Shadow Labyrinth thrusts Puck, a character much like the original video game maze-runner, into a deadly sci-fi world. — Bandai Namco
Although the summer can be a slow period for new video games, there were a few major releases in recent weeks.
Our critic considered Donkey Kong Bananza a strong addition to the Nintendo Switch 2 library, praising the “lavishly animated extravaganza.” Another critic thought the auteur Hideo Kojima was a bit heavy-handed in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, which addresses the pitfalls of connection.
Here are three other games you may have missed in July:
Shadow Labyrinth
When it comes to choosing a movie to watch on an airplane, I always opt for something that rests comfortably on the lower range of good. I steer clear from things I really want to see because I’m an uptight cinephile who would prefer to watch the best stuff in front of a nice setup without ambient distractions.
I thought about those preferences while playing Shadow Labyrinth, a good but by no means great Metroidvania. In keeping with the genre, it offers the lulling comfort of crisscrossing a mazelike structure and acquiring power-ups that allow the player to unlock previously inaccessible areas.
Shadow Labyrinth won’t blow anyone away with its visuals, which come across as a mildly souped-up take on retro-style graphics, but it features a strong hook: Imagine if you took Pac-Man – the O.G. video game maze-runner – and thrust him into a sci-fi world where he assists a hooded sword-wielding warrior.
Swordsman No. 8, the warrior in question, can transform into Puck, the name of the Pac-Man character in the game, to zoom over the brightly coloured rails that are a hallmark of the franchise. He can also merge with Puck into a large mecha creature that can be helpful when fighting the game’s bosses, such as the fire-spewing chicken Duke Sirius. If you’re looking to take a vacation from serious gaming, you could certainly do worse than this. – CHRISTOPHER BYRD
Reviewed on the PlayStation 5 Pro. Also available on the PC, Switch, Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S.
Everdeep Aurora
Everdeep Aurora starts off with your character, a small round cat girl named Shell, fleeing an apocalyptic meteor shower for the safety of the caverns below. She is joined there by a colorful cast of allies, among them a giant blacksmithing ram and a guitar-playing frog who gives her an old drill to dig deep into the earth below. Journeying into the dark seems overwhelming at first. It’s mysterious and opaque, and you can’t explore very far down these 8-bit tunnels without running out of drill fuel and being forced to backtrack.
As the game unfolds and Shell maps out more of the cave system, it becomes clear that the tenor of this experience is closer to joyful exploration than life-risking adventure. The deeper she digs the more the game brightens, introducing you to new puzzles, characters, exotic settlements and breadcrumbed tidbits of story.
Shell may be diminutive and feline, complete with a button dedicated to meowing, but she is indefatigable. Seemingly intimidating enemies – a haughty woman who hoards her treasures, or an untrustworthy snake who uses dice games to swindle passersby – inevitably trip over their own avarice like the villains of childhood fables. Undisturbed by their antics, Shell continues on, uniting a sprawling world. – YUSSEF COLE
Reviewed on the PC. Also available on the Switch.
EA Sports College Football 26
I quickly noticed the bold, brassy fight songs – over 200 of them this year – in EA Sports College Football 26. The game’s soundtrack is so rife with spirited marches and bouncy versions of pop songs like Miley Cyrus’ Flowers that I wanted to hit the gridiron immediately. Breathless commentators and an opening cinematic with rapid cuts and high-energy action added to my enthusiasm.
But there were issues. Character models for stadium crowds and cheerleaders weren’t state of the art. Fan reactions were repetitive. In the challenge mode where you can earn points for upgrades, a player was partially offscreen when I tried getting him to perform an end zone victory dance.
Some of these issues were addressed in a patch, but afterward I still had an announcer say the game was close when I was ahead by 14 points.
Nonetheless, there’s so much here to mine that College Football 26 is a good offering to enjoy throughout the season. I particularly enjoy the Road to Glory mode, where you can create a player and help him shine as he moves through high school to college.
Thrills abound even before the teams line up at midfield. It’s stunning to witness Aurea, the soaring golden eagle, at the beginning of an Auburn game. During a tense fourth quarter, it felt real to see a rowdy crowd aggravating players during a key moment. – HAROLD GOLDBERG
Reviewed on the PlayStation 5. Also available on the Xbox Series X|S. – ©2025 The New York Times Company
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
