August marks the calm before the storm.
With Grand Theft Auto VIon the way on November 19, September and October’s release slates are packed to the rafters.
Major releases are avoiding the industry behemoth like the plague while still trying to stay within that popular post-summer window.
Why is it such a busy time of the year? It marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season, plus ensures that games are on the minds of voters ahead of GOTY nominations.
As such, August is a less popular month and this time around is sparsely populated with just a few major titles.
Even still, there’s more than enough here launching on PlayStation 5 to keep you busy until the pre-GTA VI onslaught begins – and maybe enough to take the plunge and finally buy a PS5 ahead of GTA 6.
August 4 – Beast of Reincarnation
Game Freak is perhaps best known for developing Pokémon games but on August 4, it’ll bring us a new action RPG called Beast of Reincarnation.
It follows Emma and Koo through a Princess Mononoke-esque tale. “Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, humanity’s only hope lies with Emma, an outcast shunned from society for her affliction, and Koo, the blighted dog. Together, they embark on this expansive adventure in this one-person, one-dog action RPG,” teases the synopsis.
Players will explore a “brutal world”, choosing from a variety of skills and gear in order to create a combat style that best suits them – whether that’s ranged, stealth, or aggressive.
August 4 – Big Walk
You may not have heard ofBig Walk but it should be on your radar because this indie title is launching as a day-one freebie on PlayStation Plus’ essential tier.
Developed by House House, the creators of Untitled Goose Game, Big Walksees players team up with friends.
It’s a “co-operative online walker talker” where you’ll explore a vast world that renders you speechless.
Players will have to solve puzzles and use various tools in order to communicate in this wholesome, epic adventure.
August 6 – Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
Arc System Works’ highly anticipated fighter Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls finally launches next month, allowing players to battle it out as famed Marvel characters.
Using a tag-team system, players will begin matches with just one fighter and an assist character, before accruing more help the further they progress. Battles will end as 4v4 skirmishes.
It’s cross-platform and boasts stunning 2.5D graphics that have a strong retro feel.
Spider-Man, Black Panther, Iron Man, Captain America, Doctor Doom, Blade, Deadpool, Loki, Ghost Rider, Storm, and Wolverine are among the confirmed playable characters.
August 14 – Grave Seasons
Grave Seasonsis an isometric pixel-art farming sim with a grisly twist.
Developed by Perfect Garbage, you step into the shoes of an escaped convict who attempts to set up a cosy new life in the mountainside town of Ashenridge.
Unfortunately, a supernatural killer is on the loose and scuppers your plans. In addition to keeping on top of your farm, players will also have to investigate the various goings-on in an attempt to put a stop to whatever foul play is taking place.
You can customise your character, craft over 600 items, fish, mine, romance the townsfolk (and yes, one of them might be the killer), as well as break into homes if you so wish.
It’s a unique little indie that sounds like a total blast.
August 13 – Hell Let Loose: Vietnam
Expression Games returns with a new take on the Hell Let Loose IP. It’ll come as a surprise to no one that Hell Let Loose: Vietnamtakes players back to the Vietnam War.
“Enter the explosive conflict of the Vietnam War and fight your way through some of the fiercest clashes in modern history,” reads the synopsis. “Join the battle raging across an extreme landscape of vast mountain gorges and thick jungle, where the North Vietnamese Armies clash with the military strength of the US Armed Forces.”
In addition to engaging in combat, players will build tunnels and escape routes, pilot helicopters, drive patrol boats and more in this huge FPS that takes place across six large-scale maps.
August 13 – Madden NFL 27
Madden NFL 27 is almost here, bringing back more football action. This time, the game is powered by the new Persona Engine, which should hopefully bring noticeable technical enhancements to the franchise.
Devs tease that it “gives every NFL athlete a distinct personality that informs their motivations, how they think, and how they respond”.
There’s a revamped upgrade system, new short-yardage mechanics, defensive coverage improvements, and now strategic pre-play settings and controls.
For the most part though, it’s the returning formula that you know and love.
August 27 – Metal Gear Master Collection Vol. 2
Konami returns with another remastered collection of classics. Metal Gear Master Collection Vol. 2 includes Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (HD Collection version) as well as a digital soundtrack and Metal Gear: Ghost Babel as bonus content.
Fans of these classics should expect some subtle improvements, including, perhaps most significantly, better framerates and graphical output.
August 27 –Star Wars Zero Company
Bit Reactor’s turn-based take on Star Wars is almost here. Star Wars Zero Company sees you “command an elite squad through a gritty and authentic story”. It’s a single-player game set “in the twilight of the Clone Wars”.
“You will step into the shoes of Hawks, a former Republic officer who leads Zero Company as they are recruited for an operation that pits them against an emerging threat that will consume the galaxy if left unchecked,” reads the synopsis.
It’s one for strategy fans, with players having to carefully plot their way through some thrilling, cinematic turn-based skirmishes.
The outcome of each battle will influence the remainder of your playthrough. You’ll want to hire a varied squad and deepen your bonds in order to unlock new combat synergies.
August 27 – Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
The stealth-based Plague Tale franchise returns with this unique spin-off, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy.
Developed by Asobo Studio, the game is a prequel toA Plague Tale and follows Sophia on a journey to the mysterious Minotaur’s Island.
There, she’ll “outsmart deadly foes, unravel ancient secrets, and confront a mythical creature at the heart of a devastating curse”.
There’s plenty of melee combat this time around, and notably, you don’t need to have played A Plague Tale to pick this one up.
It’s recommended that you do, of course, but as a prequel, this marks the earliest point in the narrative.
