As we head into summer, there are new adventures to be had. Whether taking on a new legacy, testing your skills on the battlefield – or in the courtroom – against all manner of gods and beasts or getting behind the wheel, there is something for everyone in July’s gaming releases.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
A new adventure awaits in the latest from the Monster Hunter franchise. In Wings of Ruin, players are the descendent of Red, a legendary Rider who has passed away. While also dealing with this personal loss, the world around them is trying to uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of all Rathalos. With no reason behind the sudden vanishing, the last hope is with a wyverian girl named Ena, who has been entrusted with a Rathalos egg. When it hatches, however, all is not well as the Rathalos within is small-winged and flightless – a prophesied harbinger of the world’s ruin.
Players who pre-order will unlock the Kamura Maiden outfit for Ena. Players who pre-order via select retailers will receive a reversible A2 poster, sticker book and a Monster Hunter cloth. The Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game, Kuan Coat outfit for Ena, two Razewing Armor sets, Pukei-Pukei and Nergigante costumes, a Spiky Nergal hairstyle and two sets of Adventure Buddies stickers. In addition, players with Monster Hunter Rise saves will also receive the Kamura Garb Rider’s Layered Armor set.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin will be available on Nintendo Switch and PC from July 9*
F1 2021
The track awaits in this year’s F1 release. For F1 2021, players will be able to experience all the action of the Formula One and Formula Two seasons right alongside the real thing. With all the drivers, teams and circuits – including new additions like Jeddah, Imola and Portimao – for 2021 waiting to be put through their paces by players. For those looking for a narrative driven experience, F1 2021 includes a Braking Point story mode. Playing as Aiden Jackson, an up-and-coming F2 driver making the jump to F1, players will be able to choose their own path for Aiden and those around him. F1 2021 will also introduce a dual Career Mode with pairs of players able to progress in the same game, playing as either teammates or rivals.
The Standard Edition includes a copy of the game, Braking Point content pack – including a livery set, racing suit, character avatar and more – and 5,000 PitCoin to spend in-game. The Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game, Braking Point content pack, 18,000 PitCoin to spend, a My Team Icons pack – which includes additional drivers, livery set, radio call and racing gear – along with Early Access to the game three days before launch.
F1 2021 will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC from July 16*
Orcs Must Die 3
Defend your keep against the oncoming horde in this tower-defence title. Set around 20 years after the events of Orcs Must Die 2, Orcs Must Die 3 will test players strategic skills as they work to keep their keeps safe from invasion. Starting with a team of two (either playing solo or with a friend), players will lay traps, plan out defences and use a range of weapons to achieve their goals and stop the hordes. Those looking for a true challenge will be able to play the returning Endless mode in which it is becomes a battle to simply see how long players can last against a never-ending stream of enemies and attacks.
Players who pre-order will unlock two Overlord skins – one for Egan and one for Kelsey – along with an Overlord bladed staff to use in-game. The game’s first DLC pack, Drastic Steps, will also be launching Day One alongside the game with additional scenarios, weapons, traps, and enemies along with extra story content.
Orcs Must Die 3 will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC from July 23*
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Take a trip back in time to courtrooms past in this highly anticipated release. Set in Victorian London, players explore the life and work of Ryunosuke Naruhodo. Playing as this ancestor of Phoenix Wright, players must use their skills of deduction and reasoning along with their intuition to solve each case and defend their clients in the courtroom, with a little help along the way from judicial assistant Susato Mikotoba and private detective Herlock Sholmes.
Players who pre-order will unlock the From The Vaults bonus which includes 25 additional art pieces for player’s Galleries along with nearly 30 additional pieces of music for player Auditoriums. For those wanting a more expanded story, the Ace Attorney Turnabout Collection five game collection will bring together the stories of Ryunosuke Naruhodo and Phoenix Wright across the generations.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles will be available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC from July 27*
Tribes of Midgard
Write your own saga in this Viking adventure. In Tribes of Midgard, players will have to build their tribes from humble beginnings to become a force strong enough to stop the coming of Ragnarök. Either working alone or with up to 9 others, players will be able to explore Midgard to its fullest, a world filled with hidden creatures and gods of old. As they protect the Seed of Yggdrasil, which forms the base of their growing village, players will have to manage their time and resources and not even the night grants respite, with giants and other enemies waiting in the shadows ready to strike.
Players who pre-order will receive the Midsummer Eira cosmetic set, which includes an armour set, hammer, and shield. The Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game, Maniklo and Solerya paets and the Solar Valkyrie cosmetic set, featuring an armour set, hammer, and shield.
Tribes of Midgard will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC from July 27*
Free to Play
Those with an active Xbox Gold or Game Pass Ultimate subscription will receive four games for free this month. On Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, Planet Alpha will be available from July 1-31*, with Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break available from July 16 – August 15*. On Xbox 360 – and Xbox One, Series X and Series s via Backwards Compatibility – Conker: Live & Reloaded will be available from July 1-15*, followed by Midway Arcade Origins from July 16-31*
On PlayStation, active Plus members will have three new titles to download and keep for free this month. From July 6*, A Plague Tale: Innocence will be available on PlayStation 5, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and WWE 2K Battlegrounds available on PlayStation 4. In addition, Virtual Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown will also be available on PlayStation 4 for a second month.
Over on Prime Gaming, there are six new games available for players to claim for free. From July 1* Batman: The Enemy Within – The Telltale Series, RAD, The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature, Tales of the Neon Sea, Automachef and Portal Dogs will be up for grabs on PC. Full details on how to claim these games – along with bonus drops for other titles including League of Legends, Sea of Thieves, Valorant and Rainbow Six Siege – can be found on the Prime Gaming website.
Also Released This Month
July 2* – Maskmaker (PSVR), Red Wings: Aces of the Sky (PS4, Switch), Evergate (PS5), Nightmare Boy (PS4, Switch), Do Not Feed The Monkeys (Switch), Beholder: Complete Edition Collectors Edition (Switch)
July 6* – Ender Lillies: Quietus of the Knights (PS4, PS5), In Nightmare (PS4), Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance (PS4, PS5)
July 8* – Sniper Elite VR (PS VR, Steam VR, Rift, Quest), Boomerang X (Switch, PC), Farmers v Zombies (PS4, PS5, Switch)
July 9* – Black Skylands (PC – Steam Early Access)
July 10* – Harvest Moon: Light of Hope (Switch), Harvest Moon: Mad Dash (Switch)
July 13* – Curved Space (Switch), Worms Rumble (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch)
July 16* – The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (Switch), Where The Heart Leads (PS4), Gravitational (PSVR), Farming Simulator 17: Ambassador Edition (Xbox One, PS4), Song of Horror (PS4), Observer System Redux (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5), Hotline Miami Collection (PS4, Switch)
July 20* – Fallen Knight (Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PC), Cris Tales (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, Switch, Stadia), Death’s Door (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC), Monster Harvest (Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PC), Blasphemous Deluxe Edition (Xbox One PS4, Switch)
July 23* – Cooking Mama: Cookstar (PS4), Lost Words (Switch), Urban Trial Tricky (Switch), The Keep (Switch), Necromunda: Hired Gun (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5), Blue Fire (PS4)
July 27* – Samurai Warriors 3 (Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PC), NEO: The World Ends With You (PS4, Switch), Eldest Souls (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Microsoft Flight Simulator (Xbox Series X/S)
July 28* – The Forgotten City (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC), Unbound: Worlds Apart (PC, Switch)
July 29* – Nothing to Remember (PC), Project Warlock (PC – Early Access), The Ascent (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
July 30* – Bustafellows (Switch), Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles (PS5, Switch)
*Dates refer to UK release only. International dates may vary and all are subject to change. Information correct at time of writing.
Words by Megan Roxburgh
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