We’re officially halfway through 2019 now, but the second half of the year is jam-packed with release dates. Here are some of the most highly anticipated games coming out in the year’s summer months that you can look forward to.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 – July 12
The sequel to Dragon Quest Builders, a game that added Minecraft-like building elements to the Dragon Quest universe, is heading West later this month. This game will include new features, such as four-player co-op, that fans will be able to try out when the game launches on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order – July 19
The third game in the Marvel Ultimate Alliance series of action-RPGs is coming this month and will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. While PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia players will be getting Marvel’s Avengers next year, hopefully this game will be able to scratch that Avengers itch for Switch players.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses – July 26
Originally slated for a spring 2019 release, the latest installment in the Fire Emblem series is finally coming later this month. In it, players will take on the role of a professor at a school where they’ll build relationships with their students before setting off on tactical-RPG style battles. Needless to say, the game will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood – July 26
Wolfenstein is going co-op, as the new game will allow for two players to play as each of series protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz’s twin daughters, Jess and Soph. About twenty years after The New Colossus, Blazkowicz has gone missing in Nazi-occupied Paris, and it’s up to his daughters to find him when the game launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.
Rad – August 20
An upcoming creation from Psychonauts studio Double Fine Productions, Rad is a roguelike game set in the post-post-apocalypse. Not only will the layout of levels be randomly generated, however, but so will the player’s abilities, as mutations will sometimes occur, giving the player a random set of powers, making every playthrough even more unique. The game will launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.
Life is Strange 2 – Episode Four – August 22
The fourth and penultimate episode of Life is Strange 2 is set to release this quarter for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. In it, players will have to deal with the heavy aftermath of one of several possible endings to the previous episode, which could include the injury or death of a number of characters.
Oninaki – August 22
The latest game from I am Setsuna developer Tokyo RPG Factory, Oninaki is an action-RPG that takes place in a world where reincarnation is the foundation of society. As a Watcher, the player will have to guide the Lost, souls that have, for one reason or another, been held back from reincarnation, when the game launches on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Control – August 27
At last year’s E3, Quantum Break developer Remedy Games revealed their upcoming action-adventure title Control. When the game releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, players will be able to utilize telekinesis-like powers to use objects in the environment and take out enemies in a lot of interesting ways.
Astral Chain – August 30
Bayonetta and NieR:Automata developer PlatinumGames will release Astral Chain this quarter, a new action game that will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. The game will have players effectively controlling two characters at once, allowing a lot of unique gameplay you likely won’t find in other action titles, which will include, among other things, using the chain linking the two characters to take down enemies.
The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan – August 30
Until Dawn developer Supermassive Games is working on a series of interactive horror stories called The Dark Pictures Anthology, and the first game in this anthology is set to release next month. In Man of Medan, players will control a group of young adults on a boat who start getting terrorized by something supernatural. It is up to the player and the choices they make to save these characters when the game launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Catherine: Full Body – September 3
2011’s creepy puzzle platformer Catherine is coming back this year as Catherine: Full Body, but it’s more than just a simple re-release. This new version of the game will launch on the PlayStation 4 with a completely new character, Rin, who will contribute to a whole new subplot, as well as adding new dialogue for existing characters, with the original voice actors reprising their roles.
Gears 5 – September 10
A rare Xbox One console exclusive (also coming to PC), Gears 5 will be the latest entry in the popular Gears of War series. The game will feature a new mode called Escape, which will focus on three-player co-op as the characters try to survive the Hive.
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series – September 10
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series promises to be the ultimate collection for fans of Telltale’s The Walking Dead. This game will include Season One, Season Two, A New Frontier, and The Final Season, as well as the “400 Days” DLC and Michonne mini-series all in one package, alongside digital bonuses like developer commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, a music player, and a character model viewer, when it launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Borderlands 3 – September 13
The highly anticipated third main series installment in the beloved Borderlands series is finally coming this year. Prepare for new playable characters, a lot more guns, and new villains, the Calypso Twins, a pair of evil streamers, when the game launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Daemon X Machina – Septemer 13
Create your own character and customize your mech when action game Daemon X Machina launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch. Fans of mech-based action games will be happy to know that this new game is being produced by Kenichiro Tsukuda, producer of the Armored Core series.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – September 20
A remake of the 1993 Game Boy classic, Link’s Awakening will return the series to its top-down roots after the large departure of traditional Zelda mechanics in Breath of the Wild. With a new, charming art style and dungeon-building mechanic, this remake looks to appease new and old Zelda fans alike when it launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
Contra: Rogue Corps – September 24
The latest entry in the classic run-and-gun series is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. The game will feature a single-player campaign, as well as online and local four-player co-op, so you can shoot aliens and monsters and robots and whatever else to your heart’s content.
Code Vein – September 27
Originally scheduled for release last year, Bandai Namco’s Code Vein will finally be released this quarter. Players will be able to play what has often been likened to Dark Souls but anime when the game launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
