Summer is almost over, and as we enter a new season we can’t help but think back over the games that have released over the last few months.
Summer is typically a quiet time for games releases, but this year we’ve had plenty of games to be excited about. There have been a handful of great AAA games, but it’s been the indies that have really kept us smiling and playing through the last few months. And we’re here to celebrate those: the games you might have missed from this summer.
We’ve highlighted a bunch of games we’ve played and covered on the site throughout June, July and August that might have slipped under your radar. And if they have, fix it, pronto. They’re all excellent games, coming highly rated by us.
Want to seek out some games you might have missed from earlier on in the year? Go visit our archive here.
Arcade Paradise
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
- Release date: 11th August
- For fans of: Classic arcade games and hands-on management sim games
There’s so much to like about Arcade Paradise that we don’t know where to start. It’s a game with many facets. There’s the laundrette you start out managing, sorting through loads of laundry, picking up litter and keeping the toilet unblocked. It’s menial work, sure, but it all earns you money – enabling you to buy new arcade machines and grow the tiny arcade you’ve got in the back room.
Over time, that arcade will expand, and your time will shift from being a laundrette manager to running a shiny neon arcade with 30 machines. Better yet, you can play the machines to your heart’s content, earning rewards and upgrades as you go. Arcade Paradise really has been one of our favourite games this summer – so whether you enjoy playing retro games or like the idea of building up your own arcade, there’s a lot to love.
Read our review of Arcade Paradise
Endling: Extinction is Forever
- Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
- Release date: 19th July
- For fans of: Animals, emotional narratives
We’ll warn you now: if you’re looking for a happy game, Endling: Extinction is Forever is not the game for you. This is an emotionally-charged tale about a mother fox trying to care for her cubs in a world being destroyed by humans. She’s the last fox left, and the forest she calls home is quickly disappearing.
Endling isn’t the longest game – it’ll take you four or five hours to complete – but each of those hours spent with the game will be tense and fraught as you avoid human hunters, desperately search for food and look for shelter. Your cubs can die if you can’t find food and you will cry.
Read our review of Endling: Extinction is Forever
Escape Academy
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
- Release date: 14th July
- For fans of: Puzzle solving and escape rooms
If you’re a fan of escape rooms in real life, then you’ll get a huge kick out of Escape Academy. Because that’s exactly what it is: a series of cleverly-designed escape rooms to puzzle your way out of. Playable either solo or in co-op, each room has its own theme and will take some serious brainpower to figure out. The puzzles are all logical, though, and so scour your environments carefully and pay attention to all clues, and you’ll soon figure it out. And when you do, it’s a serious sense of accomplishment.
Escape Academy isn’t the longest game, unfortunately: you’ll likely be done with all the rooms in five or six hours. And it will leave you wanting more.
Read our review of Escape Academy
Little Noah: Scion of Paradise
- Available on: PS4, Switch, PC
- Release date: 28th June
- For fans of: Roguelikes, action platformers
Little Noah: Scion of Paradise was stealth-dropped after a Nintendo Direct presentation, and because of that, we don’t think it got the attention it deserved. It only has a handful of reviews on Metacritic – not even enough to get a Metascore – and that’s a huge shame, because this roguelike platformer is a lot of fun. From Noah’s airship, you’ll set out to explore ancient ruins, taking down enemies and collecting upgrades as you go.
Like any roguelike, your run is over if you die, but with lots of permanent upgrades to unlock, it never feels like a waste. What’s unique here is that Noah doesn’t attack enemies herself: instead she has an army of little creatures known as ‘Lilliputs’ that she can command. It keeps action varied, and finding new Lilliputs (or upgrading your existing ones) means your fighting style is always evolving.
Read our review of Little Noah: Scion of Paradise
MADiSON
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
- Release date: 29th July
- For fans of: Horror
We had a spate of horror games this summer, but only one of them truly wowed us, and that was MADiSON. From an unknown developer, we didn’t expect much going in. But in fact, MADiSON made a lasting impression on us, and we’ve no doubt that this is one of the best horror games since the heyday of Silent Hill and Resident Evil.
Packed with puzzles and tense atmosphere, you never quite know what’s waiting around the corner for you in MADiSON. Excellent sound design will truly keep you on edge, as will the gripping narrative that keeps you glued to the screen. If you’re a fan of pure horror, this is undoubtedly one of the best games of the summer.
Midnight Fight Express
- Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
- Release Date: 23rd August
- For fans of: Side-scrolling beat ’em ups
When a mysterious package arrives at your door, you’re soon activated by the drone that emerges from inside. Now you’re racing against time, fighting criminals across the city you call home in order to hopefully rescue it. But who exactly are you? That’s what you’ll find out as you play Midnight Fight Express, a fast-paced brawler with a pounding techno soundtrack.
Levels are bite-sized, and as you make your way through them you unlock skill points that can used to expand your repertoire of attacks. Clothing items are doled out, too, allowing you to personalise your pugilist. Overall, it’s a high-octane event that’s fun from beginning to end.
Read our review of Midnight Fight Express
Neon White
- Available on: Switch, PC
- Release date: 16th June
- For fans of: Slick first-person action, speedrunning
Being an assassin before you met your demise, you should be in Hell right now. But somehow you’re in Heaven, and if you can beat others in a game that involves eliminating demons with skill, you can stay there. Neon White boasts an interesting premise, and one that’s bolstered by stylised visuals, an enjoyable soundtrack and moreish gameplay.
At its heart, Neon White is a first-person shooter. What makes it stand out, however, are its bite-sized levels, card based abilities and emphasis on speed running. Needless to say, there’s little else like it. If you’re up for challenge, make sure you give this a go.
Slaycation Paradise
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
- Release date: 18th August
- For fans of: Twin-stick shooters
Slaycation Paradise has one one of the highlights of August for us. This zany post-apocalyptic shooter combines twin-stick combat with tower defence mechanics, pitting players against waves of weird and wonderful enemies. You’ll be shooting off zombies, sentient blow-up dolls, aliens and more as you make your way through the game’s vibrant locations.
Each level has a slightly different goal for you to complete. Maybe you’ll just have to survive two waves of enemies, or maybe you’ll have to search for information, or rescue someone. Whatever you’re doing, the action is fast-paced and enjoyable, and you’ll have a blast as you continue to upgrade your weapons and defence equipment as you go.
Read our review of Slaycation Paradise
South of the Circle
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
- Release date: 3rd August
- For fans of: Narrative-driven adventures, romance
South of the Circle isn’t exactly action-packed, but it tells a grand story and takes players on an epic adventure. Set in 1964, players take on the role of Peter, a Cambridge University academic studying (and teaching) climatology. Told in present day scenes and cutscenes, the game weaves a narrative about Peter’s romance with fellow academic Clara, and his expedition to Antarctica.
With a backdrop of the Cold War, there’s a tense thread running throughout South of the Circle that constantly leaves you guessing as to what happens next. Looking back on Peter’s time in Cambridge is a big juxtaposition compared to his lonely and fraught endeavours in the Antarctic, but the two are blended together with flair. It’s only a short experience, but one that’s stuck with us.
Read our South of the Circle review
Tinykin
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
- Release date: 30th August
- For fans of: Adventure-platformers, Pikmin, cute stuff
Not only is Tinykin one of our favourite games of the summer, it’s also one of our favourite games of the year. We can’t get enough of this adorable adventure game that sees players take control of Milo, a pocked-sized space explorer who finds himself crash-landed inside an Earthling’s house. Explore giant living rooms, bathrooms that host yacht parties and a bedroom turned into a theme park as you try to collect the pieces of equipment you need to repair your ship and get home.
Milo doesn’t work alone, though. He’s accompanied by a horde of Tinykin who can be commanded to perform actions. Use them to explode objects, pick up large items, channel electrical currents and more. It’s perhaps the best platforming game we’ve played in a long time. We’re just sad it was over and done with rather quickly.
