When I was throwing together the Big 5 for July I took a look into the future and August looked pretty bleak when it came to new releases. Apparently I just didn’t look hard enough because finding five games you should be looking at this month wasn’t really all that difficult. It’s the calm before the storm as we get ready to head into one of the biggest fall’s the gaming industry has seen in a while with massive games hitting every month all the way until Christmas. Until then, if you’re itching to lighten your wallet take a look at these.
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Ultimate Evil Edition (PS3, PS4, 360, Xbox One)
Essentially the Diablo III version of a ‘Game of the Year’ edition this brings Diablo III plus its expansion ‘Reaper of Souls’ to consoles for the first time. It also marks the first time that Diablo III has been seen on current gen consoles with the PS4 and Xbox One. If you were one of the many gamers who played it on last generation it’s certainly worth noting that you’ll be able to import your character progress from your old machine to your new one if you make the purchase. If you decided to go traitor and switch consoles you can also rest easy because cross platform importing is possible. 360 to PS4? No problem! One of the best dungeon crawler franchises ever made just got better and surely you won’t be disappointed making the leap. If you’re a PS4 owner you’ll also get an exclusive dungeon based on ‘The Last of Us’ and a ‘Shadow of the Colossus’ inspired armor set! It hits shelves August 19th which might signal the beginning of the fall rush of games because this is definitely a big one.
Ultra Street Fighter IV (PS3, 360, PC)
If anyone reading this caught any of the EVO 2014 tournament on Twitch in July you’ll know that the fighting genre is bigger and badder than ever. One of the mainstays on the fighting scene is one of the grand daddies of the genre, Street Fighter. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who didn’t play at least a little Street Fighter in the arcades as a kid. Well the arcade experience is easily found at home these days and with USFIV it’s better than ever. More fighters, more stages, more… well a lot of stuff. If you’re a fan of SF you’re definitely picking this up if you haven’t gotten it digitally already. Round 1…. FIGHT!
inFamous Second Son: First Light (PS4)
First things first, if you haven’t played inFamous Second Son yet and you have a PS4… well I don’t even know what to say to you. It’s one of the best reasons to own a PS4 by far. If you have played it you likely loved Fetch Walker as much as I did and can’t wait to dive deeper into her story. Drug abuse, loss of loved ones, escape from Curdun Cay… all integral to Fetch’s personality and all inside this standalone DLC package. In a smart move by Sony and Suckerpunch you don’t need the original title to play this content so it’s likely we’ll see a small spike in sales of Second Son as a few new conduits lineup to experience Delsin Rowe’s story.
Madden NFL 15 (PS3, PS4, 360, Xbox One)
Another year, another football game from EA. Surprised!? Ok, of course not… you can count on Madden every year like you can count on Christmas coming every year. This year the team at EA focused on improving the defensive play of the game as well as various tweaks in plenty of other spots. Featuring the Seattle Seahawks Superbowl Screamer Richard Sherman on the cover it hits shelves August 26th.
Metro Redux (PS3, Xbox One, PC)
Metro 2033 is one of the best shooters of the last generation. It flew under the radar of many consumers when it was released and developed sort of a cult following. Nearly impossible to find in stores it became a game a lot of us wanted to play but few of us actually did. Metro Last Light reinforced how good the series was with a great game that was much more appreciated. Both games are getting the graphics one up for current gen consoles and PC so it will be a great chance for those who haven’t experienced them to give them a go. While Last Light is getting a minor overhaul with an improved 4A engine 2033 is getting a full redevelopment so it will look better than ever. Two really solid games for the price of one is a great deal… too great to pass up!