June games you might have missed

A Very Video games come out every month. If you have given the game release calendar a more With the old sweeps, some of the giant AAA-tier games could fall to the ground like an anvil. They’ll lift a cloud that overshadows the arrival of smaller games – potentially great ones, even, from developers you may have heard of and new indie makers alike. Like, some that might actually end up on your GOTY list.

We don’t want to let these games pass you by (and you probably want to know about them, right?), so each month we’ll be launching some notable games you should know about. Stay tuned at the end of each month for our next batch of video game deep cuts.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is being re-released this month on consoles and PC, which is news that continues to fill me with joy. If you haven’t heard of this game by now, it’s a gem that originally launched in North America for the Nintendo DS in 2011 and iOS in 2012. While originally made for touchscreens, the HD remaster has been optimized for controllers. Fun Detail: This cartoonishly animated game runs on the RE Engine, the same one that powers graphical powerhouses like Capcom’s resident Evil 4 Remake.

for fans of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, the shared DNA is clear; After all, they share the same director and composer, and I can assure you the writing is fun and the tunes are infectious. However, the base couldn’t be more different. You play as a spirit who can possess everyday objects as a distraction, in order to prevent terrible things from happening. There’s no doubt that these are high-stakes scenarios, but it’s a pretty cool game to play. I can’t wait to get back into it, although I’m buying it partly to listen to the soundtrack.

Ghost Trick: Phantom DetectiveThe HD Remaster of launches June 30 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One. There is a free demo to play on every platform.

crime at

crime at is an ambitious-as-heck puzzle game for Nintendo Switch and PC. As the title suggests, you’ll be solving crimes, and time is a big factor. And by time, I mean time travel, of course. Solving some cases requires you to travel to different eras to change the course of events in the past, present or future.

The premise itself isn’t entirely original, but the package for crime at really stands out. It uses colors sparingly, relying on its high-contrast visual style to highlight clues—a smart design choice, since you’ll be searching for hidden objects. Not going to lie, I love the monotone newspaper look of each era’s map. And big props to the artists who packed Therefore More details in each map.

crime at Launches in digital form on Nintendo Switch on June 30, with a physical version coming at a later date on GameStop. The game will debut on Windows PC on July 21st.

killer frequency

killer frequency is both a clever twist on the slasher formula and an homage to the ’80s. In this first-person experience, you play as a radio host for a call-in program whose callers all face the same problem: someone is out to kill them. Yes, every one of them, apparently.

Your job is to help them escape from death. Way above your pay grade. Even then, you’ll have to be resourceful, using clues sprinkled around the radio station to help you avoid death and foil the killer’s plans. For each caller, you create dialogue options and put them on the line with the hope that they can get away. From the looks of the trailer, things might not always end well.

killer frequency Available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X; In VR for Meta Quest 2 and Quest Pro; and on the Nintendo Switch (which surprisingly costs $10 more than the other versions).

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code

From the mind behind the whodunit murder mystery visual novel danganronpa And Spike Chunsoft (which is responsible for many other cult hits) comes Nintendo Switch-exclusive Master Detective Archives: Rain Code.

You are part of the WDO, the World Detective Organization, a rogue team whose mission is to uncover mysteries. Yes, screw secret! In this visual novel with hidden object elements, you’ll hunt for clues and use each character’s “forensic forays” to solve cases. Apparently, the WDO is an “extra-privileged” organization, yet some of the characters don’t know why they’re in it. For some reason, I feel like WDO can create more mysteries than it can solve in a single game. Bonus reason for my excitement: voice actor Sungwon Cho (also known as ProZD) lends his voice one of the spies“number one.”

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Launches June 30 on Nintendo Switch.

Dordogne

The Dordogne is a place in France, I recently learned. It is also the name of a gorgeous looking game published by Focus Entertainment and developed by studios Umanimation and Un je ne sass quoi. Dordogne (The game) came out earlier this month for every modern console, including PC. For Xbox Game Pass subscribers, it is available on that service at no additional cost.

I think it would be hard to find anyone who doesn’t find his 3D-meets-watercolor art style charming, but thankfully there’s a lot more here than just visual panache. It tells the fascinating story of a girl who revisits the Dordogne, where she spent time as a child with her grandmother, who has presumably passed away. There, she comes to a sad realization: she is losing her precious memories; The places she used to visit and the things she used to do with her grandmother no longer resonate in the same way. You have to find a way to bring them back.

Dordogne is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

pica

cat’s. Teahouse. Cats who have teahouses. Cats who are tea makers are tea makers for other cats. Cats who have a tea house make tea for other cats who drink tea and make delightful chatter while you make their drink.

I just cheekily described a part of the gameplay loop pica, a charming game that wears its Animal Crossing inspiration proud and loud. It’s launching later in June via Steam Early Access, and the trailer may have already sold you. You can create your cozy teahouse however you want, and improve your craft as a teammaker to make all your kitty customers happy. There aren’t any bad vibes within 100 miles of this game’s chill setting.

There is no better way to describe this game than healthy. If that’s up your alley, there are a bunch of other games you might enjoy checking out from Wholesome Direct, a recent indie game showcase.

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