The highest 12 video games on PC in August 2021

I do know these month-to-month lists typically spotlight the ten video games that you must regulate over the subsequent month, however I’ve bumped it as much as 12 for August. As a result of, if you happen to haven’t heard, video video games are again, child!… And so they may disappear once more at any second, so please simply let me have a good time the truth that there are greater than 10 laptop video games popping out over the subsequent 4 and a bit weeks.

A whole lot of international locations are getting a bit farther away from that virus with each passing day, permitting builders to get again to creating the video games. Thus, permitting us to renew enjoying the issues they make. I say “ a whole lot of international locations,” as a result of have you ever seen these U.Ok. numbers? Woof. I’m already trying ahead to Freedom Day II.

For those who’re not able to step exterior your entrance door but, hopefully there’s one thing on this checklist that may preserve you entertained over the subsequent few weeks. So, let’s crack on, then. Listed below are the highest 12 video video games coming to PC in August, 2021.

For those who like transferring photos set to phrases and music, you possibly can have a watch of the video above. However, if you happen to desire textual content, then learn on.

Psychonauts 2 (August twenty fifth)

Who’s it by? Double Tremendous Productions

The place can I get it? Steam | Microsoft Retailer

How a lot is it? £54.99/€59.99/$59.99/£0.00 with Xbox Recreation Cross For PC

The unique Psychonauts is the among the best video games I’ve performed in 2021. I missed it the primary time round, and I used to be eager to provide it a go earlier than the second launched. I’m so glad I did. The luchadors of Black Velvetopia, the tabletop sport of Waterloo World, the G-men of the Milkman Conspiracy: all of it holds up… besides the Meat Circus, clearly. I now can’t wait to see what Double Tremendous have completed with the long-awaited sequel. Whereas I’m comparatively assured the strange minds behind this 3D puzzle-platformer could have the puzzling side down, I’m just a little involved concerning the platforming half. The primary sport did come out 15 years in the past, although, so right here’s hoping this follow-up has extra fluid and exact motion. Additionally, the primary sport solely sometimes dipped its toe into the psychological well being pool, whereas Psychonauts 2 seems to cannonball proper into the deep finish. If it balances that with some splendidly kooky ranges, imaginative talents, and a half first rate soar, this might very simply find yourself being on many goty lists come December.

Humankind (August seventeenth)

Who’s it by? Amplitude Studios

The place can I get it? Steam | Epic Video games Retailer | Humble

How a lot is it? £39.83/€49.79/$49.79

With Humankind, it’s fairly clear that Sega are fluttering their eyelashes at everybody who has rinsed Civ VI for all its value. However I’d be doing this 4X sport a disservice to place it as a mere clone of Firaxis’ long-running sequence. As an alternative of main one group of individuals from day dot as much as fashionable occasions, you select totally different cultures on the dawning of every period. Additionally, there’s just one strategy to win in Humankind: fame. If you wish to stay eternally, it is advisable to full targets in each period of the sport – attain a sure stage of affect, construct a selected variety of districts, and so forth. The fight is fairly totally different, too. It’s troublesome to sum up in a sentence or two, so simply know that RPS’ technique man Nate Crowley instructed me he’s into it, and his endorsement will do me simply nice. You’ll have the ability to see for your self whether or not Humankind is worthy of the Civ killer moniker that some have bestowed upon it when it comes out in the midst of this month.

Icarus (August twelfth)

Who’s it by? RocketWerkz

The place can I get it? Steam

How a lot is it? £21.41/€22.49/$26.99

Zombies not concern Dean Corridor; in any case, aliens are the true menace. Particularly, all of the beasts that’ll have you ever quaking in your little house boots, in co-op survival sport Icarus. Not like DayZ, Rocketwerkz’s first sport is session-based, so whilst you’ll be visiting an alien world, your useful resource gathering journeys are time-restricted. You may go it alone, if you happen to like, however you’ll additionally have the ability to deliver alongside seven different friends in your expeditions, if you happen to’d desire firm. Whereas Icarus is certainly launching this month, it’s value holding in thoughts that that is the primary chapter of one thing Rocketwerkz have stated might be a multi-year sort of deal. The First Cohort (the sport’s first chapter) is kind of Earthy-looking, which could disappoint these trying to take down some six-legged land trout. However Corridor has stated in interviews that the extra acquainted setting is by design. Draw you in, after which hit you with the Goro fish in chapter 3, I suppose. For those who’re trying to get in on the bottom ground with Icarus, you possibly can play The First Cohort, in about two weeks time.

Twelve Minutes (August nineteenth)

Who’s it by? Luis Antonio

The place can I get it? Steam

How a lot is it? No worth listed at time of writing

This narrative-driven journey sport has been on tons of most anticipated lists for years, and we’ll lastly get to play it this August. Developed by Luis Antonio, Twelve Minutes sees you assume the function of man making an attempt to interrupt out of a Groundhog Day-like 12-minute time loop. The vast majority of this sport performs out in a younger couple’s television-less sitting room, the place you’ll be combining objects, chatting to your spouse, and getting roughed up by Willem Dafoe. Twelve Minutes’ forged is pure Hollywood: the Velocity 2: Cruise Management star is joined by Wimbledon’s James McAvoy and Peter Rabbit’s Daisy Ridley. We’ll see whether or not all that expertise equals a stellar online game in just some weeks time.

Skatebird (August twelfth)

In the midst of August, we’ll get to see whether or not Skatebird is extra than simply an excuse for video games journalists to make use of “Tony HAWK, amirite!?!11” for article straplines. Whereas I haven’t dumped tons of time into the latest demo, I’m hopeful that there’s one thing on this arcade skateboarding sport. It performs like a extra forgiving Professional Skater, however Skatebird additionally seems to take inspiration from Tony’s later video games – Underground and what got here after – by together with a narrative mode. Fingers crossed the large tips and narrative feels lead to a sport that’s been well worth the multi-year wait.

Ed. be aware: Simply earlier than we revealed this, Skatebird was delayed into September. The wait continues! Thus, we’re as a substitute going to suggest the upcoming Siege Of Paris DLC for Murderer’s Creed Valhalla. It could be a bit cheeky to suggest a DLC, however the Wrath Of The Druids one was each meaty and fascinating, and we have each motive to consider this new one will observe swimsuit. With Paris comes new weapons, talents, and raids – so mainly, extra of all the things you want about AC Valhalla within the first place. And is not it simply the time of yr for a jaunt to France? Viking friends ought to look out for it on August twelfth.

King’s Bounty II (August twenty fourth)

Who’s it by? 1C Leisure

The place can I get it? Steam

How a lot is it? £43.99/€49.99/$49.99

On the subject of being affected person: the primary King’s Bounty was launched in 1990. I do know lots of people are very excited to get their palms on the direct sequel they thought may by no means come, however there are a number of of us that missed the primary one, too. Personally, being a toddler on the time was a troublesome hurdle to recover from. For those who’re thinking about leaping in at this level, I’d think about you’ll be alright. 30 years have handed, so King’s Bounty II will possible be a teeny bit totally different to the unique. And whereas it could take some parts from King’s Bounty: The Legend, you may in all probability be okay to hop that period of the sequence, as nicely. So, in King’s Bounty II, you progress across the map in third-person, like a type of fancy and fashionable RPGs; what you say to NPCs will have an effect on your ethical alignment, thus making some military models stronger, and others weaker, relying on their outlook on the world; and fight has been tinkered with too. It’s nonetheless the outdated turn-based, hexagonal battlefield hijinks, however your terrain issues in King’s Bounty II. It feels like developer 1C Leisure has tried to appease each generations; we’ll see in the event that they’ve hit the mark on the finish of this month.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite (August twenty fourth)

Who’s it by? Chilly Iron Studios

The place can I get it? Steam | Humble

How a lot is it? £34.99/€39.99/$39.99

This 40-year-old franchise’s place in video video games is tremendous higgledy-piggledy. For each Alien: Isolation, there have been 4 Aliens: Colonial Marineses. I’m making an attempt my finest to keep away from evaluating Fireteam Elite with Gearbox’s mistake, nevertheless it’s laborious. The upcoming sport additionally hangs its helmet on motion, relatively than horror. You – both solo or as a part of a three-person workforce – head to LV-895 to completely rip aside some xenomorphs. It feels like success depends upon how nicely you hyperlink up along with your teammates, too, given that every character has their very own talents and perks. Early previews have been comparatively constructive, so maybe this’ll grow to be the sport you wished that different one to be.

Glitchpunk (August eleventh)

Who’s it by? Darkish Lord

The place can I get it? Steam

How a lot is it? No worth listed at time of writing

On the lookout for a mayhem-filled sport that is paying homage to GTA 2? You’re!?! That’s helpful, as a result of the subsequent few sentences wouldn’t resonate as a lot if you happen to weren’t. Glitchpunk is a top-down motion sport that has all the things you’re available in the market for: capturing, driving, gangs, cops, and hacking. What did you anticipate? Its identify ends in -punk. The trailers have undoubtedly been heavy on the bombast, however developer Darkish Lord say it isn’t simply infinite shootouts. On prime of scrambling the circuitry of NPCs and objects on the planet, Glitchpunk has a branching narrative that guarantees to deal with some heavy topics. You received’t get to see all the things this sport has to supply this month, although, because it’s being launched by means of Early Entry. Nevertheless, the primary metropolis is claimed to have round eight hours of murderous enjoyable occasions, and the second location is outwardly coming in early-to-mid September.

Highway 96 (August sixteenth)

Who’s it by? Digixart

The place can I get it? Steam | GOG

How a lot is it? No worth listed at time of writing

Narrative-driven, procedurally-generated run video games aren’t terribly widespread, making Highway 96 a really intriguing prospect. You begin every playthrough as an adolescent trying to journey 1000’s of miles to your nation’s border. Throughout your journey, you’ll come throughout a number of various characters, however the order of the eventualities might be totally different on every journey. So, whereas the vacation spot is identical for everybody, my story needs to be totally different to yours. Whereas I’m undoubtedly into the idea, it does sound very formidable. However, if they’ll pull it off, I’m 100% into it.

Dying Trash (August fifth)

Who’s it by? Crafting Legends

The place can I get it? Steam | GOG

How a lot is it? No worth listed at time of writing

The primary Dying Trash publish on this excellent web site was revealed in October, 2015. So, stick this one on the years-in-the-making pile with all the things else popping out in August. This old-fashioned Fallout-like RPG might be accessible as an Early Entry sport, at first, with a full launch anticipated inside the subsequent 12 months. The ultimate sport might be open-world, however if you happen to soar on this month you’ll get the primary chapter, with extra story and areas being added in updates. Now that every one the housekeeping is out of the best way: this seems fairly fucked up, doesn’t it? However in an excellent, grungy approach. That Pirates Of The Caribbean-looking bastard is an actual standout. You may also vom on command. It’s known as Dying Trash, to be honest. For those who have been one of many many who fell for the sport’s combination of mankiness and real-time fight over the past Steam Demo Extravaganza, you will get on the dirty bandwagon on the fifth.

Hoa (August twenty fourth)

Who’s it by? Skrollcat Studio

The place can I get it? Steam | GOG | Humble

How a lot is it? No worth listed at time of writing

Now for one thing fully totally different: Hoa seems like an interactive Ghibli film. So, you’re this bipedal hat-thing, and presumably you spend your complete sport marveling on the stunning environments you cross, as you go from left-to-right. All the pieces about this simply appears so nice. The orchestral rating, the non-violent encounters, the hand-painted characters: all totally pleasant. It’s not a passive expertise by any means, although. There might be some platforming challenges and light-weight puzzling to drive you thru the playable cartoon. Looks as if a pleasant strategy to spend a day in doorways whereas the world burns round you. Bliss.

New World (August thirty first)

Who’s it by? Amazon Video games

The place can I get it? Steam

How a lot is it? £34.99/€39.99/$39.99

I do not know how Amazon have been capable of flip this one round. New World was the butt of many jokes solely final yr, but this MMORPG had 200,000 concurrent gamers throughout its closed beta. Our personal Ed Thorn previewed it a number of weeks in the past and got here away with a hankering for extra. He particularly beloved the give attention to crafting, saying that this sport has as a lot in widespread with Valheim, because it does WoW. However there’s loads of fightin’ to be completed right here, as nicely, with New World’s monsters posing a menace to those that need to give attention to the RPG side, and the 50v50 battle mode giving an outlet to anybody that wishes to interact within the MMO portion of the sport. There’s clearly extra to this than I can slot in a paragraph, however if you happen to’re uninterested in your present MMO of alternative, maybe you must contemplate – and I’m nonetheless a bit stunned I’m saying this – New World.

No matter you find yourself enjoying over August, I hope you might have a beautiful time with it. However, do inform: what new video games, if any, are you trying ahead to getting your palms on, this month? Need to silence some thoughts censors in Psychonauts 2? Desperate to rule in Humankind? Or do you intend on making an attempt to outlive the alien wilderness in Icarus? Tell us within the feedback.