Keeping track of all the latest video games coming out is an increasingly complex task, what with multiple PC storefronts, Xbox One, PS4, Switch, mobile, and more to keep track of, but don’t worry, I’m here to help. Every month I’ll be running down the games you need to be keeping an eye on, from the big triple-A headliners, to the intriguing indies you might otherwise overlook.
We’re moving into the summer months, and the release schedule is slowing down a bit, but players can still look forward to a few big titles like Pikmin 4 and Exoprimal in July. Things are arguably more busy on the indie front, with the new atmospheric adventure game Oxenfree II, visually-impressive horror title Unholy, and mind-bending puzzle game Viewfinder on the way (to name just a few).
Note: While I may have played demos or got early access to some of the games recommended in this article, in most cases I’m simply choosing games that look promising, and can’t vouch for the end product. Do wait for reviews before buying!
That said, here are the games you should be looking out for in July…
The Headliners
Exoprimal (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, July 14)
While fans still wait and hope for a potential Dino Crisis revival, Capcom is instead giving us Exoprimal, a co-op shooter that pits players against hordes of dinosaurs. Hundreds of raptors! Huge mutant t. rexes! I’m not sure if this is going to be the next big live-service success, but I applaud Capcom for swinging for the fences with something new and weird. Check out Wccftech’s hands-on preview here. You can pre-order Exoprimal here.
Jagged Alliance 3 (PC, July 14)
The Jagged Alliance series returns with another dose of classic turn-based tactical strategy this month. The series’ recent history has been a bit rocky, but Jagged Alliance 3 is the first numbered entry in the franchise in over two decades and is developed by Haemimont Games, makers of the acclaimed Tropico series and Surviving Mars, so there’s reason to be optimistic. Beyond that, the game looks like a good old-school time with more depth than ever before. You can pre-purchase Jagged Alliance 3 here.
Pikmin 4 (Switch, July 21)
The wait for Pikmin 4 has been long and fraught. Shigeru Miyamoto himself said Pikmin 4 was “very close to completion” all the way back in 2015, and that was essentially the last we heard of the project for a very long time. Thankfully, the game finally scampers our way in July, and it looks to add a lot to the series’ formula including returning caves, nighttime missions, and the gosh-darn adorable alien dog Oatchi. You can check out my full hands-on impressions of Pikmin 4 and grab a fairly meaty demo of the game. You can pre-order Pikmin 4 here.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, July 27)
Telltale Games is dead, long-live Telltale Games. While the maker of episodic games series like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us went bankrupt a few years back, the name has been revived, and the first series from this new entity will be The Expanse: A Telltale Series, based on the fan-favorite sci-fi TV series of the same name. While The Expanse will be episodic, said episodes will arrive quickly, with one dropping every two weeks. Co-developed by Deck Nine (Life is Strange: True Colors) The Expanse looks to deliver that old Telltale drama, without the accompanying jankiness. You can pre-purchase The Expanse: A Telltale Series here.
Promising Indies
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (PC, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 12)
Oxenfree made a bit of a dent back in 2016, with a cool visual style, unique atmosphere, and memorable characters, and now developer Night School Studio is taking another crack at it. Oxenfree II: Lost Signals takes place five years after the first game and seems to have an even darker, more ominous tone than the original. It looks like we may be getting less teens chatting on the beach this time around in favor of jumping right into the freaky stuff. Here’s the Steam page for Oxenfree II.
Viewfinder (PC & PS5, July 18)
Viewfinder is one of those mind-bending concepts that comes along ever so often that really makes you appreciate the versatility of the video game medium. Viewfinder gives players a magic camera that allows you to take pictures that can then become part of the world. Depending on your perspective and how you manipulate them, the pictures will come to life in unexpected ways, opening new paths forward. Words don’t quite do the concept justice, so watch the trailer above for a heavy dose of cleverness. Here’s the Steam page for Viewfinder.
Unholy (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, July 20)
The line between AAA and indie horror games is quickly disappearing as smaller studios have begun to offer titles nearly as visually impressive and polished as the big boys. Unholy from Warsaw-based developer Duality Games is one of the most eye-catching indie horror games yet, presenting two impressively-detailed parallel worlds — one, a carefully-crafted recreation of a bleak post-Soviet Eastern European town, the other a dark nether realm full of twisted ceremonies and creatures. The best horror games transport you to entirely new terrifying worlds, and Unholy looks to serve up a unique one. Here’s the Steam page for Unholy.
Venba (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 31)
There have been a lot of video games based around on cooking over the years, but Venba is refreshingly specific in its focus. The game focuses on a Canadian first-generation Indian family, and tasks you with creating various traditional South Indian dishes while dealing with some of the unique challenges faced by immigrant families. This one looks to serve up plenty of heart alongside its core cooking gameplay. Here’s the Steam page for Venba.
Full List of Games Worth Watching in July:
- Synapse (PS VR2, July 4)
- The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie (PC, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 7)
- Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (PC, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 12)
- Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg (PC, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 13)
- Gravity Circuit (PC, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 13)
- Testament: The Order of High-Human (PC, July 13)
- Exoprimal (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, July 14)
- Jagged Alliance 3 (PC, July 14)
- Full Void (PC, July 18)
- LISA: Definitive Edition (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 18)
- My Friendly Neighborhood (PC, July 18)
- Viewfinder (PC & PS5, July 18)
- Xenonauts 2 (PC, July 18)
- Cross Tails (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 20)
- DROS (PC, July 20)
- Lakeburg Legacies (PC, July 20)
- Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening (PC, PS4 & Switch, July 20)
- Unholy (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, July 20)
- Pikmin 4 (Switch, July 21)
- Mr. Run and Jump (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 25)
- Remnant 2 (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Jul 25)
- Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 27)
- Grand Emprise: Time Travel Survival (PC, July 27)
- Lunacy: Saint Rhodes (PC, July 27)
- Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 27)
- The Expanse: A Telltale Series (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, July 27)
- Disney Illusion Island (Switch, July 28)
- F1 Manager 2023 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, July 31)
- Venba (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, July 31)
And those are the games you should be keeping an eye on this coming month. What games are you planning to pick up in July? Did I miss anything you’re looking forward to?
