All over the United States, school’s out for high school and college kids. It’s the first full month of summer vacation, which means more time to travel, see people, and try new things. But if this heat wave doesn’t let up anytime soon? It also means we’ll be spending a chunk of that time indoors with the AC cranked up, catching up on the games we missed over the last several months.
Now is the time to play catchup; July is a slow month, relatively speaking. Most of the anticipated releases this month are remakes or sequels to established franchises. Hopefully, there will be a surprise breakout hit that catches us off guard; as we know, the hype does not always match the quality.
Here is your video game news roundup for July 2021.
Xbox Games With Gold Free Games for July 2021
View this video on YouTube
Xbox One
Planet Alpha (July 1-July 31)
In this game, you control whether it’s night or day. It’s one of several ways to solve platforming puzzles as you navigate the hostile landscape.
Rock of Ages 3: Make and Break (July 16-August 15)
Build defenses for your castle while attacking your opponent’s castle with a massive boulder. It’s physics-based, family fun.
Xbox 360 (backwards compatible)
Conker: Live & Reloaded (July 1-July 15)
This is a remake of the original N64 game Conker’s Bad Fur Day, which puts you in the shoes of a crude, anthropomorphic squirrel.
Midway Arcade Origins (July 16-July 31)
It’s a roundup of classic games from the ‘80s and early ‘90s, including Tapper, Joust, Gauntlet, Rampage, Rampart, and more.
PlayStation Plus Free Games for June 2021
View this video on YouTube
PlayStation 5
A Plague Tale: Innocence (July 6)
Use stealth, strategy, and cunning to outwit a nasty horde of diseased rats, who have ravaged Europe and will eat you at the first opportunity.
PlayStation 4
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (July 6)
The definitive Call of Duty multiplayer experience, Black Ops 4 did away with the single-player campaign in favor of “Solo Missions” and also introduced Blackout mode, which put 100 players in a battle to be the last one standing.
Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown (July 6, extended)
Virtua Fighter 5 was a June Plus game, but it’s been extended into August. Pick it up now if you forgot to do it last month.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds (July 6)
This should hold over your appetite until the new WWE 2K game drops. Battlegrounds leans fully into fantasy arcade wrestling. Your fists catch fire, you shoot lightning, and you throw your opponent to gators outside the ring.
Google Stadia Free Games for July 2021
View this video on YouTube
Moonlighter (July 1)
A shopkeeper-turned-hero explores dungeons, acquires loot, and sells it for profit.
Street Power Football (July 1)
It’s soccer on asphalt, with a cartoon style. Think NBA Jam or NBA Street, but with a lot more footwork and a little less polish.
Terraria (July 1)
This game challenges you to build and explore a tract of land. Construct a home, gather supplies, explore caves, and defeat monsters as you define a self-sustaining life for yourself.
The Darkside Detective (July 1)
This is a point-and-click puzzle adventure, which casts you as a detective who investigates the Darkside—a parallel ghost world that mirrors our own—and the crimes connected to it.
Monster Hunter Stories 2 (July 9)
View this video on YouTube
A sequel to the 3DS original, this game focuses upon the birth of a baby Razewing Rathalos, who everyone is concerned could either save the world or destroy it. It is a turn-based RPG and an offshoot of the main, beloved series, so set your expectations accordingly. But if you’re into the lore and the characters as much as the combat, this is a must-buy.
PAX Online (July 15-18)
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (July 16)
View this video on YouTube
Released near the end of the Wii console’s lifespan in 2011, Skyward Sword was critically acclaimed, yet sold less than half the copies of its console predecessor, Twilight Princess. Its HD release on Switch will allow a new audience to experience it. Also, while the Wii version forced you to use the Wii Motion Plus controls to swing your sword; the Switch remastering assigns this function to the right joystick, which increases the game’s accessibility.
Samurai Warriors 5 (July 27)
View this video on YouTube
Samurai Warriors 5 is a reboot of an established franchise, which released its last entry over seven years ago. It has a new art style, reminiscent of traditional Japanese paintings. It has new characters (37 playable warriors in all) and a revamped combat system. Hyper Attacks allow you to quickly close the distance between you and your opponents, and four equippable Ultimate Skills can be tailored to your specific playstyle.
The Ascent (July 29)
View this video on YouTube
A dystopian science fiction adventure, The Ascent casts you in the role of a worker enslaved by a megacorporation who must survive when the corporation dissolves and a power vacuum throws the society into chaos. The game is visualized from a top-down perspective, which allows for thoughtful, intentional gameplay that uses the environment to your advantage.
Resident Evil Re:Verse (July N/A)
View this video on YouTube
Capcom is releasing this game as a celebration of Resident Evil’s 25th anniversary. Re:Verse is a multiplayer experience that harkens back to the over-the-shoulder, third-person perspective of Resident Evils 4, 5, and 6. Play as Chris, Jill, Leon, Claire, Ada, and more.
Pokemon Unite (July N/A)
View this video on YouTube
A free-to-play battle arena multiplayer, Pokemon Unite distinguishes itself by emphasizing team play. But its larger success, especially among the Pokemon fanbase, will depend upon how long “free-to-play” remains the case, or if the game becomes burdened by microtransactions. Variety is fine, so long as the changes are enjoyable. Microtransactions are fine, so long as they’re not essential to the game’s enjoyment. Time will tell.
