Best games on Xbox July 2022: 5 of the best Microsoft console games - including F1 22, Immortality and Klonoa

The Summer Games Fest - which saw a raft of big-name announcements and exciting first looks at some of the biggest games coming later in the year - is in the rear view mirror.

June’s live-stream bonanza, which took place instead of the usual E3 shenanigans (cancelled once more due to ongoing Covd concerns) has gamers hyped for what’s to come.

While July may not quite be able to satiate the thirsty video game fan with blockbuster smashes and epic adventures, there are still a handful of intriguing titles coming to Xbox consoles.

Here are the five Xbox games we’re most looking forward to getting our hands on in the coming month.

F1 22

What is it? Very much to Formula 1 what the FIFA games are to football, F1 22’s is EA’s latest in its annual series of racing games that replicate the sport unlike any others.

As new regulations in real-world races have changed the shape, design and handling profiles of the cars, so too do they in-game, with new car models with updated physics making for a realistic experience.

Tracks have been updated too, with updated course layouts reflecting their real-world counterparts, and the introduction of the Miami International Autodrome for calendar newcomer, the Miami Grand Prix.

Formula 2 racing is also included in the game, which also introduces a new adaptive AI system, which adjusts the pace of computer-controlled cars according to players’ skill to ensure competitive races every time.

When can I play it? 1 July

Matchpoint – Tennis Championships

What is it? Matchpoint might not quite be able to match F1 22’s uncanny ability to reproduce a real-world sport, but its virtual representation of tennis is certainly the best we’ve seen for a long while.

Still, you do get 16 licensed players including some of the biggest racket stars in the world - like Nick Kyrgios and Amanda Anisimova - as well as 26 world famous courts.

You can also create your own player if you want to take yourself to the top of the tennis standings, and Matchpoint is promising a deep career mode featuring a unique merit-based ranking system.

When can I play it? 7 July (also available through Game Pass)

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series

What is it? The trend for compilation packages of remastered platformers continues into July, and while Klonoa might not be quite as famous as the Sonic series, these PlayStation games have retained a cult following for over 20 years.

Updated to run in 60fps and up to 4K resolution with added features such as adjustable difficulty and a two-player cooperative mode, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil will be available to a whole new generation of fans.

Players take control of Klonoa, whose primary attack involves grabbing enemies with the Wind Ring, an object that fires a small burst of air forward that inflates and pulls enemies back to him to carry.

From here, you’ll be able to throw captured foes, or use them to perform a double-jump in midair, allowing you to reach greater heights and bypass obstacles.

When can I play it? 8 July

Endling: Extinction is Forever

What is it? Usually, survival games are not this writer’s cup of tea. Their open-ended gameplay is no match for a well crafted narrative, and the idea that you WILL succumb to the elements - it’s just a matter of how long you can stave them off - has always proved much too stress inducing.

But, Endling could change that. With a strong environmental message that sees players take control of the last mother fox on Earth attempting to protect her cubs from a world slowly crumbling to the effects of humanity, it’s got a rather striking artstyle to boot.

You’ll explore areas for supplies with which to defend your babies, feeding them and watching them grow into young foxes with unique personalities and fears, and use the cover of night to stealthily guide your litter towards a safer place.

When day break comes, it’s time to use the relative safety of the light to improve your shelter and plan your next move.

When can I play it? 19 July

Immortality

What is it? Sam Barlow’s Her Story is often credited as one of the most uniquely intriguing games in recent years, and saw players sift through live-action video clips of police interviews to piece together the narrative.

Immortality takes a similar approach, but this time you’re on the hunt for Marissa Marcel, an unfortunate actress who starred in three films that were never released.

She’s since gone missing, and players will have to scour clips of her unseen films - as well as behind-the-scenes footage of their making - to find clues and hints to people of interest.

It sounds like another reality blurring endeavour from Barlow, and since it’s coming to Game Pass on day of release, there’s no reason for Xbox fans not to check it out.

When can I play it? 26 July (also available through Game Pass)