Video game release schedules follow some strange trends.

The majority of major triple-A titles tend to fight for a spot during the busy holiday season — basically, anywhere from October through December. Any games that didn't make the holiday release window typically launch a few months later — anywhere from January through April.

What's strange is that, for the most part, the most relaxed part of the year is also the most devoid of big releases. The months between May and September are almost always a dead zone in terms of major video game launches, despite the fact that kids are home from school and adults are going on vacation. Yes, it makes sense that most games come out during the heaviest shopping season of the year, but does that mean that the summer months have to be completely barren?

Thankfully, 2016 has been a bit different. May saw the launch of both Uncharted 4: Among Thieves and the stellar Doom reboot, while June saw the release of games like Mirror's Edge: Catalyst and Odin Sphere Leifthrasir. It's so unusually high-quality that it begs the question: what does the rest of the summer have to offer?

Inside

Release date: July 7 (PC)
Developer: Playdead

From the developers of Limbo, Playdead's Inside is one of the bigger indie releases of the summer. Much like its predecessor, the game focuses on an abstract story and physics-based platforming puzzles ... though it's not nearly as groundbreaking as Playdead's first big success.

You can read our full review right here.

Necropolis

Release date: July 12
Developer: Harebrained Schemes

If Dark Souls is known for being overwhelmingly melancholic, then Necropolis is what happens when you combine those games with a Saturday morning cartoon. Sure, the combat is still brutal and players will die quite a few times, but there's a levity to Necropolis that keeps it from feeling like a cel-shaded clone of From Software's Souls series.

Monster Hunter Generations

Release date: July 15
Developer: Capcom

Monster Hunter has always been known for its slower, more measured combat ... but the same couldn't be said for the latest game in the series. Monster Hunter Generations features a much more acrobatic take on the classic boss battle-centric gameplay, but don't worry — this is still classic Monster Hunter.

No Man's Sky

Release date: Aug. 9
Developer: Hello Games

It's entirely possible that No Man's Sky is one of the most highly-anticipated games of all time. The randomly-generated open-world space exploration game has made some huge promises over the past few years — and it won't be long until gamers know whether or not it'll live up to them.

Metroid Prime: Federation Force

Release date: Aug. 19
Developer: Nintendo

Metroid fans have been waiting for a new game for a long time ... and this probably isn't it. Touted as a multiplayer action-shooter, Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a huge departure from the series — with any luck, Federation Force will actually live up to the franchise from which it takes its name.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Release date: Aug. 23
Developer: Eidos Montreal

It's been five long years since players stepped into the augmented cyborg shoes of Adam Jensen, but Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is looking like it could be one of 2016′s breakout games. Everything that fans loved about Human Revolution is back and better than ever ... and a whole arsenal of new gadgets and abilities never hurts, either.

King of Fighters XIV

Release date: Aug. 23
Developer: SNK

After a disappointing 13th entry, King of Fighters XIV is coming to take back the crown. Given the somewhat disappointing response to Street Fighter V and the long wait for Injustice 2, SNK is in a prime position to make some waves in the fighting game genre — but the studio is definitely facing an uphill battle after its last lackluster release.

Attack on Titan

Release date: Aug. 30
Developer: Omega Force

There have been attempts at bringing the incredibly popular anime into the world of gaming, but Omega Force's aptly-titled Attack on Titan looks like it could come through. The high-flying combat, huge cast of characters and brutal combat is enough to get any fan of the series excited — oh, and it looks gorgeous, too.

ReCore

Release date: Sept. 13
Developer: Armature Studios

ReCore is, simply put, something of an oddity. The game touts a serious pedigree (it's been made by some of the key developers behind Metroid Prime), but following a somewhat shaky showing at E3 2016, some have started to question whether or not the game is ready for prime-time just yet.

Destiny: Rise of Iron

Release date: Sept. 20
Developer: Bungie

The Taken King did a lot to revitalize the Destiny community ... but without another full expansion to follow it up with, Bungie couldn't maintain said momentum for long. Thankfully, Bungie is giving fans something new to play with while the sequel is in development — hopefully, Rise of Iron is as strong (or stronger) than its predecessors.

Forza Horizon 3

Release Date: Sept. 27
Developer: Turn 10 Studios

Ever after all these years, Microsoft's pseudo-simulation racer still pulls in a huge crowd of devoted fans, and for good reason. As the latest game in the series, Forza Horizon 3 features a much larger focus on environmental diversity — this isn't the same old street race that you're used to.

Final Fantasy XV

Release date: Sept. 30
Developer: Square Enix

After 10 years of waiting, Square Enix's next RPG epic is finally on the way.

There's so much to be excited for that it's hard to list it all here: the game is absolutely gorgeous, the developers have promised more freedom than ever, and it looks like Final Fantasy may be getting back on the right track ... let's just hope that fans won't have to wait another 10 years for a follow-up.

Yo-Kai Watch 2

Release date: Sept. 30
Developer: Nintendo

It took a long time, but the monster-catching craze that swept through Japan has finally made its way to the States. Yo-Kai Watch 2 is, unsurprisingly, the sequel to the series' Western debut from last November — considering it's only been six months since the last release, it's safe to say that Yo-Kai Watch fans have it good.

Despite the fact that release schedules usually dry up in the summer heat, 2016 is shaping up to be a pretty solid year for games. Most publishers are perfectly content to cram everything into the holiday rush, so it's nice that some triple-A titles are launching when people actually have time to play them!

We'll be sure to update this list if any of the above information changes — or if something new comes down the line!

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