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The top 7 games I’m looking forward to the most in August

August is now in full swing, and the pace of high-profile video game launches will increase as we head toward the holiday release window. In August’s case, there’s going to be a healthy mix of titles from all corners of the video game industry.

Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony are all set to release at least one game this month, even if none of them are the console manufacturers’ biggest releases of the year.

We’re also seeing the grand return of some older game franchises like Gradius, Mafia, Shinobi, and Metal Gear Solid, which fans have demanded new games from for years.

So many games come out every week, it can be hard to discern what’s worth your time, though.

I’m ranking the seven games coming out this month that I’m looking forward to the most to help you better determine which ones to pick up.

7 Gradius Origins

Launching August 7 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch

I have a soft spot for retro game collections that celebrate the series they are for and reintroduce them to a whole new generation.

Gradius Origins does just that for the Konami shoot ’em up series Gradius and Salamander (known as Life Force in the US), which were very influential but haven’t gotten much love in recent years.

Gradius Origins even goes a step further and includes Salamander III, which is technically a brand-new game based on the shoot ’em up classics.

If you enjoy arcade games or retro games, this is what you should check out in August.

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Gradius Origins

Released
August 7, 2025

ESRB
Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language

Developer(s)
Konami

Publisher(s)
Konami

Number of Players
Single-player

Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown

PC Release Date
August 7, 2025

Xbox Series X|S Release Date
August 7, 2025

6 Lost Soul Aside

Releasing August 29 for PC and PS5

Lost Souls Aside is an intriguing game from an independent Chinese game developer.

Inspired by games like Final Fantasy XV, developer Yang Bing has spent nearly a decade working on this action game that looks like it could be this year’s Black Myth: Wukong or Stellar Blade.

Sony is publishing the game as part of its China Hero Project initiative, so this technically stands alongside Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yotei as one of PlayStation’s marquee console exclusives of the year.

If you’ve enjoyed any of the games that I compared Lost Soul Aside to, then you should be keeping an eye on this game as we approach its launch.

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Lost Soul Aside

Released
August 29, 2025

ESRB
Rating Pending

Publisher(s)
PlayStation Studios

Engine
Unreal Engine 4

Number of Players
Single-player

Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown

PC Release Date
August 29, 2025

Launching August 28 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X

Konami is releasing two games this month, with the second being a remake of the beloved Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Hideo Kojima is obviously not involved in any way, but the remake’s developers are keen to keep Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater as close as possible to the original, albeit with an Unreal Engine 5 visual upgrade.

While still technically a remake, it’s Konami’s first effort to release a AAA game in the franchise since Metal Gear Survive, so its launch late this month is definitely worth keeping tabs on.

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Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Released
August 28, 2025

ESRB
Mature 17+ // Blood, Sexual Themes, Violence

Developer(s)
Konami

Publisher(s)
Konami

Engine
Unreal Engine 5

Prequel(s)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Sequel(s)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

4 Drag X Drive

Launching August 14 for Nintendo Switch 2

If you like games that rethink how players interact with this medium, then Drag X Drive is for you. This is a new multiplayer sports game from Nintendo that’s almost entirely played with the Joy-Con 2’s mouse controls.

Players are in wheelchairs and have to slide the Joy-Cons 2 around to move before using motion controls to throw a basket.

It’s the first exclusive coming out on Nintendo Switch 2 that feels like it couldn’t be made for other gaming hardware, and that’s quite exciting.

Even if you’re a Switch 2 owner not planning on buying the game, you should at least check out its free public test next week if you’re a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber.

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Drag x Drive

Released
August 14, 2025

Developer(s)
Nintendo

Publisher(s)
Nintendo

Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer

Number of Players
1-6 players

Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
August 14, 2025

3 Mafia: The Old Country

Launching August 8 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X

A character walks toward a car in Mafia: The Old Country

The Mafia series has a history dating back 25 years, but these crime games have never broken out into the mainstream in the same way a franchise like Grand Theft Auto has.

Mafia: The Old Country stands out from its predecessors by setting itself in Sicily rather than the United States and being more linear in design rather than an open-world adventure.

I played through every Mafia game a couple of years ago, so I’m very excited to check this one out.

If you like supporting single-player action games that don’t cave into including an open world or multiplayer mode, then Mafia: The Old Country seems like it will be worth supporting.

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Mafia: The Old Country

Released
August 8, 2025

Developer(s)
Hangar 13

Publisher(s)
2K

Engine
Unreal Engine 5

Franchise
Mafia

Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown

PC Release Date
August 8, 2025

Xbox Series X|S Release Date
August 8, 2025

2 Sword of the Sea

Launching August 19 for PC and PS5

This indie game might not be on your radar, but it should be.

It was developed by Giant Squid, a studio formed by some game developers who worked on the indie classic Journey, and this game very much feels like a spiritual successor to Journey.

It’s a single-player adventure with minimal dialogue where the player surfs around the desert’s sand dunes and slowly works to bring water back to it.

I played about a half-hour of Sword of the Sea at Summer Game Fest Play Days this year and was entranced by what I experienced.

If you’re a PS Plus Extra or Premium subscriber, you should play Sword of the Sea when it launches on the subscription service later this month.

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Sword of the Sea

Released
August 19, 2025

ESRB
Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence

Developer(s)
Giant Squid

Publisher(s)
Giant Squid

Number of Players
Single-player

Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown

PC Release Date
August 19, 2025

PS5 Release Date
August 19, 2025

1 Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Launching August 29 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch

Another game coming out this month that I’m unbelievably excited for is Shinobi: Art of Vengeance.

I recently played the demo that was released following its appearance in a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase and loved what I played.

It leans into the intense action of its Sega Genesis predecessors, but can go a lot deeper with the combat and platforming mechanics than those games were.

It also has some gorgeous art and animation, which should be expected from Lizardcube, the developer who brought us Streets of Rage 4 and the Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap remake.

If you’ve been enjoying Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and are looking for more Ninja games to play afterward, you should try Shinobi: Art of Vengeance’s demo. Consider playing the entire game when it launches towards the end of August.

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Shinobi: Art Of Vengeance

Released
August 29, 2025

Developer(s)
Lizardcube, Sega

Publisher(s)
Sega

Number of Players
1

Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown

PC Release Date
August 29, 2025

Xbox Series X|S Release Date
August 29, 2025

That’s just the tip of the iceberg for games launching this month

A image from the Destiny Rising video games
Source: Destiny Rising

While those seven games are the ones coming out this month that I’m looking forward to the most, they are far from the only games launching.

It’s a particularly notable month for console war-breaking ports, as Microsoft is bringing Gears of War: Reloaded and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 to PC, while Sony is bringing Helldivers 2 to Xbox Series X.

A Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Kirby and the Forgotten Land will also be released, while Destiny Rising is going to adapt Bungie’s popular MMO shooter to mobile.

No matter what platform you play games on, there’s a lot to look forward to this month.

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