GRIND's Recommendations for July 2025
We've got plenty to play in the hottest month of the year!
Summer kicked off with a bang, with the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 console and the avalanche of awesome games that followed. These include RAIDOU Remastered, Mario Kart World and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (we'll be publishing a review soon). But as June has passed, July, the 'furnace' month, is knocking at our door with promises of heatwaves and equally hot releases! So, here are GRIND's recommendations for July 2025.
Patapon 1+2 Replay
Release date: 11 July 2025
Available on: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Do you remember how, in 2001, we played at being gods in Black&White? Well, if you've missed that feeling of omnipotence, then I invite you to enter the PATAPON universe! This remaster includes both PSP games (released in 2007 and 2009) and combines strategy and rhythm elements, with an adorable visual style and a memorable soundtrack. Step into the role of the Patapon tribe's deity and guide them to a bright future with the sacred verse: PATA-PATA-PATA-PON!
Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4
Release date: 11 July 2025
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Also on 11 July comes the remaster of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4! No, I didn't plan this cute numbering after Patapon 1+2, it just happened that way! Besides the classic skateboard tricks and maps that have been 'improved' for modern audiences, the game will also include new characters, such as the Doom Slayer and the Revenant from the DOOM franchise. It will be available on Game Pass from launch day.
Donkey Kong: Bananza
Release date: 17 July 2025
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2
After more than 25 years of absence from the 3D realm, Donkey Kong returns in an epic adventure. This former enemy of Mario, from back when Nintendo's mascot was known as Jumpman and worked on construction sites, invites us on an unforgettable journey that promises to live up to classics like Super Mario Odyssey or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The gorilla won't be alone: the little singer Pauline will accompany him on his mission to recover the golden bananas stolen by the VoidCo group.
Shadow Labyrinth
Release date: 18 July 2025
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
I'm not easily surprised or shocked, but I did a double-take when I saw what Shadow Labyrinth was. Initially presented as a futuristic Metroidvania, the game turned out to be a dark reinterpretation of the PAC-MAN franchise. The gameplay is familiar to fans of the genre, and the main character, Swordsman No.8, unlocks different abilities throughout his adventure that allow him to revisit already explored areas to discover well-hidden secrets.
Killing Floor 3
Release date: 24 July 2025
Available on: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Tripwire Interactive brings a new wave of Zeds, nastier, more sadistic, and more realistic than ever. Killing Floor 3 uses a new graphics engine, allowing for a more 'faithful' rendering of this brutal world, and the developers have implemented an improved movement system that allows players to reposition themselves with ease. The initial launch was delayed to fix issues reported in playtests, and the current version promises a darker, more serious, and more tactical world than its predecessor, which had a tone closer to an arcade shooter.
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ＋ Jamboree TV
Release date: 24 July 2025
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2
It's not exactly a new game, but an improved version for Nintendo Switch 2! This edition includes additional activities, 4K graphics at 60fps, mouse support, and a special mode that uses the console's camera (which is a separately sold accessory). Jamboree for Switch 2 is the perfect title for long summer evenings when friends come over.
Wuchang Fallen Feathers
Release date: 24 July 2025
Available on: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
The soulslike craze still persists, and Wuchang Fallen Feathers promises a different experience. The game takes place in an alternate China during the Ming dynasty, affected by the 'Feather Disease'. The great innovation in Wuchang lies in the mechanic for recovering lost resources! The place where you die becomes haunted by a violent doppelgänger, which you must defeat. Available on Game Pass from launch day.
Ninja Gaiden Ragebound
Release date: 31 July 2025
Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC.
After years of long breaks and remasters, the famous Koei Tecmo franchise returns with a new title. Ragebound is a love letter dedicated to the series' beginnings, being a side-scrolling action game with hack-and-slash elements. As Kenji Mozu, a fledgling ninja, we will defend the Hayabusa village from a demon invasion, alongside Kumori. She is a kunoichi from the Black Spider village, whose soul is mysteriously linked to the protagonist's. This mystical connection will allow Kenji to use the rival clan's techniques throughout this epic adventure.
These eight games have caught our attention for the coming month, although they are not the only ones being released during this period. So, if you want to cool off indoors with a controller in hand, we hope one of our solid 7s catches your eye.
