This year has been quite eventful so far, to say the least. As a result, it was full of uncertainty, delays, and a mixed bag of emotions and news. To say that 2020 was a wild ride it would be an understatement, however, July did spark some joy.
We’ll take a brief look at some of the Steam releases of July 2020, video games that you might or might not have heard about, and, coincidentally, titles that you can find on the IndieGala store. But before delving into some of the video game releases of the past month, let’s take a moment to remember some of the recent events and announcements.
Some of the BIG announcements from July 2020
It has been quite a dry season: barely any new releases and a lot of radio silence. There hasn’t been a drop of good news during this 2020 drought. However, July did change that. While there was no official E3 this year, we had a few conferences…online.
There were some streams and announcements in June as well, sure, including the PS5’s peculiar design reveal. And of course, who could forget the release of the fastest-selling exclusive, The Last of Us Part II. June wasn’t shy of some occurrences, but July, on the other hand, is the mother lode of events. For instance….
Devolver Direct 2020
We had the over the top, highly entertaining Devolver Direct 2020. The histrionic presentation saga continues with the same convoluted plot, meta commentary, quirky humor and great acting we grew to know and love. “Promise gameplay, deliver gameplay, that’s how you do a digital showcase.” We got a quick peek at Shadow Warrior 3, Fall Guys, Serious Sam 4 and more.
Ubisoft Forward 2020
Ubisoft arrived the very next day with their own showcase: Ubisoft Forward 2020. Bringing us more Watch Dogs Legion & Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gameplay, as well as announcing their own brand new battle royale, Hyper Scape. They neatly wrapped things up with the Far Cry 6 announcement and trailer. However, for many of us it didn’t come as a surprise, due to the leaked Far Cry 6 poster featuring Giancarlo Esposito. Among the first to recognize him were most probably the Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul, Mandalorian and PAYDAY 2 fans.
Xbox Showcase 2020
And probably the final noteworthy major gaming event of the month: Xbox Showcase 2020. Since PS5 needed a worthy rival in the everlasting console wars, there were presented many console exclusives. Even if the main focus was on the new generation console, being Xbox and all, Microsoft did not forget about the PC gamers. They kicked it off with some Halo Infinite, which, as some of you have probably heard, is confirmed for Windows PC as well. But wait, there’s more!
Several new original titles, like Grounded, a Honey, I Shrunk the Kids-kind of game, Everwild, where Mother Nature’s beauty is presented in all of its splendor. Sequels were also on the menu.
While Halo decided to ditch their numeral, the fans of digits as well as the ones of State of Decay, Psychonauts, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R, can rest assured and be reassured. You were not forgotten. State of Decay 3, Psychonauts 2, S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 are confirmed! Those who enjoyed The Outer Worlds are in for a surprise: The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon has been revealed. The final reveal was the highly anticipated Fable.
Bandai Namco Play Anime Live 2020
For the gamers who’re also anime, show, cartoon or movie fans, these events got you covered. Let’s start with the first one: anime. Bandai Namco’s Play Anime Live brought some interesting anime news indeed.
Boruto’s Dad & Naruto’s Son fans rejoice! Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker just launched its third season pass, featuring fan-favorite Hatake Kakashi as the first available master. Similarly, four more characters are on their way to NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER Season Pass 3.
While waiting for the fifth season of Boku no Hero Academia, you might be interested in checking out the HeroAca game. Mei Hatsume is coming to My Hero One’s Justice 2 in the form of a paid DLC. In addition, if you are a football and anime fan alike, Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is on its way.
Comic-Con 2020
As for Comic-Con…while not particularly gaming oriented, there is probably way too much to be said. Too much to be covered in just one post and too many titles to be mentioned. But, just to name a few: The Boys, Rick & Morty, Marvel, DC, Star Trek, (Fear) The Walking Dead, Lovecraft Country, Archer, New Mutants, Infinity Train, Adventure Time, some Star Wars stuff and many more!
Probably one of the most fascinating announcements came during the DC Showcase. I am speaking about Batman: Death in the Family, the first interactive film presentation in Warner Bros. Home Entertainment history! Reminiscent of Netflix’s Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and, of course, Telltale’s highly acclaimed The Walking Dead, where choice affects the narrative. This could be a big new step in the direction of bringing people together, if done right. In this case, mainly gamers, comic book and movie fans (or even newcomers).
I did try keeping it short, but I probably failed. Sorry. Now let’s get back to the topic at hand.
What video game releases did we have during July 2020?
July has been a bountiful month on the IndieGala Store. Plenty of big and small names arrived, each one special in its own way. So let’s have a quick look, shall we? I know time, especially your time, is a precious commodity and I already abused it more than I ought to. That is why I will try my best to be brief but comprehensive from this point on. So, with no further ado, I present to you, in no particular order, the July releases.
14 Steam releases you might have missed in July 2020
Death Stranding
Death Stranding, probably one of the most anticipated games of the decade, rivaled only by the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 or a Half-Life sequel, comes to PC via 505 Games. Made by the mastermind behind the Metal Gear series, Hideo Kojima partnered with (and even befriended) fan-favorite TWD actor, Norman Reedus to bring us a one of a kind experience. A struggling journey paved with symbolism.
SWORD ART ONLINE Alicization Lycoris
Just in time for the release of the 2nd season of the Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld anime! If you are a fan of the SAO universe and its harem protagonist, Kirito, you’re in luck! Bandai Namco brings a new entry to their Sword Art Online game series. Get ready for seamless, action-packed real-time battles and magical adventures with your favorite SAO characters.
Neon Abyss
Combining the run ‘n’ gun action with some deep, roguelike mechanic, Neon Abyss is a colorful cocktail of fun, published by Team17! Combine powers to a seemingly game-breaking degree, improve your skill, get lucky and traverse the dungeons. The mini-games and Pokemon-like pets are the cherries on top.
F1® 2020 Seventy Edition
Are you passionate about fast cars, realistic racing and F1 events? How about building your own F1 team, creating your driver, choosing your sponsor? Are you a Schumacher fan? Well, if answered yes to some of those questions, you might not be surprised that Codemasters released their latest entry in their F1 game series: F1® 2020 Seventy Edition
SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE
SUPER HOT. SUPERHOT RETURNS! After SUPERHOT VR, the third installment, SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE brings fans more of the same of what we know and love, but also improves and diversifies in more ways than one. If you purchased the original SUPERHOT on or before 16.07.2020, then MIND CONTROL DELETE is already yours.
Destroy All Humans!
In case the recent dose of nostalgia brought by SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated wasn’t sufficient, THQ Nordic has you covered. The Destroy All Humans! remake puts you in the alien boots of one of the funniest alien invasion stories ever.
Beyond a Steel Sky
From the creator of the Broken Sword series and the legendary comic book artist behind ‘Watchmen’, comes ‘Beyond A Steel Sky’, the long awaited sequel to the cult classic ‘Beneath a Steel Sky’. In other words: the wait was worth it.
7 games down, 7 more titles to go
Ageless
Nothing compares to a well-aged wine, however, when you have the power to manipulate the age of animals and plant-life, it does open up plenty of opportunities. In addition to innovating with interesting puzzles and intricate platforming challenges, Ageless is a deep and engaging experience.
Let’s end this with a 6-round rapid-fire look at the last, but most certainly not least, July titles on our 2020 agenda.
- REZ PLZ is the latest game from Graffiti Games. It can be quite challenging and frustrating at times, but really fun and enjoyable if you play it with someone else. Thanks to the fascinating titular gimmick, sacrificing yourself or your friend hasn’t been as entertaining (and useful) since maybe Portal 2.
- Before I Forget was made by the dedicated 3-Fold Games indie team and depicts a short and touching experience, offering an unique perspective: the POV of someone displaying dementia symptoms. This topic hits home, for many of us.
- An Interesting Journey of Monsieur PAF, is, as the title earnestly suggests: interesting. An isometric homage to Sokoban developed by Ernestine, takes our muscular protagonist, Mr PAF, on an unforgettable exotic adventure.
- Paper Beast allows you to explore the colorful and whimsical universe born from the imagination of Eric Chahi, creator of Another World. Giving you an astonishing freedom of control, this game is best enjoyed in VR. Speaking of beasts…
- Hunting Simulator 2 has beautifully rendered graphics and offers you a dog companion. What more can you wish? For instance, how about the chance of hunting bears without the real life risk of hurting yourself or any bear in the process?
- Dreamland Solitaire: Dark Prophecy brings us a stunning new journey! In the usual Alawar fashion, you get to explore a new world of magic and go on an unforgettable solitaire adventure!
What awaits us beyond July 2020?
In conclusion, August has barely just begun, but we can look forward to even more great news. GAMESCOM, QUAKECON and TENNOCON have been confirmed for this month. In addition to what we know, will we get more 2K reveals? More details about the upcoming Kerbal Space Program sequel? Maybe more beautifully crafted indie gems?
Time will tell. Let us try to be hopeful. Moreover, let’s do our best to stay healthy and safe in these trying pandemic times.
