After what’s seemed like an eternity between big game releases, August will finally offer some highly anticipated video games. Though the real assault on our wallets begins from September onwards, there are a fair number of awesome indie titles, triple A games and at least one major expansion that players can look forward to in August.
No Man’s Sky
After many years of hype, Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky will finally be releasing. Billed as an open space adventure where players have the freedom to explore, fight and trade, No Man’s Sky boasts 18 quintillion planets to explore thanks to its procedural generation capabilities. Whether it lives up to the hype or not, there’s no denying that No Man’s Sky will quench our thirst for adventure on PS4 and PC come August 9th.
F1 2016
With a new career mode packed with ten seasons, F1 2016 promises its most immersive Formula One experience yet. Players will create their own character, earning contracts and joining teams to advance further up the ranks and become more successful. F1 2016 is out on August 19th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC – if highly realistic racing from Codemasters is your thing, this will be worth checking out.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Set a few years after Human Revolution, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided sees the return of Adam Jensen in a world fraught with even more danger. New abilities and on the fly weapon customization combined with even more player freedom for approaching missions should allow for one of the better FPS/RPG experiences since…well, since Human Revolution. Look out for it on August 23rd for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
Grow Up
It’s amazing how one of the better titles to emerge from Ubisoft last year was also one of its most experimental. Grow Up is the sequel you didn’t know you wanted and will see the return of BUD as he explores a new planet while seeking to repair his ship. The game’s puzzle heavy approach returns as BUD uses new tools – like the Floradex 3000 – to take advantage of 24 different plant species and their abilities. Grow Up is out on August 16th and will be heading to the Xbox One (unlike its predecessor) along with PS4 and PC.
Abzû
From the director of Flower and Journey comes diving simulator Abzû. This isn’t your typical realistic swimmer though – Abzû features highly artistic visuals courtesy of Unreal Engine 4 and offers linear exploration in a mysterious sea. Interacting with fish, exploring underwater ruins and being one with the sea make Abzû one of the more peaceful titles to look out for on August 2nd for PS4 and PC.
The King of Fighters XIV
SNK’s premier fighting franchise returns once more with The King of Fighters XIV. Featuring 48 characters along with two boss characters, KOF XIV makes use of a new Max Mode for special EX moves and even implements the Garou‘s Just Defend feature. Online mode seems pretty simple at this point but that’s KOF for you. It’s out on August 23rd for PS4.
Verdun
Before Battlefield 1, there was Verdun. Having begun in open beta way back in June 2013, Verdun features realistic squad-based World War I gameplay for up to 32 players. Interestingly, Verdun sports some cool game modes like Rifle Deathmatch where players are all armed with rifles and Frontlines, a trench warfare assault mode where teams take turns attacking and defending. Available on PC already, Verdun hits PS4 and Xbox One on August 30th.
World of Warcraft: Legion
The Burning Legion returns and players must team up with the Demon Hunters to push them back in World of Warcraft’s Legion expansion. With a new class in the Demon Hunter, balance changes, Artifact weapons (with 36 unique weapons for each class), order halls, a new transmogrification system and of course, plenty of new areas to explore and quests to complete, Legion is just the fix for those disappointed with Warlords of Draenor.
Madden NFL 17
Say and think what you will about EA’s Madden franchise – the publisher clearly knows what it’s doing if it keeps raking in success. Madden NFL 17 will introduce some new features – as the sequels are wont to do – such as the new ball carrier UI, Path Assist, a revamped Franchise Mode and new announcers in the form of Brandon Gaudine and Charles Davis. Look out for it on August 23rd for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PS4.
Bound
Bizarre 3D platformer Bound caught our attention thanks to its vivid art style and expressive motion capture. Touted as one large puzzle that will appeal to those seeking a highly narrative experience, Bound will also include a fair amount of procedural generation. It arrives on August 16th exclusively for PS4.
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