The other blockbuster addition is the early access open beta for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Available to download starting August 28th, the beta will be playable from August 30th to September 4th. Since one must otherwise pre-order the title to obtain access, this is a pretty sweet deal for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers.

Other noteworthy releases include Core Keeper, a sandbox survival adventure for Xbox Series X/S, PC, and cloud on August 27th (the same day it exits early access). Star Trucker also arrives on September 3rd for cloud, console, and PC. Xbox Game Pass Core subscribers can also look forward to Cities: Skylines, SnowRunner, and Control: Ultimate Edition on August 21st.

Check out the titles leaving the service on August 31st:

• Atomic Heart (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Guilty Gear Strive (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• NBA 2K24 (Cloud and Console)

Much like other titles, New Game Plus in Atlas Fallen allows carrying over your currency, gear, and progress. You can continue playing at the same difficulty and wreck everything that moves or opt for the new Nightmare difficulty to face more challenging foes. Players can also unlock new armor sets and unique Essence Stones in New Game Plus while exploiting a new mechanic to boost their power further.

Atlas Fallen’s Reign of Sand launches on August 13th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Alongside New Game Plus, it adds a new area, enemies, weapons, quests, and more. Head here for more details, and check out our review for the base game here.

How soon it will be before it does, or before it gets announced for the service, remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the game coming to the service either in August or sometime around that, seeing as that is also when developer Deck13 will be releasing a major update for the game, titled Reign of Sand.

The update, which will be free, is set to be a significant one, bringing plenty of new content in the form of a new location, new quests, enemies, weapons, and more, on top of a new difficulty mode, new voice acting, a New Game Plus mode, revamped progression mechanics, and more.

In our review upon the game’s launch last year, we gave it a score of 6/10, saying, “Atlas Fallen has legitimate strengths in its quick, snappy sand surfing, its fascinating setting and worldbuilding, and deep and flexible progression mechanics, but with clunky movement, inconsistent combat, lackluster storytelling, and just an all-around lack of polish, it ends up being weighed down by far too many issues to be able to live up to its proper potential.” Read the full review through here.

Following its release, publisher Focus Entertainment called the game’s sales “disappointing”.

Atlas Fallen is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

👀🔥 MINISCOOP ✅

Coming to Game Pass: Atlas Fallen

SOON ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/lPjPiYtkOP

— eXtas1s 🎮 Noticias & Rumores (@eXtas1stv) July 9, 2024

It’s now been confirmed that that update, titled Reign of Sand, will launch for free on August 6. Described as a major overhaul of the game, it will add a new area for players to explore, as well as new enemies, weapons, challenges, quests, and more.

The update also brings revamped progression mechanics, new voice acting (including from Ben Starr, who portrayed Final Fantasy 16 protagonist Clive), a new Nyaal’s Nightmare difficulty mode, and a New Game Plus option. Deck 13 says players will be able to carry over their progress from the game’s current version, but since Reign of Sand is set to replace the base experience as a major, game-wide overhaul, the developer recommends starting an entirely new save.

In our review of Atlas Fallen upon its release last year, we gave it a score of 6/10, saying, “Atlas Fallen has legitimate strengths in its quick, snappy sand surfing, its fascinating setting and worldbuilding, and deep and flexible progression mechanics, but with clunky movement, inconsistent combat, lackluster storytelling, and just an all-around lack of polish, it ends up being weighed down by far too many issues to be able to live up to its proper potential.” Read the full review through here.

Atlas Fallen is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Without further ado, here are our picks for the 15 most disappointing titles of this year.

Forspoken

You could argue that Forspoken didn’t have much hope due to lackluster marketing and delays. Nevertheless, this was the newest title from Luminous Productions, with many of the team having worked on Final Fantasy 16 and a PS5 console exclusive for two years.

Unfortunately, after the demo and with the game, Forspoken revealed itself to have shallow dialogue and irritating banter, a bland open world and an unlikable protagonist in Fray (which is a shame given how interesting the story becomes later). Such was the response to Forspoken that Luminous shut down and merged into Square Enix after its DLC, In Tanta We Trust.

Redfall

Hi-Fi Rush and Starfield often come to mind when talking about the major Xbox exclusives this year. It’s not that everyone forgot about Redfall, but that they did so without much effort. At launch, Arkane Austin’s first-person co-op shooter had a suitably macabre setting and aesthetic to work off of but squandered it with tedious gameplay, completely barren environments with little to nothing going on, copious bugs, performance issues and a terrible plot with poor characterization.

Its quest design and so-called immersive sim elements are also an embarrassment. Subsequent updates have improved the experience, but Redfall is still a huge step down for Arkane Austin, especially after Prey.

Quantum Error

For all the strong survival horror titles that hit the mark this year, several missed the mark, and Quantum Error unfortunately qualifies. Despite some great lighting, the stealth gameplay feels tacked on and awkward, while the shooting is as generic as they come. The story could have been better if it wasn’t presented so poorly with its amateur cinematic angles and shoddy voice acting. Quantum Error ultimately feels like it warranted much more than the developer could deliver, bringing the whole product down.

Flashback 2

Microids’ sequel to the classic 2D platformer from Paul Cuisset shouldn’t have turned out this bad, but alas. Almost everything about the title is riddled with issues when it’s not just bad. Though the animations and aesthetics can be decent, the multitudes of bugs, horrendous aiming in combat, terrible dialogue, baffling armor mechanics, and half-hearted cover-based gameplay make you question everything. Perhaps the only mercy is that it isn’t too long…unless your save gets corrupted and you have to start over.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

It’s a meme of sorts to expect anything from Call of Duty, much less Activision, but this was a new Modern Warfare title. The previous two entries in the reboot trilogy offered some intriguing mechanics and memorable campaigns, even if the cracks were starting to show in the second entry. By comparison, Modern Warfare 3’s campaign falls apart almost immediately.

It’s mind-numbing Open Combat missions with boring objectives, a story that’s so by the numbers you can practically paint them in, a distinct lack of polish and embarrassing short playtime. This is from a franchise known to deliver quality cinematic campaigns more often than not. Zombies is slightly better, while multiplayer buckles under the weight of skill-based matchmaking, packet bursts and horrendous spawns.

Payday 3

At first, many were disappointed at being unable to play Payday 3 due to servers going – and staying – down for days at a time. However, after finally getting into matches, even as crashes and disconnects occurred, many were let down by the challenge-based progression, the lack of a pre-game chat, no offline play while solo, no lobby browser, a clunky UI, etc. Though it’s received updates to alleviate several issues, like finally awarding Infamy Points on heist completion, Payday 3 is still far from reaching the same heights as Payday 2.

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria

Return to Moria, at least the start, is brimming with potential. This is a new adventure in The Fourth Age, with the Dwarves retaking their home and facing a shadowy curse as they explore its depths. Some mechanics were also pretty unique, but it all fell apart due to jank, poor combat, terrible AI, lack of freedom when mining and some shoddy building mechanics. What could have been a Valheim-esque adventure in Middle-earth is instead an awkward meandering.

Crime Boss: Rockay City

Proof positive that loading a game with Hollywood actors doesn’t equal success (and many of the performances aren’t even all that great). While the shooting isn’t terrible, it comes at the price of stealth and missions that encourage going guns-blazing more often than not. Throw in all the bugs, terrible writing, repetitive objectives and general lack of polish, and you have a disastrous title that’s more like Takers than Heat.

Exoprimal

After playing the open beta, Exoprimal looked like it had potential as a dumb hack and slash heavy co-op game. However, the lack of content forced PvP, and somewhat repetitive objectives remained concerning up to the full release. Due to how the story works, events can feel disjointed, while the dialogue ranges from awkward to unfunny. There are some positives for those who want to smack dinosaurs and various improvements courtesy of patches, but Exoprimal feels like it could have done better with a stronger focus on pure co-op PvE.

Immortals of Aveum

A single-player-focused magical first-person shooter with an epic scale, talent like Gina Torres and an extensive campaign, that too with striking visuals? Immortals of Aveum seemingly promised it all and delivered on some fronts (Torres was quite good) but suffered with many others. Lackluster story-telling and graphical issues, particularly with HDR, made playing a headache in several ways. The shiny presentation couldn’t save the below-average gameplay with its damage-sponge enemies and an annoying gear grind. It’s a better experience technically after several patches, but far from delivering on the hype.

Atlas Fallen

You have to feel bad for titles like Atlas Fallen. Developed by Deck 13 of The Surge fame, it’s an action-adventure title with a double-A budget, a unique world and unique movement options (like sand surfing). The premise is wasted with underwhelming writing, and the combat, the most important aspect of the experience, is sluggish and shoddy. It also doesn’t help that the world doesn’t have much going on, even with some strong aesthetics on display.

EA Sports FC 24

It’s probably not that surprising in retrospect, given how the FIFA franchise fared over the years, but EA Sports FC 24 was an opportunity for a fresh start. However, while the gameplay remains enjoyable, it doesn’t improve enough, much less advance the status quo. Career Mode is still a rote affair, the new interviews are incredibly lackluster, and the presentation feels like it’s slumming in certain places. Some positives, like PlayStyles and the new UI, are worth mentioning, but if you’re a hardcore FIFA player hoping for some evolution, EA Sports FC 24 disappoints.

Layers of Fear (2023)

Layers of Fears, renamed Layers of Fear, is a remake of Layers of Fear and Layers of Fear 2. Sounds confusing? It’s also a sequel with a new character, The Writer, who must link the stories together while dealing with the oddities of the Lighthouse. While the visuals look good, as Bloober Team’s other Unreal Engine 5 titles have, the bland gameplay and story-telling don’t form a cohesive whole. It’s not the worst horror game out there (Stray Souls would like a word), but many issues undermine the entire experience.

The Last of Us Part 1 (PC)

You’re probably wondering, understandably so, why The Last of Us Part 1, a remake of one of the greatest games ever made, is on this list. The answer lies in the PC version, which launched in a catastrophic state. Shader compiling took hours upon hours, broken textures rendered characters into monstrosities, performance issues abound, glitches, bugs, crashes – the list went on and on. It made for good comedic material, but those wanting to experience the classic on PC for the first time were far from amused (especially for the $70 price point). Months and months of continuous patching finally put it in a good place, but not without some questioning Sony’s PC porting efforts.

Sonic Superstars

After Sonic Mania and Sonic Frontiers, I looked forward to Sonic Superstars, with bright 3D visuals and gameplay in line with classic titles. While it felt good to play, some inconsistent Zone design, irritating boss battles and gimmicks overpowered the experience to an annoying degree. Other issues like the underwhelming music, boring Battle Mode and the new Special Stage also made it hard to warm up to. While not the worst game in the franchise (that honor still goes to Sonic ’06), Sonic Superstars is underwhelming – a definite plateau in quality over more recent titles.

In its recent published fiscal report, Focus Entertainment has said multiple times that it was disappointed by the sales of Atlas Fallen, which impacted the company’s profitability in the first half of the ongoing fiscal year. The company is also expecting the game to make “very limited” contributions to revenue in the coming months.

That said, Focus Entertainment has confirmed that it will be releasing “an enhanced version and new content” for Atlas Fallen at some point in the first half of the next fiscal year, which means a release window between April and September of 2024.

In our review of Atlas Fallen, we gave it a score of 6/10, saying, “Atlas Fallen has legitimate strengths in its quick, snappy sand surfing, its fascinating setting and worldbuilding, and deep and flexible progression mechanics, but with clunky movement, inconsistent combat, lackluster storytelling, and just an all-around lack of polish, it ends up being weighed down by far too many issues to be able to live up to its proper potential.” Read the full review through here.

Atlas Fallen is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Under a corrupt god’s oppression, the world suffers, as people are reduced to their occupations. You’re an Unnamed, bottom of the barrel, until you discover a magical gauntlet to manipulate sand and use it as a weapon. Thus begins the journey to rebel and liberate humanity.

Players can surf through the sandy world and shape three unique weapons to battle enemies, including massive monsters. The latter are customized with Essence Stones, while armor sets provide buffs and bonuses. Co-op is also supported and allows for seamless exploration.

Of course, it’s not without its faults, as combat needs more work. Check out our review for more details.

Take the game’s setting for instance, which is undoubtedly one of its biggest strengths. Set in a fantasy world that is ruled over by Helos, a tyrannical, all-powerful entity, the world of Atlas Fallen, which once used to be lush and gorgeous, now lies almost entirely buried in sand. The landscapes are wracked with sandstorms, monsters and nightmarish beasts roam the lands everywhere, and the population struggles with everything from heat to starvation to any number of other life-threatening problems. It’s an excellent setting that feels unique in the fantasy space thanks to its aesthetic, and it pulled me in right from the get go.

"Atlas Fallen is a solid enough game with its fair share of strengths, but many of its best ideas are let down by an abundance of jank and a disappointing lack of polish."

What also helped was the rich lore and strong worldbuilding Atlas Fallen’s setting boasts. Making your way through the experience and learning more about the world’s history and the conflicts of the past that led to present day remains an engaging experience throughout, and the game does a good job of doling out intriguing new details at a regular clip to ensure that it retains your interest and attention. All of this comes with a few caveats though, as so many things in Atlas Fallen do, because though the game has a fascinating setting with an interesting history, it just doesn’t have the narrative chops to back it up in any meaningful way.

The cutscenes vary wildly in quality, and while some do a decent enough job of showing off the game’s world, others feel choppy and jarringly directed during key moments. The characters are dull and uninteresting with almost no exceptions, and even though some of them do seem like intriguing personalities on paper, they’re frequently let down by shoddy voice acting and rough writing, the latter having a frustrating knack of rushing through things rather than letting characters develop and letting the player sit with major new story reveals. It all feels like a very uneven experience, narratively speaking- even though I enjoy existing in the world of Atlas Fallen, I’m let down by how it tells its story.

Similarly, the gameplay side of things deserves genuine praise for many of its ideas, as well as criticism for how it builds on some of them. Atlas Fallen is all about speed, whether you’re in combat or out exploring its world. The traversal mechanics do a much better job of making good on that promise than most other gameplay elements. Using the powers of a mysterious, fabled gauntlet that you acquire early on, you can shape the sands of the world as you see fit, which allows you to surf through landscapes at blistering speeds (as long as there’s sand underneath your feet, which tends to be the case more often than not). Sand surfing is easily one of Atlas Fallen’s most notable highlights. It feels appropriately quick and snappy, the controls are tight and responsive, and it makes the simple act of going from point A to point B enjoyable on a very fundamental level. The sense of speed and momentum the game conveys while you’re surfing on the sands never stops impressing, even when you’re deep into the experience.

"It all feels like a very uneven experience, narratively speaking- even though I enjoy existing in the world of Atlas Fallen, I’m let down by how it tells its story."

It helps that exploration in general tends to be a lot of fun in Atlas Fallen. The locations the game takes you to are all gorgeously designed, varied, and brimming with awe-inspiring vistas to see, from waves of dust flowing over massive mountains to ancient cities buried beneath an ocean of sand. Mechanically, what you find in these areas is pretty run-of-the-mill, from side quests to loot to crafting and upgrade resources, but that does a decent enough job of rewarding you for your curiosity, even if the visual design of the places you’re exploring does most of the heavy lifting. Best of all, Atlas Fallen doesn’t feel unnecessarily large- rather than throwing you into a massive open world, it sequentially takes you from area to area, scattering multiple large, open environments across the experience, so that the optional content on offer always feels manageable rather than overwhelming.

But again, there’s a catch- sand surfing is a blast, and Atlas Fallen’s world is fun to explore, especially from a visuals perspective, but the core, moment-to-moment movement feel incredibly clunky most of the time. There’s a constant underlying sense of unresponsiveness that pervades through every basic movement you make in Atlas Fallen, and the simplest of acts – walking, running, jumping, dashing – never feel as snappy as they should. That impacts combat as well- in a much more significant way, in fact.

Combat in Atlas Fallen is all about speed and momentum, with the focus being on being aggressive and keeping up a constant flow of attacks against your enemies so you can build up your Momentum Bar. The more you build it up, the deadlier you become, from your attacks dealing more damage to being able to utilize the active and passive abilities of your equipped Essence Stones to even your weapons changing shape and becoming larger. At the same time, having a fuller Momentum Bar also means you take more damage, and this risk/reward mechanic means dodging and parrying attacks is key. In combat encounters where you’re fighting multiple enemies of different kinds at the same time – which happens frequently – remaining quick and agile is critical to survival.

"There’s a constant underlying sense of unresponsiveness that pervades through every basic movement you make in Atlas Fallen, and the simplest of acts – walking, running, jumping, dashing – never feel as snappy as they should. That impacts combat as well- in a much more significant way, in fact."

But again, the movement mechanics don’t back that up. Attacks often feel sluggish and unresponsive, and are crippled often by issues such as shoddy hit detection and the game failing to register inputs. Aerial combat feels clunky, because moving around when airborne is even sloppier than moving around on the ground. Simple actions like dodging and locking on to enemies never feel as precise as they should. There’s a general lack of polish that accumulates chip damage with dozens of tiny slashes, all of which comes together to make Atlas Fallen’s combat a frequently frustrating affair. Add to that sudden spikes of difficulty during some boss fights, and things become even more problematic.

Some of that is curbed to some extent by the game’s impressive suite of progression and customization mechanics. The build variety that Atlas Fallen boasts is perhaps its one strength that I would praise without any qualifications whatsoever. That largely revolves around crafting and equipping Essense Stones, but there’s a surprising amount of options here, and more importantly, a surprising amount of options that feel meaningfully valuable. Finding the Essense Stones that suit your play style and tailoring your build to the way you want to approach combat feels very rewarding due to the flexibility the game affords. It’s disappointing that that’s let down by the inconsistent combat, but those looking for complex RPG systems will be impressed by what Atlas Fallen has on offer nonetheless.

On the technical side of things, anybody who’s played Deck13’s games before will likely not be surprised in the slightest that Atlas Fallen is as unpolished and janky as it is. Rough character animations, texture pop-in, UI glitches, inputs not being read properly, the occasional freezing issue here and there- there’s a level of jankiness to Atlas Fallen that burdens the experience in a number of ways, even if there aren’t too many issues that single-handedly feel game-breaking. It helps that the game’s gorgeous art design is what helps it stand out on a visual level rather than any technical achievements.

"Thanks to its setting, worldbuilding, traversal and exploration, and the deep progression systems, Atlas Fallen is still a game worth a look in spite of its issues. But it does have issues, and they’re numerous, and not easy to ignore, especially when they add up the way they do."

In the end, Atlas Fallen is about what I expected it to be- a solid game that deserves legitimate praise for some of the things it does, but one with more than a few rough edges, all of which combine to prevent the game for ever managing to reach its potential in disappointing ways. Thanks to its setting, worldbuilding, traversal and exploration, and the deep progression systems, Atlas Fallen is still a game worth a look in spite of its issues. But it does have issues, and they’re numerous, and not easy to ignore, especially when they add up the way they do.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Another new trailer has now also been released, though this one takes a different approach. Rather than diving into the game’s nitty gritties, Atlas Fallen’s newest trailer is a part-live action, part-gameplay affair that shines the spotlight on the game’s traversal mechanics.

Set in an apocalyptic fantasy setting that’s buried under an ocean of sand, Atlas Fallen will put as much of an emphasis on speed and momentum in traversal as it will in combat, with abilities like sand surfing taking centerstage, and that’s exactly what’s highlighted in this newest trailer. Check it out below.

Atlas Fallen launches on August 10 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. On consoles, it will run at either 4K/30 FPS or 1440p/60 FPS. You can also check out the PC version’s system requirements through here. Fore more details on the game, make sure to read our interview with Deck13 managing director and Atlas Fallen creative director Jan Klose.

Baldur’s Gate 3

It’s a testament to the kind of year that 2023 has been that Baldur’s Gate 3 is only one of many major releases. Nevertheless, Larian Studios’ tremendous role-playing game is a dream come true for Dungeons and Dragons fans. It offers a dozen classes, 46 subclasses, over 600 Spells, 11 races, 31 subraces and many more options to customize your character.

With a massive campaign that spans over 75 hours on a single playthrough with dozens of quests and multiple locations to explore, Baldur’s Gate 3 promises peak role-playing when it launches on August 3rd for PC.

Tower of Fantasy (PS4, PS5)

Hotta Studio’s Tower of Fantasy is an open-world action RPG, albeit with a sci-fi twist. As a customizable character, players travel the surface, learning more about the fall of civilization at the hands of Omnium, and battling all manner of threats. With four-player co-op, World Bosses and numerous quests, Tower of Fantasy also features an arena mode for PvP.

The combat also employs some interesting mechanics like equipping three weapons with different roles, building up charge and switching between them for more damage, and Simulacrums to transform into a unique character. Though currently available on PC, Tower of Fantasy arrives on August 8th for PS4 and PS5.

WrestleQuest

Wrestling video games are often simulations, rarely arcade titles, with the hottest talent. WrestleQuest takes a different approach, imagining the hero’s journey from the perspective of an up-and-coming wrestler in a fantastical pixel art universe. You start as a rookie and work through the ranks by training and learning from the greats like “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Andre the Giant and more.

As you customize your wrestler’s moves and entrance, you take on all sorts of opponents and fight alongside legends like Diamond Dallas Page, the Road Warriors and more. WrestleQuest launches on August 8th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Atlas Fallen

In a world where everything has become sand and humanity is oppressed, you play as an Unnamed and discover a magical gauntlet. With the ability to manipulate and weaponize sand, you embark on a quest to take down Thelos and restore humanity. Developed by Deck13 of The Surge fame, Atlas Fallen is more of an action-adventure title with three weapons – the Dunecleaver, Sandwhip and Knuckledust – that change shape as you accrue Momentum in combat.

They can further be upgraded with over 100 Essence Stones, encouraging experimentation. Atlas Fallen releases on August 10th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, and on top of lasting 25 to 30 hours, the entire game supports two-player co-op.

Sprawl

Would it be much of a month without a retro-style FPS? Probably not, but even by boomer shooter standards, MAETH’s Sprawl looks intriguing. Set in a cyberpunk city, you control former special ops SEVEN, who seeks to escape and venture to the SPIRE, while a mysterious voice pushes her onward. Corpo forces oppose you, but thanks to the Icarus implant, you can wall-run and slow down time, slaying enemies with katanas, pistols and a shotgun. Sprawl is out in August for PC, with a more definite release date to be announced.

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

From the team behind Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun comes a brand-new strategy stealth title. Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is set in the Golden Age of Piracy, as you venture the Lost Caribbean with eight crewmates, each possessing unique skills. You can freely select crew members for a mission and take any approach, utilizing new magical abilities to one-up enemies.

In addition to cleverly executed strategies and split-second timing, you can pause the game and instantly rewind to a previous point to try something else. Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew arrives on August 17th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Madden NFL 24

For the uninitiated, EA Sports’ Madden NFL series is its other golden goose that has proven a monstrous success year in and year out with even fewer changes than FIFA. However, as EA transitions from FIFA to its new EA Sports FC franchise, Madden NFL 24 offers several improvements. FieldSENSE returns for added realism and control; the AI is smarter and more reactive; Franchise Mode features Free Agency changes and new commissioner tools; and new modes like 3v3 Superstar Showdown promise some unique experiences. Launching on August 18th, Madden NFL 24 will be available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC with cross-play support.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Lethal League developer Team Reptile presents a spiritual successor to Sega’s Jet Set Radio – Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. As Red, players join the Bomb Rush Crew and compete against rival crews for turf, tagging spots and earning REP while executing all kinds of tricks, whether it’s inline skating, skateboarding or BMX. Police forces will try to stop you, and new members join the crew, backed by the tunes of Jet Set Radio composer Hideki Naganuma. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk arrives on August 18th for PC and Nintendo Switch.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Based on the 1974 classic, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a new asymmetrical multiplayer title, which previously published Friday the 13th: The Game. Releasing on August 18th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, it sees Ana Flores, Julie Crawford, Connie Taylor, Sonny Williams and Leland McKinney searching for Ana’s sister Maria.

Of course, the Slaughter family, including The Hitchhiker, The Cook and good ol’ Leatherface aren’t keen on letting them escape. The victims must use stealth and complete objectives to escape while the killers stop them. It’s pretty straightforward and backed by plenty of realistic kills.

Fort Solis

This cinematic sci-fi adventure game from Black Drakkar Games and Fallen Leaf is unique in its immersion. There are no camera cuts, loading times or a HUD, and its story is composed of four chapters with an all-star cast featuring Roger Clark (of Red Dead Redemption 2 fame), Troy Baker (The Last of Us) and Julia Brown (World on Fire). As engineer Jack Leary, players venture to the titular Fort Solis for a routine inspection and find the crew missing. Strange events begin to occur, pushing Leary to the brink. Fort Solis launches on August 22nd for PS5 and PC.

Immortals of Aveum

Ascendant Studios’ magic-based first-person shooter has been five years in the making, utilizing Unreal Engine 5.1 for its stunning visuals and Michael Kirkbride of The Elder Scrolls fame to help craft its narrative. Set in the world of Aveum, with Lucium and Rasharm at constant war, players control Jak, a recruit in the Order of the Immortals who looks to take down the big bad Sandrakk.

As a Triarch, Jak can utilize all three Colors of magic in devastating ways. With several different spells and talents, tons of gear pieces, and a meaty campaign with plenty of side content, Immortals of Aveum could be a dark horse in a jam-packed month. It releases on August 22nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon

FromSoftware’s latest entry in the mech combat series begins with a clean slate, taking players to Rubicon 3, where megacorporations and factions battle over a precious resource Coral. As a mercenary pilot, you pilot a fully customizable Armored Core, utilizing different long-range and melee weapons while battling all manner of mechanized opposition in fast-paced combat.

Larger environments, seamless switching between projectiles and melee attacks, a new stagger mechanic, multiple endings and more await fans along with the return of the Arena when Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon arrives on August 25th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.

Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy

It’s hard to keep a band of heroes down, especially the Heroes of Trine. Amadeus the Wizard, Zoya the Thief, and Pontius the Knight embark on a new adventure to battle the Clockwork army. As a 2.5D action-puzzle platformer with co-op support, players must use each character’s skills to traverse environments in unique ways (like using Pontius’s shield to skate across water).

A new combat system and bosses, more variety with skill quests, and an adaptive difficulty to encourage replay value await fans when Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy launches on August 31st for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

RIDE 5

If you’ve looked upon The Crew Motorfest or Forza Motorsport and wanted something more bike-oriented, RIDE 5 may be worth checking out. The latest in Milestone S.r.l.’s motorcycle sim franchise features over 35 tracks and 200 bikes to ride. This year’s Career Mode sees players working through various Rivals to make a name for themselves, braving the dynamic weather to succeed.

Along with extensive motorcycle customization, the Race Creator lets you shape custom tracks and scenarios while riding aids help ease newcomers into the experience. RIDE 5 is out on August 24th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle

As the sequel to Invader Studios’ Resident Evil-inspired Daymare 1998, Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle is a prequel with new characters, improved visuals and a revamped UI. It also features dismemberment, a la Dead Space, and a scanner for revealing items and puzzles in the environment. While it won’t compete with Dead Space Remake, Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle may be an enjoyable blast from the past for fans of 90s survival horror when it releases on August 30th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.