Tyler’s Save File: June 2026
The month the floodgates opened.
Have you ever tapped the bottom of a glass ketchup bottle only to have it explode everywhere? That’s what this month felt like. As June began, there was a reasonable baker with his dozen new titles, politely asking for attention for each. By the end, three more bakers showed up, each with their own dozen (plus one, because yanno, bakers), all fighting over the convection oven.
That’s me; I’m the convection oven.
Regardless, like ketchup and baked goods, the titles I decided to play this month didn’t necessarily go together. However, they still fit perfectly into the ongoing rejuvenation of my enjoyment of gaming.
Mina the Hollower
My fondness for Zelda games is… [checks notes] “nonexistent.” Oh. Weird. Anywho, this game is kinda great. Coming from the Shovel Knight devs, Mina the Hollower is an expertly crafted adventure that clearly draws inspiration from lesser-known titles like Link’s Awakening, but with polished movement, combat, and traversal. After spending 24 hours in this world and seeing the credits roll, I was impressed by how big this game really was; for every collectible I found, there seemed to be three still hidden away. While the story itself is a little predictable, I really enjoyed my journey from start to finish.
007 First Light
I knew IOI could develop a great sandbox and interesting environmental interactions in the Hitman games. But I wasn’t expecting how good they could be with characters, story, and combat (both hand-to-hand and gunfights). James Bond has enough heart and personality for both him and Agent 47. While I might’ve been slightly hasty in calling this game perfect, I honestly struggle to find anything I would change. When my cousin asked for a good single-player game recommendation, this was at the top of my list.
If you want to hear Jon and me gush all about it, you can find our review here:
REPLACED
I’ll be honest, I originally had a completely different game slated for this spot. But in true Tyler fashion, I dipped into a couple of titles at once, and REPLACED was the one that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. The visual style, animation, and narrative were so compelling that I had to see it through to the end. While the combat and platforming felt repetitive at times, I was always excited to jump into a fight. I was repeatedly impressed by the sheer variety of environments and the storytelling throughout its roughly 12 hours.