Coming up in Gaming – July
June has seen plenty of excitement for gamers. Not only did some of the most anticipated games of the year hit store shelves, in the form of titles such as Batman: Arkham Knight, but gamers also got to find out exactly what new games are in development thanks to E3. July is set to be a little less hectic as there are far fewer major releases on the horizon, although there is still plenty to get excited about.
Big Releases
By far the biggest and most anticipated release of July is F1 2015. Unlike previous entries in Codemaster’s Formula 1 series, F1 2015 has been delayed until July rather than releasing in March t better allow developers to understand the behavior and technical capabilities of the cars and circuits on offer throughout the season. It is built on an entirely new engine to improve driver AI and the visuals as well as including all of the cars, drivers and circuits from the 2014 and 2015 season.
Additionally, the title will also see a brand new game mode called Pro Season introduced for the first time, which essentially includes no HUD or driver assists to make the simulation as realistic as possible. F1 2015 will launch in Europe on July 10 and in North America and other countries on July 21.
Also coming in July is the remastered version of God of War III. The game was one of the most popular on the PlayStation 3 and was the last full entry in the series. The game has been completely reworked for the PlayStation 4 by the original developer and now features full HD visuals rendered at 1080p and a framerate of 60fps. It also features all of the previously released DLC for the original version as well as a new photo mode that allows player to take screenshots and edit images. It is due to launch on July 14.
Another game that is due to launch on July 14 is the latest entry in EA’s annual golf series. It is the first time since 1998 that the series has not featured Tiger Woods since EA dropped him and has been re-built from scratch using the Frostbite 3 engine to create more realistic physics and impressive visuals. Rory McIlroy PGA Tour will release for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Lastly, Trials Fusion The Awesome Max Edition for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will also be coming on July 14. It is a stand alone extension for the game that includes a brand new game mode that revolves around a cat riding a unicorn, new courses, costumes and vehicles. It will also feature the six previous paid DLCs that were available with the season pass.
Other Releases
July 2
- Ar nosurge Plus Ode to an Unborn Star – PS Vita
- Legends of Eisenwald – PC
- Roving Rogue – Wii U
- Rise of Incarnates – PC
- Anna’s Quest – PC / Mac
- Energy Balance – PC
July 3
- Devouring Stars – PC / Mac
- Big Pharma – PC
July 7
- Rocket League – PC
- Worms World Party – PC
July 9
- Trove – PC
- The Red Solstice – PC
July 14
- Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess – PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4 / PS Vita
- Godzilla – PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4
- Guncraft – Xbox 360
July 15
- Cast of the Seven Godsends – PC
July 28
- Blazblue Chrono Phantasma Extend – PS Vita
- Kyn – PC
- Lost Dimension – PlayStation 3 / PS Vita
- Moon Hunters – PC / Mac / PlayStation 4 / PS Vita
- Unsung Story: Tales of the Guardians – PC / Mac / Linux
- King’s Question: A Night to Remember – PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4 / PC / Xbox 360 / Xbox One
Free Games
Xbox users will have access to four games throughout July across the Xbox 360 and Xbox One consoles, with Major Nelson revealing that to celebrate the two years since Games with Gold started, Microsoft will now be offering two games for the Xbox One every month rather than just one. It also means that Pool Nation FX is finally being removed from Games with Gold after spending several months as part of the programme.
The first title available for the Xbox One in July will be Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. The title was given away for free in April to Xbox 360 players and those with the new console will also be able to get their hands on the pirate themed game from Ubisoft. It is widely considered to be one of the best Assassin’s Creed games of recent times. The second free offering is the indie platformer So Many Me. The main mechanic of this colorful title involves being able to clone the main character and have the newly created creatures follow you around the map using their new abilities to aid you.
Meanwhile, Xbox 360 users will be getting their usual offer of two free games if they are an Xbox Live Gold member. The first, which will be available from July 1 to July 15 is the immensely popular arcade game from PopCap – Plants Vs. Zombies. The game has been available for several years but still offers a solid tower defense experience. For the second half of July, Gears of War 3 will be available to download. The series has recently seen a remaster of the original game and a sequel announced, but the third entry in the franchise still has plenty to offer in terms of single player campaign and online multiplayer.
Those with a PlayStation console will have to wait until tomorrow to find out what games will be available through PlayStation Plus, as the titles are generally only revealed on the Wednesday before they are made available through the PlayStation Store. However, subscribers can probably expect a special collection of games in July as Sony is celebrating the fifth anniversary of PlayStation Plus and so will most likely want to make a good impression.