If you’re like me and spent most of July playing Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail and now you’re looking for something new, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that there are several games to look forward to playing in August; the bad news is that they don’t come until the second half of the month. If you’re a Star Wars fan, your month can start and end with Star Wars games, while longtime Mana fans finally get a new mainline entry. World of Warcraft players have a new expansion to look forward to this month, which kicks off a whole new storyline for the long-running MMORPG. There’s also Concord, the next flavor-of-the-month hero shooter, as well as Black Myth: Wukong, which is looking more like Stellar Blade than Elden Ring.
Here are our picks for the top games to play in August 2024.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
Announced in late June, Aspyr Media has remastered Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, an action-adventure game starring Jango Fett. Taking place prior to the events of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter has players controlling Jango Fett in an adventure refreshed with visual improvements, new lighting effects, and more. If you prefer Boba over Jango, you’ll have to finish the game to unlock a Boba Fett skin.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter releases on August 1 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
Pepper Grinder
Pepper Grinder isn’t a brand-new release, but it will be new to PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Already available on PC and Switch, Pepper Grinder is a 2D adventure game with a twist. Along with traditional platforming, there’s an alternate drilling mode that allows players to dive in and out of the earth. At the time of publishing, Pepper Grinder has a Very Positive rating on Steam with 524 user reviews.
Pepper Grinder releases on August 6 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
Cat Quest III
Fans of Cat Quest and Cat Quest II will undoubtedly have their calendars marked for the release of Cat Quest III. The third entry in the franchise from developer The Gentlebros has players taking on the role of a swashbuckling purrivateer in a 2.5D open-world action RPG set in a pirate-themed world aptly named the Purribean. It’s the first time in the series players will be able to sail the seas in their own ship, either in solo or local co-op. Both Cat Quest and Cat Quest II have Overwhelmingly Positive ratings on Steam, so we expect the third game to be well received.
Cat Quest III releases on August 8 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
SteamWorld Heist II
Speaking of sequels, the SteamWorld franchise continues to grow with SteamWorld Heist II. In this entry, players take charge of Captain Leeway and his ragtag crew of Steambots to discover what is threatening the Great Sea. Similar to Cat Quest III, SteamWorld Heist II will be a seafaring adventure, with the ability to set sail and explore the vast ocean. The game features turn-based combat with over 150 guns, utility items, and ship equipment to choose from.
SteamWorld Heist II releases on August 8 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
EA Sports Madden NFL 25
The Madden NFL series needs no introduction unless you’ve just begun paying attention to video games. The latest entry in this long-running franchise features a new dynamic physics-based tackling system called FieldSENSE, powered by BOOM Tech. This feature promises to unlock realistic collisions and new gameplay animations on both offense and defense. A refreshed Franchise experience has also been implemented, along with new broadcast teams featuring Mike Tirico, Greg Olsen, Kate Scott, and Brock Huard.
Madden NFL 25 releases on August 16 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
Black Myth: Wukong
For some, Black Myth: Wukong will be the highlight of the month. This action RPG comes from Game Science, and right now, there’s an NVIDIA promotion to get a free copy with the purchase of select 40 series GPUs. Based on one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, Journey to the West, Black Myth: Wukong draws heavily on Chinese mythology. From what we’ve seen of the game, it looks beautiful, but gameplay will matter most.
Black Myth: Wukong releases on August 20 for PlayStation 5 and PC (Xbox Series X|S coming at a later date).
Concord
PlayStation’s own hero shooter finally launches in August, after a series of beta events. Initial impressions of the game praise its gunplay and polish but find the characters to be a bit bland, and balance is an issue (as expected in beta). It will be interesting to see how successful Concord will be, considering it’s not a free-to-play title and will cost $39.99.
Concord releases on August 23 for PlayStation 5 and PC.
World of Warcraft: The War Within
Like Final Fantasy XIV with Dawntrail, World of Warcraft is kicking off a new storyline called the Worldsoul Saga, starting with The War Within. It’s the first of three announced expansions, followed by Midnight and The Last Titan. As for The War Within, it will serve as the opening chapter of the new saga, sending players to subterranean worlds to discover where the malicious Harbinger of the Void is collecting arachnid forces to subdue Azeroth. Along with new dungeons and raids, The War Within introduces Delves, Warbands, Hero Talents, the Earthen race, and Skyriding.
World of Warcraft: The War Within releases on August 26 for PC.
Visions of Mana
Square Enix is finally giving Mana fans a new mainline entry after more than 15 years. Visions of Mana stars protagonist Val as he sets off on a journey to the Mana Tree with his childhood friend Hinna. As the newly appointed Alm of Fire, Hinna is tasked by the Faerie with rejuvenating the flow of mana power by offering her soul. On their journey, they will be accompanied by Careena, Morley, Palamena, Julei, and more. Fans of the Mana series will be happy to hear that Flammie makes a return as their preferred method of transportation in the skies.
Visions of Mana releases on August 29 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Star Wars Outlaws
I can’t believe I’m saying this when there’s a World of Warcraft expansion releasing in August, but Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws will likely be the biggest release of the month. Developed by Massive Entertainment, Star Wars Outlaws focuses on the scoundrel Kay Vess and her companion Nix. It’s being touted as the first open-world Star Wars experience—though some might argue otherwise—and will feature iconic Star Wars locations, including Tatooine. Although the game will definitely have hallmarks that have defined many of Ubisoft’s open-world games in the past, it will be refreshing to have a Star Wars adventure that isn’t focused on Jedi.
Star Wars Outlaws releases on August 30 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
