Microsoft may not be trying to win the hardware race, but it’s certainly doing a good job of providing quality hardware nonetheless. The Xbox Series X is trailing the PS5 in terms of sales, but the comparison isn’t quite fair thanks to Microsoft’s less powerful, less costly Xbox Series S (although sales for the two combined are still lagging behind Sony’s machine). Still, if you’re an Xbox Series X/S owner, you’ll find lots of games to look forward to in June 2023, so let’s take a look at the best titles heading to Microsoft’s console ecosystem this month.
Killer Frequency (June 1st)
Set in the curiously underrated year of 1987, Killer Frequency is a horror adventure with a dash of comedy. You’ll play the role of an 80s radio host, complete with massive mixing desk and all kinds of other analog-style equipment. It’s your job to help the residents of the sleepy town of Gallows Creek (yes, it’s really called that) to escape the clutches of a serial killer; the town’s police chief is out of commission and you’re the only one standing between the townsfolk and chaos.
Street Fighter 6 (June 2nd)
The Street Fighter series has been a reliable workhorse of the fighting game genre for some time now, so we’re obviously excited to check out its sixth instalment. Fan favourite characters like Ryu, Chun-Li, and Blanka will be returning, as well as new faces like Luke and Kimberly, and they’ll have a new, evolved fighting engine to grapple with. If you’re intending to head into the online modes to challenge other players in this one, you’ll have to make sure you get in early so you don’t get crushed by veterans.
We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie (June 2nd)
The Katamari franchise is a very odd duck indeed; it largely defies classification, positioning itself as a sort of 3D puzzle-platformer-racing hybrid. We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie offers up a remastered version of the 2005 PlayStation 2 classic, complete with all-new visuals, a better user interface, and more. The Royal Reverie portion of the game presents brand new challenges to take on as a young version of the King of All Cosmos.
Diablo 4 (June 6th)
It seems like an absolute age since Diablo 4 was first announced, and the catastrophe surrounding the overly-monetised and weak Diablo Immortal certainly didn’t help matters. Now, though, Blizzard is back on track with the full-blooded fourth instalment in the Diablo series. Expect the usual hack-and-slash action complete with varied skills and builds to try out, as well as a veritable treasure trove of loot to pick up from vanquished enemies and a return to the classic Diablo visual style.
Tour de France 2023 (June 8th)
Cyanide has been soldiering on with the official video games of the Tour de France cycling event since 2009, and those efforts continue with Tour de France 2023, which is currently scheduled to land on Xbox Series X/S on June 8th. Revealed alongside Pro Cycling Manager 2023 (which is, unfortunately for console fans, only available on PC), Tour de France 2023 will feature plenty of licensed cyclists and companies, as well as the opportunity to create your own cyclist and lead them to glory.
Park Beyond (June 16th)
In Park Beyond, you play the role of a newly-minted park administrator whose role is to turn around a struggling theme park and transform it into a place children (and adults!) dream of. To do so, you’ll have to construct rides and “impossify” them, turning them into physics-defying masterpieces of entertainment and thrills. If you love games like Rollercoaster Tycoon, then it goes without saying that you’ll definitely want to put this Bandai Namco love letter to the simulation genre on your wishlist.
Aliens: Dark Descent (June 20th)
The Alien franchise has struggled to find a home in the world of gaming. While 2014’s Alien Isolation is probably the strongest entry for the long-running horror series in video gaming history, it’s a jewel in an otherwise fairly barren landscape. That’s something Tindalos Interactive and Focus are hoping to change with Aliens: Dark Descent, which is delving into unknown territory thanks to its real-time tactical gameplay and focus on tense decision-making over abject horror.
Crash Team Rumble (June 20th)
From the sublime to the…well, hopefully also sublime, but in a different way. Crash Team Rumble is a multiplayer party game take on the Crash franchise in which you must defend your goal zone from opponents while also trying to drop in as much Wumpa fruit as you can. It’s almost MOBA-esque in its setup, but naturally, it’ll be much more accessible and wacky than most modern MOBAs are. Playable characters will include Crash, of course, as well as Tawna, Dr. Neo Cortex, and more.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life (June 27th)
If you’re fed up with high-octane gaming experiences and you want something a little more relaxed and sedate, then Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life will be right up your alley. It’s a remake of a classic PS2-era life sim, and it’ll take place in the same town as that game, complete with all the characters you grew to love the first time around (or are meeting for the first time if you never checked out the original). New additions include revamped visuals, streamlined mechanics, and the ability to romance anyone regardless of gender.
