This month is deceptively packed with games. It might lack a true AAA standout game, but there are plenty of more experimental games and indie titles coming out over the course of July. On the multiplayer front, games likeFinal Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, The First Descendant, andZenless Zone Zerowill offer new ways to play games with friends. On the single-player front, games likeKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, andArranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventurewill be playing around with more experimental gameplay flows and ideas.
If you know where to look, you definitely won’t be spoiled for choice when it comes to finding new games to play throughout this month. To help you sift through all of these game launches, I’m highlighting seven of the most prominent releases of July 2024 that you should keep on your radar. At the end of this article, you can also find a list of even more games that you can keep track of as they come out.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail (July 2)
Recommended if you like:Final Fantasy XIV, obviously
Every few years, Square Enix’s immensely popular MMOFinal Fantasy XIVgets a new expansion, and on July 2, the game will get its first one since 2021.Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrailadds a new continent called Tural, new Viper and Pictomancer jobs, the Female Hrothgar race, a variety of new questlines and story content to explore, and more. On top of that, it raises the level cap to 100 and improves the graphics of this decade-old MMO.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntraillaunches on July 2 across all platforms the MMO is available on, which include PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, and now Xbox Series X/S.
The First Descendant (July 2)
Recommended if you like:Warframe
If multiplayer shooters are more your speed, then you’ll want to check outThe First Descendant. It’s a free-to-play looter shooter where players fight enemies and complete missions cooperatively as hero characters called Descendants. If you enjoy third-person shooters,The First Descendantfeatures satisfying gunplay and a grappling hook that makes it fun to move around. Its pre-launch demoshave been overwhelming, but it’s possible that The First Descendant can find its passionate community once more people go hands-on with it after launch.
The First Descendantlaunches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on July 2.
Zenless Zone Zero (July 4)
Recommended if you like:Genshin Impact
If you’re an avid player ofGenshin Impact, then you’ll probably be excited to hear that developer miHoYo is putting out another game this month. It’s calledZenless Zone Zero, and it’s an action game that tradesGenshin Impact’smore traditional fantasy world for a sci-fi one where players fight their way through realms called Hollows with parties of up to three characters. It’s a bit different from miHoYo’s other titles in that it’s not an open-world game, but should retain the same fun action gameplay and gacha-like systems that madeGenshin Impacta hit.
Zenless Zone Zerolaunches for PC, PS5, iOS, and Android on July 4.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn (July 18)
Recommended if you like:Dark Souls
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawnis the big new Dark Souls-inspired game of the month. Developer A44 is positioning this game as a “Soulslite” rather than a Soulslike because it takes more creative risks than many Souls-inspired titles. Its combat is faster-paced, there are some light platforming elements, and players can use a gun or have the magical fox-like creature Enki attack to gain an edge during battle. If you bounced offShadow of the Erdtreebecause it was too tough, maybe check this game out instead.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawnlaunches into Xbox Game Pass across PC and Xbox Series X/S on July 18. It will also come out on PS5 that day.
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (July 18)
Recommended if you like:NES Remix
Nintendo’s next game pays tribute to the speedrunners who continue to play many of its classic games to this day. Based on the former Nintendo competition of the same name,Nintendo World Championships: NES Editionoffers up bite-sized speedrunning challenges for 13 different NES games:Balloon Fight, Donkey Kong, Excitebike, Ice Climber, Kid Icarus, Kirby’s Adventure, Metroid, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda, andZelda II: The Adventure of Link. Fans of retro games who want to test their mettle against other players need to pick this game up.
Nintendo World Championships: NES Editionlaunches exclusively for Nintendo Switch on July 18.
EA Sports College Football 25 (July 19)
Recommended if you like:Madden NFL 24
After over a decade, EA is finally reviving its college football simulation game series.EA Sports College Football 25uses the gameplay of Madden as a foundation but adds its own unique flair with reworked passing mechanics, a wear-and-tear system that makes the risk of injury a more relevant factor, and more impactful home-field advantages for teams. With officially licensed teams, players, stadiums, tournaments, and more, this has the potential to be one of the most exciting EA Sports games in years.
EA Sports College Football 25launches for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on July 19.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (July 19)
Recommended if you like:Onimusha: Warlords
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddesswas my favorite thingI played at Summer Game Fest 2024because of how unique it is. It blends action game and tower defense mechanics across several levels, which see players defending a maiden from hordes of demonic enemies called “Seethe” as she travels between Torii gates and players rid levels of “Defilement.” It’s a tough game to describe in just a couple of sentences, but watch some gameplay or go hands-on with it, and you’ll find thatKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddesshas a chance to be one of the most charming games of the year.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddesswill be available to purchase on PS4 and PS5 and added on Xbox Game Pass across PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on July 19.
