Oh yes; June is here, the summer starts, and the controversial Guitar Hero: On Tour will rock your DS, or fail trying. Will players dig the concept? Is the lack of a fifth fret really all that important? We shall find out soon. As big as GH:OT is, though, there are other note-worthy DS releases for this month, from revivals to hardcore strategy / RPG blends. Take a gander at these DS titles set to ship this June:
Summon Night: Twin Age – June 3: Previously delayed and now shipping on June, this action / RPG hybrid features two playable characters and a decent-length quest full of dungeons to crawl through and a clean real-time, action-based battle system. Explore the world, level up, trade items; good stuff here.
Looney Tunes: Cartoon Conductor – June 10: Don't be so quick to dismiss this one; although not much is known, this title apparently plays just like Elite Beat Agents, a favorite among rhythm DS gamers. Expect a review soon after the game's release, for good or bad.
Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles – June 10: Solve three deep, intriguing cases full of murders, love and betrayal in this point-and-click adventure, a genre that suits the DS perfectly. Although initial reactions haven't been all that positive, the game's $20 price tag is a nice attraction.
Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard – June 17: The second installment to a fantastic, old-school RPG / dungeon crawler of yesteryear, with new character jobs, improved boss fights, and other tweaks here and there to make a good game even better. Will PVG review this game? You bet!
Arkanoid DS & Space Invaders Extreme – June 17: Two titles, two timeless ****c revived on DS, complete with touch screen controls, attractive new visuals and audio, boss fights, and DS Paddle support. Unfortunately, US copies of Arkanoid DS won't include said paddle; you can import one, or wait for a possible third-party substitute to become available.
Guitar Hero: On Tour – June 22: 25 songs, an interesting peripheral, and the concept of Guitar Hero on your DS; talk about surprising. Many have wondered just how well this game will do, considering the limitations of the system and the fact that you're not using a real guitar controller.
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift – June 24: A pseudo-sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, a series that takes a light-hearted approach to standard FF Tactics series, while retaining its hardcore RTS elements. Once again set in Ivalice, this whimsical adventure features all you loved of the GBA title—many character ****s, an artsy look, and the Law System—plus more.
Trauma Center: Under The Knife 2 – June 24?: A question mark? Well, you see, although the 'official' release is July 1st, a rumor floating around suggests a release date drawback of one week. Either way, you will soon follow up to one of the most beloved (and challenging) DS titles that lets you play doctor, in a good way. Join Derek and Angie Thompson as they deal with the after-effects of the deadly GUILT virus of the first UTK title, complete with new operations, tools, and patients to save.
Talk about a jam-packed month! And take a look at all the DS titles with colons in the title; this is quite a trend, isn't it?