WORLD WIDE WEB
PC USERS FINALLY GET TO ENJOY SPRAWLING OPEN-WORLD SPIDEY EPIC AS AUGUST BRINGS A SLEW OF COOL NEW OFFERINGS
AUGUST has arrived, the kids are off school and a mass exodus to sunnier climes has begun.
It’s also a month packed to the gills with new releases.
From stunning remasters, to highly anticipated sequels and everything in between, it’s really starting to feel like the annual gaming ‘drought’ is coming to an end.
So if you’ve ever wanted to swing through a major city, join an alien invasion force, or form a major criminal syndicate, there are games coming soon that will make those dreams come true.
Here are our top picks of the next 31 days’ releases.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered (PEGI 16) PC Release: August 12
Almost four years since Marvel’s Spider-Man arrived on the PS4, PC gamers finally get a chance to play this month.
This open-world adventure shows you Spidey as you’ve never really seen him before on screen.
It’s a more experienced Peter Parker, eight years into his stint as the city’s Friendly, Neighbourhood Spider-Man.
The experience shows as he’s faster on his feet and has much sharper detection skills, making him a better crime fighter.
The environments in this game have never looked better, and the higher the spec of your machine, the greater the options available to you.
Beautifully rendered skylines, textured rivers and bright, neon lights combine to create a city so real, you feel like you’ve actually been there.
There’s PlayStation DualSense wireless controller support for those who prefer to play with a controller, or a wide range of different customisable control options if you’d rather use a mouse and keyboard.
Saints Row (PEGI 18) PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, PC Release: August 23
Sticking with classic games, Saints Row is a reboot for the series which first saw life back in 2006.
Developer Volition aims to take the franchise back to its roots with this game, set in the fictional city of Santo Ileso – loosely based on Las Vegas.
Santo Ileso is controlled by three gangs, and you play as a former gang member looking to form their own syndicate and seize control.
There’s a ridiculous amount of customisation here, from skin tone and gender, to prosthetics such as artificial legs all the way down to the shape and shine of your character’s teeth.
And it doesn’t stop there, you can customise the cars you drive, the weapons you tote, the headquarters you work out of.
The script is also dripping with trademark Saints Row humour, which always made the series stand apart from other games of this ilk.
Pac-Man World Re-Pac (PEGI 7) PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Switch, PC Release: August 26
Another PlayStation game getting a remake this month is Pac-Man World, which first debuted on the Sony console back in 1999.
Arriving home on his birthday, Pac-Man discovers all his friends and family have been kidnapped by the Ghosts and taken to Ghost Island.
With much improved graphics and gameplay, developers are also fixing the character’s stability, so there will be no more falling off platforms and dying unfairly. Pac-Man will also transform into ‘Mega Pac’ when he eats certain power pellets.
Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed (PEGI 16) PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX X/S, PC Release: August 30
The return of a cult classic, as Crypto the alien invader wreaking havoc on 1960s earth is back to cause more chaos.
First released on the PS2 back in 2006, this sequel sees Crypto seeking revenge on the KGB for blowing up his mothership.
Along the way you’ll have to form alliances with members of the very species you’ve come to enslave if you want to make your mission a success.
Alongside much improved graphics and gameplay, there are new gadgets to play with as Crypto’s arsenal has been boosted.
Kidnap unsuspecting humans to harvest their DNA for skill upgrades, rain meteors down on your enemies, or find new and inventive ways to dispatch your foes.
Look out for the ‘dressed to skill’ edition, which boasts skin packs for Crypto including a tuxedo, a mankini, and a sparkly unicorn costume.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (PEGI 12) PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Switch, PC Release: August 30
The game every Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) fan has been waiting for.
The Cowabunga Collection brings together 13 TMNT games, including arcade, GameBoy, NES, and Sega Genesis releases.
One of the reasons this is such a big deal is that it’s the first time many of these games have been available on modern consoles.
Included on the disc is a huge archive of original design documents, featuring developers’ storyboarding ideas and artwork.
While gamers of a certain age will love the nostalgia hit, it’s also a chance for younger gamers to experience some quality vintage titles.