As July comes to an end and we enter the month of August, we have a week of mixed releases where the major release appears to be a StarCraft clone of sorts, built by ex Blizzard developers. This is followed by a Diablo-ish game, a No Man's Sky clone of sorts, a game about a data ghost, a Star Wars remake, a very British game and finally a very gooey sequel. August should finally start bringing some bigger releases yet again, after a pretty slow summer of new game releases.

Stormgate / This week's major release / Tuesday 30 July / Early Access
Human defenders and their faithful robot allies stand defiant against two warring alien factions: a race of warlike demonic invaders and their technologically advanced angelic rivals. Together, these three are locked in a relentless struggle for dominance. Crafted by developers renowned for their work on StarCraft II and Warcraft III, Stormgate puts you in command of epic real-time strategy battles. Steam Link

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will now be launching on November 20, 2024, moving from the previously planned date of September 5, 2024.

"We know you might be tired of waiting, and we truly appreciate your patience. These two additional months will give us the chance to fix more "unexpected anomalies" (or simply "bugs", as you call them). We are always grateful for your ongoing support and understanding - it means the world to us. We're just as eager as you are to finally release the game and for you to experience it for yourself." said Yevhen Grygorovych, Game Director at GSC Game World.

As we enter the last full week of July, we return to our regular summer scheduling with yet another week without any big releases. This week's major release involves building a fortress to protect your people from endless horrors. This is followed by some crime investigation, managing race cars, climbing mountains, defending the earth and finally hoarding some masks. It's by no means a terrible week of new games, just nothing that's likely to blow your mind.

Cataclismo / This week's major release / Monday 22 July / Early Access
Lead the last survivors in the aftermath of the Cataclismo as a corrupted world seeks to destroy all that remains of humanity. Build fortresses brick by brick, designing intricate, towering structures of wood and stone to fend off waves of Horrors as they attempt to overwhelm your band of survivors. Command powerful units in their stalwart defense, coordinating their varied capabilities as you race from breach to breach. Steam link

Nobody Wants to Die is an innovative experience taking place in futuristic New York City, inspired by neo-noir films, offering a distinctly visual aesthetic and intriguing plot. Playing as Detective James Karra you investigate crime scenes using time manipulation and advanced technology to uncover clues to unmask a killer in an era where death is a thing of the past and explore the dangers of transhumanism.

"Since the beginning, we've wanted to create a visually spectacular narrative driven game." says Critical Hit Games CEO and Lead Game Designer, Grzegorz Goleń. "Our small, passionate and experienced team have used Unreal Engine 5 to create an incredibly realistic environment and world. We can't wait for players to lose themselves in Nobody Wants to Die's sci-fi world."

After one year of Early Access, the full version of TerraScape is now available on Steam and GOG. Developer Bitfall Studios has teamed up with Stray Fawn Publishing and INSTINCT3 to get more players excited.

In TerraScape, the mission is simple: transform a small settlement into a flourishing empire. Unlike classic city-building games, TerraScape involves strategically placing game cards onto a procedurally generated world map to earn points. Each building is represented by a card, which is part of a themed deck. The placement and order of building cards significantly impact the amount of points earned. Accumulated points can be used to acquire new decks, helping players advance their settlement's development. Players can combine their cards to create impressive structures that influence their surroundings and instantly change the game's dynamics.

After several slow weeks of new game releases, we now have a week that's overflowing with new game releases. The most anticipated release this week is an online PvPvE dungeon crawler, built on Unreal Engine 5. This is followed by a crusty space game, an evil game, a game that involves attracting birds to you, a dystopian New York of the future, a bit of Japanese folklore, some more dungeons, fighting some gods and finally being a Japanese goddess. Yes, we threw in a bunch of extra games this week, yet we're not able to cover all the new releases that are coming out.

Dungeonborne / This week's major release / Friday 19 July / Early Access
Dungeonborne is an immersive first-person PvPvE dungeon crawler. Venture solo or join forces with trusted companions to hunt for treasure, explore ominous dungeons, and battle terrifying monsters and cunning adversaries. Escape before succumbing to darkness and greed. Embrace your role as a Fighter, Priest, Rogue, Swordmaster, Pyromancer, Cryomancer, Death Knight, or Druid. With first-person clarity, feel the power of each spell, the weight of your weapons, and the strategic impact of every decision. Charge into battle, unleash devastating skills to disrupt enemy formations, cast life-saving buffs on allies, or use tactical throwables to turn the tide. Steam link

In a community blog post, Arm has announced its new Accuracy Super Resolution (ASR) upscaling technology. This open-source solution aims to transform mobile gaming by offering best-in-class upscaling capabilities for smartphones and tablets. Arm ASR addresses a critical challenge in mobile gaming: delivering high-quality graphics while managing power consumption and heat generation. By rendering games at lower resolutions and then intelligently upscaling them, Arm ASR promises to significantly boost performance without sacrificing visual quality. The technology builds upon AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution 2 (FSR 2) and adapts it specifically for mobile devices. Arm ASR utilizes temporal upscaling, which combines information from multiple frames to produce higher-quality images from lower-resolution inputs. Even though temporal upscaling is more complicated to implement than spatial frame-by-frame upscaling, it delivers better results and gives developers more freedom.

This approach allows for more ambitious graphics while maintaining smooth gameplay. In benchmark tests using a complex scene, Arm demonstrated impressive results. Devices featuring the Arm Immortalis-G720 GPU showed substantial framerate improvements when using Arm ASR compared to native resolution rendering and Qualcomm's Game Super Resolution (GSR). Moreover, the technology helped maintain stable temperatures, preventing thermal throttling that can compromise user experience. Collaboration with MediaTek revealed significant power savings when using Arm ASR on a Dimensity 9300 handset. This translates to extended battery life for mobile gamers, addressing key concerns. Arm is releasing ASR under an MIT open-source license, encouraging widespread adoption and experimentation among developers. Below you can see the comparison of various upscalers.

NACON and Spiders studio are pleased to announce the early access release date of the narrative RPG GreedFall II: The Dying World with a new trailer. The title offers an all-new adventure in the world of GreedFall, which has already drawn in a player community over 2 million strong, and will be released under early access on Steam on 24 September 2024.

Players will then be able to discover the first chapters of the main quest, explore the regions of Teer Fradee, Thynia and Uxantis, and also get to know some of the characters that will accompany them in the course of their adventure. Of course, the game content will be enriched throughout the early access phase, with plenty of new features and improvements: zones, companions, quests, skills and many more!

By the time you're reading this, it's already too late to sign up for the old price, if you were planning on getting or extending your Game Pass, since as of today, Microsoft has increased the cost for both PC and Xbox owners. On top of that, Microsoft has added a new tier for Xbox owners and made its lower tiers a lot less interesting. However, as TPU is a PC centric site, let's start with the bad news for PC owners. Depending on where you live, the price increase varies, but on average, Microsoft has increased the price by US$/€2/£2. However, some lower income countries are only seeing an increase of US$1, although we're not sure why Switzerland ended up in this group. However, the exchange rate is clearly affecting some other countries either negatively or positively where some countries end up paying a little bit more and others a little bit less.

Now for the really bad news for Xbox console owners. Xbox Game Pass for Console is no longer available to new subscribers, but those already on this tier that have automatic renewal enabled will be able to continue to have access to the same tier and perks that it's been offered with to date. In its place, Microsoft is introducing the Xbox Game Pass Standard tier and the fundamental difference between it and the Xbox Game Pass for Console package is that subscribers no longer have access to day one releases, but they gain access to online multiplayer games and the full back catalogue of games. There's no word on how long those subscribed to the Xbox Game Pass Standard tier will have to wait to gain access to new releases yet, but the new tier isn't available immediately either, so we'll most likely find out in due time.

Welcome to another slow-ish week of new games, but from next week it looks like things will start to pick up again after about a month of lesser releases. At least this week there are a few more interesting titles and this week's major release is a post-apocalyptic open-world survival game from China. As for the other new releases, we have sheeps, an alien invasion of sorts, a game about an intergalactic freelance adventurer, a lot of shoes and finally some alchemy.

Once Human / This week's major release / Tuesday 9 July
The apocalypse changed everything. Human, animal, plant… all are infested by an alien creature—Stardust. As a Meta-Human, you can survive the contamination and use the power of Stardust. Play alone or join others to fight, build and explore. When the world is in chaos, you are our last hope. You wake up in the middle of nowhere. You'll have to brace yourself for the cruelty of nature (from monsters to lack of food); however, Stardust's influence does not restrict to living things, it also affects the soil and water. Eating polluted food and drinking dirty water will reduce your Sanity. When your Sanity drops, your max HP would drop accordingly. To eat or not to eat, it's a question. Steam link

ASUS today announced that selected routers in designated countries in the APAC region will bundle a complementary trial subscription to GearUP Console Booster, a service that optimizes the network connection for more than 1,000 online games, reducing latency and improving overall gaming experiences for popular game consoles and smart handhelds. The ASUS RT-AX86U Pro and RT-AX82U routers will include a three-month subscription, while the TUF-AX6000 and TUF-AX4200 routers will include a two-month subscription. Existing owners of these routers can add support for GearUP Console Booster with a firmware update. The RT-AX86U Pro is available in the APAC region now, and the other routers in this promotion are currently scheduled to be available starting in July 2024.

Accelerate gaming with GearUP Console Booster
Through the in-house Adaptive Intelligent Routing (AIR) system, GearUP Console Booster quickly determines and activates the fastest connection to a game server. Adaptive QoS on a compatible ASUS router can prioritize this connection over others on the network to ensure that it remains fast and stable. The ASUS Router mobile app and web interface includes an intuitive setup wizard to get GearUP Console Booster running.

And just like that, we're in the second half of 2024. The first week of July brings with it a major release, at least if you're into futuristic online RPGs. Unfortunately, the rest of this week's new releases are mediocre at best and this seems to be a theme for the summer of 2024, unless you like pointless clicking games that is. At least the week starts with a new strategy game that involves knights, but from there it fizzles out in a DLC, a computer version of a classic family game, a retro version of an Xbox franchise and a creepy game in a pool. Oh and happy 4th of July to our US readers.

The First Descendant / This week's major release / Tuesday 2 July
The First Descendant is a free third-person cooperative action RPG shooter featuring high-quality graphics. Experience the fun of strategic boss fights through 4-player co-op and various unique characters, exciting gunplay, and looting. A variety of equipment is necessary for growth, and you can obtain them through clearing scenario missions within the game or in the World Missions where cooperation is crucial and battles with huge bosses. Steam link

Steam has officially launched its Summer Sale, and there are plenty of good game titles to be found across all genres. In addition, Steam is also doing a neat promotion on Steam Deck LCD models.

We had a quick look through the list and picked out a few that have caught our eye, but there are a lot of titles so we might have missed a few. As said, Steam is also running a promotion for its Steam Deck LCD models, the 64 GB and 512 GB one, which are 15 percent off during Steam Summer Sale. This year, Steam also launched a list of "extra-deep discounts", which is a selection of games that you just might not want to miss.

Today we've launched Steam Game Recording into Beta, a new built-in system for creating and sharing your gameplay footage, that works on any game on Steam. From capturing highlights to documenting entire campaigns, there are many ways to use this all-new set of features.

The Steam Game Recording Beta can record, replay, clip, and share all your favorite gameplay. You can set it to record automatically in the background every time you start playing or record on demand. Although still in Beta phase, there are plenty of features with promise of more to come.

Aspyr is excited to announce STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter, in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, a new title that brings the original STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter (2002) to modern platforms with visual enhancements, improved environmental textures, new dynamic lighting effects, and a new flashlight tool for navigating dark places. STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter will launch on Aug. 1, 2024, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam for the suggested retail price of $19.99 and is available to pre-order today with a 10% discount until the official launch.

Become the most feared Bounty Hunter in the galaxy! As Jango Fett, you'll have to jump, jetpack, climb, and maneuver in this iconic action-adventure game featuring a variety of visual improvements on modern platforms, as well as Steam Deck support and a number of DualSense controller features for PlayStation 5 players.

Theorycraft Games has revealed SUPERVIVE (previously codenamed 'Project Loki') as the title of their first game, which will enter open beta in late 2024. SUPERVIVE is a neon-apocalyptic hero BR, set in an improvisational action sandbox where strategic, explosive shootouts meet a new era of storm chasing hunters - all with the aim of becoming the world's next "10,000-hour game" for competitive squads. In celebration, Theorycraft is hosting their largest public playtest from June 27 to July 4. Players can pre-register here.

SUPERVIVE, a free-to-play, squad-based hero battle royale, has players team up in groups of two or four to battle enemies across a vast, sky-bound map while a deadly storm encroaches upon them. Players engage in dynamic combat, complete objectives, and use unique powers and equipment to devise creative strategies to outplay other teams and be the last squad standing. SUPERVIVE will always be free-to-play and is designed to ensure that cosmetics are the only in-game purchases, with no pay-for-power elements, ever.

As we enter the last week of June and head towards darkness again in the Northern Hemisphere (remember, it's only six months until Christmas), we can look forward to another slow week of new releases. This week's major release is a remake of a puzzle adventure game from 1997. There's also a strategy game DLC, a shootout, a time travel adventure, some racing and some chasing to look forward to, if that's your kind of thing.

Riven / This week's major release and remake / Tuesday 25 June
Riven takes you on a journey through dense jungles, awe-inspiring caverns, and monolithic structures. Explore a world bent to the whims of a man who sees himself as a god and where every corner will immerse you in an otherworldly adventure. Uncover a story of intrigue, betrayal, and a civilization teetering on the brink of collapse as you solve intricate puzzles to unlock the secrets of Riven. Built from the ground-up and expanded from the award-winning original game released in 1997. Steam Link

Dune: Awakening, the Open World Survival MMO set on Arrakis from developer Funcom, today unveiled the second Dune: Awakening Direct. The showcase offers 30 minutes of in-depth interviews and game footage showing character creation, the MMO-like server structure, the narrative ramifications of a world where Paul Atreides was never born, and the spiritual journey the player will undergo in the game, following in the footsteps of the Fremen.

Dune: Awakening, which recently shot past 1 million wishlists on Steam, draws on the visual and aural identity created by Denis Villeneuve and Legendary's recent blockbuster movies and is deeply rooted in the original masterpiece by Frank Herbert. The game unleashes you on a vast and open Arrakis torn by war, where you must survive and strive for control of the spice alongside hundreds of other players.

Amazon Games and NCSOFT announced today that THRONE AND LIBERTY, a free-to-play MMORPG featuring massive-scale combat in a dynamic world, will launch in North and South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. The game will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with cross-platform play enabled.

"On behalf of Amazon Games and NCSOFT, I'm proud to announce that THRONE AND LIBERTY will launch on September 17, 2024. We all know fans around the world have been eagerly waiting for news on when they can jump into the game," said Merv Lee Kwai, Head of Third-Party Publishing at Amazon Games. "We can't wait to show you what we've been working on, and invite you to experience it all for yourself when the game launches this September."

Welcome to post Computex week and another slow week of game releases. Except for the first week of the year, no other week this year has had so few exciting new releases, but at least it gives all of you another week to enjoy your current game collection. With no further ado, below is this week's release of the most interesting games we managed to dig up.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance / This week's major release / Friday 14 June
Become a mighty demigod and battle through a decimated Tokyo in a war between angels and demons. Make new allies along your journey, engage in intense, turn-based combat, recruit hundreds of demons and forge your own path to dictate the fate of all existence. Steam Link

Welcome to the first week of summer, at least in the northern hemisphere. There are no AAA releases this week, which gives you all plenty of time to focus on our Computex content instead of playing a new blockbuster game. This week's major release involves aliens, but not as you know them and they're out to kill. The rest of this week's new releases involves a DLC for a major MMORPG, a politics, religion and war game, some really old stuff, a nuclear plant meltdown cleanup and a dead dragon.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game / This week's major release / Tuesday 4 June
Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game is an asymmetrical multiplayer horror based on the iconic '80s film. In the battle between Killer Klowns and citizens of Crescent Cove, team up and use your wits to harvest humans or save them from the alien invasion! Crescent Cove is a sprawling arena for unique 3v7 fights between Klowns and humans—boasting various locations and a multitude of tactical opportunities for both teams. Steam link

Indie developer Plane Toast, in collaboration with indie publisher Dear Villagers, is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Caravan SandWitch, a captivating narrative-driven exploration adventure set in a beautifully crafted, Sci-Fi Provence-like world called Cigalo. Launching in 2024 on Steam, Epic, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch, Caravan SandWitch invites players to embark on a heartfelt journey unveiling the mysteries of Cigalo to find their missing sister.

Caravan SandWitch is already showing up on the big stage! It was featured at the AG French Direct a few hours ago. Stay tuned because we will have a Wholesome news for you Directly in your inbox REALLY soon! Who knows, maybe it will be an exclusive demo, keep updated by wishlisting the game.

Ready your engines and buckle up as Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is now available to play on PC Steam! Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is the highly anticipated quirky adventure game from Super Rare Games and snekflat. Join the iconic Terry in a delightful blend of free-roaming exploration, chaos, and wholesome interactions.

In Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip, players step into the flip-flops of Terry, a dreamer with a wild goal: to launch himself into the cosmos in a car of his own invention. From the unassuming beginnings of a simple job application, Terry's adventure takes a giddy turn as he sets out to build the ultimate interstellar banger. Players can explore the tiny open world town of Sprankelwater, bursting with secrets to discover and a menagerie of unforgettable characters to meet (and annoy).

Bologna-based independent developer Dreambits Studio are pleased to unveil their Medievalpunk demolition derby game War of Wheels, coming soon to Steam. Explore the destructible environments of the realm and smash through automobile armies in this epic single-player experience, with a new demo available now!

In War of Wheels, speed through fierce battles in the kingdom of Zeranthia as you fight opposing armies, while building your own, as you attempt to gain control of Aether, the kingdom's powerful source of magic. Discover multiple realms, filled with arctic glaciers and scorching volcanoes, as well as cities, dense forests and vast plains. Discover hidden secrets, outposts and Aether mines, as well as huge pitched battles to test the capabilities of your combat car.

In case you missed it, we're about to enter the last week of May and soon summer is here. It's a pretty busy release for new games, even though there are no AAA releases, there are still plenty of interesting new games being released. This week's major release involves not getting sacrificed to the gods. The rest of this weeks' releases range from being the saviour of Persia to being in charge of Titans and that's just the first two releases. This is followed by taking the reins of a martial arts cat, exploring the black priory and racing F1 cars. Hopefully we've managed to cover most bases this week, but there's always next week for those of you that didn't see anything that tickled your fancy.

Soulmask / This week's major release / Friday 31 May
Soulmask is a sandbox game that prioritizes an authentic survival experience. As the "last one" blessed with the mysterious mask, players will grapple for survival in a primitive land steeped in mysterious faiths, carving out a path to ascendance. Start from nothing, explore, build, recruit tribesmen to fortify your clan, and ultimately unravel the mysterious truths hidden behind the civilizations of this world. Steam Link