As summer rolls on, July’s gaming releases will take players to new worlds filled with nightmares, strange creatures and alternate worlds along with the chance to prove yourself on the field of battle against gods and dinosaurs with a side of Pikmin and the return of Telltale.
Gylt
Face your fears in this survival horror. In Gylt players follow the story of Sally, a young girl who is looking for her missing cousin Emily. Set in a mining community, Sally’s life isn’t made any easier by the bullies who taunt her every move. After an encounter with them, Sally crashes her bike and awakens in a twisted version of her town. Filled with all of her worst nightmares, fears and memories, players will have to decide how they help Sally – do they confront her monsters or try and find a way around them?
A narrative adventure filled with twists and turns, this title comes to consoles and PC after being released as a Stadia exclusive. With a distinct look and gameplay style, players will not only be faced with the monsters of Sally’s past and present but also with the consequences of their own choices as the story progresses.
Gylt will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC and Nintendo Switch from July 6*
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals
Shape the world around you in this mind-bending sequel. In the world of Oxenfree II, players follow Riley Poverly as she returns to her hometown of Camena to investigate some mysterious goings on. All over town, signals are coming in and out and playing havoc with daily life. When signs point to a nearby island and stories of a mysterious cult and a portal between different realities and timelines, Riley must set out to uncover the truth behind it all no matter what so she can set things right.
Playable as a standalone game, Oxenfree II brings higher stakes and more adventure. Explore the landscape around Camena with a new engaging story. Player choices along the way will matter, as relationships forged or forgotten will come into play as you progress. Shift the world around you to try and find more answers through the haze of the static.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC and Nintendo Switch from July 12*
Exoprimal
Do battle against dinosaurs in this multiplayer adventure. In Exoprimal, players will do battle against each other as well as dinosaurs – who have been unleashed on the Earth because of rifts in space and time opening up across the globe. As Ace, an exofighter forced into battle after a crash-landing, players are guided by Leviathan, a new generation AI. Alongside other exofighters, Ace and his teammates in the Hammerheads soon discover that they are being continually sent back in time by Leviathan to try and find the reason behind the rifts and put an end to the dinosaur invasions.
Players who pre-order will receive additional skins for the Witchdoctor, Deadeye and Roadblock Exosuits. The Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game, the Headstart Kit – which includes early unlock tickets for exosuit items and skins – and a limited-time bonus Survival Pass Season 1: Premium Tier, which will unlock even more exosuit skins, weapon skins, decals, emotes, stamps and player tag emblems and backgrounds.
Exoprimal will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC from July 14*
Immortals of Aveum
Save the realms with this magical first-person adventure. In Immortals of Aveum, the world has been plunged into the Everwar – an endless struggle to control magic. Following the story of Jak, an Unforeseen – someone whose magical abilities awaken later in life – who is recruited into the Order of Immortals, players will explore the realms of Aveum and all it offers as they try and bring an end to this millennia-long war. A reluctant participant in the Everwar, Jak still looks to prove himself after a hard start in life.
Players who pre-order will receive a Purified Arclight Sigil, which will boost damage caused by certain spells. The Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game, the pre-order bonus and the Ancient Relics of Aveum pack – which includes two extra gauntlets, three rings, a Dresnyr Lens, Lucian Chain, Vial of the Percentage and the unique weapon Triarch’s Wrath which fires all three forces of magic.
Immortals of Aveum will be available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC from July 20*
Pikmin 4
Find the Captain and help the Pikmin reunite in this latest tale. After crash landing on a mysterious world, the adventurer Captain Olimar seeks the assistance of the Rescue Corps to help him get home – only for the rescue ship to also crash. As the newest recruit of the Rescue Corp, it will be up to players to navigate this strange, new world and find both the missing Rescue Corps members as well as Captain Olimar, while also trying to come up with a way for every Pikmin to return home safe and sound.
Players who pre-order through select retailers will receive a Pikmin 4 dice keyring along with their copy of the game.
Pikmin 4 will be available on Nintendo Switch from July 21*
The Expanse: A Telltale Series
Explore the world of The Expanse with this new story from Telltale Games. In The Expanse: A Telltale Series, players will follow Camina Drummer (played by Cara Gee) in the prequel story to the events of the hit Netflix series. Serving as Executive Officer aboard the scavenging ship The Artemis, Camina must take charge of the crew as they look for the next big score. With her every decision carrying with it any number of repercussions, players must help Camina navigate not only the uncharted regions of The Belt but also problems closer to home – including keeping a potential mutiny at bay.
Players on PlayStation and PC who pre-order will be able to unlock episode one 24 hours early to get a headstart on their adventure. The Standard Edition includes a copy of the game along with the Season Pass – which includes early access to episode 2: Hunting Grounds. The Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game with all five standard episodes along with the bonus Archangel episode, which brings a beloved character from the tv series to the game.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series – Episode 1 will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC from July 27*
Free to Play
Those with either an Xbox Gold or Game Pass Ultimate subscription will have two new games to download and keep for free this month. The slow-burn survival horror Darkwood will be available from July 1-31*, followed by the point-and-click adventure When the Past was Around from July 16 – August 15*
Over on PlayStation, players with any tier of Plus subscription will have three games to download and keep for free this month as part of their subscription. From July 4* Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War – Cross-Gen Bundle, Alan Wake Remastered and Endling – Extinction is Forever will be available on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
This month’s Prime Gaming selection is a little different due to Prime Day, which will see Shovel Knight: Showdown available for free from July 6* and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed available from July 10*. As a result, only 4 new titles will be up for grabs: Cook, Serve, Delicious 3 from July 6*, Nairi: Tower of Shirin from July 13*, Wytchwood from July 20* and Lunar Axe from July 27*. Full details on all the Prime Day offers and drops can be found on the Prime Gaming website.
Also Released This Month
July 4* – Synapse (PSVR 2), MX vs ATV Legends Season One Edition (Xbox Series X/S, PS5)
July 7* – The Legend of Heroes: Trials into Reverie (PS4, PS5, PC, Switch)
July 11* – The Valiant (PC), Five Night’s at Freddy’s Security Breach (Switch)
July 14* – Earth Defender (PC – Steam Early Access), Jagged Alliance 3 (PC), Getsufumaden: Undying Moon (Switch)
July 18* – Coreborn: Nations of the Ultracore (PC – Steam Early Access), Viewfinder (PS5, PC), Tchia: Oleti Edition (PS4, PS5)
July 20* – Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening (PS4, PC, Switch), Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes – Definitive Edition (PS4, Switch, PC)
July 25* – Mr. Run And Jump (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Remnant II (Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC)
July 26* – Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PC)
July 27* – Rightfully. Beary Arms (PC – Steam Early Access), Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Pocket Bravery (PS4, PS5, Switch)
July 28* – Disney Illusion Island (Switch), Cuphead Limited Edition (PS4, Switch), Ghost Song (PS4, PS5, Switch)
July 31* – Venba (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Switch, PC)
*Dates refer to UK release only. International dates may vary. Information correct at time of writing.
Words by Megan Roxburgh
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.