Although the middle of summer cannot boast of many high-profile game releases, July has some interesting projects in store: from the remake of the legendary skateboarding game Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 to the minimalist urban planning simulator Islanders: New Shores. Fans of the Lord of the Rings fantasy universe will enjoy the cozy hobbit life simulator Tales of the Shire, and fans of story-oriented games may like the isometric stealth adventure Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream in the atmospheric setting of a fictional Scandinavian city.
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Genre: Strategy, city-builder
Date: July 10
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
The second installment of the minimalist city-building series Islanders will return players to the world of calm creativity, which has now been enhanced with an expanded gameplay, updated visual style, and many new features. Players have access to more than 44 building types, 6 different biomes and 4 bright color options to create unique cities.
New Shores looks like an ideal place for those who want to relax, but at the same time do not mind thinking about strategic decisions.
Genre: Sports
Date: July 11
Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch
Following the remake of the first two parts of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, which was released in 2020, this month the updated version of the third and fourth parts of the skateboarding series will be released. The game will retain the familiar gameplay from THPS1+2, as well as offer a career mode with many challenges and cross-platform multiplayer for 8 players.
In addition, there is an in-depth character creation system with a wide range of hairstyles, tattoos, and clothing. The game will feature a tutorial from Tony Hawk himself that will help you master the basic tricks. The game has improved graphics — 4K support, updated textures, smoother animation, and more realistic lighting. In addition, the remake includes all the original skateparks, as well as new ones created specifically for this version.
Genre: Adventure, stealth
Date: July 15
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
In the role of Hannah, a girl living in the early 20th century, the player goes searching for her missing brother in Eriksholm, a fictional Scandinavian city. Players will hide from guards and police officers, using stealth skills, tricks, and the environment to unravel the mysteries of Eriksholm. During the game, the player will be able to switch between three characters, each with special skills, which opens up new ways to solve puzzles.
Visually, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream looks incredible, especially considering that a small team is working on the game. The use of Unreal Engine 5 allowed us to achieve a high level of graphics: cut-scenes impress with realistic faces, facial expressions and animations, and the game world is created with great attention to detail.
Genre: FPS
Date: July 17
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
The standalone story expansion for Robocop: Rogue City will continue the story of the main game. Crisis City has seemingly resolved conflicts with gangs, but the peace is temporary. A new challenge is the dangerous tension surrounding the construction of OmniTower — a giant residential complex for displaced people. During another attack on the police station, a group of private mercenaries seize the building, and the police are forced to retreat. The player in the role of a robocop will have to stop the invaders.
Unfinished Business promises to keep what made the game successful: dynamic action that alternates with elements of investigation.
Genre: Platform, adventure
Date: July 17
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
Donkey Kong Bananza is the first 3D platformer about Donkey Kong since Donkey Kong 64 (1999), and it looks like it will be one of the biggest hits for the new Nintendo Switch 2. The game follows Donkey Kong as he travels to the underworld to recover stolen golden bananas and stop the villains from VoidCo.
Donkey Kong Bananza supports a cooperative mode where the second player can control Pauline, helping Donkey with his unique skills. A special feature of the game is the destruction of the environment — the player can destroy almost everything around, opening new paths and finding secrets.
Genre: Puzzle
Date: July 22
Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Monument Valley 3 continues the tradition of the series, offering players to immerse themselves in a calm, meditative world of optical illusions and architectural paradoxes. This time, the main character is Noor, who travels through surreal landscapes, changing the space around her to solve puzzles.
An innovation is the ability to move around on a boat, which allows you to explore the world more freely between levels of the game.
Genre: Adventure, racing
Date: July 23
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Wheel World is an open-world cycling action adventure game where the player controls a cyclist named Kat. Her task is to save the Wheel World by traveling through various biomes, participating in races, and collecting spare parts. The game world is full of hidden locations, time trials, and competitive events with opponents of different levels.
Special attention is paid to the customization of vehicles: a bike can be assembled from dozens of rare components, adapting it to your own riding style.
Genre: Survival, co-op
Date: July 29
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S (early access)
Grounded 2 continues the events of the original game and takes players back to 1992 — a few years after the disappearance of four teenagers who became victims of Ominent’s experiments. As in the first part, the characters are again reduced to the size of insects, but this time they find themselves in a new environment — Brookhollow Park.
The gameplay remains focused on survival: players collect resources, build shelters, create equipment, and fight insects. The main novelty of the game is the ability to tame and ride ants. Grounded 2 supports cooperative play, but you can also play on your own.
Genre: Life simulation
Date: July 29
Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Tales of the Shire is a cozy life simulator set in the Lord of the Rings universe, where you create your own hobbit and settle in the picturesque village of Byther in the heart of the Shire. The goal of the game is to help Byther become a prosperous village: to do this, you will have to do the usual things hobbits do — fish, grow vegetables and fruits in your garden, and cook hearty meals.
In addition to farming, the player will be able to build relationships with residents: a gentle conversation over dinner or friendly help will raise the reputation of your hobbit according to the community. During the game, players will meet famous characters from Tolkien’s books, help them, and complete quests.
Genre: Action, Survival
Date: July
Platforms: PS5
Code Violet takes the player to the XXV century, when the earth has become uninhabitable due to a global catastrophe. The last representatives of humanity, the Aion colony, have moved to a new planet — Trappist 1-E — to rebuild civilization. But a critical problem has arisen: the colonists have become infertile and humanity is threatened with extinction. In an attempt to preserve the species, Aion uses time travel technology to transport women from the past and make them surrogate mothers. But this noble idea hides dangerous secrets.
The player controls Violet Sinclair — a woman kidnapped from the past and placed in the colony’s bioengineering complex. Violet gradually uncovers the conspiracy and encounters the terrifying creatures that have taken over the facility.
The gameplay combines exploration, puzzle solving, and combat with enemies — both hostile humans from the colony and prehistoric dinosaurs. Code Violet may be interesting for fans of the classic Dino Crisis games, offering a new take on the genre with a sci-fi storyline.