3 Up, 3 Down – July 2026
Summer 2026 has been a bit of a lull for video game releases. The year started incredibly, and the Fall feels like the most stacked set of months ever. July 2026 still had lots of great games in the 70-85 score range. There were three games that scored above this pack, and three that scored below. For the first time in a while, we have a pretty clear cut 3 Up 3 Down. Without further ado, here are The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games July 2026:
The Good
Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced
***click here for our review***
Assassin’s Creed IV: Back Flag is one of the most beloved entries in the open world stealth series. It had a pirate theme, and incorporated naval combat that influenced generations of games since. Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced is a remake which makes the game feel like it’s a brand new entry. There are lots of quality of life tweaks, and gorgeous visual updates. Our reviewer concluded “Melee and naval combat have received outstanding updates, and the newly minted open world is a joy to explore”. Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced is a high standard for modern remakes and an easy inclusion in The Good section of The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games July 2026.
Denshattack!
***click here for our review***
Denshattack! is an extreme sports game where the player controls a train. It has anime graffiti visuals like the Jet Set Radio games. The gameplay blends extreme sports, racing, and music rhythm games. There’s also loads of content, and Denshattack!’s only blemish is that it’s a single player-only experience. Our reviewer concluded “It’s refreshing to play a game this original in every aspect”. Hopefully Denshattack!’s recognition on lists like The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games July 2026 will help catapult it towards success.
DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations DLC
***click here for our review***
DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations is DLC for first person shooter DOOM: The Dark Ages. It’s a direct story sequel. Our reviewer warned “If you haven’t finished The Dark Ages, you’ll be pretty confused with both the gameplay and the story”. There’s a new chain spear that replaces the shield, which makes gameplay feel fresh, despite a lack of new guns. DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations is an expansion so strong that we had to include it in The Good section of The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games July 2026.
The Bad
Backyard Baseball
***click here for our review***
Backyard Baseball is a revival of a baseball franchise from 29 years ago. The visuals and humor match the aesthetics of the original, and hold up well. The gameplay is awful though. Our reviewer wrote “Backyard Baseball completely crumbled the second I stepped onto the field”. Playing the game feels like a boring chore. Backyard Baseball is the lowest scoring game in The Bad section of The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games July 2026.
Disgaea Mayhem
***click here for our review***
Disgaea Mayhem is a Musou game based on the Disgaea strategy JRPG series. Its third person brawl combat is fun to play, and has the kind of RPG depth Disgaea fans would hope for. But it’s incredibly short, and light on content. Our reviewer warned “You can cruise through the game even on the highest difficulty available”. Something great could be done with the base of Disgaea Mayhem, but there’s so little game that it had to be included in The Bad section of The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games July 2026.
Echoes of Aincrad
***click here for our review***
When Echoes of Aincrad was announced, a bunch of red flags went up. This action JRPG, based on Sword Art Online, just looked a little too generic and uninspired to match the marketing Bandai Namco put behind it. Our reviewer found Echoes of Aincrad to be quite bland. They wrote “Despite taking place in an MMO world… the game feels unexpectedly lifeless”. Even Sword Art Online diehards will have to be wary picking up Echoes of Aincrad, which makes it an obvious inclusion in The Bad section of The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games July 2026.
Do you agree with our The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from July 2026? What were your favorite games that didn’t make our top 3? Let us know in the comments.
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