It's July, which means we've finally hit the second half of 2018. Summer usually has a reputation for being a rather dry period for exciting games, but this month looks to have some interesting titles to keep you busy during the warm and sunny days. In the month of July, there's a surprising amount of remasters and re-releases looking to find new homes on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One--which includes Sonic Mania Plus and the cleverly named Red Faction: Guerilla Re-Mars-tered Edition. While remasters and ports are common, July certainly has them in healthy abundance.
Along with these remasters, we also have the first-time releases of Octopath Traveler and The Banner Saga 3, which should keep RPG and strategy fans engaged for quite sometime. For a more in-depth look at all the most notable games coming this year, check out our more detailed list of releases here.
Octopath Traveler (Nintendo Switch) -- July 13
Set for release on July 13 for the Switch, Octopath Traveler is Square-Enix's long-awaited return to classic 2D RPG gameplay that fans have been yearning for. With a visual style that recreates those familiar old-school graphics for the HD era, you'll band together a party of heroes, level up, and do battle with bandits and other monsters in a world of myth and mystery.
Further Reading:
- Octopath Traveler Devs Talk Modernizing Classic RPG Tropes On Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo Switch's Octopath Traveler: No Plans For DLC, Launching As A "Complete Game"
Sonic Mania Plus (Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One) -- July 17
Coming almost a year after the original release, Sonic Mania Plus plans to offer new and returning players alike the purest form of classic Sonic the Hedgehog gameplay. Coming to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One on July 17, Sega's next big return to traditional Sonic action will include new levels, more secrets, and two additional characters in the form of Mighty the Armadillo, and Ray the Flying Squirrel--both of whom have been long absent since their appearance in the arcade-only release of SegaSonic the Hedgehog.
Further Reading:
- Sonic Mania Plus Gets A Release Date And New Trailer
- Sonic Mania Plus Adds Characters, Modes On Switch, PS4, And Xbox One
The Banner Saga 3 (PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One) -- July 24
Starting out as a Kickstarter success story, The Banner Saga series has grown from crowdfunding hopeful to a game series with a passionate following. With the third installment now approaching its release, the developers behind the punishing RPG aim to give the main story a fitting conclusion, while also offering far more challenging battles and tough decisions to make in order to stay alive in the harsh environment.
Further Reading:
- Banner Saga 3 Release Date Confirmed For PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC
- 19 Upcoming Games That Deserve Your Attention From PAX East 2018 (The Banner Saga 3)
Full July Release Schedule
| Game | Platform | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Red Faction Guerrilla: Re-Mars-tered Edition | PS4, PC, Xbox One | July 3 |
| Runbow | Nintendo Switch | July 3 |
| Defiance 2050 | PC, PS4, Xbox One | July 10 |
| Shining Resonance Refrain | PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | July 10 |
| Warhammer: Vermintide 2 | Xbox One | July 11 |
| Ys: Memories of Celceta | PC | July 11 |
| Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker | Nintendo 3DS, Switch | July 13 |
| Octopath Traveler | Nintendo Switch | July 13 |
| Adventure Time: Pirates of The Enchiridion | Switch, 3DS | July 17 |
| Sonic Mania Plus | PS4, Switch, Xbox One | July 17 |
| PC, PS4, Xbox One | July 19 | |
| PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | July 24 | |
| No Man's Sky | Xbox One | July 24 |
| The Banner Saga 3 | PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | July 24 |
| Go Vacation | PS4, Xbox One, PC | July 27 |
| Hello Neighbor | iOS, Android, PS4, Switch | July 27 |
| Code of Princess EX | PS4, PS Vita | July 31 |
| Titan Quest | Switch | July 31 |