The 15 Best Games Releasing During the Summer Drought

Kirby Planet Robobot (3DS) - June 10

The latest Kirby game mixes things up a bit, by granting the pink puffball a giant mech suit. Traditional Kirby gameplay returns to the 3DS, but the new mech theme ties into both the gameplay and aesthetic. Planet Robobot is just the game to pop into your 3DS when you're out and about this summer.

Mighty No. 9 (PC, PS4, Wii U, Xbox One, 3DS, 360, PS3) - June 21

After a long wait and multiple delays, Mighty No. 9 will finally release on June 21. The spiritual successor to Mega Man, Mighty No. 9 is also create by Keiji Inafune, and boasts many of the same qualities. A spirited robotic protagonist, sidescrolling gameplay with multiple powers and a host of bosses to face down. Mighty No. 9 may just scratch that itch that Mega Man or sidescrolling fans have over the summer.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE (Wii U) - June 24

Tokyo Mirage Sessions is the culmination of the crossover project between Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei. The game appears to share much more with Persona though than the mainline SMT series, as it focuses on a group of characters hoping to become stars of the entertainment industry in Tokyo. The game features elements from both Fire Emblem and SMT in its combat, along with an original cast and some familiar Fire Emblem characters. It's heavily influenced by Japanese culture, and might just be an RPG that can fill some of those long summer days.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS, 360, PS3)- June 28

Star Wars returned in a big way last year with The Force Awakens, and now the film is receiving its own LEGO video game adaption. The new game will retell the story of the film in the traditional quirky LEGO way, and even features some new story content set between Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness (PS4) - June 28

Another huge JRPG lands the last week of June, with the fifth entry in the Star Ocean series. After being absent since 2010, the series returns with a new adventure and some improvements. For the first time, players can use their entire party of seven characters in battle at once. Integrity and Faithlessness is also trying to make cutscenes and story moments far more interactive than most JRPGs. If you want a title that you can really sink into over the slow summer, Star Ocean could be a good choice.

The Technomancer (Xbox One, PS4, PC) - June 28

The Technomancer is an interesting RPG blending elements of sci-fi with fantasy. The game takes place on Mars and has you play as a technomancer, or "Mage-Warrior" who has the ability to use destructive electrical abilities. Combat, crafting, party members and romances are all part of this sci-fi RPG. The Technomancer could be a good change of pace from all the fantasy based RPGs we've been seeing lately.

Zero Time Dilemma (PS Vita, 3DS) - June 28

The Zero Escape series has an interesting concept, as each game is basically a visual novel mixed with puzzle solving elements. Zero Time Dilemma is the third game in the trilogy and like its predecessors, puts nine characters in a locked location where they're forced to play a game of death called the Decision Game. All three Zero Escape games tie together in some way, and their well realized characters and twisting stories easily draw you in.

Song of the Deep (PS4, PC, Xbox One) - July 12

Song of the Deep is a bit different of a game for Insomniac, known for their work on Ratchet & Clank as well as Resistance. It's a metroidvania style action-adventure about a young girl who ventures into the unknown to find her missing father. The other interesting piece, is the game takes place entirely underwater with you piloting a small submarine. It's a beautiful looking game that certainly has a well known developer behind it.

Monster Hunter Generations (3DS) - July 15

Monster Hunter has seen rising popularity in North America over the last few years, and the newest entry in the series is bound to be jam packed full of dangerous beasts for players to track down. Generations blends new areas and monsters, with fan favorites from across the series that have been updated and adapted with the newest mechanics. It also introduces a couple new gameplay mechanics with styles and Hunter Arts, providing even more customization. Monster Hunter Generations is a title you'll be able to easily spend 100 hours with over the summer drought.

I Am Setsuna (PC, PS4) - July 19

I Am Setsuna is the first game from Square Enix's recently established studio Tokyo RPG Factory, and is specifically a callback to classic JRPGs like Chrono Trigger. The studio has said multiple times that their aim with Setsuna is to recapture the feeling that people had playing JRPGs in the 90s. The battle system is directly inspired by the style of battle in Chrono Trigger, and a key theme of the story is sadness. This theme ties into everything about the game, and focuses on players feeling an emotional connection to the characters. I Am Setsuna is a throwback to yesteryear, and a JRPG to fill the hours over the summer.

Batman: Return to Arkham (PS4, Xbox One) - July 26

Batman Arkham Asylum and Arkham City are two of the best superhero games ever made. If you haven't already experienced the two games, now is the perfect time to do so with the Return to Arkham bundle coming in July. Both games feature updated visuals for new consoles, and they each contain all downloadable content as well. Return to Arkham may not be a brand new game, but two remastered classics to dig into over the summer isn't something to scoff at.

No Man's Sky (PS4) - August 9

Although No Man's Sky didn't release in June, it's still slated for the summer with a new release date of August 9. Hello Games the developers behind No Man's Sky have promised a limitless explorable universe, with endless possibilities. Players will venture across galaxies discovering planets and alien life, that no other player may ever see again. There's still a lot of unknowns hanging around the game, but what we've seen so far of No Man's Sky looks gorgeous and full of potential. It may be a game that you can while hours upon hours away in, just discovering new things.

Madden NFL 17 (PS4, Xbox One, 360, PS3) - August 23

Every year a new Madden comes out, and adds some tweaks to its systems and gameplay along with an updated roster. Madden 17 is no different, implementing some defensive improvements among other things. While the NFL is gearing up for their season to start, Madden can tide football fans over.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (PC, PS4, Xbox One) - August 23

The last week of the summer ends things with a bang, seeing a few different big titles release. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided may be the biggest of those, a direct sequel to the previous game Human Revolution. Two years after the first game the "Aug Incident" has fueled tensions between augmented humans and non-augmented, causing huge amounts of discrimination and violence. Mankind Divided allows players to approach situations however they want, with stealth, guns blazing or a combination of the two. It's a sprawling cyber punk action-RPG that weaves in choice and morality.

Attack on Titan (PS4, Xbox One) - August 30

Attack on Titan took the world by storm when the anime premiered in 2013, and it seems like a sure fit for a video game adaption. Tecmo Koei, known for Dynasty Warriors, seems like they may have captured the intensity of the show with the upcoming game on PS4 and Xbox One. Players blast around wide areas on their maneuver gear, battling enormous titans in the process with gameplay inspired in part by the show and the Warriors game series.