August 2023 gaming deep cuts: Gord, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, Sea of Stars

A lot of video video games come out each month, even throughout slower months like August. Should you gave the sport launch calendar a thwap with the ol’ broom, a couple of enormous AAA-tier video games would doubtless drop to the bottom like anvils. Video games like Madden NFL 24, the rerelease of Crimson Lifeless Redemption, Immortals of Aveum, and Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon kick up a cloud that overshadows the arrival of smaller video games — doubtlessly nice ones, even, from builders you would possibly’ve heard of and new indie creators alike. Like, some that will really find yourself in your GOTY record.

We don’t need to let these video games slip by (and also you’d most likely wish to learn about them, proper?), so every month we’ll be rounding up a handful of notable recreation launches that you need to learn about. Keep tuned close to the top of each month for our subsequent batch of online game deep cuts.

Gord

Gord is an isometric journey technique recreation set in a darkish fantasy realm. The primary aim is survival, and to do this your neighborhood might want to construct (and fortify) a house base, then forage for supplies. It’s not fairly as quaint as that, although. In your journey by the darkness surrounding your fortress, you’ll name upon gods to make your life simpler, or conflict with them, making issues a lot more durable.

Gord launched on PlayStation 5, Home windows PC through Steam, and Xbox Collection X on Aug. 17 for $34.99.

Blasphemous 2

Whereas a lot of its mechanics are borrowed from Darkish Souls and Metroidvania titles, 2019’s Blasphemous introduced greater than sufficient originality to the desk with its grotesque, gory artwork model and memorable boss battles. Almost 4 years later, a sequel is upon us. Blasphemous 2 appears to be packing extra weapons, combos, and tough platforming. In different phrases, extra of the good things that it delivered the primary time round.

Blasphemous 2 is launching on Nintendo Change, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC through Steam, Xbox Collection X on Aug. 24. It prices $34.99 for all platforms besides PC, the place it prices $29.99.

Sea of Stars

Should you check out Sea of Stars’ artwork model and catch whiffs of Chrono Set off, you aren’t alone. And if its soundtrack sounds related, nicely, that’s no coincidence. That recreation’s composer, Yasunori Mitsuda, graced Sea of Stars’ soundtrack as visitor composer. This new title was developed by the identical staff that made The Messenger, and it’s clear that these devs love placing their very own trendy spin on in style video games from a long time in the past. Even with out some all-star musicians connected the the mission, the graphics are charming, and I’m notably taken with the sport’s clean transition between exploration and turn-based battles.

Sea of Stars is launching on Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC through Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Collection X and on Aug. 29 for $34.99.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Right here’s one other recreation that’s deeply paying homage to its inspiration. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is Jet Set Radio by one other title, with an total vibe that matches the Sega Dreamcast cult favourite. Catchy music (together with songs composed by none apart from Jet Set Radio’s Hideki Naganuma) backs the gameplay, which entails grinding on rails, doing methods, accumulating what look like paint canisters, and battling rival gangs. The sport makes some makes an attempt to distinguish itself, not that it has to for followers of Jet Set Radio. To get some graffiti spots, you’ll should wall run, or run on foot. And there seems to be a social hub that you just’ll spend time in as nicely, so there ought to be extra stuff to do than in Jet Set Radio.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk launched on Nintendo Change and Home windows PC through Steam on Aug. 18 for $39.99, per the outline of the YouTube video above. Developer Staff Reptile confirmed that it’s going to come to PlayStation and Xbox on Sept. 1.

Shifting Out 2

Featured just lately throughout our Polygonathon 2023 Twitch stream, Shifting Out 2 is a cooperative recreation that may really feel fairly aggressive at occasions. You’ll should work collectively to maneuver stuff by homes which are constructed to really feel like escape rooms. In order for you a family-friendly multiplayer recreation that’ll make you snort and take a look at your persistence in equal measure, you need to regulate this one.

Shifting Out 2 launched on Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC through Steam, and Xbox One, and Xbox Collection X on Aug. 15. It prices $34.99 on all platforms besides Change and Steam, the place it prices $44.99 and $29.99, respectively.

Hammerwatch 2

Dungeon crawlers are making a comeback. The highlight is on Hammerwatch 2, a top-down journey recreation the place you possibly can play alone, or be joined by as much as 3 gamers on-line. The pixelated look of the sport is charming, however seeing the sport in movement seems to be beautiful. This looks as if a recreation that’d be a deal with to plow by with some shut friends.

Hammerwatch 2 launched on Home windows PC through Steam on Aug. 15 for $24.99. It’s coming to Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Change at a later date, and pre-orders for these platforms are dwell now.

Goodbye Volcano Excessive

The most recent from KO_OP, a developer with all kinds of video games beneath its belt, is Goodbye Volcano Excessive, which is a tricky recreation to explain. Even the devs can’t appear to land on one style. Within the description for the YouTube video above, it’s described as “a hybrid cinematic narrative/rhythm recreation/coming of age/interactive film expertise.” Oh, and the entire characters are essentially the most fashion-savvy dinosaurs I’ve ever seen.

Goodbye Volcano Excessive launches on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Home windows PC through Steam on Aug. 29.

Kentucky Route Zero: TV Version

The present era of consoles, together with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Collection X, has been handled to native variations of Kentucky Route Zero: TV Version. The eerie, formidable, and beautiful five-part narrative sequence has been out there on most consoles for some time now (to not point out playable on the aforementioned PS5 and Collection X) however now you gained’t should play a backward-compatible model, in case that issues to you.

The newer model of the sport launched on PS5 and Xbox Collection X on Aug. 17.

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Costs taken at time of publishing.

Grasp Detectives vs. Megacorporation. A metropolis of rain is gripped by innumerable unsolved mysteries, beneath the entire management of a megacorporation. Grasp Detectives from around the globe, every possessing distinctive powers, should rise to the problem of uncovering the reality. With Shinigami by his facet, Yuma joins the investigation as a trainee of the detective company. Journey freely inside the totally 3D atmosphere of town to collect proof and testimonies.