It’s summer! As summer comes along, we all have a bit more time to sit and play our favorite video games. It’s a season for catching up on the games you didn’t get to play during the busier times of the year, so you can stay inside and escape the worst of the heat. Making it better is the frequent sales you’ll find, letting you pick up a few new games!
If you’re looking for a few games to play this summer, we’re here to give you a few ideas. Here are our favorite games to add to your to-play list this summer.
World of Warcraft
Ramp up for The War Within
World of Warcraft has had an incredible couple of years on the back of its stellar Dragonflight expansion, its additions to WoW: Classic, and more. With the upcoming expansion in August, this summer is a great time to gift your friend a subscription and get to grinding!
World of Warcraft turns 20 this November! Veterans who remember their first walk through the gates of Stormwind or their first death run from Thunder Bluff to Orgrimmar might feel their joints creak knowing that the game is turning twenty years old. And while just making that joke makes a few strands of my hair turn gray, there’s never been a better time to get intoWorld of Warcraftthan now in all its twenty years.
The MMORPG titan has been enjoying an enormous resurgence, slowly building back the goodwill that Blizzard lost with a less-than-beloved Shadowlands expansion and some rather hated backlash against the company. But for the last couple of years, we’ve had Dragonflight building up new systems, a rework to the M+ and dungeon systems, an upcoming expansion that’ll be the first of three, a huge amount of resources poured into WoW: Classic, the Plunderstorm game mode, the Mists of Pandaria Remix game mode, and so much more coming! As of writing this, Blizzard is offering a Welcome to Azeroth pack that’ll get you a character boosted to 60 and two full months of subscription! Gift this to your friends and join them as you build up to the highly-anticipated Worldsoul Saga expansions.
Jump down the well
WHERE TO PLAY
Animal Well has enjoyed an immense release, fueled by the creative insight of Billy Basso and supported by Bigmode Gaming. You can enjoy this absolute gem of an indie release with your friend as a gift this summer.
There aren’t many content creators and critics in the gaming industry as well-known and respected as Jason “Dunkey” Gastrow. When the entertainment veteran announced the creation of publishing company Bigmode Gaming, millions of eyes were watching to see what would come first. It’s hard to imagine anyone was disappointed with the first game announced, Animal Well.
Created by Billy Basso, Animal Well is an action-packed Metroidvania that blends the best of classic gaming with modern sensibilities. Whether you’re a fan of the genre or not, it’s hard to imagine anyone walking away from Animal Well even slightly disappointed. We can’t recommend this enough as a gift to give a friend so you can watch along while they make progress.
Just have to get past Mohg!
Elden Ring has enjoyed an incredible response since its release, subsequently becoming Game of the Year. With the Shadow of the Erdtree releasing June 21st, there’s no summer like now to enjoy the shade of the Erdtree.
Before we dive into this one, let’s verify one thing is clear: Shadow of the Erdtree is DLC for FromSoft’s Elden Ring, so you’ll need Elden Ring to play it! Not many games have had the incredible following and support that Elden Ring has had, with FromSoftware’s stellar titles having successfully created one of the most loyal and fervent fanbases - and I’m not just saying that to attempt to get them to port Bloodborne to PC, I promise.
Shadow of the Erdtree is the highly-anticipated first DLC to the Game of the Year. This DLC has an exceptional amount of content, adding on to a world that already takes the average player tens of hours just to traverse, much less complete. You’ll need to make it rather far into the game to get to where you’re able to access the Erdtree DLC, so go ahead and gift this to your friend while you summon each other to progress to where you need to be. And remember, anyone who tells you Soul Ashes don’t count is simply wrong.
Have a Hell of a time
Diablo 4 has had a somewhat-tumultuous first year of release, but with the Loot Reborn season, things have been solidifying into a fantastic experience. The lines are only going up as we look forward to the game’s first expansion, Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred.
Diablo 4’s release was a bit shaky by some accounts. While many fans (such as myself) have been exceptionally pleased with the game since its release, there’s no denying that it’s gotten better and better with almost every patch. The first season’s Malignant mechanics weren’t too popular, but the Season of Blood brought new life to the title. And while the following third season also fell flat, the currently-ongoing Loot Reborn is working to radically change how looting and itemization work in the kill-demons-get-treasure title.
So whyjump into Diablonow? The season just hit its halfway point, meaning you still have quite some time to see the new season. But more than that, Diablo 4 recently saw the announcement of the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, shown to the world through what might have been the most gruesome cinematic trailer ever released. With Microsoft having acquired Blizzard, Diablo 4 was recently added to the Xbox Game Pass service, meaning you can jump into the game for free today! Gift your favorite gaming buddy a month of Game Pass and spend the rest of Loot Reborn slaughtering your way through Sanctuary, but don’t forget to come back for Season 5 - and Vessel of Hatred!
Keep an eye on the time
In Hades 2, you’ll play as the witch Melinoë, younger sister to Hades 1’s protagonist Zagreus. Taking place some years after the conclusion of the first game, Melinoë is in a race against the Titan of Time to reclaim the Underworld, rescue her family, and pet a polecat along the way.
Supergiant’s Hades took the gaming community by storm, revitalizing the roguelike/roguelite genre and bringing Greek mythology back to the center of gaming. And while that game was stellar, its sequel may have it beaten in some respects - and it’s not even done yet! While still in early access, Hades 2 is a fully-functional game with a huge amount of promising updates on the horizon.
In Hades 2, you play as Melinoë, the younger sister of Zagreus born sometime after the first game. The Titan Chronos has taken over the Underworld, sending Melinoë on a mission to take back her home and free her family from whatever horrors are being committed to them. It’s all the action of the first game with a greater emphasis on spellwork, as well as a few returning characters that veterans will be happy to see!
Helldivers 2
Defend Democracy!
Helldivers 2 took the world by storm over 2024, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. This game makes a great gift for someone who you want to help defend democracy with!
Helldivers 2 hit the gaming community with the force of a 500KG bomb, and while there have been some hiccups, it’s remained one of the most popular games of the year. This title pits up to four players against the horrors of the local fauna, or evil robots, as you’re shot via bullet-drop-pod from your Supercarrier onto a planet below to accomplish whatever suicide mission you’ve been launched on.
Full of propaganda, brainwashing, and the glory of democracy, this Starship Troopers-esque game is a can’t-miss for anyone who loves cooperative shooters. It’s available on almost all platforms, though Xbox still hasn’t been brought into the fold. Grab your ammo, set your strategems, and drop down in your hellpod with your best friend this summer!
FAQ
Which Platform Has The Best Exclusives?
Exclusives have begun to fade from the gaming scene - something gamers restricted to one platform are happy to see. PlayStation and theNintendo Switchboth continue to have exclusives, but even the former has begun branching some formerly exclusive titles off to the PC. Xbox has also begun to put most of its titles on the PC! As such, exclusives shouldn’t have that much of an impact on your choice. Research which platform has games you want and choose that one!
Which Platform Is The Best For Gaming?
This discussion has existed since the second arcade machines were installed, and as always, it comes down to your personal preference. If you’re looking for variety, we recommend playing on a PC, as you’ll have access to more titles, a more customizable gaming experience, and a few other perks. But if you have strong feelings about picking a specific console instead, go for it!
I Have Limited Funds! What Games Should I Focus On?
Triple-A titles are often some of the most hyped-up releases in a given year, but as those prices push higher and higher, they aren’t great for everyone on a budget. Personally, I choose to focus on indie games and smaller releases. These games often provide just as much entertainment without making you break your bank account for them. You also can look into some subscription-based games if you just want to try something out for a month or two before hopping in, like the Xbox Gamepass service or a subscription to World of Warcraft. You have thousands of choices, so don’t sweat the financial strain!
