We've just entered what is routinely the most dry season of the year: Summer. During the past couple years June, July, and August have been very soft when it comes to game releases. For some, that's an ample opportunity to get caught up on a backlog. For others, it's reason for boredom.
You may be happy to hear that this Summer is much better than the past few years. With more than a hundred games coming out during the three-month period, there are a few that stand out as eye-catching highlights. Check out the gallery below to find 10 games you can rely on until this Fall's storm of games hit the market.
The 10 Best Games to Play This Summer When You're Bored
Batman: Arkham Knight (Available Now)
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
rnRead More: Batman: Arkham Asylum Review
rnBest For: The person who loves single-player action games.
rn
rnBatman: Arkham Knight is without a doubt the biggest game of Summer 2015. This action-adventure title features the largest open-world in a Batman game ever, allowing you to drive around in the Batmobile to get around more conveniently—and epically. There are iconic villains to challenge, tons of ways to combat them, and more than 30 hours of content to chew through. With its rich story and wealth of side content, it makes a great Summer blockbuster.
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation (Available Now)
Platforms: iOS, Android rnRead More: Dragon Quest VI Hub rnBest For: The person who wants an RPG on the go. rn rnIf you're going to be on the go a lot during this Summer, Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation is worth a look. This is a mobile port of one of the best games in the series, allowing you to enjoy its over 100 hours of JRPG exploration no matter where you are—provided you have a smartphone.
Everybody\'s Gone to the Rapture (August 11th)
Platform: PS4 rnRead More: Everybody's Gone to the Rapture Hub rnBest For: The person who enjoys artistic games. rn rnSometimes it's best to kick back and enjoy a mellow, atmospheric game. For that, this Summer brings you Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, a game by The Chinese Room (Amnesia: The Dark Descent) and SCE Santa Monica Studio (God of War) that will be unlike anything else this year. Running on CryEngine 3, it'll also be a visual showpiece for your PS4.
FFXIV: Heavensward (Available Now)
Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4 rnRead More: FFXIV: Heavensward Review-in-Progress rnBest For: The person who loves MMORPGs. rn rnFor the past two weeks MMO fans have been swept away by this year's hottest expansion: Heavensward. This add-on to Final Fantasy XIV features a war between humans and dragons with tons of new content including flying mounts, massive zones, and three new playable jobs. It is a huge improvement over the base game, making it an alluring option for those who want to become deeply captivated by an online RPG.
God of War 3 Remastered (July 14th)
Platform: PS4 rnRead More: God of War 3 Hub rnBest For: The person who wants to beat up entities from Greek mythology. rn rnRegarded as one of the best action games on PS3, God of War 3 is making the jump to the current generation with a remaster. Running at 1080p and 60 FPS for the first time in AAA God of War history, this will be a great opportunity to dive into control of Kratos and violently destroy enemies for over a dozen hours.
PlanetSide 2 PS4 (Available Now)
Platforms: PC, PS4 rnRead More: PlanetSide 2 Review rnBest For: The person who is all about teamwork. rn rnAlthough the PC version of PlanetSide 2 has been around for a while, the PS4 version has finally arrived and it's everything console gamers hoped for. At no cost to play, it is by far the largest-scale shooter on consoles at this point in time. Give it a try, and you might just fall in love no matter which platform you play it on.
Rare Replay (August 4th)
Platform: Xbox One rnRead More: Rare Replay Preview rnBest For: The person who plays retro games. rn rnIt's hard to believe that 2015 is the 30th anniversary of Rare Ltd., but it's true. This is a studio that has memorable titles including Battletoads, Killer Instinct Gold, Banjo-Kazooie, and Perfect Dark. These as well as 26 other titles (30 total) will be included in this $30 package for Xbox One that celebrates the studio's anniversary. With that many great games to play, you will be hard-pressed to find more value this Summer.
Rocket League (July 7th)
Platforms: PC, PS4
rnRead More: PlayStation Plus July Lineup
rnBest For: The person looking to play a game with friends locally.
rn
rnIf you own a PS4 and pay for PlayStation Plus, you're in for a treat this July. Rocket League will be one of the free games offered as part of the package. You might not have heard of it, but many are already considering it a contender for best indie title of 2015. Think of it as demolition derby meets soccer, where you pilot a powerful vehicle and try to knock a ball into the opposing team's goal. With split-screen and online multiplayer, as well as cross-platform play between PS4 and PC, this will be the game to enjoy with friends this Summer.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Available Now)
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One rnRead More: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Review rnBest For: The person with time to kill. rn rnWith over 200 hours of content, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt stands as the largest-scale single-player game of 2015 so far. Its story is rich and its adventure is seemingly endless. This is a safe bet for anyone looking to pour hours into a very well-crafted game.
Heroes of the Storm (Available Now)
Platform: PC rnRead More: Heroes of the Storm Review rnBest For: The person who enjoys Blizzard games. rn rnHeroes of the Storm has quickly become the hottest strategy game of the year. Featuring noteworthy heroes from Blizzard's IPs, it is a more welcoming approach to the MOBA genre, a genre that previously had a high difficulty curve with games like Dota 2 and League of Legends. At no cost you can hop into the game, take command of a well-known hero, and work with a group of others to win in a 5 versus 5 competitive game.