In this expanded edition of RPGs Coming This Week: re-releases! From PC ports we wanted to remasters we didn’t know we wanted, it seems the industry really, really wants us to take a second look at their back catalog. So without further ado, let’s explore all the Re-PGs Coming This Week!
Kingdom Hearts Series ā June 13th (Windows)
In one of those moves that makes you go, “Wait, that wasn’t already a thing!?”: the Kingdom Hearts series is finally coming this week to Steam after making its PC debut in 2021 via the Epic Games Store.
Specifically, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + ReMind DLC will all become available on Thursday.
Although difficult for some of us oldheads to believe, many players will likely be gaining access to these titles for the first time, while others might be looking at this Steam release as the newest and most convenient opportunity to get started.
Below, we will barely scratch the surface of what players can expect to find in each package. Go ahead and visit each game page to learn more about what each collection contains.
- Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX: This is arguably the most essential piece of the collection, as it features the first six stories of the series, including the Final Mix editions of both the original Kingdom Hearts and sequel Kingdom Hearts II and the lore-essential Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep.
- Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue: This game is crucial for fans looking to gobble up every bit of extra story content leading up to Kingdom Hearts III. Newcomers should know that this would be a potentially very confusing spot to start, and possibly not even all that necessary depending on what you’re looking for as a fan.
- Kingdom Hearts III + ReMind DLC: A mostly satisfying close to what became an existential chapter of the series. The ReMind DLC is a nice bonus here, considering those who were a little burnt out by the end of III likely missed this additional content featuring Sora and Kairi (which, for my money, is often when the series is at its best).
Ultimately, it’s up to the player as to how they acquire each entry, but, if nothing else, it’s nice to know that those who prefer Steam finally get to make this choice for themselves.
by Kyle Cantelon
Monster Hunter Stories Collection ā June 14th (PS4, Switch, Windows)
Monster Hunter Stories Collection is a duology of monster-collecting, turn-based traditional RPGs. These spinoffs to the popular and rather addicting action RPG series Monster Hunter are wholesome, all-ages adventures with world-spanning tales where the main goal is to ally with monsters rather than eradicate them.
I enjoyed the first Monster Hunter Stories game when it originally premiered on the Nintendo 3DS, and Iām looking forward to seeing what enhancements have been made to the title for its release on current-gen systems. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, meanwhile, looks to be a phenomenal successor. I can’t wait to dive once more into the colorful and content-heavy world of these titles, and hopefully find all the best Monsties out there. Ride on!
by Audra Bowling
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance ā June 14th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Switch, Windows)
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an enhanced and expanded re-release of 2021’s Nintendo Switch exclusive Shin Megami Tensei V. Originally due out on June 21st, ATLUS made the unprecedented decision to move the release date up by one week.
This latest release follows a pretty consistent strategy by the developer, where it offers players a substantially expanded version of a popular game only a couple of years from its original release. ATLUS recently gave Persona 5 the same treatment through the widely acclaimed Persona 5 Royal.
SMTVV offers two wholly separate paths: the original storyline as the Canon of Creation, and a new path exclusive to this release called the Canon of Vengeance, offering new characters, storylines, recruitable demons, and explorable areas. Resident SMT superfan Scott Clay went hands-on with SMTVV back in April, finding more to love about the game’s increased attention to character development and the inclusion of fresh story beats.
There may be some fans frustrated by ATLUS’ release strategies, but I’m sure this sentiment will be largely outweighed by fans new and old pleased by an expanded SMTV experience, coming this week across all modern platforms.
by Claton Stevenson
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