The July 2024 games lineup is filled to the brim with RPG action, but there are a few other standouts like the return of college football to consoles and PCs. We’ll also be getting a retro throwback with Nintendo this month.
Dungeons of Hinterberg (Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC)
Publisher: Curve GamesDeveloper: Microbird GamesPrice: $29.99Release Date: July 18Trailer
Dungeons of Hinterbergcould be the next indie RPG to take the world by storm. In thisZelda-inspired adventure, you’ll be exploring the mythical Austrian town of Hinterberg. Dungeons await you with monsters to defeat with sword and magic skills and intriguing puzzles. “This dungeon-crawler mixes narrative elements with some interesting locales, satisfying combat encounters, and more than enough puzzles,” Destructoid said about itsSteam Next Fest demo.
In between your daring exploits, there are locals to meet around the town, who will give you new tricks for your adventuring. You can take on this journey whenDungeons of Hinterberglaunches onJuly 18.
EA Sports College Football 25 (PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S)
Publisher: EADeveloper: EA OrlandoPrice: $69.99Release Date: July 19Trailer
After many years, college football returns to the gaming space, thanks to EA. EA Sports College Football 25 will be taking inspiration from the lively atmosphere of stadiums across the U.S. “With traditional team run-outs, rivalry rituals,synchronized crowd-chants, loudness meters as well as real game-day audio, fight songs and, of course, mascots, it’ll feel like home everywhere you look.” said theofficial website.
EA is also touting its Wear & Tear system, which has you managing each player’s health and limit fatigue. According to the publisher, this allows you to “assess risk of injury and avoid on-field mistakes by using strategic substitutions.”EA College Football 25touches down onto the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S onJuly 19. Three-day early access is also provided through the Deluxe Edition.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC)
Publisher: Square EnixDeveloper: Square EnixPrice: $39.99Release Date: July 2Trailer
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrailis the latest expansion for Square Enix’s huge MMO. The game gets a fantastic graphical facelift with this update. “Dawntrailis gorgeous, no doubt,” saidour preview. “It’s perhaps the most visually stunning expansion yet, and there’s a lot riding on 7.0’s drastic makeover.”
After the Final Days era of the storyline, you find yourself in Tural, a stunning new landscape. Throughout this part of the adventure, you’ll be involved with who rules over the nation of Tuliyollal. In addition, Square Enix has implemented two new tasks into the game: the two-handed Viper and the paintbrush-focused Pictomancer.
Unfortunately, since the launch ofDawntrail,it’s been getting a mixed response from Steam users (viaTheGamer). Some have disliked Wuk Lamat, a new character featured in this content, who is voiced by a trans voice actor Sena Bryer. There have been reports of transphobic comments, unfortunately. They’ve also criticized the slow start to the story.
Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition (Switch)
Publisher: NintendoDeveloper: NintendoPrice: $29.99 ($59.99 for physical edition)Release Date: July 18Trailer
Based on the classic tournament of yesteryear,Nintendo World Championships: NES Editionchallenges you to over 150 speedrun-style tasks. They’re based on 13 classic games, such as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros, and Balloon Fight. You’ll be competing with your friends offline and online, in addition to players around the world, through ranked leaderboards. In fact, you could make this a party game with up to 8 player support.
As you play the game, you’ll also earn coins that let you unlock player icons along the way. The game launches onJuly 18 for the Nintendo Switch. The physical version (The Deluxe Set) comes with a gold replica pak, a set of five pins, and 13 cards based on every title featured in theNintendo World Championships: NES Edition.
Zenless Zone Zero (PC, PS5, iOS, Android)
Publisher: MiHoYoDeveloper: MiHoYoPrice: Free to play with microtransactionsRelease Date: July 4Trailer
The studio behindGenshin ImpactandHonkai Star Railis back with another gacha titleZenless Zone Zero.This much-anticipated game has a deeper focus on combat that’s been compared to theDevil May Cryseries. You can dodge and parry your way to victory with each character’s unique play style. “I still found combat exceptionally entertaining, primarily with the Agent’s distinct Attributes and Fighting Styles,” saidour review. “The system works like any other RPG, using different elemental attacks and certain roles, such as Support.”
Calling itself an urban fantasy action RPG,Zenless Zone Zeroexplores a futuristic city called New Eridu with pocket dimensions (called Hollows) filled with challenges. While dangerous, your party steps inside to get valuable resources and other rewards. It isn’t open-world, but there’s an intriguing rogue-lite element to the game that may become addicting for some.
Honorable Mentions
There are some other major July 2024 games to release this month.Anger Foot,for example, is a promising Devolver Digital indie that seems chaotically engaging. Here are all of the honorable mentions for July this year.
