Game of the Month: Top 4 PlayStation Games of July 2016

Oh dear, July's Game of the Month article's a bit late, isn't it? Your humble host completely forgot about our prestigious award not once but twice in the space of about four days. That's surely some sort of new record? In any case, we're here now, and after a pretty close staff vote, we've determined our winner. So get comfortable and admire the glorious games that await...

Bronze Trophy: Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII

China's at war once again, and this time, it isn't in a Dynasty Warriors game. The long-running strategic series is back on PS4, and it's brilliant according to reviewer Ken Talbot. Ken gave the release a great score of 8/10, calling it "the best strategy game on the PS4". Needless to say, fans of tactical and methodical gameplay shouldn't miss out on this opportunity to conquer the land.

Silver Trophy: The Banner Saga 2

A direct sequel to an already solid role-playing release, The Banner Saga 2 doesn't make any radical changes to the formula, but why fix what isn't broken? Reviewer John Cal McCormick gave the game an 8/10, praising its world building and atmosphere. "The Banner Saga 2 is a story about the end of the world, and few games do a better job of constantly reminding you of that fact," he wrote. Sounds a bit depressing really, doesn't it?

Gold Trophy: I Am Setsuna

As long as Ben Potter doesn't catch wind of this article, we should be safe from another satsuma joke. What, there's one in the tagline? Bugger. Anyway, this traditional RPG makes for an adventure full of charm, twinkling piano music, and a lot of snow. We awarded the title a good score of 7/10, concluding that "Tokyo RPG Factory's first outing is a warm and well crafted reminder that the classic formula still works".

Platinum Trophy: Hyper Light Drifter

When it comes to style, Hyper Light Drifter's hard to beat. Taking inspiration from various weird and wonderful creations from throughout the years, this is one pixelated journey that you won't be forgetting in a hurry. Mixing punishing combat with engrossing exploration, it's a real achievement for indie developer Heart Machine.

"To put it simply, Hyper Light Drifter is incredible," wrote reviewer Graham Banas. "An intriguing, abstract narrative set in one of the most beautifully vivid world's we've ever seen helps provide a near flawless experience," he added. Graham slapped a fantastic 9/10 on the game, dubbing it "easily one of this year's must-plays". A worthy Game of the Month winner, then.

That's another Game of the Month done and dusted, but do you agree with our winner, or even our nominees? Vote for your own favourite title of July in our poll, and then educate us in the comments section below.