Five Games: ‘Rocket League’ And Everything Else You Need To Play This Week

PCs, handhelds, mobile, console, indies, triple A, free-to-play — the gaming scene gets more diverse and difficult to follow by the day, but thankfully I’m here every week to guide you through what’s happening with games.

As always, I’ll rattle off five games I think you might want to check out this week. Keep in mind, these articles aren’t meant to be comprehensive lists of everything coming out that week so much as a nice rounded tasting menu. So, let’s get to it…

This Week’s 2D Fighter

Skullgirls 2nd Encore (PS4 & PS Vita, July 7)

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is the latest, Sony-exclusive version of the indie fighting game. This version of Skullgirls promises new challenges, trials and a fully-voiced story mode. Interested in cute anime girls beating the tar out of each other? Then you should give Skullgirls a shot.

This Week’s Puzzle Game

Gunpowder (PC, Mac & Linux, July 8)

Gunpowder is a western-themed puzzle game, in which you have to set off chain explosions using trails of gunpowder. Basically, it’s a Bugs Bunny/Yosemite Sam cartoon in playable form. Here’s the game’s Steam page.

This Week’s Puzzle-Platformer

Replay: VHS is Not Dead (PC, July 9)

Replay: VHS is Not Dead is a puzzle-platformer set in a VHS-based universe. Basically, you play through various worlds based on parodies of movies you probably had in your old VHS collection (Star Trip, Friday the 31st, and so on). You’ll need to record your movements, rewind and do other VHS-ey type things in order to get through the game’s puzzles. Not the most original concept, but it looks like a good amount of care as been put into Replay. Here’s the game’s Steam page.

This Week’s Dream-Based Adventure Game

Niko: Through the Dream (PC, July 10)

Niko: Through the Dream is a minimalist adventure game in which you delve through your character’s dreams in order to unveil her past. There are a lot of games coming out which take place inside your character’s own tortured mind, but Niko: Through the Dream looks solidly made. Here’s the game’s Steam page.

Pick of the Week

Rocket League (PC & PS4, July 7)

Rocket League is a wacky mashup of racing and soccer. Tear around an arena in your own customizable vehicles and try to bash a giant ball into your opponents’ goal. Rocket League isn’t exactly super highbrow stuff, but it looks like a lot of goofy multiplayer fun. And yes, it comes with full support for local splitscreen multiplayer.

It’s probably going to be mostly indies for a while, as this summer looks particularly light on major releases. That said, Rocket League! Woo! Any games you’re itching to get your hands on that I failed to mention? Hit the comments and let the world know.

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