Unlimited SaGa

There are probably worse criticisms that a game could receive than “ruined the SaGa franchise” but that’s what Unlimited SaGa did. You wouldn’t know based on the game’s elegant box art with its butterflies and flowers, rendered in gorgeous water colour. It was all the more disheartening at the time because Square was releasing classics like Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Drakengard, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Kingdom Hearts. Unlimited SaGa stands as proof that even Square could mess up big time (and not for the last time either).

BonusXP’s companion title to Stranger Things: Season 3 is now available with Stranger Things 3: The Game. Along with featuring events from the series, the developer also promises new quests, interactions between characters, and secrets. There’s also a nice retro 16-bit style in keeping with the series’ 80s themed setting. Check out the launch trailer below.

With a number of different characters, each utilizing their own skills and abilities, players will explore the town of Hawkins. Along with solving puzzles, they’ll also battle enemies from the Upside Down. The game is a beat ’em up, which means you can team up with another player for some classic two player local co-op.

Along with 12 total characters (some which have to be unlocked), players will also be able to craft different trinkets. These will help provide an advantage in combat and further specialize abilities. Stranger Things 3: The Game is currently available for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Intelligent Systems is teaming up with Koei Tecmo for Fire Emblem: Three Houses, releasing on July 26^th for the Switch. While the series’ tactical combat is still present, the story takes an intriguing turn, casting the player as a teacher. You’ll be guiding the students of the Black Eagles, Blue Lions and Golden Deer, each house representing a nation formerly at war and having a key character associated with them. That’s just the pre-time skip though – what happens after five years when the nations are at war once again? You’ll need to play the game to find out.

Stranger Things 3: The Game

So Telltale Games’ Stranger Things went bust. The good news is that Bonus XP and Netflix are delivering Stranger Things 3: The Game, a companion title to the upcoming third season. And it’s an…overhead beat ’em up style game with local co-op? We can dig it. Players will take on different quests, solve puzzles, battle enemies and choose from 12 characters, each with their own abilities. Stranger Things 3: The Game is out on July 4^th for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PC.

Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers

Square Enix’s next massive expansion for Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn is nearly upon us. Shadowbringers provides players with a darker task than before – they must venture to the First Star dimension and become the Warrior of Darkness to stop the Light’s overwhelming influence. Along with an increased level cap, new zones, new jobs like the Dancer and Gunbreaker and new races, Shadowbringers will also have a series of new raids. This includes one based on NieR: Automata which director Yoko Taro is overseeing. Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers is out on July 2^nd for PS4 and PC.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

Set in a new universe and retaining the signature Marvel Comics look, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is developed by Team Ninja and published by Nintendo for the Switch. It sees our heroes battling against Thanos and his Black Order for the Infinity Stones. The signature beat ’em up action is still intact along with a large cast of characters, from Captain America and Deadpool to Magneto and Wolverine. We’ll see how well it captures the spirit of Marvel when it releases on July 19^th.

Sea of Solitude

Jo-Mei Games’ Sea of Solitude is a emotional adventure game set in a submerged city. Protagonist Kay has become a monster and is on a mission to regain her humanity. Along the way, she’ll encounter other bizarre creatures and learn to cope with her psychological issues. Though a relatively low-key release, Sea of Solitude has an intriguing aesthetic and premise. It’s out on July 5^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood

Taking place two decades after The New Colossus, Wolfenstein: Youngblood takes the series in some interesting new directions. B. J. Blazkowicz’s twin daughters travel to Nazi-occupied Paris to find their father and aid the resistance as well because why not? With co-op support, missions that can be attempted in any order and level design that takes cues from Arkane Studios’ Dishonored, Wolfenstein: Youngblood looks to be a worthy follow-up. It’s out on July 26^th for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Dragon Quest Builders 2

The sequel to the hit action RPG sandbox title, Dragon Quest Builders 2 features an epic new story and massive world to explore. As an alternate version of Dragon Quest 2’s story, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is about fighting the Children of Hargon who want to wipe out all builders. To accomplish this, you’ll take on various tasks, constructing buildings and improving your building skills. New features include underwater exploration, flying, online and offline multiplayer with up to four players and much more. It’s out on July 12^th for Nintendo Switch and PS4 in the West.

Just Cause 4: Los Demonios

Available early for Season Pass holders, Just Cause 4’s second expansion Los Demonios is out for everyone else on July 3^rd. It sees a parasitic alien species attacking Solis, bringing new terrifying enemies for Rico to deal with. Fortunately, he’ll have some new weapons including alien tech to hold his own. In terms of missions and scale, the jury’s still out on whether Los Demonios is worth checking out when it arrives on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle

Yes, the craze for Attack on Titan isn’t what it used to be but that doesn’t mean Koei Tecmo is slowing down on content for its game series. Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle is an upgrade which sports new original episodes for Story Mode, new characters like Zeke and Kenny Ackerman, and scenarios from Season 3 of the anime. There are also two new modes, the first focused on squad battles against Titans for territories and the second more focused on aerial combat. Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle is out on July 5^th in the West for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Beyond: Two Souls (PC)

Quantic Dreams’ hit cinematic adventure titles have finally come to PC…via the Epic Games Store. Regardless, PC players can finally experience Beyond: Two Souls in their preferred resolution and frame rate (we hope). The story stars Hollywood actor Ellen Page as Jodie, a woman with immense psychic powers thanks to her connection with an entity named Aiden. Along the way, she’ll battle against the CIA including her surrogate father-figure portrayed by Willem Dafoe. Beyond: Two Souls is out on July 22^nd for PC.

Netflix has become a staple of life over the last decade. Starting out as a movie by mail service, the company transited to streaming ahead of many others and has largely become a de facto standard of modern life for streaming films and TV shows. Netflix is on almost any device that has any streaming capabilities and has entered everyday lingo, and now it seems they may be wanting to make a splash in the games industry as well.

As you can see from the official E3 Twitter below, Netflix will host a panel at the E3 Coliseum this year, and seems to be teasing they will be talking about adapting their original content into video games. The only toe they’ve dipped in that pool thus far has been video game adaptations of their popular Stranger Things series. A game based around season 3 of that show is coming in July, and there were attempts to create a Telltale-game based on that series before that studio closed.

Netflix has seen an aggressive expansion of original content over the last few years. Their series have ranged from comedy specials to high budget dramas, but there’s not a lot there that jumps out as being ripe for video game adaptation, so we’ll have to see what they have in store next month.

Heard the latest #E3Coliseum excitement? Come hear from the team at @NXOnNetflix for their panel at #E32019 – information here: https://t.co/6ohRvpa2Am pic.twitter.com/cSFpq9iyrS

— E3 (@E3) May 13, 2019

Without further ado then, let’s begin.

MORTAL KOMBAT 11

People have been looking forward to Mortal Kombat 11 for some time now, and after much anticipation, it’s finally almost here. Typically, it looks absolutely incredible. Promising much gore, Brutalities, and Fatalities, combined with what’s looking like a strong roster, as well as the kind of strong campaigns NeatherRealm Studios usually delivers, Mortal Kombat 11 is undoubtedly very close to the top of many most-anticipated lists.

Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer took to the stage at The Game Awards last night to announce a new game tied in with their show, with a reveal trailer to go along with the announcement (which you can view below). Stranger Things 3: The Game will, as its name suggest, tie in with the upcoming third season of the Netflix TV show, but what’s truly interesting about it is what kind of game it is.

Stranger Things 3: The Game is going to be a very retro style 16-bit beat ’em up with an isometric camera perspective, complete with the kind of combat, weaponry, and light puzzle elements that you’d expect from games of the ilk. It’s all shown off pretty succinctly in the reveal trailer, so be sure to take a look below. What’s also interesting is that the Duffer brothers confirmed on the stage during the announcement that cross-play between Xbox One, Switch, and PC will be enabled. The PS4 was notably missing in that statement, but Netflix’s Twitter did confirm that the game is coming to “all platforms”.

It may not be the Stranger Things game Telltale was working on with Netflix prior to its closure, but true to its word, Netflix is still going ahead with a game based on the TV show, and it looks pretty cool, though obviously very different. Meanwhile, no release date was revealed, but that makes sense. Since the game’s events will tie in with Season 3 of the show, we can likely expect it to be released around that time, and for a date to be announced at a later date. Stay tuned, and we’ll keep you updated.

Stranger Things 3: The Game from @BonusXP is coming to all platforms. Hold onto your quarters. #TheGameAwards pic.twitter.com/m00x1nGeFy

— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) December 7, 2018