Written by the Streamcast

While this has not been as rough a year as 2020 was, it has been a difficult few months. Hopefully we in the UK are days away from being able to go to nightclubs and live events, allowing us to finally reach some semblance of normality.

Over the past year, we have dug deep and found some new habits and for some of you that includes gaming!

Whether you are someone who has picked up gaming over lockdown or someone who has played games for years, here are five games that we are excited to play that come out in the summer!

Please note all release dates below are correct at the time of writing so these are subject to change or delay.

1. Kena: Bridge of Spirits

This game looks really beautiful; bright lights feature throughout the trailers, reminiscent of London at night. I see similarities to Horizon Zero Dawn with the bow and arrow and Prince of Persia (2008) as in one of the trailers, Kena restores greenery to an area.

I like games with a good balance between gameplay and story and it feels like the story is going to have a lot of mystery as the voice of a wise man is heard saying, “you cannot hide your weakness from me” and “you have no power yet” - I am instantly left wanting to find out more.

The setting of this game gives me an Eastern vibe and looks to be Japanese/Balinese-inspired, with the music following suit. This gives Kena a deeper, spiritual aura comparable to the Avatar Korra and I think this is a game that a lot of people are going to enjoy.

Kena has the potential to become one of my favourite female characters but it’ll take a lot to overtake Heavenly Sword’s Nariko and I am of the opinion that this game could become a shout for GOTY.

This game is set to be released on 24th August for the PS4, PS5 and PC.

2. No More Heroes 3

From the trailers, it’s clear that this is going to be a very fun game. There’s a boss fight in the style of the original Final Fantasy VII, Travis now has access to a mech suit and in one of the first trailers, he lands on a spaceship and kills dozens of enemies, referencing the first game.

I’m excited to see Travis’ story continue as well as finding all the references and Easter eggs packed into this game by SUDA51.

The larger than life bosses and the lightsab- beam katana combat drew me to the series and I’m sure No More Heroes 3 will not disappoint with out of this world (pun intended) bosses and new weapons.

If you couldn’t already tell we are excited for this upcoming title, check out our review of the first game in the series here.

This game is set for release on 27th August for the Nintendo Switch.

3. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

If there was a Mount Rushmore of PlayStation franchises, I honestly believe Ratchet and Clank should be up there. Almost every PS owner I’ve spoken to has played and praised at least one of their games - my brother and I still play the Ratchet and Clank games to this day, with my brother just recently completing the PS4 release.

Ratchet and Clank strikes the perfect balance of family-friendly action and challenge. It’s a formula that works - the loveable Lombax and his robotic companion travel through all the worlds and complete varied puzzles together (or apart at some points). But this new title offers a much needed twist; there’s another Lombax!

Her name is Rivet and I think she’s amazing! We stumble into her dimension and everything from her design, her attitude and the fact she comes across so differently to Ratchet is very appealing. Every trailer and showcase has been great and I can barely contain my excitement to get my hands on this game!

It’s a good thing we don’t have too much longer to wait as this game will be released on 11th June for the PS5.

4. Solar Ash

Another gem from Heart Machine, the studio that created Hyper Light Drifter, Solar Ash is an action adventure game that has you play as a void-runner who is trying to save their home world from being consumed by the Ultravoid (a black hole).

Solar Ash is designed as a 3D platformer which prides itself on movement and fluidity that translates into how you move through the environment and fighting styles.

The colour scheme is absolutely stunning, with excellent lighting setting off the use of complementary colours. Almost instantly I was drawn in by the breath-taking visuals this game has to offer.

Solar Ash is set to be released on the PS4, PS5 and PC in June.

5. Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown

My prayers have been answered!

If you know anything about me, you know that I’m a big fan of Virtua Fighter.

Virtua Fighter 3 was the first game I ever remember playing and there were many hours spent playing as Akira Yuki fighting the likes of Shun, Kage and Dural.

The father of the 3D fighters is back and I’m excited to discover just how far Sega have come in developing this trailblazer title.

This game will be released on 1st June for the PS4, in fact people with a PS Plus subscription will be able to download this title for free from today!

Of course we can only mention so many games and I’m sure we missed some. What games are you excited for, that are coming out this summer?