August 2023 appears to be a slow month for fans of video games. This is because there are only a few titles that are either eagerly anticipated or have a chance of success.
This indicates that August, which marks the end of summer, is going to be a tad less energetic for gamers unlike the past couple of months which saw some outstanding games making a mark in the industry. Some of them, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which was released on 12 May, and Street Fighter 6, which premiered on 2 June, have been received with overwhelming critical acclaim and commercial success.
But this doesn’t mean that August is going to be boring. Some titles are highly anticipated not only because of the historic success of the franchises they are part of but also because the wait for them has been particularly long. Among such games are Baldur’s Gate III of the acclaimed Baldur’s Gate franchise and Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, which is the sixth main instalment in the Armored Core series.
While both games are meant for fans of action-adventure, there are a handful of titles which could be of interest to those who prefer to add a dash of fun to an immersive gaming experience. For them, titles such as WrestleQuest and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk would seem to be the ideal picks.
Like every month, most of the video games in August 2023 are designed for all consoles — PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S as well as Nintendo Switch. Of course, devoted Steam players on PC also have titles to choose from.
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Upcoming video games for dedicated gamers in August 2023
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Release date: 3 August
Platform: PC
It has been almost 23 years since Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn arrived and took the gaming world by storm. Although there have been numerous expansions and spin-offs ever since, the anticipation for Baldur’s Gate III is understandable because it is the third main instalment and a direct sequel to the second part of the series.
The adventure game is set around 100 years after the events of Shadows of Amn in the world of Dungeons & Dragons — the world-renowned fantasy tabletop role-playing game system.
The protagonist is the player character who is turning into a monster because of an infestation in his brain done by mind flayers. To prevent the complete transformation, the player character must join forces with other powerful beings to form a party which can take on everything from devils to gods in the Forgotten Realms to find a cure.
The game has an online multiplayer mode for up to four players. It has an evolved turn-based combat system and a player-initiated turn-based mode in which the player can pause the game to prepare a perfect plan to execute a task.
Image credit: Larian Studios
Release date: 8 August
Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
WrestleQuest is a fun-filled game which merges the awe-inspiring action of old-school WWE with the immersive style of RPG. Adding to the gaming experience is the fantastic artwork, whose comic book-inspired pixelated style would particularly appeal to 1990s gamers.
The game is simple: players will assume the role of a character named Muchacho Man, who idolises wrestling legend “Macho Man” Randy Savage. The rookie Muchacho Man will have to journey through his sandbox world of fantasy in his quest to become a world champion by defeating all kinds of fictional characters, such as those from the G.I. Joe and He-Man franchises, alongside real-world wrestling icons such as Hulk Hogan and André the Giant.
From piledriver to powerbomb, moves are picked in a turn-based system. A combination of the right kind of strikes, taunts and gimmick attacks will keep the virtual spectators in the player character’s corner, which helps in winning the match.
In all, WrestleQuest has 12 playable characters, 400 non-playable characters (NPCs), and around 30 real-life characters. It is like favourite toys and stars from a childhood gathering for a round of wrestling in the ring.
Image credit: Skybound Games
Release date: 10 August
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
The action in Atlas Fallen, which can be played solo or in an online co-op mode, revolves around a gauntlet, which lets the protagonist manipulate sands to create formidable weapons.
It is with the power of the gauntlet that the player character will have to defeat monsters, wraiths and other dangers on the land and in the air. As the action grows, the ability of the gauntlet also increases for even more powerful strikes against the enemy.
The player character can also unearth hidden objects buried deep into the sands in the open worlds. As more objects are revealed, mysteries of the fantastical world and its secrets also come to the fore.
Eventually, the protagonist will understand the story of the corrupted god named Thalos under whose oppressive rule, humans, such as the heroic Knights of Bastengar and poor residents of a ruined settlement, have long been suffering.
Image credit: Focus Entertainment
Release date: 18 August
Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
One of the most important sports games that will be released in August 2023 is Madden NFL 24. Developed by the acclaimed EA Sports’ game developer EA Tiburon, the world-famous game franchise is the only official game series licensed by the National Football League (NFL). More than 35 games have been released in the long-running series, which started in 1988.
Named after the legendary NFL coach John Madden, the latest edition in the series has Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen as the cover star. The makers introduced FieldSENSE™ Gameplay System with Madden NFL 23 in August 2022. The system, which makes the graphics appear more realistic and gives increased control to players, has been improved with new animations. Similarly, an all-new character technology named Sapien Technology has been added to Madden NFL 24. But both features are not available on PS4 and Xbox One.
Among the game modes is the Superstar mode, a feature from the mid-2000s which makes a return to the Madden NFL franchise with the latest version. The mode lets players play like an NFL superstar and have a full experience of the player character. A 3×3 online mode known as Superstar Showdown is also part of the new game. But both Superstar and Superstar Showdown will only be available on the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Image credit: EA Sports
Release date: 18 August
Platform: Switch, PC
Developed by Dutch indie studio Team Reptile, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a visually stunning game which follows a young group of graffiti artists who want to take control of the streets in their futuristic city of New Amsterdam.
The story’s main protagonist is Red, a graffiti artist who uses an alien-like head after he lost his own. Red wants to unearth the mystery of how he lost his head and teams up with the Bomb Rush Crew, comprising Tryce and Bel. Together they aim to conquer the streets, defeating other rival gangs as well as a militarised police force through dance moves, graffiti art, beats and other tricks.
Skateboarding, BMX tricks and inline skating are among key ways to increase street rep and tag everything from buildings to subway cars to widen influence across the five main boroughs of the city.
Image credit: Team Reptile/@ReptileGames/Twitter
Release date: 22 August
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Technically though Immortals of Aveum is a first-person shooter, its makers call it a “magic shooter” because spells have replaced guns. The gameplay might make some feel as if Doctor Strange is doing his powerful incantations when facing off against demons in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Nevertheless, Immortals of Aveum has no connection to the MCU. It is the first title by Ascendant Studios, which was founded in 2018 in the US. Published by Electronic Arts, the game follows the mage named Jak who is a newly recruited member of an elite order of magicians known as The Order of The Immortals.
The order’s purpose is to protect innocents and stop a battle named Everwar on their planet. The player character will have to master three colours of magic and use the spells decisively to defeat foes, many of whom are mages themselves.
The graphics in the game appear detailed and dazzling due to the spells in action and the magic-centric theme of Immortals of Aveum.
Image credit: Ascendant Studios
Release date: 25 August
Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Mech, where combat takes place between machines, is a rare genre. Only a few have managed to score hits with mecha titles. FromSoftware is one of them. This is primarily why Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is one of the most anticipated games of 2023. But what makes the anticipation for the game even more exciting is the fact that it arrives 10 years after the release of Armored Core: Verdict Day, the expansion of Armored Core V.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon allows players to build and control a mech — a large battle robot — of their own. Using the mech’s 3D manoeuvrability and an array of weapons, the players will have to take on missions to defeat opponents in both ranged and melee combats in the hunt for an unknown material on a faraway planet.
Weapon choices and the right kind of upgrades for the mech are crucial as the game focuses on pure, fast-paced action where outgunning and outrunning opponents hold the key to success.
Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc./FromSoftware, Inc.
Release date: 29 August
Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
Sea of Stars revolves around two characters, Valere and Zale. The two are Children of the Solstice, who have the power of the Sun and the Moon. Valere and Zale are aspiring solstice warriors who use their powers to protect their mystical world from the monsters of an evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.
Developed by Canadian indie game creator Sabotage Studio, Sea of Stars serves as a prequel to their 2018 hit The Messenger. But the main difference between the two games is that while The Messenger falls in the action-adventure genre, Sea of Stars sits specifically in the Japanese RPG (JRPG) category, a subgenre of the larger RPG, with turn-based strategy and attacking systems.
Image credit: Sabotage Studio
(Hero image: Larian Studios; Featured image: Ascendant Studios)
