June has been fairly busy when it comes to gaming news and reveals but there haven’t been too many big releases. That’s set to change with not one but two big Switch exclusives, a high-profile PS4 title and much more coming in the next few weeks. Let’s take a look at 10 games of July 2020 that you should keep an eye on.
TrackMania
Serving as a reboot of TrackMania Nations, TrackMania closely follows the series’ formula. You’ll race across 25 different tracks, test out track and replay editors, and even enjoy user-made course. That’s all part of free access though. Standard Access, which costs $10 per year, grants access to the full track and replay editors, the “Track of the Day” selection and all “Track of the Day” and official campaign tracks. There’s also Club Access for $30 per year which provides even more exclusive content and league participation. Honestly, we’ll have to wait and see how the gameplay and content shakes out but the game is looking good. It’s out on July 1st for PC.
Marvel’s Iron Man VR
After a short delay, Marvel’s Iron Man VR is set to release on July 3rd, exclusively for PlayStation VR. Based off the Marvel Comics version of the Armored Avenger, the story sees Tony Stark battling the mysterious hacktivist Ghost who’s repurposed old Stark Industries weapons. Set in various locations around the world, players will fly, fight and shoot down drones with the Iron Man suit. Though movement takes some getting used to, Camouflaj’s commitment to immersion and translating the property faithfully to VR seems to have paid. With an 8 to 10 hours of gameplay, there should be enough here to keep fans entertained.
Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise
Agent York returns but this isn’t a straightforward sequel to Hidetaka Suehiro’s cult classic. The story alternates between FBI agent Aaliyah Davis, who re-opens a once solved case in the present, and a younger Francis York Morgan who travels to Le Carré in New Orleans in the past to investigate some strange murders. Alternating between the two characters, the sequel still offers that signature brand of bizarre humor and horror. Plus, York is capable of skate-boarding and river-riding in the middle of solving murders. Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise releases on July 10th for Nintendo Switch.
CrossCode
Radical Fish Games’ excellent 16-bit style action RPG is finally coming to Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch on July 9th. CrossCode takes place in a virtual playspace called CrossWorlds with the protagonist Lea trying to recover her memory. The combat is completely real-time and focuses on fast-paced combos, aided by more than 90 Combat Arts. Each console version (along with PC) will have a unique mini dungeon, boss fight and miniquest, all culminating in “something” down the line. Whatever it may be, this is an old-school tribute you shouldn’t miss.
F1 2020
The next iteration in Codemasters’ yearly F1 franchise brings Career Mode revamps, My Team mode, new tracks and much more. My Team is especially interesting since it allows for creating and managing a team, bringing in staff, hiring another driver and partaking in races to keep things afloat. As for Career Mode, players can now adjust the duration of a season, opting for either 10 races or going with the full 22 race stint. With 22 circuits and 20 drivers, F1 2020 will release on July 10th for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Google Stadia.
NASCAR Heat 5
Though probably not the first racing sim to come to mind, the NASCAR Heat series has nonetheless been chugging along for the past few years, garnering decent critical acclaim. As the latest iteration for PC, Xbox One and PS4, NASCAR Heat 5 promises re-imagined gameplay, changes to pit stops and DNF for races, and a new track-testing mode for single-player. Otherwise, expect a faithful take on the 2020 NASCAR season (such as it is) when the game releases on July 10th.
Death Stranding (PC)
Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding is finally coming to PC with support for higher frame rates, Ultra-widescreen support and other graphical improvements. The story of Sam “Porter” Bridges as he treks across the United Cities of America, fending off the BTs in an attempt to reconnect the country, is still every bit as weird as last year. Except now we can experience it in 60 frames per second and 1080p resolution. The gameplay is unorthodox yet familiar with systems upon systems to manage and that’s not even getting into the whole Strand multiplayer. Nonetheless, Death Stranding should be worth checking out for PC players when it launches on July 14th.
Ghost of Tsushima
When the Mongol invasion hits Tsushima and wipes out Jin Sakai’s clan, he embarks on a quest to rid the island of the invaders. Hack and slash combat with various stances, parries and deathblows are expected but Jin can also play the Ghost, sneaking into camps and using subterfuge to stealthily assassinate foes. Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima is being touted as the developer’s biggest game till date with a variety of lush environments to explore, foes to battle and sidestories to experience. This is in addition to duels against powerful swordsmen and a black and white filter that channels classic samurai cinema. Ghost of Tsushima is out on July 17th for PS4.
Paper Mario: The Origami King
Perhaps the bigger Switch title to look forward to in July is Paper Mario: The Origami King. As the long-awaited follow-up in the series, the story sees the Mushroom Kingdom under siege by King Olly. Everything is turned into Origami and it’s up to Mario, Bowser and Olivia to push back against the assault. Along with a variety of puzzles and a stellar origami aesthetic dotting the world – which is exploited by the new 1000-Fold Arms that can tear off parts of the environment – combat is based off of a ring system. Players will need to line up enemies within different sections and then attack. In terms of ridiculous epicness, Paper Mario: The Origami King is shaping up well en route to its July 17th release.
Destroy All Humans!
It wouldn’t be a line-up of games without some remaster or remake coming out. To that end, Pandemic Studios’ Destroy All Humans!, which is being remade by Black Forest Games, warrants attention. It focuses on an alien named Crypto who’s come to Earth in pursuit of human DNA. Along with gliding, dashing and shooting humans, Crypto also has a flying saucer to spray laser death on unsuspecting folk. The remake features motion capture, updated character models and cutscenes, and the previously cut “Lost Mission of Area 41”. Time will tell just how good it feels but if the remake captures the original’s essence of hilarity and action, it should be a blast. Destroy All Humans! Releases on July 28th for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Google Stadia.