June was a busy month for gaming between the return of E3 and games major releases, and while July may seem a bit slower in comparison to the last couple of months, there are still plenty of exciting games launching across various platforms. This month may not have a like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart or Resident Evil Village, but AAA developers and indie studios alike will be releasing titles that appeal to all sorts of gamers.
Here are eight games people can look forward to in July.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Releasing July 9 for Nintendo Switch and PC
2021 continues to be a huge year for the Monster Hunter franchise. Following the wildly successful launch of Monster Hunter Rise in March, Capcom hopes to replicate that success with a new entry in this spinoff series. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a change of pace from the main series game where, instead of fighting monsters using a intricate but rewarding battle system, players raise monsters and engage in turn-based battles.
In Wings of Ruin, players are given an egg that is said to contain the last Rathalos in the world -- a creature that could either bring salvation or ruin. The game retains its predecessor's mechanics and focus on narrative storytelling. All of this is quite different from the main series game's complex action, but fans of the Monster Hunter world looking for a different kind of RPG will want to check this one out.
F1 2021
Releasing July 16 (July 13 for the Deluxe Edition) for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC
Fan of realistic racing games should look forward to F1 2021, the latest title in the annual series and first to release after developer Codemasters was acquired by EA last year. In addition to the game's usual Career Mode and various multiplayer options, F1 2021 will add a story mode called "Braking Point." This follows fictional driver Devon Butler and is meant to immerse players in the world of racing, taking inspiration from the Netflix docu-series Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which provides a behind-the-scenes look at the drivers and their lifestyles.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
Releasing July 16 for Nintendo Switch
This Wii-era Legend of Zelda game is finally coming to Nintendo Switch this month. Chronologically the first game in the series' complex timeline, Skyward Sword follows Link, this time a knight-in-training from the floating town of Skyloft, who must rescue his childhood friend Zelda. Link's journey takes him across both the sky and the surface, ultimately explaining the origins of the Master Sword and the Kingdom of Hyrule, two staples of the Zelda franchise.
Skyward Sword HD is a remaster of the 2011 game that will keep the original release's motion controls while also adding the option to use button controls. For instance, instead of swinging a Joy-Con around like a Wii Remote, players can instead use the right analog stick to control the sword's direction. Launching alongside the game are a pair of Joy-Con based on the Master Sword and Hylian Shield, as well as an amiibo that features Zelda and Loftwing which, controversially, unlocks fast travel between the sky and the surface.
Cris Tales
Releasing July 20 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Stadia
Colombian indie studios Dreams Uncorporated and Syck have called their game "love letter to classic JRPGs with a new perspective." Cris Tales is a turn-based RPG with a unique hand-drawn 2D art style that wears its inspirations -- like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI and Persona 5 -- on its sleeve while also incorporating elements of Colombian culture and architecture.
In Cris Tales, players will simultaneously explore the past, present and future, shaping Crystallis and the four Kingdoms with their choices as Time Mage Crisbell and her companions. Along the way, Crisbell will uncover a complex plot to destroy the world and recruit allies who can help unravel the Empress' sinister plan.
Pokémon UNITE
Releasing July 21 for Nintendo Switch, with iOS and Android versions launching in September
About a year after being announced in a Pokémon Presents livestream, Pokémon UNITE will launch sometime this month on Nintendo Switch, though the exact release date still has yet to be announced. UNITE is a multiplayer online battle arena (or MOBA) similar to League of Legends in which two teams of five players face off in matches.
Players start out controlling low-level Pokémon, which can grow stronger and evolve as the game goes on. They'll earn points by catching wild Pokémon on the map and scoring goals, working with teammates to reach the opponent's goals while defending their own. UNITE will be a free-to-start game with a roster of 20 Pokémon including Pikachu, Greninja, Garchomp, Venusaur and Cinderace. It will support cross-platform play with mobile once that version launches later in the year.
Neo: The World Ends With You
Releasing July 27 for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, with a PC version coming later in 2021
The highly-anticipated sequel to 2007's The World Ends With You launches this month. Like the original, Neo is an action-RPG set in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, though the setting has been created in 3D for the new game. While original protagonist Neku Sakuraba is said to be appearing in some capacity, Neo follows a new playable character named Rindo Kanade, who ends up part of the Reapers' Game alongside his gang, the Wicked Twisters. Those looking forward to the next installment in this stylish series can check out the demo, which is currently available on both Switch and PlayStation.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Releasing July 27 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PC
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles combines two games originally released in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS and mobile and finally brings them to players worldwide. Like other Ace Attorney games, these are adventure games and visual novels that involve investigation, evidence gathering and courtroom battles where players must pay attention to find flaws in witness testimonies to determine what is true.
However, unlike other games in the series that follow protagonist Phoenix Wright as he takes on cases in the modern day, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles takes place in the late-19th, early-20th century -- the era known as Japan's Meiji Period and Britain's Victorian era -- and follow's Phoenix's ancestor Ryunosuke Naruhodo. While traveling to England, Ryunosuke befriends famous detective Herlock Sholmes, a clear parody of Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic consulting detective.
The Ascent
Releasing July 29 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC
Indie developer Neon Giant's cyberpunk action-RPG The Ascent will be an Xbox console exclusive available on Game Pass from day one when it launches this month. Set in the world of Veles controlled by a mega-corporation called The Ascent Group, the game takes place following the corporation's mysterious collapse. With Veles in chaos, the player must learn the truth behind The Ascent Group's fall while preventing rival factions from taking control. The Ascent is a top-down open-world twin-stick shooter that features various ways to play like single-player, local co-op and online co-op for up to four players.