I decided to start a new series where I look over five games of the upcoming month that I am the most excited about. From now on I will do this list before the said month starts. I know I am a little late to do this now, but I will include games that have already released from the date I wrote this(August 4th) for this list. I will be putting this into blog form and not into list form unless requested. I will be referring to this list of releases here: https://www.vg247.com/2017/06/22/video-game-release-dates-2017/. Not all video game release lists are the same, so if you have a more accurate or better list, please put a link into the comments section and I will definitely consider using that list.

Here are the rules for this list: the game has to be released on at least one big system(PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch,) it has to be a new game(no re-release, remaster, etc.But I will count games coming out of early access,) the game has to be released in the said month(obviously,) and I will not be counting DLC. Occasionally, I might do a special item for various reasons. It will not count as part of the list, but is still something I wanted to say about the game. With the rules out of the way, let's get into the list.

5.LawBreakers

LawBreakers is an FPS action arena-based shooter made by Boss Key production and Cliff Bleszinski of Epic Games fame(though if you ask me, it's a hero-based shooter.) You play as one of multiple different characters as either the law or the breakers as you and the other team battle it out in the arena to prove which team is the best. It just so happens that the arena has some gravity problems on its hands, and soon you will find yourself floating around in a low-gravity area in the middle of the map. I got the chance to play the open beta, and I can say that this game is a good deal of fun. From the fun of low-gravity and the twists on classic game modes to the smallest of details like the ball in the blitzball mode having its own little personality and having different characters of the same class on different teams, LawBreakers could prove to be a successful multiplayer game. Sadly, I do not think this game will stand against giants like Player Unknown's Battlegrounds,Rocket League, and other popular multiplayer games because of its similarities to Overwatch. I'm not saying that comparisons to Overwatch is a bad thing, it's just that I personally don't think the different modes, characters, and gravity can be enough to get people who are done with Overwatch or are still playing Overwatch into the game.

4. Absolver

Absolver is a martial arts action game developed by Sloclap. You play as a Prospect who wants to join a group called the Absolvers. To become an Absolver, you must wander the world while fighting others and learn different fighting techniques and become powerful enough to join. From what I have seen, Absolver seems to be For Honor mixed with martial arts and put into an open world setting. But there is more to it than that. The world is full of NPCs as well as online people to fight, but you never know which one is which. But you can also have a co-op partner with you as well as you fight bad guys real and fake in the world or in dungeons for search of better loot. Also, you can do PvP arenas against another person or friend if you just want that experience. But what is most impressive is the amount of moves. The character can choose between four different stances and 180 different attack moves, which will all be put into an attack deck. This game has a lot of interesting and promising ideas, and hopefully can extract the good elements of For Honor to make this a great fighting game. But I also have a fear of bad elements of For Honor in this game as well such as vastly unfair fights if one side as more allies than the other. But the best way of finding out is waiting until August 29th and finding out if this game is any good.

3. Uncharted: Lost Legacy

Uncharted: Lost Legacy is an action-adventure game made by Naughty Dog and is a standalone spinoff game from the main Uncharted franchise. In this game, you play as Chloe from Uncharted 2, who is in search of the Tusk of Ganesh with Nadine Ross from Uncharted 4. Despite their rocky relationship, Chloe and Nadine work together against a warlord named Asav in search of this treasure. Despite being a spinoff, the game promises an adventure just as long as the main games and will include the survival mode and multiplayer mode from Uncharted 4. Despite the plot being the same as before, the choice of Chloe and Nadine was excellent, as for both are strong characters who are leaders more than followers. This conflict of similar traits will create tension between the two, and watching the game unfurl as they try to live with each other and a bond grow between the two, even if a reluctant one, will make the story and the characters just as good if not better then the main Uncharted titles. But what keeps this game from being first on this list is Uncharted 4. Personally, I thought Uncharted 4 ended the game well and it felt like a great way to wrap up both the story of Nathan Drake and the franchise as a whole. We will see if I am right or wrong on whether or not Uncharted should've been finished after 4 when Lost Legacy comes out on August 22nd.

2. Agents of Mayhem

Agents of Mayhem is a futuristic open world action game developed by Voalition. This game follows a group called M.A.Y.H.E.M.(Multinational AgencY for Hunting Evil Masterminds,) who are the spawn of the Saints and the Ultor Corporation from the Saints Row franchise are in a futuristic Seoul fighting the L.E.G.I.O.N.(League of Evil Gentlemen Intent on Obliterating Nations.) Agents of Mayhem seems to look like Saints Row but with improvements on the game its own . Much of the vulgarity is dropped, which I prefer as for it gets old after awhile. But this game isn't just set on making a better Saints Row. To me, it looks like it's trying to do something new and exciting with its future setting, large cast of playable characters, quick three swap character mechanic, easier traversal around the map, and making the protagonists be a somewhat hero in this game. Agents of Mayhem looks to be a lot of fun and takes on the hero shooter with its own single player Saints Row twist. Despite being really close to first place, the lack of co-op in this game is rather disappointing, considering it would work well in this game and the previous games have had co-op. But that won't hopefully deter the experience of the game for players as well as for me when it comes out August 15th.

1. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a turned-based tactical RPG developed by Ubisoft. The Rabbids have entered the Mushroom Kingdom, and it is up to Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, and four Rabbids dressed as the former stated characters to take back the kingdom and send those crazy rabbits back to wherever they came from. To say this is the weirdest and least expected game to come out of E3 2017 is an understatement in my opinion. I mean Mario, with Rabbids, in an XCOM-style game?! But in that weirdness is beauty, and Mario Rabbids may prove to be one of the better Switch games this year. Turned-based combat with cool mechanics to it like boosting characters with other characters and degrading cover, exploration around the kingdom, and co-op battle are a few things that get me excited for this game. I have little doubt that this game will turn out poorly, but we will have to see. It's so weird for me to see Luigi as a well-trained sniper, but that weirdness is something that makes me smile. I can't wait to kill Rabbids as Mario with a gun on August 29th.

Special: Slime Rancher

I didn't put this game on my list because I have already been playing it since late 2016, but Slime Rancher came out of early access on August 1st. This is a first person farming/exploration made by Monomi Park in which you play as a rancher named Beatrix Lebeau who travels a thousand light years away from Earth to the 'Far, Far Range,' which is a world full of slimes. Their, she makes a living wrangling slimes, exploring the land, and more. This game made me lose time unlike any other, as for one hour turned into five. This game gives you plenty to do, but everything you do is more of a personal quest than a given one, which is refreshing. The constant amount of things to do, fun places to explore, and simple management of slimes, all wrapped up in a cute art style makes this a fun and happy game to play.

There is my list of anticipated games for this month. Just like any Youtube list maker, I pass on the mic to anyone who disagrees with my list or has their own in the comments section. We'll see if these games turn out for the better as the month rolls on, but only time will tell.