1. Legion season 3 will allow Noah Hawley’s strange, cerebral X-Men show to end on its own terms
While Marvel's Netflix shows are being unceremoniously thrown to the wayside like radioactive waste, Fox's Legion remains a curious survivor of the ongoing changes at the highest echelons of Disney, with showrunner Noah Hawley (previously of Fargo fame) getting to close out his acclaimed show in exactly the way he intended. The truth is that Legion, with its Wes Anderson meets David Lynch filter and tangential dance numbers, has always been an acquired taste, but nonetheless, superb viewing for anyone who could get on board with its off-kilter tale of schizophrenic supermutant David Haller and his bohemian band of X-Men rejects. Season 3 looks to further explore David's potential as something of an antihero, but it's all still looking as bizarre and brilliant as ever. Heck, it may even be able to wash out the bitter taste left by X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Stranger things have happened.
What: Legion season 3
Where: FX (US)/ Sky Atlantic (UK)
When: June 24 (US)/June 25 (UK)
2. Samurai Shodown ushers in a new era of weapon-based duels to the death
SNK is bringing back one of the best arcade fighters of all time with a new Samurai Shodown, mixing new mechanics and a fetching 2.5D aesthetic with the series' classic fast-paced brawling (and that endearingly misspelled title). The roster of colorful characters features plenty of old favorites along with three newcomers, including my personal favorite: Darli Dagger, a woman wielding a gigantic saw blade that doubles as a spinning drill-lance. This new Samurai Shodown builds on the polished art style we saw in King of Fighters 14 and really makes it pop with some stunning use of color and plenty of hype-amping special animations, splattered with just enough blood to really earn that M rating without veering into Mortal Kombat 11's gory territory.
What: Samurai Shodown
Where: PS4, Xbox One
When: June 25
3. The Conjuring's breakout doll star Annabelle is back
The Conjuring Universe might have expanded to include nuns and Mexican folklore, but the real star has always been the haunted doll called Annabelle. We've had two prequels on the doll's origins and past with Annabelle and Annabelle: Creation, and now in Annabelle Comes Home we get to see her wreaking havoc in the home of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. It looks like it might be a cautionary tale about leaving your child with careless babysitters, or perhaps filling a room in your home with objects haunted by dangerous evil spirits. Either way, you're guaranteed creepy creaking doors, plenty of jump scares, and a new sense of anxiety when you get near the toy aisle in Target.
What: Annabelle Comes Home
Where: Movie theaters
When: June 26
4. The Sinking City is a Lovecraftian monster that wants your brains
From the studio that brought you the Sherlock Holmes games, The Sinking City is a more cerebral take on the strange shenanigans of the Lovecraft universe. You play as Charles W. Reed, a dude who - despite serious mental health issues - heads to the strange island of Oakmont, Massachusetts and ends up in the employ of an influential local family. There are monsters, sure, but the gameplay is built more around using clues, Reed's abilities of deduction, and local newspaper archives to solve mysteries big and small.
What: The Sinking City
Where: PS4, Xbox One, PC
When: June 27
5. The platforming possibilities are endless in Super Mario Maker 2
And you thought the original Super Mario Maker on Wii U and 3DS had everything you could ever want in a Nintendo-approved level editor. Super Mario Maker 2 massively ups the ante on creation tools for the series' Nintendo Switch debut, featuring loads of new items and enemy types, online multiplayer, co-op building in local play, and yes, even slopes. There's now a Story Mode to help familiarize you with basic design principles and ingenious new mechanics, and the added Super Mario 3D World tileset lets you swipe and scurry as the adorable Cat Mario. Prepare to get hooked on playing, creating, and sharing an infinite supply of Mario levels all over again.
What: Super Mario Maker 2
Where: Nintendo Switch
When: June 28
Release Radar picks the best games, movies, and shows of the next seven days every Monday at 11am GMT.
