Top Video Game Releases Of Summer 2015
The best video games getting released from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
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The passing of the Memorial Day holiday weekend marks the unofficial start of summer in the US. Unlike the movie industry, which rakes in big bucks during the summer blockbuster film season, summertime is not usually known for blockbuster video games.
Most developers like to hold their hottest titles for the winter holiday selling season. But summer is becoming more important every year as video game marketers struggle for attention in a crowded market. This summer, some big titles are coming out, alongside lesser-known innovative ones.
Summer is a great time to roll out reliable sequels, and games that you want to sit indoors and play for a long time in air conditioning. We're seeing a small return to turn-based games after they fell out of favor. We're also seeing some movie games, and, of course, summer sports releases.
Splatoon is the only entry from our list of the most anticipated video game titles of 2015 to make our summertime breakout. Another, Roller Coaster Tycoon World, was scheduled for mid-2015 but it seems to have fallen into release limbo. It has been delayed several times, and the website still says "early 2015." So we're keeping it off the list for now.
What we've got here is a list of games that will keep you playing through those hot, sticky nights when you have trouble sleeping, or on those days when it is too darn hot to go outside. At least, they'll tide me over nicely until No Man's Sky comes out, the game I want to play more than any other this fall.
Check out the list of the games that will keep you busy from now until Labor Day. Then, tell us in the comments section below about the video games you expect to be enjoying this season. What are you playing now, and what are you looking forward to?
Gal Civ, as it is known to fans, was released on Memorial Day weekend, and reviews and sales seem good. Gal Civ is the slightly less famous cousin to the original Civ titles, which take place on Earth (though there is actually no relation in terms of developers). Pick the humans or an alien race. Take your ships around the galaxy. Explore, colonize, make war or peace. It is up to you. It has been nine years since the last expansion to Gal Civ 2 came out, so the game was due for a refresh. If you want a "just one more turn" experience from a PC game, this is your best bet of the summer.
Splatoon came out the weekend of May 29, so the paint is still wet on this one. It's probably the most anticipated new game franchise (as opposed to another Mario game) for the Wii U. Splatoon is a first-person shooter that isn't violent, meaning you can play with your kids. Players trade guns for paint sprayers in an attempt to cover walls, the land, and each other with paint. The result is a beautifully rendered experience that promises to be lots of fun. Is it enough to buy a Wii U for? Probably not. But if you bought one for Mario Kart 8, this is a great game to add value to a console that is still struggling with titles. Be warned that multi-player is limited early on (a mistake by Nintendo), but updates are promised.
The only mobile game on the list, You Must Build A Boat is the sequel to the well-loved puzzle game 10000000. It combines the "match 3" and dungeon run components of the original with what appears to be a Dungeon Keeper style of monster recruitment. The game dropped on June 3, and should be a wildly popular mobile summer release for those of you who like to sit by the pool with your smartphones and tablets.
If there is a blockbuster on this list, it is Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. The original Elder Scrolls Online received mixed reviews and didn't sell as well as expected. To help prop up the franchise it was announced that with the release of Tamriel Unlimited no monthly subscription was required, only the original purchase of the game. Elder Scroll games have all been highly successful, and it is possible that this will help save the rocky start. People once predicted that Elder Scrolls online could be the next World of Warcraft. If that is going to happen, it will be with this release, due June 9.
Superhero video games are a mixed bag, especially Batman video games. Most seem to fail to capture the flair and freedom of being Batman. On June 23 we'll have another pass with Batman: Arkham Knight. It certainly has the dark theme down.
An expansion to the online version of Final Fantasy, Heavensward extends the game for 4 million online subscribers. The game is highly popular, and is part of a mythos and storyline that goes back to 1987. It is one of the richest fantasy worlds ever created in video game history. The limitation at this point for Final Fantasy may not be that the game isn't good or intriguing. Rather it's that, for those without experience in the game's world, its long history can seem daunting. Those who have lived it for decades take the land and its history very seriously. The expansion hits stores June 23.
The old gray lady of football games has been going strong every year since 1984. That was the year of the LA Olympics, when we all sang "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand." That's how long ago this franchise was founded. This year offers some excitement, as it may be the first year we really see Madden take advantage of the next-gen consoles. It always takes some time for developers to catch on to the potential of a new system. I'm expecting good things on August 25 when this one debuts.
Due September 1, Metal Gear Solid marks the end of the summer and the beginning of the big fall video game releases. This version, set in 1984, continues the trend of "stealth espionage" games. This is one of the few games out there that includes a lot of violence, yet encourages you to avoid using it. The game is especially topical to many, because it takes place in Afghanistan during the Soviet War. It ought to keep you going until the big games arrive for Christmas.
These are the best games I see coming out this summer. Tell me about any you're enthused about that I forgot, or tell me what you'll be playing when the mercury rises, in the comments section below.
These are the best games I see coming out this summer. Tell me about any you're enthused about that I forgot, or tell me what you'll be playing when the mercury rises, in the comments section below.
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