August will see a slew of major video game releases on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and the newly announced Nintendo Switch 2. This month, the hybrid console will launch Kirby and Oblivion and Starcross World, enhanced versions of the 2022 action-platformers. In August, the “Mafia: Old Country” series will also return. This action-adventure game takes players to Sicily in the 1900s and traces the origins of organized crime.
Several first-party Xbox games will also be released on PS5 this month. First, the enhanced version of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 will be available on PS5 on August 12th. An enhanced version of the game will also be available on PC and Xbox Series S/X. Then, Gears of War: Reloaded will be available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X on August 26th. The game remasters the original Gears of War for modern platforms, with updated graphics and quality-of-life improvements.
Keeping with the theme of remasters and remakes, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater releases on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X. This stealth action game is a remake of 2004’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, bringing graphical upgrades but retaining the story and gameplay of the original. August also saw the release of several action games, a sports game of the year, and another Switch 2 game. Here are our picks for the hottest video games on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch 2 in August.
Mafia:Old Country
Time: August 8
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X
There hasn’t been a mainline Mafia game since 2016’s Mafia III. Definitive remasters and remasters of the first two games followed, but it took nearly a decade for the next game in the series to come to fruition. Mafia: Homeland finally launches this week and serves as a prequel to all games in the series. This action-adventure game is set in 1900s Sicily, Italy, right in the heart of Cosa Nostra. You play as Enzo Favara, sworn in to join the Mafia and fight to leave your mark on the underworld.
Mafia: Old Country also takes a streamlined approach. Rather than a vast open world with checklist-style activities and missions, the game takes a linear, story-driven approach, meaning it’s leaner and more focused than Mafia 3. Developer Hangar 13 promises a cinematic story, realistic gameplay and cutting-edge visuals to immerse players in 1900s Sicily.
In terms of gameplay, the action-adventure game will feature period-appropriate melee weapons and firearms, including the stiletto knife and the Lupala sawed-off shotgun. There is quite a bit of exploring that can be done in vehicles and on horseback. However, the game will prioritize telling a compelling story in a realistic environment, providing a focused experience. Mafia: The Old Kingdom will be released on August 8 for PC and consoles.
Senua’s Legend: Hellblade II Enhanced Edition
Time: August 12
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X
If you really want to see what the PS5 Pro is capable of, you’ll need to dive into Senua’s Legend: Hellblade II Enhanced Edition, which is now finally available on PlayStation after launching on PC and Xbox consoles last year. The “definitive version” of Senua’s story is more authentic, allowing you to embark on a brutal and harrowing exploration of Iceland’s Vikings. The developers of the game have also added support for Dark Rot, which makes the game more challenging as you will have to deal with permadeath.
This enhanced version of the game delivers stunning visuals at 60 frames per second, and you can use the improved Photo Mode to capture the game’s stunning visuals (and brutal graphics). If you really enjoy the game, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced Edition also includes developer commentary to help you better understand the protagonist and her quest to avenge her loved ones and set her people free.
drag x drive
Time: August 14
Location: Nintendo Switch 2
“Drag x Drive” is a first-party sports game announced during the full display of Switch 2 at the Nintendo Direct. It will be launched on Nintendo’s new game console this month. The game takes advantage of the Joy-Con 2’s mouse functionality, allowing players to control the movement of their wheelchair. Drag x Drive is an arcade version of wheelchair basketball, played between two teams of three players each.
Players can use mouse controls to move their wheelchair around the game area and use the Joy-Con 2’s motion controls to shoot to score points. The gameplay of Drag x Drive is similar to Rocket League, with players participating in multiplayer matches. This sports game is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2.
Madden NFL 26
Time: August 14
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch 2
Madden NFL 26 is set to launch on consoles and PC on August 14 and is expected to be the publisher’s most realistic and strategic American football simulation to date. It will feature an artificial intelligence-driven machine learning system trained on a decade of real NFL data. This means each player and coach has a unique and dynamic style of play. The game will feature a “Signature Quarterback” with plenty of realism, while “Coaching DNA” ensures on-field tendencies are reflected in the team’s strategy.
In Madden NFL 26, you also have to deal with “football weather,” which affects your game plan even more than before. Switch 2 owners will also have access to the next-gen Madden experience when the Nintendo console launches. This will allow you to hit the road (quite literally) with your Ultimate Team and your superstar career, while you continue to have access to all the same features in the game.
Sword of the Sea
Time: August 19
Location: PC, PS5
Developed by Giant Squid Studios, Ocean Sword is an upcoming atmospheric surfing adventure video game. As a ghost, you’ll ride across the sand and waves on an ancient and powerful hover sword inspired by skateboards, snowboards and surfboards. It promises to deliver a thrilling blend of high-energy action and meditative, fluid movement.
In the game, players collect ocean seeds to restore water to a desert wasteland. Tetra can be used to swap skateboarding tricks such as flips, spins, speed boosts, and halfpipes, ramps, and wall rides. Water not only provides the best stunt opportunities, but it also allows the ghost to move faster. You will occasionally encounter Leviathan. On your journey to find your purpose, you will also discover lost cultures.
Gears of War: Reloaded
Time: August 26
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X
Gears of War, one of the biggest Xbox franchises ever, is finally coming to PlayStation. Gears of War: Reloaded, a remaster of the first game in the iconic series, will be released later this month on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series S/X. The game brings overhauled visuals, with 4K resolution and 60 fps gameplay in the campaign (120 fps in multiplayer), improved lighting, remastered textures, and more.
There are a number of quality-of-life improvements, including support for cross-play and cross-progression across all platforms and faster loading times. Microsoft calls it the “definitive” way to play the first Gears of War. The new version includes all previously released post-launch DLC content.
Gears of War: Reloaded will be the first game in the series to be released on PlayStation. Gears of War’s new mainline game, Gears of War: E-Day, is currently in development and is expected to launch on Xbox and PC next year. The game is also rumored to be released on PS5. But until then, Gears Reloaded will be the only way to experience the Xbox series on PS5.
Kirby and the Forgotten Lands + The Lost World
Time: August 28
Location: Nintendo Switch 2
“Kirby and the Forgotten Lands” + “Starcross World” is the Nintendo Switch 2 version of “Kirby and the Forgotten Lands”, released on the original Switch in 2022. The game arrives on Nintendo’s new console in an enhanced version, featuring better visuals and performance, as well as a new story campaign, Starcross World.
In the 3D platform game, players control Kirby as he travels through the Forgotten Land and completes the platform portions of different stages. As Kirby, players can also fight various enemies in various levels and participate in several boss battles. The Switch 2 version of the game will launch on August 28th.
Time: August 28
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X
August seems to be the month for reviving beloved classics in modern packaging. Two days after the release of Gears of War: Reloaded, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater hits PC and consoles. This is a complete remake of 2004’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Konami has overhauled the original in Unreal Engine 5, bringing modern graphics and quality-of-life enhancements, but choosing to maintain the original’s gameplay and story.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is the chronological starting point for the series, so the remake is an ideal opportunity for new players to get into the series. For returning fans of the MGS series, the remaster will deliver familiar stealth and refined action for modern systems. Of course, the beloved story, characters, and music from the original game will return, along with some new features and upgrades.
However, there is an ethical question surrounding the release of the remake. The Metal Gear Solid series is the brainchild of Hideo Kojima, whose acrimonious breakup with Konami led to him starting his own studio. Hideo Kojima’s creative choices drive every game in the series; it’s his story, his characters, his games. But Kojima was not involved in the development of Metal Gear Delta: Snake Eater. The legendary game developer recently said he won’t be playing the game when it releases later this month. But for those who have never played MGS 3, the remaster may be the most accessible way to experience one of the greatest games of all time.
Lost souls cast aside
Time: August 29
Location: PC, PS5
Lost Soul Aside, developed by Ultizero Games and published by Sony, is an upcoming action-adventure role-playing game that is very reminiscent of Final Fantasy XV. You play as the protagonist Kaser, who is raising his sister Louisa in the ghetto port after losing her parents in the war. When invaders from another dimension, Voidrax, take Louisa away, you, along with your trusty companion Arena, embark on a journey to save your sister and all of humanity.
If the combat style in the game looks familiar, you might be reminded of Capcom’s Devil May Cry series. During combat, you can swap weapons such as swords, rapiers, greatswords, and scythes in combos without stopping your attack, allowing you to mix different ranges and effects to keep enemies off-balance and deal more damage.
Ninja: The Art of Revenge
Time: August 29
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch
“Shinobi: Art of Vengeance” is a 2D action platform game in which you play as Shinobi Joe Musashi, a master of ninja art. With your village reduced to ashes and your clan reduced to stone, you embark on a path of revenge, determined to confront a powerful evil and avenge those you’ve lost.
Your arsenal is equipped with katana, kunai, ninjutsu and ninjutsu. You can acquire amulets along the way to enhance your abilities and find Ningi tools to clear obstacles. Your path to revenge will take you through a dozen different stages, from fortified military bases to sweltering deserts, filled with challenging platforming challenges and hidden secrets to uncover. The game is developed by Lizardcube and Seaven Studios and published by Sega, and is scheduled to be released on August 29th.
