The summer months of June through August are often a little thin on big-name launches. During the summer, it is assumed that some of us actually go outside rather than play games. I personally find the concept a little alien, but to each their own, I guess.
As such, you might find yourself struggling to find fresh games to play to help keep your attention through to the Fall, when games like Destiny, Battlefront II, and Forza 7 are poised to light up our lives (and wallets). I've compiled a list of great titles that might have flown under your radar, either for being underrated, or simply because they didn't have a huge amount of marketing.
Here's a few hidden 2017 gems on the Xbox Store that might scratch the itch.
Torment: Tides of Numenera
If you're looking for something that you can truly sink your teeth into, look no further than Torment: Tides of Numenera.
In Torment: Tides of Numenera, you play as the Last Castoff, a human who had previously been possessed by the "Changing God," who is an individual who discovered a way to prolong his existence by stealing the bodies of others.
Torment: Tides of Numenera is a story-driven RPG told from an isometric view point. It's text-heavy, but the way your decisions affect the story is ensures each individual playthrough is a completely unique experience. InXile gives the player tons of freedom for progressing through the game, whether you want to play violently, passively, or stealthily, it's entirely up to you. Torment: Tides of Numenera costs $59.99 to buy digitally on Xbox, or around $30 on Amazon as a physical copy.
Everspace
Everspace is a rogue-lite arcade space shooter which is as breath-taking as it is content-filled, and it just emerged from Game Preview.
In Everspace, every playthrough is slightly different due to the game's procedurally generated areas. Explore derelict space ships, mine asteroids, and battle huge cruisers as you upgrade your ship, hunt down loot, and progress through the game's plot.
While not as deep as Elite Dangerous, Everspace is far more accessible and sports more "arcade"-style shooter gameplay. At $29.99, it's definitely worth a look for any space fan.
Butcher
Butcher is an action-packed shooter that has been described as a side-scrolling homage to DOOM.
In Butcher, your job is to traverse some gorgeously rendered retro arenas murdering anything and everything in sight. It's a wonderfully cathartic experience that really captures the essence of what makes DOOM awesome, wrapped in a nostalgic 16-bit finish. And hey, it's super cheap at $9.99 too!
I am Bread
Few games are as insane or maddeningly addictive as physics puzzle simulator I am Bread.
As I am Bread's name suggests, you play as a piece of bread, on an arduous quest to become toasted. Each level provides a multitude of hazards to traverse, whether it's the dirty floor or roaming ants, if your bread gets too damaged, it's game over buddy!
I am Bread is one of those physics puzzlers that has to be seen to be believed, and it's available now for the low price of $12.99. Are you bready?
The Sexy Brutale
The Sexy Brutale is a murder-mystery game like no other.
In The Sexy Brutale, your job is to navigate a sleazy casino mansion where vicious murders are taking place during a masquerade ball. As The Sexy Brutale unfolds, your puzzle solving skills will be put to the test as you attempt to save the lives of the ball's various guests, and ultimately survive the ordeal yourself.
The Sexy Brutale is a unique title that definitely deserves more attention, and at $19.99, it's a bit of a steal.
And that's a wrap!
There's just a few of the great games I felt have been a little overlooked this year so far, and they're certainly worth checking out if you're struggling to find games to play this summer.
In the comments, let us know what games you're playing now, or what overlooked and underrated games you think everyone else should play this summer!
