By Chase Burgess

If you’ve been able to pry yourself away from your console or desktop of choice, you’ve probably noticed that it’s summer time. It doesn’t matter what kind of games you’re into, the sweltering heat and lack of school means one thing throughout the gaming world, the snooze-fest of video game releases that is summer time. However, as with any storm, it is always the darkest before the dawn that is the always exciting Fall season of video game releases. So, to keep your spirits up, here are a few games to look forward to as you push on through the video game barren summer months.

Fortnite

Fortnite was first revealed to us back in December of 2011 by its developer Epic Games, the same people who brought us the Gears of War series. Epic’s resume alone should be enough to get you excited about this title. However, if you weren’t a fan of the GoW series, fear not. Fortnite is an online co-op sandbox survival game centered around exploration, scavenging gear, and constructing fortified structures while fending off scores of undead ghouls. Players are encouraged to work in groups and to be creative when it comes to building their fortresses. Forts are not the only ways you can be creative in this title. Weapons and traps can also be created to better help you survive.

The story centers around a mysterious “storm” that leaves most of the world empty, and your job is to rebuild it. To stop this mystery storm, you have to locate and close gates. Monsters emerge from these gates to attack you during the night and will try to keep you from closing these gates.

The first thing that grabbed my attention about this game was the visual style. Unlike most zombie games, Fortnite relies on cartoony graphics to help set itself apart from the vast number of zombie titles already out.

The release date on this title is still unknown; however we are currently being told that it will be available this year. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Fortnite will be free to play.

Dying Light

Developer Techland sure does love its zombie games. Dead Island, Dead Island: Riptide, and now Dying Light. Much like DI and DI: R, Dying Light is a realistic visual experience. Dying Light has you scavenging for supplies and completing missions during the days, and players are strongly encouraged to stay off the streets after night. During the night, zombies become stronger, and certain predators that stay hidden during the day will come out to hunt at night.

One major change from the DI series to Dying Light is that now players have the ability to grapple up walls. Keeping up with the traditions of Techland’s past adventures, Dying Light allows you to select from four completely customizable characters. In Techland’s description of the game, players are encouraged to build and upgrade weapons, “Why use a wrench when you can use a wrench wrapped in electrified barbed wire?” This line immediately made me think back to my time playing DI and DI: R when I would combine a machete, barbed wire, and a propane tank to create a flaming machete. It looks like creativity will once again be the name of the game.

If you’ve seen any of the trailers for this game, you’ll notice that zombies are not your only enemies. Other groups of survivors are trying to hack it in this zombie filled world just like you. Just because they’re human doesn’t mean that they’re friendly.

Dying Light was originally supposed to come out this spring, but it is now slated for different release dates depending on what website you use. I would count on this gem to be released somewhere between November of this year and March of 2015.

Sunset Overdrive

Trying to describe Sunset Overdrive is a little difficult. Try imagining Team Fortress, combined with Left 4 Dead combined with Mirror’s Edge. This combination should be interesting when the final product comes out.

Judging from the combination that I gave you, you can imagine that this isn’t exactly your typical zombie game. Realism isn’t exactly something that developer Insomniac Games was aiming for with this title.

There isn’t much about this game known yet, but it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on. What we do know is that it relies heavily on zip lines and it will be an Xbox One exclusive released later this year.