Not to make this article a bit too personal right out of the gate, but this August is the month where I finally turn 30 and become the crotchety old man I was always destined to be. It’s just as well then that the gaming industry has decided to bless us, but also me specifically, with a wide array of video games in August that we can enjoy.
No matter what genre or type of game you prefer, or what platform you play on, August 2023 offers a huge selection of games. From massive RPGs that’ll probably take you months to finish, to multiplayer titles, the return of an iconic sci-fi franchise or a host of indie titles all competing for your attention, there’s a bit of something for everyone. These are the biggest new games of August 2023 you should be aware of across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, and Switch.
New Games of August 2023
Baldur’s Gate 3 | August 3rd, 2023
Developer: Larian Studios
Publisher: Larian Studios
Platform(s): PC (PS5 release coming in September)
Potentially the biggest RPG release of 2023, Baldur’s Gate 3 promises to be Larian’s magnum opus. The European studio has already earned a massive amount of acclaim and notoriety for their work on Divinity, particularly Divinity: Original Sin 2, but Baldur’s Gate 3 gives the team their biggest stage yet to shine. If the early access period and all the information about the game is any indication, this could be a game changer.
As a new hero who’s been infected by a Mind Flayer parasite, you find yourself with new powers, but a growing urge to commit evil, as one does when a Mind Flayer shows up. Given that this is a D&D RPG, you can expect an overwhelming level of choice for customisation and narrative at your disposal, as you carve your own path through the Forgotten Realms themselves. Hopefully, you don’t live to regret your choices, though who would regret shagging a bear? Not us.
Atlas Fallen | August 10th, 2023
Developer: Deck13 Interactive
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X & S
It feels like since Atlas Fallen was delayed earlier this year, we haven’t seen all that much from it, but Deck13’s upcoming action-RPG is set to launch this August and it has all the potential in the world to be another hit for the former devs behind The Surge. If nothing else, being able to control sand as a central game mechanic is definitely new and interesting enough to warrant some curiosity at least.
Playing as a player created avatar, you’ll set out into a hostile, desert world, taking on quests and fighting big monsters. Not much is known about the game’s proper story, but Atlas Fallen promises to play more like a traditional action game compared to their more Soulslike previous offerings. With plenty of secrets to find thanks to the game’s sand-based premise, along with new moves, upgrades and tools to unlock, Atlas Fallen is definitely one to watch.
Moving Out 2 | August 15th, 2023
Developer: SMG Studio, DevM Games
Publisher: Team17
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S
A bit of a cult hit, the original Moving Out was a physics-based clusterfluff that both entertained and frustrated in equal measure. The Overcooked of moving big furniture by flinging it through the window, if you wanted both yourself and a group of friends to start shouting “pivot” at each other as loud as possible, Moving Out was the game to play. Luckily for fans, the sequel promises more of the same bonkers gameplay, with plenty of gimmicks and level hazards to navigate.
As the newest Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technician employee at Smooth Moves, you and a group of friends need to ensure the relevant goods the client wants make it from A to B, and if you can do it in the fastest time, bonus points for you. While Moving Out 2 is more of an iterative sequel than a reinvention, one feature it does have which sets it apart from its predecessor is online play, making it a must-play party game.
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk | August 18th, 2023
Developer: Team Reptile
Publisher: Team Reptile
Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch
One for the Jet Set Radio fans who have grown tired of waiting for a sequel or reboot to SEGA’s beloved series, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk sees indie developers Team Reptile take matters into their own hands. Originally responsible for the excellent and criminally-underappreciated Lethal League games, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a huge step up for the team, but based on the aesthetic alone, they’re knocking it out of the park.
Like Jet Set Radio which inspired it, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk sees gangs of graffiti artists clashing with each other and the police in a futuristic city, with the player attempting to grow their gang large enough to go “All City”. With support for three different styles of play (skateboarding, inline skating and BMX riding), along with plenty of collectibles and secrets to find, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk could very well be a welcome retro throwback, especially if you happen to be turning 30 in August.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre | August 18th, 2023
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Developer: Sumo Nottingham
Publisher: Gun Interactive
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S
If Dead By Daylight proved anything, it’d be two things. Firstly, that your mates would definitely leave you behind at a moment’s notice in a life or death situation, while secondly, it proved to horror franchises that there’s money to be made in asymmetrical multiplayer games. First it was Friday The 13th (rest in peace), followed by Evil Dead: The Game, and now The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is having a go.
Considering the fact that Leatherface was one of the killers in Dead By Daylight, the gameplay of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre could be quite familiar. Based on the original 1974 horror film of the same name, players are split between Survivors and The Massacre Family. Survivors need to find the tools they need to make their escape, while the Massacre Family players can do anything in their power to stop them. Considering it’ll be launching on Xbox Game Pass, it’ll probably be worth checking out.
Immortals of Aveum | August 22nd, 2023
Developer: Ascendant Studios
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X & S
We’ll always give praise to an FPS title that tries to walk the road less travelled, which is why we have such a fondness for Ghostwire: Tokyo. Who knew that removing guns from a first-person shooter could be such a good idea? Immortal of Aveum is attempting to walk down a similar path, with the player controlling powerful magic spells instead of bazookas and dual-wield machine guns, and the results look compelling.
Playing as Jak (no, not the Naughty Dog one), Immortals of Aveum throws players into the middle of a brutal conflict known as the Everwar. With huge forces on both sides and a world standing on the brink of destruction, Jak and his merry mages try to learn from the past of Aveum, in order to protect its future. With three different magic types, tonnes of spells and hundreds of gear items, Immortals of Aveum promises a deep yet rewarding experience.
Blasphemous 2 | August 24th, 2023
Developer: The Game Kitchen
Publisher: Team17
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X & S, Nintendo Switch
Since the Soulslike genre became a huge success, it’s felt like Metroidvanias have enjoyed similar upswings by adding hard as nails combat, with perhaps one of the most successful of them being Blasphemous. The original adventures of the Penitent One, along with the DLC expansion Wounds of Eventide, helped to establish the Spanish studio The Game Kitchen as a name to recognise, and the sequel could push things even further.
Blasphemous 2 sees players awakening as The Penitent One again, only this time he finds himself in a strange new world. There’s still grotesque monsters to kill and massive bosses that need to be taught a lesson though, so The Penitent One sets out on his bloody mission. Players can explore this non-linear world as they like, taking on quests and finding out the secrets of this strange land.
Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon | August 25th, 2023
Developer: FromSoftware
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S
FromSoftware fans have been eating good since the release of the original Demon’s Souls, with the Japanese developer becoming a legitimate juggernaut in the game development space over the past decade. Fans of a certain vintage though have been clamouring for FromSoft to return to their mech roots though, and after a full decade, they’re finally releasing a new game in the Armored Core series.
Titled Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon, this new entry into the series feels like a soft reboot almost, with the game set on a distant planet called Rubicon 3, while improving the mech combat enough to make melee a more legitimate strategy. With other features like the debt system removed, and the ability to replay missions indefinitely, AC VI looks to be a more approachable entry in the series, but that’s probably not going to stop it from being rock hard.
Goodbye Volcano High | August 29th, 2023
Developer: KO_OP
Publisher: KO_OP
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5
If you’re hoping to chill out, put your feet up and enjoy a nice narrative adventure game (that may or may not feature a dash of existential dread), look no further than Goodbye Volcano High, which promises all the good vibes and cringe you’d expect from high school. Of course, this high school just happens to be populated by queer, anthropomorphised dinosaurs, making it 20 times more interesting than regular high school. The canteen is probably a mess, though.
Following the exploits of the band VVorm Drama, Goodbye Volcano High is all about the band navigating their last year as seniors at the titular high school. Oh, and also they’re grappling with the very real asteroid that’s looming on the horizon and threatens to eliminate their very existence. Okay, maybe that’s not the most chill plot in the whole world, but with amazing art design and an awesome soundtrack, there’s going to be a lot to love with Goodbye Volcano High.
Sea of Stars | August 29th, 2023
Developer: Sabotage Studio
Publisher: Sabotage Studio
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, Nintendo Switch
A turn-based RPG might not be the cleanest transition for Sabotage Studio, who were previously responsible for the amazing and difficult action platformer The Messenger, but that doesn’t mean that their upcoming release, Sea of Stars, isn’t full of potential. If you’re hoping for a throwback turn-based RPG in the same vein as Chrono Trigger, Sea of Stars will scratch that particular itch.
Set in the same world as The Messenger, albeit a few millenia beforehand, Sea of Stars follows two heroes by the name of Valere and Zale, who use their combined powers of the Sun and the Moon to do battle with an evil alchemist. Players can recruit more characters into their party, and experience combat that’s all about finding the elemental weaknesses of opponents, which should also please Persona fans too.
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