Black Fantasy: Wukong, Star Wars Outlaws Lead Our Picks for August Sport Launches

August is shaping as much as be a busy month for online game releases, with video games — large and small — from completely different genres making their debut within the coming weeks. The month will see the launch of two of probably the most anticipated video games of the 12 months: Sport Science’s action-RPG Black Fantasy: Wukong and Ubisoft’s action-adventure title Star Wars Outlaws. Whereas Black Fantasy: Wukong brings Soulslike fight in a Chinese language mythological setting, Star Wars Outlaws lets gamers grow to be a bounty hunter on the run within the galaxy.

Apart from the 2 triple-A titles, August additionally sees a collection of numerous smaller video games releasing. Thank Goodness You are Right here!, an indie comedy journey recreation developed by a two-person group, is releasing August 1; PS5 and PC unique Harmony, a first-person on-line hero shooter, comes out August 23; and Dustborn, a narrative-driven action-adventure title that places gamers on a vibrant street journey, comes out later within the month on August 20.

There are lots of different video games coming this month that can enchantment to followers of various genres. Right here, we’ll have a look at a few of the most attention-grabbing releases in August and run by means of our picks for the video games to look out for this month throughout PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Change consoles.

Thank Goodness You are Right here!

When: August 1

The place: PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Change

Made by Coal Supper, a two-person studio, Thank Goodness You are Right here! Immediately grabs your consideration with its cute, cartoony artwork fashion. The indie comedy journey title lets gamers don the footwear of a travelling salesman and tackle odd requests and quests for the townsfolk of Barnsworth. Set in Northern England, the sport leans closely on Yorkshire humour and its vibrant artwork fashion.

You may meet and get to know completely different characters, tackle unusual duties and go on a surreal journey. Thank Goodness You are Right here! launches on Mac, Home windows (through each Steam and Epic Video games Retailer), PS4 and PS5 on August 1.

Cat Quest III

When: August 8

The place: PS5, PS4, Xbox Collection S/X, Xbox One, Change, PC

5 years after the discharge of Cat Quest II, the third instalment within the motion role-playing (RPG) sequence is about to make its debut this month. Cat Quest III brings again the quirky artwork fashion and creative storylines the franchise is understood for. Developed by The Gentlebros, the pirate-themed recreation will get a number of new quality-of-life upgrades such because the elimination of HP bars for enemies that are not bosses and a circle which faintly glows when monsters assault. Melee weapons and armour are additionally extra balanced this time round. Plus, the two.5D open world will get a number of new dungeons and biomes that ought to preserve gamers hooked.

Nonetheless, the principle spotlight of the sport stays the character-based storytelling. You begin as an lovable cat pirate within the Purribean, an archipelago stuffed with Pi-rats. They’re all on the lookout for the legendary treasure Northern Star, and you must beat them to it. The journey requires you to discover the land and the seas and battle the order of the Pirate King together with your trusted sword, pistol, and a spell that summons a stunning electrical orb.

Since it’s an open-world recreation, you get entry to a number of islands the place you can find treasure chests to hunt and weapons to improve. For the followers of the unique recreation, the battle mechanics are nonetheless quite simple however with improved animations battles are way more immersive.

Black Fantasy: Wukong

When: August 20

The place: PC, PS5 (Xbox Collection S/X launch TBA)

Ever because it was first revealed with a gameplay trailer in 2020, Black Fantasy: Wukong has grow to be one of the vital anticipated video games of this console era. Its flashy, flowy Soulslike fight, imaginative enemy designs and unimaginable graphics have players counting down the times to its launch. A number of gameplay trailers over time have solely fuelled the hype across the recreation. This month, we’ll get to see if Black Fantasy: Wukong lives as much as the expectations.

Developed by Chinese language studio Sport Science and impressed by the classical Chinese language novel Journey to the West, Black Fantasy: Wukong places gamers within the footwear on its titular monkey god protagonist. Armed with a magical employees and a bevy of skills, Wukong goes on a dangerous journey, plagued by difficult boss fights. The action-RPG releases August 20 on PS5 and PC. An Xbox Collection S/X launch will observe later.

Dustborn

When: August 20

The place: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Collection S/X

A single-player action-adventure recreation with robots, supernatural skills, and sophisticated interpersonal relationships all packed inside a street journey seems like a wierd mixture, however that is what you get with Dustborn. The sport’s graphic novel-style artwork and animation and a story-driven narrative the place a number of endings are potential solely provides to the flavour.

You begin the sport as Pax, an Anomal with a word-based superpower, who has been tasked with delivering a package deal to the opposite finish of the American Republic. Making the lengthy street journey on a bus, you meet and recruit new individuals with distinctive skills, as you handle each your relationship with them and full quite a few duties.

Pax’s word-based means introduces a brand new recreation mechanic the place the participant has to seek out particular phrases to manage the crew and full missions. There’s a easy fight system the place the participant has to both battle solo or take the assistance of crewmates, however a big a part of the sport is dialogue-based and requires the person to make the precise selections. In case you are a fan of visible novels, this recreation is correct up your alley. One attention-grabbing inclusion is a 360-degree digicam management, which Pax can use in numerous conditions to determine and analyse the environment and use it to her benefit.

Harmony

When: August 23

The place: PS5, PC

Harmony is the upcoming multiplayer hero shooter entry from Firewalk Studios. It’s the first recreation from the studio since Sony acquired it from ProbablyMonsters in 2023. The founders of the studio embody Ryan Ellis, Tony Hsu and Elena Siegman — brains behind the Future franchise, so we are able to anticipate their expertise with on-line shooters to profit Harmony. From the trailer, we are able to anticipate a Guardians of the Galaxy-esque crew we can be “free gunning” with.

Think about entering into the footwear (or reasonably, the house boots) of a starship captain in an enormous, uncharted universe. The sport incorporates a stunningly detailed world and ranges. Whether or not you are negotiating with alien species, mining assets from asteroids, or battling house pirates, Harmony enables you to forge your individual distinctive path by means of the galaxy.

Harmony permits you to group up with mates or compete in opposition to them in house skirmishes that can preserve you engaged with customisable starships and a deep, immersive storyline. Gamers can choose from a various array of human-like and alien mercenaries referred to as Freegunners. Every Freegunner comes with distinctive weapons, defences, skills, and motion abilities, creating a definite playstyle for each selection. These mercenaries differ in agility, harm output, and particular abilities. For instance, Tacticians improve reload velocity, whereas Rangers cut back weapon recoil and Haunts enhance the participant’s mobility. The Anchors, alternatively, enhance therapeutic acquired, Breachers supply a decreased cooldown for dodging, and Wardens lengthen weapon vary.

Akimbot

When: August 29

The place: PS5, Xbox Collection S/X, PC

Image a vibrant, neon-drenched cityscape, paying homage to PS2-era aesthetics, the place you are not simply surviving, however thriving in chaos. Akimbot from Evil Raptor thrusts you into the metallic boots of a rogue AI with a mission: topple a corrupt megacorp that is turning everybody into mere puppets. You may navigate an expansive, open-world setting teeming with secrets and techniques, hazard, and the occasional pleasant NPC who may simply want saving. Armed with a blinding array of devices and weapons—from holographic decoys to mind-bending gravity grenades—Akimbot’s arsenal is as flashy as it’s enjoyable.

You may tackle the position of Exe, a quiet but intriguing robotic with excellent platforming and fight skills. Shipset, the reliable companion, is a chatty, floating companion who as soon as labored as an accounting bot that made a dramatic escape. The story begins aboard a starship, the place Exe and Shipset are imprisoned by intergalactic mobsters. Their breakout begins when their travelling jail crashes on a lush, tropical seaside planet, paving the best way for an thrilling journey.

Akimbot additionally boasts a aggressive multiplayer mode the place you possibly can exhibit your abilities and climb the leaderboards. Whether or not you are zipping by means of city jungles on cybernetic rollerblades or unleashing chaos with an overpowered plasma cannon, this recreation is all about fast-paced, strategic motion.

Visions of Mana

When: August 29

The place: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Collection S/X

Ouka Studio’s upcoming motion RPG is the most recent entry within the Mana sequence and can allow you to step into the footwear of a younger man referred to as Val, who hails from the Fireplace Village of Tiaaneea as he joins his good friend on a quest to go to the Tree of Mana. You may have entry to real-time party-based fight in Visions of Mana, which implies you possibly can change characters and use particular skills.

Character development together with the power to unlock new capabilities and improve current gear are two issues you could sit up for within the upcoming RPG title. Due to the semi-open world, it is possible for you to to maintain your self busy with exploration, whereas discovering the lore and finishing aspect quests in Visions of Mana.

Star Wars Outlaws

When: August 30

The place: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Collection S/X

The primary open-world recreation within the Star Wars franchise is about to reach on the finish of the month, and can allow you to play as a thief referred to as Kay Vess as she makes an attempt the heist of a lifetime, alongside her trusty little companion Nix. The sport will allow you to soar throughout a number of planets whereas finishing difficult missions and battling it out with different rogues in house.

If you wish to relive Han Solo’s adventures throughout the galaxy, Star Wars Outlaws will allow you to journey to a variety of areas from sparse deserts to dense jungles as you do the most effective to outlive utilizing your wits, helped by just a few helpful devices and the lethal blasters that have been popularised by Lucasfilm’s motion pictures. Bear in mind to assume earlier than you make selections within the recreation, as a result of your choices will affect not simply your repute because the galaxy’s latest rookie scoundrel, but additionally the result of your story and the sport itself.

There are lots of different video games releasing in August, together with one other Star Wars recreation. Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, a remaster of the 2002 recreation, is popping out August 1 on all platforms.

For sports activities followers, Madden NFL 25 arrives August 16 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Collection S/X. World of Warcraft: The Battle Inside, the tenth enlargement pack for the favored MMORPG, can also be releasing this month on August 26.