Although August is not usually a high-profile month in terms of game releases, this year’s end of summer was surprisingly busy. Among the most anticipated games of the month are a prequel to the Mafia series with the subtitle The Old Country and a remake of the cult stealth action game Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Fans of meditative games will be able to try themselves as a bookstore owner in Tiny Bookshop or play a cozy farm simulator Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar.
Content
Tiny Bookshop
Genre: Indie, Simulation, Adventure
Date: August 7
Platforms: PC
The bookstore on wheels simulator resembles a game that allows you to unwind your soul. In it, you will not only sell books to the inhabitants of a coastal town, but also gradually get to know them and reveal their characters. You can also choose how your bookstore will look, arranging bookshelves, plants, and decorative elements to your liking.
The game offers a nice art style, various locations, and a change of seasons.
Mafia: The Old Country
Genre: Action-adventure
Date: August 8
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
After the open-world experience of Mafia III, the series returns to its roots — a focused, story-driven crime drama with a linear structure. Mafia: The Old Country is a prequel set in the early twentieth century in sunny Sicily. The story centers on Enzo Favara, a young man who escapes from the mines and gradually becomes part of the Torrisi mafia family.
The developers of Hangar 13 relied on restrained aesthetics, dialogues, characters, and cinematography. Judging by the trailers, the developers have successfully created an atmospheric world of Sicily with impressive views, thanks to the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5.
Drag x Drive
Genre: Sports
Date: August 14
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
One of the first exclusives for Nintendo Switch 2 — is a futuristic take on basketball where players control robots in wheelchairs and compete in 3-on-3 matches. The main feature of the game is the Joy-Con 2 control as a mouse: each controller is responsible for one wheel, and thanks to the improved tactile feedback, it feels like real movement. Movement, passing, shooting – all of this happens through hand movements, which adds physical engagement to the game.
The next installment of the American football simulator promises to take a serious technological step forward. Thanks to a new artificial intelligence system that has analyzed thousands of real matches over the past decade, the game features dynamic gameplay, adaptive coaching behavior, and authentic playing styles for star players.
Madden NFL 26 will also feature better graphics, branded stadium shows, and a new match presentation. Weather conditions, including heavy snow, fog, or rain, will now have a real impact on the gameplay: reduced visibility, ball control, and player endurance.
Sword of the Sea
Genre: Adventure
Date: August 19
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Giant Squid, the studio known for the atmospheric ABZU and The Pathless, is preparing to release its new project, Sword of the Sea. In this game, the player controls a mysterious hero on a sword board that allows you to glide across surfaces of sand, lava, ice, and other surreal landscapes that constantly change during the journey.
Visually, the game resembles the spiritual successor of Journey — and it’s no wonder, as the studio’s founder Matt Nava was the art director of the same game.
Gears of War: Reloaded
Genre: Third-person shooter
Date: August 26
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Gears of War: Reloaded brings back the original game, originally released in 2006 on Xbox 360, in the form of a vivid remaster with support for modern technologies. Not only have the developers from The Coalition upgraded the graphics — with 4K resolution, 60 FPS in campaign and 120 FPS in multiplayer, HDR, improved shadows, reflections, and fast loading — but they’re also opening the game up to a new audience by making it multi-platform.
One of the main new features is cross-play support, which allows players from different platforms to team up or compete against each other. Reloaded will also offer split-screen co-op.
Helldivers 2
Genre: Third-person shooter
Date: August 26
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S
Helldivers 2, one of the biggest hits of last year, quickly gained millions of fans on PlayStation and PC. Developed by Arrowhead Game Studios, this fast-paced action game is finally coming to Xbox Series X|S at the end of August.
Helldivers 2 is a cooperative third-person shooter in which players act as elite soldiers defending humanity on the planet Super-Earth. The game emphasizes teamwork and strategic planning, as insect-like enemies attack in huge numbers. Successful completion of missions depends on the interaction of players, the use of tactics, and quick adaptation to changing combat conditions.
Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening
Genre: Platform game, Adventure
Date: August 26
Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
The classic Japanese sci-fi is getting a new lease of life in a 2D platformer format. The game adaptation, created by Magic Pockets and published by Microids, will allow players to immerse themselves in the world of the cult manga and anime about the fearless space adventurer Cobra. The game recreates the first 12 episodes of the series, including one of the most famous plots — the arch with Captain Nelson’s treasure.
The gameplay of Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening combines a dynamic platformer with action elements, where players will face enemies on the way to treasure. The project supports cooperative mode for two players and offers three difficulty levels for both beginners and veterans of retro games. A demo is already available on all major platforms.
Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar
Genre: Farm life sim
Date: August 27
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar — a new part of the famous series of farm life simulators. As in the classic titles of the series, the player takes on the role of a newcomer who has to restore an abandoned farm, grow crops, take care of animals, and meet residents.
The basic formula remains familiar: collect resources, sell crops, improve tools, and gradually open up new opportunities. However, the key feature of this game is the weekly market in the city, where players can sell their goods at the fair, attract customers, open new shops, and participate in mini-games related to sales.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Genre: Action-adventure, stealth
Date: August 28
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
One of the most iconic action games of the PS2 era returns in the form of a remake that retains the structure of the original but improves the technical aspects and gameplay. The game was created on Unreal Engine 5 and offers impressive visual detail, updated animations and sound design, modern control mechanics, and redesigned cut-scenes in 4K resolution. Delta also features two control schemes: Modern Style, with a modern camera and controls, and Legacy Style, which simulates classic gameplay with a fixed camera.
The plot centers on a special agent with the call sign Naked Snake, who is tasked with conducting a secret operation in the jungle. During which he has to rescue a scientist, destroy top-secret weapons, and eliminate his mentor, who has defected to the enemy. The game is set in the 1960s, making it the chronological beginning of the series.
Spelling error report
The following text will be sent to our editors: