The games of July 2013

July 11

Guncraft

Platforms: PC

Love Minecraft, but wish there was more stuff to shoot? Enter: Guncraft, a do-it-yourself FPS that empowers players with the means to build their own voxel-based maps and blow them to bits with an array of weapons and vehicles. Players will also be equipped with the tools to create their own unique combat class, with options ranging from shotgun ninjas to sword-wielding demo experts, and everything in between.

Guncraft has already been out in Beta form for some time, however you'll have to pay to play the final version come July 11. The game will available for purchase on developer Exato Games' website, and is currently in the running to be featured on Steam via the Greenlight Project.

Star Wars Pinball Wii U

Platforms: Wii U

The Stars Wars brand going full tilt on Nintendo's newest console with the release of Zen Studios' Star Wars Pinball for the Wii U. Arriving for download on the Nintendo eShop, it will feature three Star Wars branded tables, including Boba Fett, Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Digital Jedis will have the choice of flipping for the Galactic Empire or Rebel Alliance, with the game's opening screen alternating depending on which side reigns supreme based on community scores.

Rest assured, Star Wars Pinball will make good use of its Wii U home. The GamePad will allow players a choice of screens, or added controls if being used in concert with the TV. An XP progression system, in-game challenges, and multiplayer modes will also add to this Wii U version. We plugged some virtual quarters into this game back in February. Read our pre-Wii U report in the Star Wars Pinball review.

Toki Tori 2+

Platforms: PC, Mac

Two Tribes' yellow problem solver arrives for PC and Mac this month, bringing with him (her?) the content from its Wii U version plus a few extra goodies. Described as a Metroidvania puzzle adventure, Toki Tori 2 lets players loose in an open-ended island filled with strange allies and a black goo that threatens to gobble everything in its path. Toki Tori 2+ will waddle onto the scene with a a level editor that will let players think up their own unique puzzles and share them via the Steam Workshop.

This enhanced version will also feature improvements to the game's visuals and music. The studio has confirmed that Wii U owners of Toki Tori 2 will also receive some of the upgrades featured in Toki Tori 2+ “where it makes sense”.

July 16

Dynasty Warriors 8

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360
EU: July 12

Get pumped for another round of hack 'n slash mayhem as Koei's Dynasty Warriors series returns to the fray. This sequel will carry on the Romance of Three Kingdoms saga, as told from the game's main heroes, Wei, Wu, Shu, and Jin. “What if” scenarios will also give players a chance to veer from canon and live out alternative realities with characters that don't necessarily belong, and an added ambition mode will heap on the task of building a “Tongquetai Tower” through the acquisition of riches, reputation, and material earned in battle.

In combination with a Free Mode, new battle mechanics, weapon updates, graphic updates, and a handful of new characters, this Dynasty Warriors sequel appears poised to refresh the long-running series.

Mamorukun Curse

Platform: PS3

North Americans are set to get schmup'd in this cutesy bullet-hell entry from G.rev, co-developer of Ikaruga. Mamorukun Curse follows the plight of seven cursed characters as they fight to destroy the evil of the underworld by gunning anything and anyone in their path.

Mamorukun Curse (aka Mamoru-kun wa Norowarete Shimatta!) was originally released in Japan in 2008. This North American version is arriving as a download for PS3 by way of UFO Interactive Games. It will contain two DLC maps and characters as compensation for the long wait.

R.I.P.D. The Game

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Bring order to the otherworld in this supernatural actioneer from Old School Games (God Mode). Based on the comic books and upcoming movie of the same name, R.I.P.D. The Game is a two-person co-op shooter that casts duos as officers in the Rest in Peace Department whose soul mission is to protect the world of the living from the ghostly ghouls and criminals.

R.I.P.D The Game was developed in close association with Universal Studios, allowing Old School access to heavily reference the upcoming film. The game also features an in-game betting system that will allow duos to place virtual wagers on their ability to outperform their partners in battle.

Shin Megami Tensei IV

Platforms: 3DS

Atlus' core demon-taming series returns, this time transporting players to the land of East Mikado where a war against the heavens is brewing in front of the backdrop of a fantastical middle-ages country. Gamers take on the role of a demon-killing samurai, and will set forth to explore a hellish version of Tokyo to either help make things better or contribute to its downfall.

Combat and demon negotiations will play out similar to past Shin Megami titles like Persona 4, with new features like the 'smirk' ability and fusion tweaks added to keep things fresh. Shin Megami Tensei IV will feature over 400 demons, the most yet for the series. Get acquainted with a few of them in our preview, We got creeped out by a little girl in Shin Megami Tensei IV.