July is here, and I’m baking in this heat. So for now I’m staying indoors and “chilling” with games in my free time. 🧊 I looked into some upcoming games for the month of July, so let’s “dive” in! 🐠

River Tails: Stronger Together

• Price: $19.99 USD
• Developer: Kid Onion Studio
• Publisher: Gravity Game Arise
• Release Date: July 3, 2024

First up, we have River Tails: Stronger Together. It’s an absolutely adorable puzzle platformer with unlikely allies working together to travel upstream and save a family. Play as Furple the purple cat and/or Finn the fish. If Furple falls in the water, Finn can help him get back on land. And if Finn ends up on land, Furple can nudge him right back into the water!

Play in co-op mode or a special “Lone Wolf” mode that allows you to play as both characters using one controller. Explore colorful environments and confront bosses at the end with your newly acquired co-op skills. River Tails is sure to “make a splash” when it comes out in a few days. 💦

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak

• Price: $59.99 (digital & physical); $89.99 for Digital Deluxe Edition, $129.99 for (Digital) Ultimate Edition
• Developer: Nihon Falcom
• Publisher: NIS America
• Release Date: July 5, 2024

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak, the latest entry in a saga spanning 20 years. (Happy Anniversary!) After traveling across Liberl, Erebonia, and Crossbell as Estelle & Joshua, Rean, and Lloyd, we now make our way to the Republic of Calvard, where we’ll face new foes as Van Arkride.

Meet a new cast of characters and control them in an updated battle system that adds a real-time action mode to the traditional turn-based fare. Explore every nook and cranny of Calvard to find the usual secrets and optional side quests, getting to know even the most minor of NPCs. If you like games with a lot of story and lore, it’s hard to beat the Trails series.

Princess Maker 2 Regeneration

• Price: $39.99
• Developer/Publisher: Bliss Brain
• Release Date: July 11, 2024

With redrawn graphics, Princess Maker 2 Regeneration is an updated version of the original Princess Maker 2, a daughter-raising simulation game in which you play as the father of a little girl brought to him by the stars. Raise her from ages 10 to 18, providing her with different experiences that will affect her parameters. It’s up to you to give her a good upbringing and help her achieve her dreams!

Darkest Dungeon II

• Price: $39.99 (currently on sale for $33.99 until July 15th)
• Developer/Publisher: Red Hook Studios
• Release Date: July 15, 2024

It’s been 6 years since the first Darkest Dungeon came out on Switch, and now they’re back with Darkest Dungeon II! Travel across a deteriorating landscape in a stagecoach with a party of 4 heroes. As with any “road trip,” tensions will rise between passengers; you’ll have to manage the party’s affinity and stress levels to make sure they’re in sync during battles.

Try to keep your party alive in turn-based battles; each (roguelike) run is said to last between 30 minutes and several hours depending on your skill (and luck). If you’re able to survive long enough, you can learn more about your heroes’ backstories when you take a break at the inn. But if your luck runs out, “even an untimely end will arm you with resources that can be spent to improve your next journey.”

B-PROJECT RYUSEI*FANTASIA

• Price: $49.99 (digital & physical; digital version currently on sale for $44.99 until July 16th)
• Developer: MAGES
• Publisher: PQube
• Release Date: July 15, 2024

Support the members of several J-Pop boy band groups during their trainee days in this idol-themed visual novel. You’ll manage 14 guys and learn about their experiences on the way to making it big by…“banding” together and combining 3 groups into one major force. These guys all look very C sharp, and I’m sure their stories will really…strike a “chord” with readers. 🎶

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus

• Price: TBA
• Developer: Squid Shock Studios
• Publisher: Humble Games
• Release Date: July 17, 2024

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is another game that’s been on my radar for a while now. It’s a 2.5D side-scrolling platformer with some Metroidvania elements. Control the super cute titular Bō, a “celestial blossom” creature with an important role to play in a ritual.

Meet yokai and other characters based on Japanese mythology, drink special teas to unlock new abilities, and collect Daruma dolls that can help you in battle. Listen to a lovely soundtrack that combines traditional Japanese music with more modern orchestral music. I love the aesthetic – and the music sounded great in the demo, too. From what I’ve seen so far, it’s sure got…spirit. 😉

Tokyo Xanadu eX+

• Price: $49.99 (digital & physical)
• Developer: Nihon Falcom
• Publisher: Aksys Games
• Release Date: July 25, 2024

Tokyo Xanadu eX+ has been on my Switch port wishlist as far back as 2021, and I’m incredibly excited that my wish has come true. I played the original version on PS Vita, but never had the chance to play the eX+ version with the extra content until now (as a gamer who prefers portable consoles).

This is an action RPG that kind of feels like Persona, Trails, and maybe Ys had a baby. There’s a friendship system, social stat raising, side quests (some that are hidden), and other elements that remind me of those games.

As high schooler Kou, you’ll gather new teammates and enter a shadow world known as the Eclipse to protect your loved ones. Get high scores in dungeon runs, and pick up materials to craft items that will help you in your quest.

Tokyo Chronos & Altdeus: Beyond Chronos Twin Pack

• Price: $44.99 (currently on sale for $44.99 until July 31st)
• Developer/Publisher: Izanagi Games
• Release Date: July 31, 2024

Tokyo Chronos and Altdeus: Beyond Chronos appear to be interactive visual novels with animation, voice acting, and multiple endings. Set centuries in the future, humanity has fled underground to escape from “Meteoras,” which sound like some kind of kaiju? The main character pilots a mecha to defend her city in honor of a fallen friend. I like visual novels, and mechas are always neat additions, so I’m intrigued!

Morkull Ragast’s Rage

• Price: $17.99
• Developer: Disaster Games Studio
• Publisher: SelectaPlay
• Release Date: July 31, 2024

Morkull Ragast’s Rage is a fourth wall-breaking 2D action platformer. As the villainous Morkull, do your best to escape from the Ragast so you can finally take control of the world and enact your evil plans. Use his abilities as the God of Death and Darkness to fight your way out. 😈

That’s it for our July 2024 Switch highlights! What appeals to you? Be sure to download any demos to see if you’d like those games. 💕 Are there any other games coming out that look good to you?