Although there are plenty of games that feature sunny environments and summer-themed levels, there are few games that take place in entirely summery environments, let alone explicitly in the summer. Gamessuch asAnimal CrossingandStardew Valley, for example, have brief periods of summer throughout.
Some games, however, take place entirely in summer-like environments. Many of these examples explicitly take place in the summer, whilegames such asDead Islandtake place on sunny tropical islands.
Dead Islandtakes place on a sunny tropical island amid an outbreak of vicious zombies. The game’s bright, tropical environments will likely appeal to any players looking for a summer-themed game, thoughDead Islandisn’t as explicitly summer-themed as other games.
AmongDead Island’stropical summer environments arestretches of sunny beach, plenty of palm trees, and abandoned urban areas. Although its narrative and enemy variety may be lacking,Dead Island’shack-and-slash combat and systems for weapon crafting make it worth playing, especially in online co-op.
Grand Theft Auto 5takes place in the sunny urban environments of Los Santos and Blaine County. The game features dense urban areas, deserts, and mountainous areas to explore. Although the game does feature a narrative to progress through, engaging inGrand Theft Auto’ssandbox activities can be particularly rewarding.
Grand Theft Auto Onlinein particular is a standout experience that makes exploringGrand Theft Auto 5’ssunny, open areas a bona fide joyride.Grand Theft Autois far from a wholesome, cozy summer experience, but its focus on criminal activities and sandbox gameplay offers a consistent summer thrill.
This tropical-themed 3D platformer is arguably one of the strangest and most unhingedMariogames Nintendo made, thanks in large part to the water pack that players are equipped with. This pack acts asMario’stoolkit throughout the game, allowing players to make use ofwater-themed powers.
The sunny, tropical environments and watery platforming makeSuper Mario Sunshinean upbeat, light-hearted summer title. Although the game may be beginning to show its age, and is perhaps not as timeless asMario 64,Sunshineis still an impressive and innovative summer-themed game worth playing.
This action platformer takes place at a psychic summer camp and puts players in the shoes of a particularly gifted psychic named Raz. Despite taking place in a summer camp,Psychonautsisn’t the most summery game.
Levels inPsychonautsare psychedelic, wacky experiences that take place inside the minds of troubled characters. Because of this, there’s a distinct lack of summer environments. Regardless,Psychonautsremains a fun and action-packed platforming adventure.
4SUMMERHOUSE
A Casual Summer Sandbox
This casual sandbox game fits into the same digital toy, cozy-game genre that games such asTownscraperfall into. InSUMMERHOUSE, players construct small buildings from a side-on perspective in a variety of sunny, summer settings.
Similar to games such asTownscraper,SUMMERHOUSEdoesn’t feature any goals. Instead, the game focuses solely on giving the player tools for creativity. This allows players to enjoy the game’s relaxing summer atmosphere without worrying about winning or losing.
As its title may suggest,My Summer Cartasks players withbuilding and fine-tuning a carfit for a variety of Finnish summer shenanigans.My Summer Cartakes a simulated approach to its gameplay, with a system for car assembly that features little to no hand-holding.
My Summer Caralso tasks players with earning cash through performing menial jobs, though this is just part of the game’s fairly expansive sandbox. This free-form, sandbox gameplay allows players to enjoy the open areas of the 90s summer setting.My Summer Caralso features an option for permanent death, which turns the game into an almost nail-biting game of survival.
Set in the summer of 1996,Road 96puts players in the shoes of several characters over the course of its run-time. AlthoughRoad 96is a story-driven, narrative adventure game, there are plenty of activities to partake in throughout the trip.
However, the unique selling point ofRoad 96isits random encountersand procedural generation. This ensures that each player carves their own unique path through the game’s summer environments. Overall,Road 96is an extremely unique narrative game that’s perfect for fans of story-driven experiences, as seen in Telltale games, looking for something more interactive.
This tranquil narrative adventure puts players in the shoes of a fire lookout in the middle of the Wyoming wilderness. The game takes place during a particularly hot summer in 1989 and features a mystery that unfolds as players progress through the game’s heartfelt narrative.
Firewatch’sgameplay revolves mostly around walking in first-person,exploring the wildusing a map, and having small interactions with the environment. The core of the game, however, is the handheld radio that the player uses to communicate with Delilah, who players frequently speak with over the course of the game. The emotional story, beautiful environments, and near-constant sunshine makeFirewatcha short but sweet title that’s perfect for summer.
