We’re already more than halfway into June, and with the Summer Game Fest activities pretty much done and dusted now, it’s back to looking forward to games in the immediate future.
This week, that conversation will be pretty much dominated by the launch of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, which is enjoying about as much hype as a DLC expansion could possibly win itself. There are definitely some other releases worth looking at – Still Wakes the Deep is a new one from the folks behind Dear Esther and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, Times & Galaxy looks utterly delightful and #BLUD is like a slightly more violent Cartoon Network show in the form of an isometric action adventure.
But, yeah. Shadow of the Erdtree.
GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (JUNE 17 EDITION)
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Release Date: June 21st
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Get it cheap on Amazon.
Winner of hundreds of accolades including The Game Awards Game of the Year and Golden Joystick Awards Ultimate Game of the Year, ELDEN RING is the acclaimed action RPG epic set in a vast, dark fantasy world. Players embark on an epic quest with the freedom to explore and adventure at their own pace.
The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion features an all-new story set in the Land of Shadow imbued with mystery, perilous dungeons, and new enemies, weapons and equipment.
Discover uncharted territories, face formidable adversaries, and revel in the satisfying triumph of victory. Dive into the riveting interplay of characters, where drama and intrigue intertwine, that create an immersive experience to savor and enjoy.
Still Wakes the Deep
Release Date: June 18th
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Get it cheap on Amazon.
Still Wakes the Deep is a return to the first-person narrative horror genre from The Chinese Room, creator of critically acclaimed games such as Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, and Dear Esther. You are an off-shore oil rig worker, fighting for your life through a vicious storm, perilous surroundings, and the dark, freezing North Sea waters. All lines of communication have been severed. All exits are gone. All that remains is to face the unknowable horror that’s come aboard.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 “Flat Version”
Release Date: June 20th
Platforms: PS5
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is the sequel to the terrifying VR experience that brought new life to the iconic horror franchise. As a brand new Fazbear employee you’ll have to prove you have what it takes to excel in all aspects of Pizzeria management and maintenance. So what are you waiting for?!? Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is now accepting applicants for all positions, effective immediately – VR no longer required!
Rusted Moss (Console Release)
Release Date: June 20th
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Rusted Moss is a twin-stick shooter metroidvania where you sling around the map with your grapple, blasting your way through witches and rusted machine monstrosities alike. This wasteland once harboring mankind has since fallen, and Fae long forgotten now knock on humanity’s door…
Crab God
Release Date: June 20th (21st AEST)
Platforms: PC
Crab God is an atmospheric underwater strategy game. Guide your Crabling colony through wild ocean depths, and defend the egg of the next Crab God.Restore and protect diverse coral reefs, making a difference in the real world as you progress in-game. Make waves, praise the claw!
Times & Galaxy
Release Date: June 21st
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Times & Galaxy is a funny, heartfelt game about space aliens and the richness of the stories that make up their everyday lives. Set in a solar system full of space lizards (Augers), goo people (Xeel), robots (Robos) and other assorted species – including regular, albeit often flamboyant humans – you will step into the shoes of a shiny new Robo intern for the system’s most trusted holopaper, the Times & Galaxy.
Your goal? Prove that Robos CAN report, get to know a whole bunch of aliens, and maybe keep your job at the end of it all.
Pax Dei (Early Access)
Release Date: June 18th (19th AEST)
Platforms: PC
Pax Dei is a social sandbox MMO under development and inspired by the legends of medieval Europe. Discover a world where myths are real, ghosts exist, and magic is an everyday part of life. Join thousands of players as you explore the land, build your home, forge your reputation, and shape your own stories. What world will you make?
#BLUD
Release Date: June 18th
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Save your friends, fight off the vampire apocalypse, and survive the horrors of freshman field hockey practice in #BLUD, a delightfully zany animated dungeon crawler that blurs the line between action RPGs and hyperkinetic 90s cartoons.
Tarisland
Release Date: June 21st
Platforms: PC, Mobile
The Blight Dragon is here! Tarisland, a new cross-platform game that brings back the fun of iconic MMORPGs, will launch soon. Recreating the challenging dungeons and immersive exploration experience with a classic fantasy art style, Tarisland will be available on both PC and mobile with data-sharing enabled. You may choose from 9 classes and 18 specializations to customize your own builds. Raid with your group and take down epic bosses!
Drug Dealer Simulator 2
Release Date: June 20th (21st AEST)
Platforms: PC
What turns a person into a drug dealer? A drug dealer into a drug lord? Find out in DDS2, a first-person co-op sim set in a dynamic open world. Make contacts, cook drugs, and manage your cartel on Isla Sombra, where power is the only law.
First Dwarf (Early Access)
Release Date: June 19th (20th AEST)
Platforms: PC
If there’s one thing dwarves are better at than grooming their beards, it’s engineering. Jump into your mech, build a base and explore the crumbled fantasy world in this immersive action RPG. First Dwarf is an immersive action RPG with base building elements, which will test your survival and exploration skills in a fantasy open world, sprawling on islands floating in the sky.
Echo Generation: Midnight Edition (Switch, Steam Release)
Release Date: June 19th
Platforms: Switch, PC (via Steam)
Winner of Best Indie Game at the Canadian Game Awards, Echo Generation is a turn-based adventure game with a supernatural twist. Strange things are afoot in Maple Town: A mysterious crash leads you on a spooky adventure through your hometown. Battle monsters, complete quests and unearth secrets to reveal a conspiracy that transcends time.
ASKA (Early Access)
Release Date: June 20th (21st AEST)
Platforms: PC
Lay claim to unspoiled lands and pave the way for a fierce Viking tribe. Craft the ultimate settlement solo or together with up to x3 friends. Trust in the Gods and the power of the Eye of Odin and summon intelligent NPC villagers to provide camaraderie and relief from the toils of survival.
Tavern Talk
Release Date: June 20th (21st AEST)
Platforms: PC
A cosy visual novel about running a tavern in a D&D-inspired fantasy! Gather rumors, serve magical drinks, and meet adventurers on a life-changing quest.
Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss
Release Date: June 18th (19th AEST)
Platforms: PC
Thalassa is a single-player psychological mystery, which follows the journey of Cam, a deep-sea diver and member of the Thalassa’s Crew. Players undertake an expedition to the final resting place of the Thalassa, which now lays shipwrecked and abandoned on the sea floor. Are you ready to seek the answers Cam desperately needs?
The Fall of Elena Temple (PC Release)
Release Date: June 18th (19th AEST)
Platforms: PC
Fall, collect, undo in The Fall of Elena Temple, an old-school puzzle platformer in which you explore rooms, avoid perils and collect all coins to progress. The catch is you can undo your falls! So don’t be afraid of heights, fall and collect the coins bellow, then undo back up to where you fell from, keeping the coins!
Test your forward thinking and logical skills. Plan your falls carefully, as your undos are limited. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll find yourself unable to restore back to the top, with coins still needing collecting!
Dicefolk (Switch Release)
Release Date: June 20th
Platforms: Switch
Dicefolk is a brand-new deckbuilding roguelike from Tiny Ghoul and LEAP Studios. When a mysterious evil threatens your village, you must set off into the unknown to discover what’s behind it. Recruit chimera, customize your dice, and unlock and equip powerful artifacts to battle your way to victory
