Amazing games coming in August

The summer gaming drought is almost over. August is when the biggest releases of 2024 start to come into focus, and suddenly you’ll find yourself with way too many games to play. And this isn’t just a surge in big-budget time-wasters: August offers a hugely diverse and varied lineup of games across genres, sizes, and styles, at a range of price points.

When it comes to gaming, budgeting your time is just as important as budgeting your money. We all have a huge pile of unplayed games accumulated on Steam that we vowed to play someday but never did, so try not to add to that pile of shame. Here are my personal picks for the top games releasing in August that you should make time to play.

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1 Cat Quest 3

August 8

Do you prefer cats or puns? You don’t have to answer. Cat Quest 3 is packed with more cats, puns, and cat puns than you can handle. The Cat Quest series doesn’t push the boundaries of storytelling or mechanics, but it does offer one of the most feel-good adventures. This time, you’ll be unleashed into the pirate-themed world of Purribean, where you’ll embark on a journey to find the mythical North Star while facing off against the fearsome Pi-Rats. This is a light-hearted, arcade-like RPG set in a vibrant world with engaging characters, dozens of weapons and spells, and plenty of secrets. This is the perfect way to relax, just enjoy the laid-back atmosphere, and not take anything too seriously.

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2 Madden NFL 25

August 16

If last month’s College Football 25 didn’t satiate your football craving, Madden is right on schedule to deliver its pro edition. We’re so deep into the series that anyone interested in Madden already knows about it and plans to buy it. For those who don’t, the latest version is the best place to start if you’re willing to give it a try. Not to be short-sighted, this is a football simulation game, so if you’re familiar with the sport, you know what you’re getting with Madden NFL 25.

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3 Black Myth: Goku

August 20

When Black Myth: Wukong debuted, I was pretty skeptical. The game was unrealistically fast, fluid, and polished while maintaining a level of graphics. When I learned that this was Chinese developer Game Science’s first non-mobile game, most people wrote it off as fake or staged in some way. But with each new video and hands-on report, Black Myth seems to be living up to the expectations. Based on the classic Journey to the West, you’ll loosely retell your adventures as Sun Wukong in a Souls-like game. Releasing later this month, the game promises a challenging and culturally rich adventure.

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Four Concorde

August 23

The general reception of Concord after two beta periods has been positive, but not overwhelming. Personally, I found the game to be very high quality and fun, but I didn’t have the attachment I need for a live service game in 2024. I hope I’m proven wrong and Concord gets a foothold to succeed in the competitive game service space, but time will tell if that happens. I wanted to highlight this because if you’re looking for a competitive PvP shooter, there really isn’t any other competitor this month. In that sense, Concord, at a slightly discounted price, could be a great way to tide you over until the next Call of Duty dominates your life next year.

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Five Star Wars Outlaws

August 30

This is the big title for August and the start of the big releases for the end of the year. Ubisoft has been pushing Star Wars Outlaws pretty hard since it was first announced, and it seems to have taken a lot of good cues from the studio’s other games. It’s an open-world Star Wars game, naturally, but it’s going to be a lot more modest in scope than the bloated Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. There’s a lot of focus on factions and reputation, and I imagine it’s going to be a more compelling story than the main story so far, which feels rather formulaic. If Kay stands out as a great character and the quests and characters are worthy of the Star Wars tradition, this could be the best game set in the far-flung universe.

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