SUMMER SIZZLERS
WE are officially half way through the year ... one of the strangest years in living memory. The sunny month of June should also herald the arrival of the world’s biggest event for game reveals – E3. But thanks to the ongoing pandemic, for the first time in the convention’s 25-year history, it has been cancelled.
The spirit of E3 however will be kept very much alive, as plenty of publishers and developers have announced they’ll be hosting their own events and showcases over the summer, to tease big new releases and updates on highly anticipated titles. Until then, here’s our pick of the games that should be on your radar this month.
THE LAST OF US PART II (PEGI 18)
PS4. Release: June 19
ONE of the most highly anticipated sequels ever made, The Last of Us Part II finally gets a release this month.
A PlayStation exclusive, you’ll need an eye watering 100GB of free space on your harddrive to download it, and it will then occupy a snug 78.3GB – and that’s without any Day One updates.
Last week Sony and developer Naughty Dog showed off nearly 24 minutes of gameplay footage, which shed some light on the new storyline, and showcased some of the new locales you’ll be able to explore.
It even showed Ellie swimming, something the character was too scared to do in the first game.
Featuring an overhauled engine, new stealth and combat mechanics and a new story, The Last of Us Part II promises to be one of the PlayStation 4’s definitive games.
BURNOUT PARADISE REMASTERED
(PEGI 7) Switch Release: June 19 SWITCH owners will finally be able to get their hands on the remaster of 2008’s superb Burnout Paradise.
Paradise set a new benchmark for the series, at times feeling nothing like a Burnout game at all.
From the soundtrack, which features Jane’s Addiction, Alice in Chains, Guns n Roses, and a host of late 2000s skate punk one-hit wonders, to the energising gameplay, this was a game you could get lost in for hours.
The open world allows you to compete in several types of races, and to go online to face off against other players.
What’s more, online you’d find additional game modes, such as the fantastic, cops and robbers.
The Switch’s intuitive controller should make this a huge amount of fun to play. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: BATTLE FOR BIKINI BOTTOM REHYDRATED (PEGI 3) PS4, XBOX ONE, Switch, PC Release: June 23
ANOTHER cult classic, remade for the next generation.
Released in 2003, this 3D platformer managed to meld the heart and humor of the cartoon, with surprisingly engaging gameplay.
Trailers show the graphics looking better than ever, with that trademark Bikini Bottom humour dripping through the screen.
With the new movie, Sponge on the Run, pushed back to an
August release, this will give young fans a muchneeded dose of SpongeBob right now.
JOURNEY TO THE SAVAGE
PLANET (PEGI 16) Switch Release: June 26 ALREADY winning fans on other consoles, now Switch players can enjoy some ‘hard’ science fiction gaming.
Unceremoniously dumped on an uncharted planet, you have to determine if the fractured landscape is fit for human habitation – while also trying to repair your damaged ship.
One of the most surprising things about this game is the script – dripping in humour.
There’s some great fun to be had here, Savage Planet is well worth a moment of your time.
POKÉMON SWORD AND POKÉMON SHIELD DLC (PEGI 7) Switch Release:
June 30
THE first major DLC release for last year’s Sword and Shield games bring brand new regions for players to explore.
The Isle of Armor, expected to land by the end of the month, will introduce new elements to the game, including a brand-new mentor, new Pokémon to catch, and gigantamax forms of Sobble, Grookey and Scorbunny.
A second expansion pack, The Crown Tundra, is expected to arrive in the autumn – and is rumoured to be a darker adventure in more hostile environments.
Sword and Shield have proved a huge hit with Pokemon fans. Released in November last year, by March 2020 they had sold more than 17 million copies worldwide, becoming the fastest-selling games on Switch.
Journey to the Savage Planet