New Game Releases: June 28th-July 4th, 2018

With a new title from Street Fighter II’s designers, Red Faction Guerrilla’s now-gen remaster, and cat girls migrating to Switch, there a number of remarkable games arriving this week. But be sure to not overlook a few gems hidden among the itinerary of fresh titles. From Ikaruga, the Crash Bandicoot trilogy, and Wolfenstein II, there are also a number of cherished favorites making their way out this week.

Header image: NekoPara Vol. 1, Switch

PlayStation 4
Esper (digital, $7.99, PS VR)
Eventide 3: Legacy of Legends (digital, $6.99)
Fighting EX Layer (digital, $39.99 and $59.99)
Ikaruga (digital, $14.99)
Next Up Hero (digital, $19.99)
Red Faction: Guerilla Re-Mars-tered (physical and digital, $29.99)
Runbow (digital, $14.99)
The Crew 2 (physical and digital, $59.99)
Tour de France 2018 (physical and digital, $49.99)

Nintendo Switch
ACA NeoGeo Money Puzzle Exchanger (digital, $7.99)
Angels of Death (digital, $14.99)
Anima: Gate of Memories (digital, $19.99)
Arcade Achieves Renegade (digital, $7.99)
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (physical and digital, $39.99)
Dream Alone (digital, $9.99)
Figment (digital, $19.99)
Fossil Hunters (digital, $16.99)
Grave Danger (digital, $19.99)
Inside (digital, $19.99)
Limbo (digital, $9.99)
MotoGP 18 (physical and digital, $39.99)
NekoPara Vol. 1 (digital, $14.99)
No Heroes Here (digital, $14.99)
Photon Cube (digital, $13.65)
Runbow (digital, $14.99)
SpiritSphere DX (digital, $9.00)
The Journey Down: Chapter Two (digital, $19.99)
Walking Violet (digital, $4.99)
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (physical and digital, $59.99)

Xbox One
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (physical and digital, $39.99)
Magical Brickout (digital, $TBA)
Next Up Hero (digital, $19.99)
Red Faction: Guerilla Re-Mars-tered  (physical and digital, $29.99)
Tour de France 2018 (physical and digital, $49.99)

3DS
I.F.O. (digital, $3.99)

PC
999 ($TBA)
Bookers: Underground Chapter ($TBA)
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy ($39.99)
Dungeon Warfare 2 ($TBA)
Frozen Soul ($TBA)
Fruit Hoop ($TBA)
Hentai Temple ($TBA)
Pixel Hentai Mosaic ($TBA)
Pro Cycling Manager 2018 ($TBA)
Super Dangerous Dungeons ($TBA)
Tower Stacker ($TBA)

Robert’s Pick: While I’m often pigeon-holed as a JRPG junkie, I also love wreaking havoc in open-world playgrounds. When the original Red Faction: Guerilla was released in 2009, I spent a week destabilizing that other Earth Defense Force (no, not this one). Not only did the game extend an unprecedented level of destruction, permitting buildings to collapse when their internal structure was comprised, but I loved the ability to craft makeshift weaponry. Feeling outgunned by when trying to topple a base of enemy operations? Stack a whole bunch of explosive onto a vehicle for a potent car-bomb. Being the underdog has rarely felt so gratifying.


Zack’s Pick (Senior Editor, RPG Site): No matter the year, no matter the platform, no matter what else is releasing that week, Ikaruga will forever and always be my number one pick. It stands as one of the best shooters of all time, and for good reason. The mechanic of switching between light and dark modes is highly innovative even to this day, and the gameplay overall is insanely addictive.

Sure, I may have a terribly difficult time trying to get past Stage 2, but that’s beside the point. If you don’t own a Nintendo Switch and have never played it before, you really need to pick this one up on the PlayStation 4. If you’ve already played it, get Inside because it’s also incredible.

Ryan’s Pick: Arika is an established Japanese studio that started out in the 90s making arcade games, such as Street Fighter EX.  The company was formed by Akira Nishitani along with Akira Yasuda, the creators of Street Fighter II. Arika’s new fighter, Fighting EX Layer, has some really great visuals and a solid character lineup. Plus, it’s new! In Japan, and most of the time in the West, new is good! I suppose it’s just like trying new takes on existing genres, especially when the team behind the game are ones that brought monumental games to arcades. I’m not an expert in the genre as I’ve said before – I’m actually quite terrible at fighting games. I just love playing them.

While there is of course a standard “Classic” mode in the game, I’m particularly interested in the additional mode that lets you unlock certain buffs for your characters by completing certain tasks/requirements during the fight. That seems like it would add a bit of a different flair to the game compared to just standard gauge charging + super moves. The PS4 Pro version also will have improved shaders and will run at 1080p, whereas the standard PS4 will run on a lower shader level at 720p. I feel like this will be a really worthwhile fighter, so I am all about it.

Matt (Editor, DigitallyDownloaded) did not have a pick this week.

About Robert Allen

Since being a toddler, Robert Allen has been immersed in video games, anime, and tokusatsu. Currently, his days are spent teaching at two southern California colleges. But his evenings and weekends are filled with STGs, RPGs, and action titles and well at writing for Tech-Gaming since 2007.

8 comments

  1. Matt doesn’t like anything this week?

  2. The Crew 2 looks fun but I won’t buy a always online game that forces single-players to be online.

    Basically, Ubi can pull the plug anytime and you’re left with nothing. After getting burned by Sony, I won’t be fooled anymore.

  3. The Xbox One could barely run Wolfenstein II. I can only image the Switch version.

  4. Thinking about grabbing Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. Or just emulating on my Android tablet and saving $40. I do own the original games…

  5. Happy fourth Robert, Zack, Ryan, and Matt.

  6. Please review Pixel Hentai Mosaic.

  7. Crash Banicoot on PC runs at 60 FPS, FYI