info-dumps (which were still manageable but skirting the line).

Attempting to explain the entire story of the Kingdom Hearts series would take a good few hours. It’s just gotten that complex, turning into a saga of war and peace with several key battles (and battles involving keys), important figures and events, abstract concepts, and so on and so forth as to be overwhelming to even your average fan. Sure, the symbolism is still in place but the franchise has become so esoteric that predicting what’s next is often secondary to what’s come to pass, until what’s next eventually becomes the past and the cycle repeats.

Nevertheless, Kingdom Hearts 4 represents something special for both fans and newcomers – a new arc and a potentially fresh new start. But where could it possibly go next?

Now I know what you’re thinking. “Get a load of this guy, thinking this trainwreck has a direction.” And you wouldn’t be wrong. Kingdom Hearts 3 provided the conclusion to the so-called Dark Seeker Saga, traversing across the past, present and future with a villainous crew where most of the members were just different versions of Xehanort, cameos from the entire series and Donald firing a Zettaflare, of all things.

It does end with Xehanort defeated though and Sora uses the power of waking to restore Kairi. However, he finds himself trapped in a place called The Final World (which is where he previously traveled to turn back time and reverse a major loss that the heroes suffered). In the ReMind DLC, Yozora – a character from the Verum Rex video game showcased in the Toy Story world – appears to “rescue” him but the two subsequently fight. If Sora wins, then he’ll go back to the Final World; Yozora winning means he goes instead while Sora is trapped in crystal. Regardless, Yozora will awaken in a more modern realm, traveling by car in a scene not unlike that of the former Final Fantasy Versus 13.

Of course, with the reveal trailer of Kingdom Hearts 4, it’s confirmed that Sora is actually in Quadratum, the world of Verum Rex. It’s more realistic, which is reflected in Sora’s appearance, and even features real-world locations in Tokyo like Shibuya Hikarie. Described as an “afterworld”, Quadratum is very likely distinct from the Final World. The reasons are simple – the latter is shown to be a place where Sora could connect the fragments of his body, but he also used the power of waking to rewind events.

When Kairi’s body is destroyed, it’s likely that Sora used the power of waking to substitute himself into her place in the Final World, effectively stranding him. Whatever the effect Yozora may have had on Sora in their battle, it was enough for the latter to break free and end up in Quadratum. Which coincidentally is where Yozora resides.

It’s safe to assume that Yozora also has the power of waking but how he “rescued” Sora is unknown. One clue is when Strelitzia – a character from Kingdom Hearts Union χ who died long before the events of the main series – discovered Sora, who had been sleeping for seven days.

Perhaps the Final World is a purgatory that also intersects with the world of dreams. If we take the literal meaning of “waking” into consideration, then Yozora essentially woke Sora from his metaphysical dream and brought him into Quadratum. Again, this is all speculation but it does help explain why Sora ended up where he did. Of course, there’s also the question of how Riku managed to get to Quadratum.

In Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, he and Kairi meet The Nameless Star, who subsequently had her identity taken away. Existing in a formless state, she simply wishes to see Yozora again and thus opens a portal to Quadratum for Riku to travel. What is her power? Is it the power of waking or something else entirely thanks to having a strong connection with Yozora? In a way, it’s not unlike the connection that Kairi and Sora have, especially since the former helped to sustain Sora when he first reached the Final World in Kingdom Hearts 3.

By the way, it’s worth mentioning that when Final Fantasy Versus 13 was a thing, it had Stella instead of Lunafreya as a major character. In Latin, Stella means “star” while Noctis means “of night”. Yozora is derived from the Japanese words “night sky.” So The Nameless Star is literally Stella after she lost her name while Yozora is more or less Noctis.

You could interpret this as a continuation of Versus 13’s story or a meta commentary on how the characters from that version would end up in Quadratum (because, as we’ve seen, people from different Worlds can cross over into it). But that’s a theory for another day.

Back to Kingdom Hearts, there’s also the question of what the Master of Masters intends to do. The Master of Masters has been an enigmatic figure since the very beginning, training the Foretellers and giving the Black Box to Luxu to do his own thing. More than anything else, he desires to defeat the Darkness, with the implication being that he fought it before (and lost many of his loved ones in the process). Ending the Keyblade War and then the world itself before effectively recreating it was part of the plan, though it didn’t quite succeed since the Darkness is still prevalent.

Eventually, the Master of Masters discovers Quadratum, a place without Darkness or Light. In Kingdom Hearts 3’s Secret Movie, we see the Master making the shape of a heart with his hands over the Moon, mirroring Kingdom Hearts. It’s possible that he plans to bring it into this World and leverage its unique make-up, though in what way is unknown.

In the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer, the Master can be seen on a building, presumably with Luxu (though it’s not outright confirmed). The arrival of the Heartless could very well signal the Darkness itself finding a way through. But then, so has the Light with Sora.

Whatever role Quadratum may play in all of this, it’s already somewhat confirmed that the entire game won’t be set there. When Sora meets Donald and Goofy again, he’ll regain his more cartoonish aesthetic which implies that they’ll meet in the Disney universe again.. Just based on Pixar’s output over the past few years alone – not to mention older franchises like Cars, Brave, WALL-E, and The Incredibles – there are still plenty of unknown frontiers to explore.

However, this could mean that franchises like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe fall on the realistic side of things, perhaps as part of their own universe separate from the Disney properties. While it’s too early to assume that either will be included, the AT-ST foot from the trailer, not to mention how much the forest resembles Endor from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, is fairly convincing.

With regards to Marvel, I wouldn’t put it past either Disney or Square Enix to use this as an opportunity to market the Avengers. Both Star Wars and Marvel properties are incredibly ripe when it comes to villains, conflicts between Good and Evil, and all of the nuances in between.

The overall theme of the sequel is to explore the contrast between the perspectives of Quadratum and Sora’s world. Quadratum’s perspective could be about the coexistence and how the world can thrive even with its shades of grey. Again, how that will contrast with the current perspective of Sora’s world where Darkness must be “defeated” time and time again remains to be seen.

Will we see the return of Tron? Could the realistic art-style mean a possible crossover with Final Fantasy 7 Remake where Cloud and Sephiroth will inevitably fight again? Could Yozora and The Nameless Star reunite, providing the long-awaited conclusion to whatever Versus 13 was supposed to be? Will the many terrible live-action adaptations of Disney animated films somehow be included? Again, it’s hard to say – this is Kingdom Hearts, after all. But this will undoubtedly be a ride unlike any other, whether you’re a fan or not.

These titles include Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX Cloud Version ($39.99) which features Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts 2: Final Mix. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue Cloud Version ($49.99) includes Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage and Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance HD.

Finally, there’s Kingdom Hearts 3 + ReMind Cloud Version ($49.99) which includes Kingdom Hearts 3 and its ReMind DLC. The entire collection offers a range of gameplay experiences while titles like 358/2 Days and Re:coded are essentially cinematic retellings of their original stories. If you want the entire collection, then Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece for Cloud is for you, costing $89.99 and including all of the above titles.

Kingdom Hearts 3 not coming to the Switch natively is sort of understandable (to some extent release), but many are disappointed that even Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue – both of which could easily run on the hardware – are also getting cloud-exclusive releases. As it turns out that, there might still be a chance of the series seeing native Switch versions down the road.

Speaking in an interview with Nintendo Life, when asked about why Square Enix decided to go for cloud releases only, series producer Ichiro Hazama said: “Bringing these titles to Nintendo Switch proved to be quite difficult for various reasons, including the storage capacity of the hardware, but we’re excited that we were able to make it happen for the first time ever by utilizing the Cloud service.”

When asked if native versions could launch down the line, Hazama said Square Enix was still “undecided” on that, but suggested that that could change based on feedback from players. “At this moment in time, the production of a native version is undecided,” he said. “We believe that the Cloud version is currently the best way to deliver the Kingdom Hearts series to Nintendo Switch players, but we are always excited to hear to feedback from our fans and want to thank them for all their support.”

There’s no word yet on when exactly Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts 3 will launch for the Switch. Sora, however, will be added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tomorrow, on October 18.

Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts 3 are all coming to the Nintendo Switch- though there is a catch. They will only be available as cloud releases. That is a little disappointing, especially since pretty much all of those games (perhaps with the exception of Kingdom Hearts 3) are quite old and can easily run natively on the Switch hardware. Either way, Switch players have been waiting for Kingdom Hearts on the platform for quite a long time, so at least it’s here now.

No release date has been announced for the trio of titles, but Nintendo says more information will be revealed soon, so hopefully we won’t have to wait much longer for those details.

This just in – the #KingdomHearts games are coming to #NintendoSwitch!

✨ KINGDOM HEARTS – HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix –
✨ KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
✨ KINGDOM HEARTS III

All three titles will be playable as cloud versions. Look forward to more information soon! pic.twitter.com/VtoiCJzxKp

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 5, 2021