Biggest New Games Of July 2023 – Pikmin of the Bunch

Can you believe we’ve already had half a year filled with excellent games? You’re probably still trying to catch up on titles like Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, Final Fantasy XVI, Hi-Fi Rush and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, but the games industry has decided that you’re done when they say you’re done. Looks like you’ve got a lot more games to enjoy.

At the halfway point of the year, July 2023 might not be quite as stacked as some of the previous months this year, but there’s still plenty of games that you should be excited about. Whether you’re interested in action, multiplayer, narratives or messing up goons in some classic beat ‘em up fashion, these are the biggest new games of July 2023 across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, Switch.

 

July 2023 New Games

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals | July 12th, 2023

Developer: Night School Studio
Publisher: Netflix
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Switch

The original Oxenfree cemented a legacy as being one of the most beloved narrative adventure games ever made, so naturally the sequel, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, has some big shoes to fill. Fortunately, Night School Studio have gone all out for the sequel, so whether or not you’re an Oxenfree veteran, or you’re just looking for something a little bit different to play in July, consider trying Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.

Set five years after the events of the original game, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals sees players controlling Riley as she returns to the small town of Camena in order to investigate some mysterious radio signals. Naturally, the truth of what she finds in Camena threatens the very existence of everything in the universe, and her choices and actions lead to a variety of consequences, so choose carefully.

 

Exoprimal | July 14th, 2023

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S

Capcom might be on an incredible run of form at the moment, but is that going to be enough to convince people to play Exoprimal if they’ve got their hearts set on a Dino Crisis remake? Exoprimal might not be what the fans have necessarily asked for though, but that doesn’t mean you should discount this dino shooting bonanza though, as it has all the makings of a brilliant co-op and multiplayer shooter.

In Exoprimal, players pilot mecha with different weapons, skills and abilities and travel to different locations around the world, fighting hordes of dinosaurs that are causing havoc in cities, rainforests and everywhere in between. With 5-player co-op activities, along with multiplayer modes that blend PvP and PvE, Exoprimal will be an interesting one to watch. If nothing else, it’ll also be available on Xbox Game Pass if you want to try it out.

 

Jagged Alliance 3 | July 14th, 2023

Developer: Haemimont Games
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Platform(s): PC

For those who prefer methodical, turn-based tactics over gunning down dinosaurs with impunity, there’s always Jagged Alliance 3, the next installment of a legendary strategy RPG franchise. Continuing the franchise’s long legacy of larger-than-life characters and visceral decision making, Jagged Alliance 3 will put you in the shoes of the leader of a mercenary group, with the fate of an entire country hanging in the balance.

In the fictional area of Grand Chien, the newly-elected President has been abducted, and a shady PMC group known as The Legion have begun to set up shop. The President’s family have managed to scrounge up enough cash to hire your mercenary team to come to Grand Chien, find the President and re-establish order. The choices you make in this battlefield will decide the future of Grand Chien forever.

 

Lisa: Definitive Edition | July 18th, 2023

Developer: Dingaling Productions
Publisher: Serenity Forge
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, Switch

Hey, you there, dear reader. Do you want to know endless pain and suffering? Do you want to experience true misery in a game that looks like a loving homage to Nintendo’s Earthbound? Of course you do, which is why you should play Lisa: Definitive Edition, an upgraded collection of two indie games that became huge hits back in the early to mid 2010s, thanks in no small part to a viral video from one Videogamedunkey.

Combining together Lisa: The Painful and standalone DLC adventure Lisa: The Joyful, the Definitive Edition features new quests, bosses and secrets to find for both games, with those new features being added as a free update to existing Lisa owners. However, the real kicker here is that Lisa: Definitive Edition finally marks the first time that this landmark indie game has made the transition to consoles. Now, everyone can suffer like PC players have.

 

Punch Club 2: Fast Forward | July 20th, 2023

Developer: Lazy Bear Games
Publisher: tinyBuild
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, Switch

The first Punch Club might have passed a lot of people by, which is a shame because the Steam Page for the sequel says “the first rule of Punch Club is to tell everyone about Punch Club”. Clearly, some members have been slacking, so let’s make up for it by talking about Punch Club 2: Fast Forward, the sequel that aims to be bigger, sillier and even more fun than the original game. If training up a martial arts fighter sounds like fun to you, Punch Club 2 should be worth checking out.

After living with your mother for 20 years, it’s time for you to come into your own as a man, and you can do that by competing in illegal underground fight rings, of course. As a simulation game, you control every aspect of your fighter’s life, managing their training schedule, work life and other odd quests they might engage with in-between scraps. Punch Club 2 adds a special cyberpunk twist to the proceedings, which will probably make the humour even more outlandish too.

 

Pikmin 4 | July 21st, 2023

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform(s): Switch

Nintendo’s “Honey, I Shrunk The Kids” franchise, Pikmin has quietly been an incredibly popular IP for the Japanese giant, so it’s surprising that it’s taken six years into the Switch’s lifecycle for a proper new game in the series. Pikmin 3 Deluxe was a great port and all, but it’s awesome to see what the future of the Pikmin series looks like with Pikmin 4. If that future includes a lot more of Oatchi, then it’s fine by us.

Pikmin 4 attempts to improve and refine on the formula that the series has relied on for years now, with players creating their own avatar and embarking on expeditions on the mysterious planet that’s definitely not Earth, of course not. New Pikmin types are available to command here, along with the dog-like creature Oatchi, but the biggest change in Pikmin 4 is players can now explore at night, which was previously impossible. Just be careful, as more dangerous creatures will come out to play.

 

Remnant II | July 25th, 2023

Developer: Gunfire Games
Publisher: Gearbox Software
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X & S

Remnant: From The Ashes might have been one of the bigger sleeper hits of the past five years, offering brilliant co-op shooter gameplay for up to three friends to enjoy. Breakout success like that is what naturally leads developers to creating sequels, which is why Gunfire Games are dropping Remnant 2 in July. Whether it’ll live up to the hype of the original or prove it was a flash in the pan remains to be seen.

Remnant 2 seems to be giving players more of the same experience that its predecessor offered, with you and up to two friends joining together to venture across various monstrous realms. Each world has its own nasties and loot to discover, with players upgrading their skills and tools to take on more difficult missions. Loot, grind and repeat might not be the most innovative gameplay loop, but history has proven that it’s damn compelling.

 

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons | July 27th, 2023

Developer: Secret Base
Publisher: Modus Games
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, Switch

The Double Dragon series has been around for decades at this point, but in more recent years, the series has seemingly fallen off the face of the Earth. Considering that Double Dragon is one of the founding fathers of the beat ‘em up genre, that’s a real shame, but thankfully, Secret Base and Modus Games are on hand to bring the series into the modern era with Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons.

A roguelike take on the adventures of Billy and Jimmy Lee, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons allows up to two players to work together and take out the gangs of a post-apocalyptic New York City. With randomised rewards, changing difficulty depending on which order you tackle the levels, and a tag team mechanic, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons looks set to be beat ‘em up of the year.

 

The Expanse: A Telltale Series | July 27th, 2023

Developer: Telltale Games, Deck Nine
Publisher: Telltale Games
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S

It’s been a few years since the fall then subsequent resurrection of Telltale Games, the studio that trailblazed the narrative adventure at a time when gaming was just an ocean of brown and grey shooters. We’ve been waiting for a while now to see what this revived Telltale is capable of, and we’re going to find out this July with the release of The Expanse: A Telltale Series, based on the TV show of the same name.

Co-developed by Deck Nine, who have also made a name for themselves in narrative focused games thanks to their work on Life Is Strange, The Expanse serves as a prequel to the TV show, following Camina Drummer (played by a returning Cara Gee) as she explores the furthest reaches of The Belt on board The Artemis. As you’d expect from this type of game, things go wrong and you’ll be forced to make some difficult choices.

 

F1 Manager 2023 | July 31st, 2023

Developer: Frontier Developments
Publisher: Frontier Developments
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S

Not everyone can be brave enough to sit in the cockpit of an F1 vehicle and reach incredible speeds with 20 other drivers jostling for position. However, victory can often be determined by the decisions made off the track as well as on, which is why games like F1 Manager 2023 are so interesting for a lot of people. If you’re no good at racing but love stats and spreadsheets, this is the F1 game for you.

Naturally, F1 Manager 2023 will allow players to experience a full career mode as the manager of an F1 team, making all the macro and micro decisions that come with ensuring a racing team’s success when race day comes around. However, the big addition for this year is Race Replay, which replicates moments and starting conditions from every race in the 2023 season, allowing you to rewrite history in your own way.

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