11 Games To Plan Your Summer Around

Summer was once known as a dry season for video game releases – a time to get through before the fall flood of games. Nowadays things are different, with a wider market of games releasing all year long thanks to a booming indie scene and a constant drip of triple-A titles.

For some, summer is a time to get outdoors; for most gamers, it's a time to unwind and tackle new virtual adventures. Whether you have time off or just need new games to immerse yourself in, we looked at the summer release schedule and noted some games that you might want to put on your radar (or plan your life around).

The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine Expansion
Release: May 31
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

CD Projekt Red already proved it could create compelling Witcher 3 DLC with Hearts of Stone, and Blood and Wine promises to be even grander. Blood and Wine takes you to a new region, Toussaint, which already looks breathtaking from photos. The region may be untouched by war, but a vicious beast is terrorizing it, and Geralt is hellbent on getting to the bottom of it. Did we mention that the adventure should take over 30 hours to complete? We're more than glad to step into Geralt's shoes once again, even if we know some bleak experiences and tough choices are coming with it.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst
Release: June 7
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC 

Fans have been waiting a long time for a new Mirror's Edge; they weren't even sure if it would ever happen. That's why it's so exciting that this summer we'll finally get to run alongside Faith once again in this origin story. EA has taken her to new heights, making this adventure open world with multiplayer components. While we're still unsure if Catalyst can capture the excitement of its predecessor, we're eager to find out. Freerunning across a vast city, fighting against corruption as an awesome character like Faith just seems like a good way to spend summer.

No Man's Sky
Release: June 21
Platforms: PS4, PC

No Man's Sky captured our interest so much that it was one of our cover stories. Hello Games' sci-fi title has you exploring a vast, procedurally generated universe, discovering new planets, collecting resources, and getting up close and personal with unique wildlife. No Man's Sky has had a lot of hype surrounding it for good reason – the atmosphere is fantastic for an exploration game. Now it's time to see if it will finally deliver. We have a feeling we'll be discussing our discoveries and experiences with friends for a good part of the warmer months.

Mighty No. 9
Release: June 21
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS, Vita, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac, Linux   

After patiently waiting through several delays, it looks like we'll finally be able to play Keiji Inafune's spiritual successor to Mega Man this summer. For years, fans have been pleading for more Mega Man games from its mastermind, and for good reason – they're some of the best platforming experiences of yesteryear. This is as close as it gets. You control robot Beck and shoot projectiles at enemies while you platform through the world's obstacles. While Mighty Number 9's delays haven't been easy to endure, we're hoping it's all for the best and that we're given something that reminds of us why we fell in love with 2D platformers in the first place.

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Release: June 28
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS, Vita, PS3, Xbox 360, PC

The Lego games are always a blast, but adding Star Wars: The Force Awakens to the product just makes things infinitely better. Even more impressive is that TT Games isn't just doing a retelling of the movie, it's also adding new material that will be canon to the movies, covering the mysterious period between Return from the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Mostly, we're just excited to control the Lego version of Rey and relive some of her best moments. The new content is just a great bonus.

Turn to the next page for more picks, including an escape-room adventure and an expansion set in underground New York.

Zero Escape 3: Zero Time Dilemma
Release: June 28
Platforms: 3DS, Vita

The Zero Escape series has a reputation for a good reason – it tests your mind in more ways than one. Whether you're solving a tough puzzle or deciding who to trust, these games keep your mind spinning. Zero Time Dilemma is set to be the final installment of the trilogy and promises to tie up some of the loose ends, while also providing a new and exciting escape-the-room adventure. Bring on the psychological terror of having other people's lives in your hands while you attempt to outsmart the mysterious man named Zero holding you captive and forcing you to play his deadly game because he hates humanity. Sounds like he has some issues to work out.

The Division: Underground Expansion
Release: June (Xbox One), July (PlayStation 4, PC)
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

The Division managed to captivate a slew of dedicated players when it first released, but didn't have much end-game content. Hopefully, this expansion will give players a reason to boot up the game again. The last update, Incursion, fixed a bit, but we're hoping Underground has more meat. Underground opens up a new area for players in the underworld of New York. A new place to explore with more loot? Sounds like what we've been waiting for!

Monster Hunter Generations
Release: July 15
Platforms: 3DS

Monster Hunter Generations seeks to expand upon the more accessible approach taken by Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. This time out, Capcom is giving players more choice with four different styles, including those focused on aerial, acrobatic fighting and counter-attacks. Players also have access to a number of weapon-specific finishing moves called "arts," giving them an edge in combat against a growing menagerie of beasts.

I Am Setsuna
Release: July 19
Platforms: PS4, PC

The summer has some good choices for JRPGs with Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, but I Am Setsuna looks to be the most interesting and is the most promising. The game is a throwback to the RPGs of '90s and has already drawn comparisons to Chrono Trigger and earlier Final Fantasy games due to using a similar active-time battle system to those games. Even just a look at Setsuna evokes a nostalgic feeling for the era when JRPGs were at the top of their game, and that's exactly what Tokyo RPG Factory aimed to create. This is the first game from the new studio Square Enix created that's devoted to RPGs, and we can't wait to see what I Am Setsuna has in store for those of us who have been waiting a game in this vein.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Release: August 23
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Some time has passed since we've seen Adam Jensen. Mankind Divided takes place two years after Human Revolution's events, and the world is now in a more chaotic place. Those who have augmentations and those who don't are at odds. After what happened in Human Revolution, where we saw augments get out of control, people are paranoid about them getting abused again. Eidos Montreal has promised plenty of improvements, from the boss fights to production levels for Mankind Divided. Will you play Jensen stealthy or lethal to get things accomplished? All we know is he's bound to face some philosophical conundrums about human nature and the future along the way.

Darkest Dungeon
Release: Summer 
Platforms: PS4, Vita

Though Darkest Dungeon is taking a bit longer to come to PlayStation systems, we know that console gamers have much to anticipate. Your family has unleashed an unspeakable evil on the kingdom, and it is up to you to muster a band of adventurers to combat it. Along the way, you'll face physical injury and emotional scarring as you seek to heal the wounds your kin have inflicted. We quite enjoyed the PC version, and developer Red Hook has only improved on it since release.

This article has been edited from its original version to correctly identify the captor in the Zero Time Dilemma entry.