What to play in August 2025
August traditionally has very few big releases, but you can find something interesting among them. In my opinion, the most promising release of the last summer month is Mafia: The Old Country, which, despite a portion of criticism from those who managed to watch the 9-minute gameplay video, still promises an exciting adventure for all fans of the genre.
There are also a few releases for those who are tired of the constant tension (and we are almost all a little tired here, right?) - new releases that promise comfort and peace, such as Make Room or Tiny Bookshop. And there are completely opposite options - extremely warlike games like the remakes of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Definitive Edition or Gears of War: Reloaded.
Make Room
Release date: August 7, 2025
Genre: designer simulator
Platforms: Windows
At first glance, this might just be a cozy little thing for Perfectionists. But if you've ever been into ASMR cleaning or "transforming an old closet into something beautiful" videos, Make Room is definitely for you. It's both a simulator and a meditative sandbox where you can spend hours quietly decorating your perfect dream room. And then another. And more.
By the way, the project is not just anyone, but Kenny from the Netherlands, a legendary developer who has been giving away thousands of free game assets to anyone for years. Now he allows players to use a piece of that huge library at their own discretion.
In Make Room, the player will not just arrange furniture around the room. He will become a full-fledged designer of miniature dioramas: a kitchen, a van, a perfect bedroom, a hobbit library or an IKEA torture chamber - whatever your imagination desires. There are over a thousand pieces of decor and furniture, and you can change their size, colors, materials and even add effects like steam from a kettle or sunlight through a window.
And here they promise plot tasks: the inhabitants of the town (or rather, the diorama universe) sometimes ask you to clean something, furnish something, do something "like on Pinterest". If you do it, you get access to even more cute junk. And when you have already created the room of your dreams, turn on the built-in photo mode, shoot it from the perfect angle and upload it to Steam Workshop, show off your masterpieces and watch how others decorate theirs.
Tiny Bookshop
Release date: August 7, 2025
Genre: bookstore simulator
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Another cozy indie game where the player becomes the owner of a small mobile bookstore in the picturesque seaside town of Buxtonbury. It seems that this idea has been suggested for a long time, because for many, a bookstore is a place of strength and comfort. In the game, you will have to develop a business selling used books: decorate shop windows, equip shelves, organize sales at fairs.
After work, you can explore the city, meet its residents, participate in their conversations, and even uncover local secrets. The main thing is to gain the trust of customers, take care of cleanliness, full shelves, and quality service. As profits increase, you will have the opportunity to expand the store or rent a pavilion.
The game is already being called a hit for introverts: the demo received rave reviews at the Steam Next Fest, and over 3,200 people backed the project on Kickstarter, raising over 200,000 euros instead of the planned 30,000.
Expect an atmospheric soundtrack, a flexible economy with dynamic demand, the ability to travel to different locations, a system of achievements, and most importantly, a feeling of complete immersion in a calm bookish life.
Mafia: The Old Country
Release date: August 8, 2025
Genre: action/adventure
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Despite the fact that Mafia: The Old Country has already been criticized in the first 9 minutes of gameplay, I still hope for the best. And the best in this series, in my opinion, is the first part and its remake, with a wonderful, rich and lively plot and an incredible atmosphere, close to Puzo's novels and Scorsese, Coppola and Sergio Leone's films. But whether this will actually happen - we'll see.
Mafia: The Old Country is a prequel that takes us to the real cradle of the mafia, Sicily in the early 1900s. Instead of the asphalt jungle of Chicago, there are lemon farms, instead of skyscrapers, there are stone mansions, instead of jazz, there is the silence of vineyards. And you know what? It's refreshing.
Enzo Favara, our orphan hero who escaped the fate of a miner, now has to make his way through the conflict between two warring Sicilian families. We are promised a concentrated ten-hour drama without being diluted by side quests about finding lost cats. It seems that Hangar 13 studio has finally understood: it is better to create something short but dense than to stretch it out for 25 hours of boredom, as in the almost completely failed third part.
True, the price of $50 immediately hints that you shouldn't expect a AAA technological breakthrough of the century. And indeed, the nine-minute gameplay demonstration causes mixed feelings. On the one hand, the atmosphere is truly captivating: horses, dusty roads, ancient weapons, stealth among cypresses - all this resembles a cinematic dream about the Italian province with an admixture of Red Dead Redemption. On the other hand, some animations are quite mediocre. And grenade explosions leave enemies indifferent, as if they had just heard distant thunder. Although, perhaps, we are simply used to such things in our time.
Fans' opinions on the gameplay were divided in the comments, with some excited about the prospect of roaming the Sicilian hills, while others complained that the graphics were a decade behind modern standards. But is it all about pixels? Mafia has always been about story, plot, and atmosphere.
I'm personally looking forward to this game. Although, to be honest, I'm not sure I'll sit down to play it right away. Sometimes it's better to wait for the first patch or discount. But imagine: a summer evening, Sicilian landscapes on the screen, a story about the formation of the mafia and no "bring-give" tasks for you. Sounds like a good vacation plan in these difficult times.
Ritual of Raven
Release date: August 8, 2025
Genre: farming simulator
Platforms: Windows, Nintendo Switch
Ritual of Raven is, by all accounts, a bit like Stardew Valley, but with a twist, a magical component, and a gripping storyline. The player takes on the role of a young witch tasked with restoring a rundown farm in a small village populated by colorful characters.
Well, since we play as a witch, why should we grow plants ourselves? There is magic for that, or rather, the cursed mechanisms of the arcana that work independently in the fields. So our main task is to manage the process, explore the magical world, make friends with the locals, and stabilize the magical portals that create chaos around the village.
The game features bright pixel graphics, friendly characters, elements of trading, fishing, and resource gathering. You can have pets, customize your witch's house, and discover recipes for new potions.
Ritual of Raven is being developed by Spill Garden Games and published by Team17, a studio known for its indie projects. The game will be available on PC and Nintendo Switch from launch. The demo, presented at Steam Next Fest, was warmly received, and fans of the genre noted the successful combination of a farming simulator and a magical atmosphere.
This project is a great offer for those who love soft, cozy games with a magical theme and deep development of the world and characters.
Echoes of the End
Release date: August 12, 2025
Genre: action/adventure
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
It's hard to change the course of history in real life, but in games you can try. Echoes of the End is a cinematic adventure with a third-person view, where the player has to go through a difficult path together with the main character named Rin. She possesses devastating magic and sets off on a dangerous journey to save her brother from captivity of a totalitarian empire. Her companion is the scientist Abram Finlay, who helps to uncover a conspiracy that threatens to turn into a new war.
The plot centers on a personal drama that gradually turns into a story about trust, loss, and hope in a broken world. The developers were inspired by the landscapes of Iceland (the authors are residents of this country), and this is felt in every location - from lava plains to icy gorges. The combat system combines magic and melee weapons, and new abilities open up more and more options for exploration, such as gravity manipulation, creating illusions, and destroying obstacles.
Each section of the game adds new mechanics: dashes, double jumps, and other ways to move. The game also places great importance on interacting with your partner, both in combat and in solving puzzles.
Bendy: Lone Wolf
Release date: August 15, 2025
Genre: action, horror
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One / Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
Bendy: Lone Wolf is a new installment in the popular indie Bendy franchise from Joey Drew Studios. This time, players will take on the role of Boris, the wolf who accompanied the main character in the previous games. Boris embarks on a dangerous journey through the dark, twisted corridors of an animation studio.
The developers promise full procedural generation of levels. That is, after replaying, we will not know in advance where exactly ambushes, traps, terrible cartoon monsters and meetings with the Ink Demon, which cannot be defeated, will have to either hide or run away, await us. Improvised weapons, traps and stealth maneuvers will be used.
The digital release is scheduled for August 15, 2025, and the physical editions for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch will be released on October 24, 2025, and are published by Silver Lining Interactive.
Sword of the Sea
Release date: August 19, 2025
Genre: adventure
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 5
Although the game's title has the word "Sword," this game is more about emotion and meditative immersion than plot and battles. There are no enemies, battles, or action, just flow, a meditative surfing journey on a so-called aeroblade, a hybrid of a surfboard, skateboard, and snowboard. The protagonist, a reborn spirit, glides across endless sand dunes, performs tricks on architectural debris and giant chains, and tries to restore life to a dead ocean.
The local world is an ocean without water, and the player's mission is to revive it: to bring back fish, dolphins, and the entire underwater world that has frozen in the sands.
The game was created by Giant Squid, a studio that includes former Journey and Abzû developers. It's no wonder Sword of the Sea is called the spiritual successor to those emotionally powerful adventures. Moreover, the soundtrack is composed by Austin Wintory, who also worked on Journey.
Morbid Metal
Release date: August 20, 2025
Genre: role-playing game, roguelike
Platforms: Windows
Morbid Metal is a fast-paced action game in the spirit of Devil May Cry with elements of roguelike. The player controls four characters at once, between which you can instantly switch directly during the battle. And each character has its own fighting style: from heavy two-handed attacks to lightning-fast ninja combos with dual blades. Such mechanics give battles incredible dynamics and allow you to experiment with chains of blows.
The game levels are partially procedurally generated: post-apocalyptic desert landscapes alternate with the ruins of lost cities, and enemies range from ordinary drones to giant combat vehicles. Each run is a challenge, because death resets progress, as befits a true roguelike. However, some of the improvements, as well as the revealed characters, are retained, which gives the player an incentive to return again and again.
Visually, the game looks interesting, and the combat is spectacular. This is not surprising, because the project was supported by Ubisoft, although the game began as an ambitious indie development of one enthusiast. Morbid Metal has already won the "Best Indie Game" award at the Future Game Show, and the demo version during the Nextfest festival received many positive reviews.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Definitive Edition
Release date: August 14, 2025
Genre: real-time strategy
Platforms: Windows
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Definitive Edition brings back the legendary real-time strategy from 2004 in a modern form. The remaster will be released on August 14 and promises players a familiar atmosphere of constant war with improved graphics and adaptation to modern monitors.
Featuring all the original content: four story campaigns, nine unique factions, over 200 maps, and three standalone expansions, the game features 4K resolution, enhanced lighting, shadows, and reflections, making every battle visually stunning and immersive.
The camera and interface have been redesigned to make it comfortable to play even on widescreen screens. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War now runs on 64-bit architecture, allowing it to run hundreds of mods created by fans over the game's twenty years of existence.
Anniversary Edition owners will receive a 30% discount, so you can once again immerse yourself in the Warhammer 40,000 universe with convenience and style. Platform – PC via Steam and GOG.
Discounty
Release date: August 21, 2025
Genre: store simulator, role-playing game
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4 / 5, Xbox One / Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
Before us is a store management simulator in the port town of Blomkvist, which pretends to be a cozy RPG. It all starts with the fact that your aunt entrusts you with the store, and then... it all depends on what happens next. During the day, you have to do the everyday tasks of a salesperson: fill the shelves, maintain order, and deliver purchases on time so that the queue doesn't start to rumble louder than the kettle in the back room.
But in the evenings, you have complete freedom. You can walk around the town, meet its colorful residents, make friends or quarrel, discover their stories and secrets. It's really cozy, although not without drama: if your store is too successful, one of the locals will start to look askance. Such is the price of influence.
Everything is like in life: if you want, expand your business, add new departments, storefronts, and advertising. But you have to remember the balance, because super-profits can undermine the trust of the community. You can become a hero of the community, or you can become a monopolist tycoon who squeezes out local producers.
Discounty is expected to be another cozy Stardew Valley, but with a cash register instead of a till. The developers drew inspiration from real stories of small family shops on the coast of Europe.
Gears of War: Reloaded
Release date: August 26, 2025
Genre: shooter
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
And a little more reworked classic warfare… Xbox Game Studios is releasing a remaster of the first part of Gears of War called Gears of War: Reloaded. The game will be playable on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series, and will also appear immediately on Game Pass. If you happen to have the Ultimate Edition of the original, you will receive the remaster for free. The main thing is that the digital copy was purchased before May 2025.
This version retains all the original content and add-ons, but the graphics have been significantly improved: now it supports resolutions up to 4K, updated textures and effects. The campaign runs without loading screens, with a smooth 60 frames per second, and multiplayer runs at up to 120 frames. The game is adapted for ultra-wide screens with improved anti-aliasing, supports HDR, Dolby Atmos and other modern sound and image technologies.
Now you can play together across platforms without having to sign up for a Microsoft account. However, you will still need an account to save progress and transfer data. The developers have focused on convenience and cross-platform play to attract as many players as possible.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Release date: August 28, 2025
Genre: action/adventure, stealth
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is not just a remake, but a meticulous reconstruction of one of the most epic spy stories in gaming. We return to the Cold War era. The player controls an agent with the call sign Naked Snake, who is thrown into the depths of the fictional Soviet rainforest of Tselinoyarsk to rescue a scientist, prevent a nuclear disaster... and figure out who can really be trusted.
The game is made on Unreal Engine 5, so it looks quite good, like a documentary about survival in the humid thickets: realistic textures, sounds of nature, dynamic weather and animals that react to the player. But the gameplay has retained its signature style: stealth first and foremost. As before, you have to hide in the grass, paint your face, crawl along the river in a crocodile hat... Survival here is as much a part of the game as combat.
In combat, everything is like the old fashioned way, but more convenient. The camera is more obedient, the healing and equipment menu is modernized, and the enemies are smarter. But most importantly: the plot has not been changed, and all the voices have remained the same as in the 2004 original. It seems that this is the same remake, where the developers tried to preserve the atmosphere, intonations and presentation as much as possible, but give all this a modern shell.
A nice bonus is the return of the fun Snake vs Monkey mode and the classic Boss Survival, where you can once again compete with all the charismatic villains of the game. There is also talk of the appearance of an updated multiplayer with an emphasis on stealth - Fox Hunt.
By the way, this is the first time that a part of MGS is released directly on PC. Konami has finally opened the franchise to a wider audience. Even without Kojima, Snake Eater is alive and well, and ready to get under your skin again.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
Release date: August 29, 2025
Genre: action/platformer
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One / Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is an old school game with all the modern benefits. Yes, it's a side-scrolling platformer with an emphasis on fast-paced technical combat. You run forward, slashing enemies with your sword, throwing kunai, using ninjutsu and combos, knocking enemies into the air and finishing them off. The controls feel crisp, and the combat system allows you to experiment: light strikes, heavy strikes, finishing moves, switching between techniques. Everything is exactly as it should be in a modern game - without brakes and with a focus on style.
The story once again sees the player reincarnate as Joe Musashi, a legendary ninja who must avenge a destroyed village and a cursed clan. Everything is classic: shadows, revenge, ancient evil, and not a single word is superfluous.
Visually, the game looks like a cute moving comic book, and the levels look like the covers of old gaming magazines. There are ruins of Japanese cities, underground laboratories, and battle tanks with blades. The soundtrack also seems interesting: synthwave with Japanese intonations.
In addition to the main campaign, the Sega Vels DLC is planned with crossovers: bosses from other SEGA games, locations similar to areas from Yakuza, and a few more surprises.
Other interesting games coming out in August 2025
Guntouchables is a cooperative survival shooter for 1-4 players. August 7, 2025 (Windows)
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 – the second part of the action-adventure with voices in your head and elements of psychological horror is now available on PlayStation 5. August 12, 2025 (PlayStation 5).
Madden NFL 26 is a new version of the sports simulator of American football. August 14, 2025 (Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2)
Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is another cozy farming simulator. August 27, 2025 (Windows, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2)
Goblin Cleanup – a humorous co-op cleaning simulator (how exciting!). August 28, 2025 (Windows)