July is traditionally a slow month for new, major video game releases, but it’s not a complete desert. It’s just very genre-heavy. Spread over the month of midsummer, players should find something to pique their interest, if they’re not already deeply engrossed in the mammoth launches of May and June.
The highlights are Capcom’s return to dino shooters, Exoprimal; Nintendo’s merry RTS Pikmin 4; Double Dragon takes it up a notch on the nostalgic side-scrolling beat-em-ups enjoyed lately; and a management simulation that builds on the growing popularity of the sport.
Here’s all the good news for Nintendo, PlayStation, PC and Xbox next month.
July 4
Synapse
(PlayStation VR2)
July 7
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie
(Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Windows PC)
July 12
Oxenfree 2: Lost signals
(Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Windows PC)
July 13
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg
(Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Windows PC)
Manic mechanics
(Nintendo Switch)
Manic mechanics, just announced during the June 2023 Nintendo Direct, is a co-op party game where players frantically collect parts and repair cars. Think Overcooked! but with more fat. Or less. Or the same?
14th of July
Exoprimal
(PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X)
although Exoprimal certainly channels Dino Crisis, a Capcom series that hasn’t been seen in 20 years, this game is a brand new approach. The main play mode is Dino Survival, a PvEvP blast where two teams of five players try to complete objectives – or stop the other team – while both battle dinos like the Neo Tyrannosaur.
Knurled Alliance 3
(Windows PC)
21 July
Picmin 4
(Nintendo Switch)
Fans of Nintendo’s 22-year-old puzzle-solving real-time strategy series should feel right at home, according to Polygon’s preview. There are new types of Pikmin that can help you in battle, such as the Ice Pikmin that freeze enemies, or Glow Pikmin that illuminate the new night battles. And then there’s Oatchi, the adorable space dog who can carry the Pikmin infantry into battle and bite and bash himself.
July 25
remainder 2
(PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X)
July 26
Ratchet & Clank: Rift apart
(Windows PC)
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons
(Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X)
Taito’s signature beat-’em-up ushered in a golden age for the genre 35 years ago and returns for some more street cleaning in a side-scroller that adds roguelite elements. We’ve seen a beat-’em-up renaissance lately thanks to a few well-done titles published by DotEmu, so it makes sense that Six Years after its most recent game, Double Dragon would be in a good mood.
July 27
The Expanse: a telltale series
(PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X)
July 28
Disney Illusion Island
(Nintendo Switch)
July 31
F1Manager 2023
(PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X)
Image: Border developments
A month after Codemasters’ F1 23motor racing prodigies and obsessives F1Manager 2023, which is anything but a spreadsheet view of the sport. The new Race Replay mode and its two events Starting Grid and Race Moments offer fans shorter events to get their way with the full experience of developing the car, managing staff and making tactical decisions for a Formula 1 racer. team.
Rise of the Triad: Ridiculous Edition
(Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X)