Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Total Film
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Total Film
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Pokemon Legends Z-A
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2025
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
Asus ROG Flow Z13 running Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on battery power
Mobile Gaming The best gaming tablets in 2025
Resident Evil Requiem screenshot of Grace Ashcroft, who has white short hair and glasses and wears a black blazer with an FBI badge, sitting at a desk in front of a PC monitor
Games Gamescom Day 1 live coverage – all the news, interviews, and previews as they happen
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond key art featuring Samus in her suit with her hand outstretched using purple psychic powers
Games After smashing through Donkey Kong Bananza I've run out of things to play on my Nintendo Switch 2 – so here are 5 games that better get release dates at Gamescom 2025
Games Fall is my favorite season and these are the 10 autumnal games I just can't stop coming back to at this time of year
A screenshot shows Caleb looking into the distance in Love and Deepspace
RPGs Evil otome game that tracks my period adds rail shooter where you murder Pokemon-style pets for love, and everyone's a lot more shirtless than you'd think
Helldivers 2 screenshot of two soldiers cheering in the desert
Third Person Shooters "The beaches will dry before the Helldivers do": Helldivers 2 players made Seyshel Beach the new Malevelon Creek, complete with propaganda and a stunned response from Arrowhead
MagicX Zero 40 on left, Anbernic RG ARC-D in centre, and Super Pocket Taito Edition on right with pumpkin in the middle on woodgrain desk.
Handhelds Summer isn't over yet, but I've already picked out three retro handhelds I'll be cozying up with this Autumn
Hades 2 protagonist Melinoe, a woman with pale grey skin, short blonde hair, and red/green eyes
PC Gaming The best games to play on a laptop right now
Dune: Awakening
MMO Games Dune: Awakening devs apologize for a lack of communication and say it's due to "state mandated" vacations, but now we have a new roadmap and 10-months worth of updates to look forward to
Subnautica deep sea
Adventure Games 10 Games like Subnautica that'll plunge you into mysterious worlds
Grace Ashcroft looks at a computer in Resident Evil Requiem screenshot
Games Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025
Helldivers 2 X Halo ODST Warbond crossover Helldiver in ODST armor with silenced SMG in storm
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 players defended a Halo Reach-esque planet so hard that Arrowhead has declared a new "Avengement Day" annual holiday to honor the brave Beach warriors
Key art for Atomfall showing a character in the English countryside looking at a nuclear plant some distance away
Survival Games The 10 best survival games to play in 2025
Out and About screenshot of the player character forager who has purple hair and wears dungarees
Adventure Games Out and About is a very cozy foraging adventure that's taking me back to my fish obsession in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Upcoming Xbox Series X games header image featuring State of Decay 3, Fable 4, The Outer Worlds 2, and South of Midnight
FPS Games Upcoming Xbox Series X games for 2025 and beyond
  1. Games
  2. Action

Let's talk: What are your summer gaming goals?

Features
By GamesRadar Staff published 3 July 2013

Let's go to the beach, beach

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Summertime, when the livin's easy

Summertime, when the livin's easy

Summer means different things to different people. For children it's an excuse to play outside in the bright sun. For teens it's an excuse to lock yourself inside and play video games. For adults it's... well, it's still an excuse to lock yourself inside and play video games. Hey guys, video games!

What it means for the gaming industry, though, is a drought--a deep breath before the scream that is the holiday lineup. It's your last chance to play what you want guilt-free, instead of what you should because you don't want stuff spoiled for you. How are you going to spend it? Here are our summer gaming goals.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Lucas Sullivan will play his 3DS or die

Lucas Sullivan will play his 3DS or die

As the recent--and quite proud--owner of a Nintendo 3DS XL, I feel as though I've been ushered into a new age of handheld gaming. Oh sure, I bought a DS Lite back in the day--but I only really played it when I was suffering from soul-crushing boredom in the Irish countryside (true story). But I made a classic blunder when buying a new console: buying more games than I could ever have time for. Triple-A backlog be darned--I need to get my money's worth from games like Etrian Odyssey IV, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Final Fantasy IV, 999, and Tales of the Abyss. Not like I could finish all those in a year of free time, let alone four months.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Ryan Taljonick wants to finally play through Dragon's Dogma

Ryan Taljonick wants to finally play through Dragon's Dogma

I have two summer goals when it comes to video games: First, I'm gonna go pro in League of Legends (belee dat). Second, I want to finally get around to playing Dragon's Dogma. It's been on my to-do list since it came out, but jumping into a 50-plus hour game is a daunting proposition. Lately I've been hankering for a meaty RPG, and I think the mix of action combat and deep RPG elements the game has to offer is exactly what I need. That, and a nice, cold beer.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Henry will work on his backlog (if he can ignore Animal Crossing)

Henry will work on his backlog (if he can ignore Animal Crossing)

If I'm not careful I'll likely spend the majority of my summer gaming hours with Animal Crossing: New Leaf. If I can manage to avoid that, then it's time to chip away at my backlog, only my current backlog is of 2013 games. Early on in 2013 I decided that this year I'd do my best to stay current with this year's games, and outside of recording my RadarPlays Retro videos, I've pretty much stuck with playing the high profile titles of 2013. Hopefully by summer's end I'll have completed Injustice, Deadpool, Metro, Project X Zone, Remember Me, and Dead Space 3. Or I could just go fishing in Animal Crossing. I mean, sharks are going for a premium today...

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Sophia Tong wants to learn how to play MOBAs

Sophia Tong wants to learn how to play MOBAs

Seasons all kind of blend together for me, but if there is a summer lull, I want to take the time to learn how to play a MOBA. When Starcraft II came out, I wanted to hone my RTS skills and well, I can beat the computer on hard, but against a human is a totally different story. I only recently got the urge to play after having messed around with Infinite Crisis at a pre-E3 event. I've dabbled in League of Legends but theres something about playing a licensed game where you actually kind of know what youre getting into. Thats why I love Battle of Middle Earth II so much--the units were pretty obvious. I highly doubt Ill stick to this plan though. Ill most likely be playing Animal Crossing all summer.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Dave Muoio will be abandoning his 360

Dave Muoio will be abandoning his 360

The new generation's on the way, but I feel like I've only experienced half of the old one. My 360's chugging along with plenty of first-party titles and is still the best place to meet my friends online, there's no denying that. Regardless, Sony's been calling my name every since I abandoned my PS2, and it's finally time to pay them a visit. Spending the summer living with friends means that I now have access to not just one, but TWO PS3s. I've already hit up Journey, survived The Last of Us, and thwarted the Origami Killer. I could dive into Uncharted or try Killzone. Maybe I'll check out God of War. Is Resistance worth my time, or am I better off hitting the indie scene?

The possibilities are endless.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Lorenzo Veloria will be getting more in tune with the Force

Lorenzo Veloria will be getting more in tune with the Force

The long lull of gaming releases gives me some time to get caught up on all of the gems that I (so far) haven't had time for, like The Last of Us and Metro: Last Light. Though I have had the hankering to go back and play some Star Wars games, simply because the Star Wars: Battlefront announcement at E3 got me super hyped. Therefore, I'm looking into repurchasing Battlefront 2, and downloading Call of Duty 4 on Steam so I can mod it out with Call of Duty: Galactic Warfare. If you don't know what Galactic Warfare is, think Call of Duty with laser guns set in maps modeled after environments like Mos Eisley and Bespin. Summer is going to be glorious!

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Tom Magrino is going to keep playing League of Legends

Tom Magrino is going to keep playing League of Legends

So I've, erm, been a little preoccupied with League of Legends for the past couple of months. That, in turn, has led me to fall so far behind with this year's releases that nothing short of throwing space-time into stasis is going to get me back on track. From here, I have one of two options: a) I can continue to feed my LOL addiction, and in so doing hammer into Silver, or b) Regain some measure of respectability and blow through The Last of Us, Metro: Last Light, BioShock Infinite, Grid 2...

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Hollander Cooper wants to demolish his 2013 backlog

Hollander Cooper wants to demolish his 2013 backlog

I've kept up fairly well with the biggest games of 2013. Most of the AAA games were trampled underfoot mere days after release. The Last of Us? Gone. BioShock Infinite? Taken care of. Tomb Raider? Tomb raided. But despite my best efforts, some games fell through the cracks, and I do not want to go into the holiday season with any stragglers. I'm leaving 2012 in the dust and focusing on the games that I didn't have a chance to beat. Remember Me, Metro: Last Light, Company of Heroes 2, and several more are still waiting to be played, and I really want to make sure I take care of them before the holiday season begins.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Enjoy responsibly

Enjoy responsibly

And if you're looking for more, check out 8 reasons Assassin's Creed games are secretly about cats and the normal stuff we can't see without thinking about video games.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
CATEGORIES
Android iPad iPhone PC Gaming Wii-u Nintendo PlayStation PS4 Xbox Xbox One Platforms Mobile Gaming
PRODUCTS
Final Fantasy XV The Last of Us Metro: Last Light BioShock Infinite Deadpool: The Game The Sims 3 Island Paradise Magic The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014
GamesRadar Staff
Social Links Navigation

GamesRadar+ was first founded in 1999, and since then has been dedicated to delivering video game-related news, reviews, previews, features, and more. Since late 2014, the website has been the online home of Total Film, SFX, Edge, and PLAY magazines, with comics site Newsarama joining the fold in 2020. Our aim as the global GamesRadar Staff team is to take you closer to the games, movies, TV shows, and comics that you love. We want to upgrade your downtime, and help you make the most of your time, money, and skills. We always aim to entertain, inform, and inspire through our mix of content - which includes news, reviews, features, tips, buying guides, and videos.

Read more
Resident Evil Requiem screenshot of Grace Ashcroft, who has white short hair and glasses and wears a black blazer with an FBI badge, sitting at a desk in front of a PC monitor
Gamescom Day 1 live coverage – all the news, interviews, and previews as they happen
 
 
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond key art featuring Samus in her suit with her hand outstretched using purple psychic powers
After smashing through Donkey Kong Bananza I've run out of things to play on my Nintendo Switch 2 – so here are 5 games that better get release dates at Gamescom 2025
 
 
Fall is my favorite season and these are the 10 autumnal games I just can't stop coming back to at this time of year
 
 
A screenshot shows Caleb looking into the distance in Love and Deepspace
Evil otome game that tracks my period adds rail shooter where you murder Pokemon-style pets for love, and everyone's a lot more shirtless than you'd think
 
 
Helldivers 2 screenshot of two soldiers cheering in the desert
"The beaches will dry before the Helldivers do": Helldivers 2 players made Seyshel Beach the new Malevelon Creek, complete with propaganda and a stunned response from Arrowhead
 
 
MagicX Zero 40 on left, Anbernic RG ARC-D in centre, and Super Pocket Taito Edition on right with pumpkin in the middle on woodgrain desk.
Summer isn't over yet, but I've already picked out three retro handhelds I'll be cozying up with this Autumn
 
 
Latest in Action
GTA 6
Rockstar accused of "ruthless" firing ahead of GTA 6, cutting over 30 employees tied to dev union: Take-Two claims "gross misconduct," labor group says "we won't back down"
 
 
Hollow Knight Silksong N64 demake screenshot
Silksong has been sent back in time to the N64 era with a fan-made demake, and I shudder to think of how hard it would be with 5th-gen controls
 
 
Hollow Knight Silksong screenshot of Hornet sitting shocked in a chair
Team Cherry are "healthy workaholics," Silksong voice actor says: "They were working a lot" but understand "people have lives and need to have a good quality of life"
 
 
Assassin's Creed 3 screenshot of Desmond hilding a circular Isu artifact
Assassin's Creed 3's controversial, hours-long opening was meant to solve a classic game narrative problem, but the team didn't realize it was "too long" until "the last two months" of development
 
 
birdcage screenshot showing a character portrait
My new Steam obsession is this love letter to Metal Gear Solid which nails the PS1 aesthetic in a shoot-'em-up inspired by '90s games and anime
 
 
Silksong
Silksong "was much harder when I did it," says Team Cherry tester who also voiced Trobbio: "It was almost entirely nerfs to bosses that I got put in"
 
 
Latest in Features
On the Radar-branded The Outer Worlds 2 screenshot featuring Inez firing a rifle
The Outer Worlds 2 developers have one major combat tip: "Pick a lane and stick with it"
 
 
Players dropping into Battlefield Redsec in front of the circle of fire
Battlefield Redsec holds Warzone to the fire by leaning into tactical chaos, and I'm quickly warming up to EA's devilishly dangerous battle royale
 
 
Emma Stone as Michelle in Bugonia
Poor Things director's new movie Bugonia is a madcap sci-fi dark comedy that features Emma Stone's best performance
 
 
The Resort Hotel Lobby in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with Tom Nook and Kapp'n's family
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Update 3.0 - everything you need to know
 
 
A screenshot of Isabelle doing the daily announcements on an Island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
After 1000 hours of hoarding Bells, the Animal Crossing Switch 2 edition has finally convinced me that it's time to restart my island
 
 
An image of the Riddler from DC Comics with the GamesRadar+ quiz logo over the top
Test your fandom knowledge with the GamesRadar+ quiz collection
 
 
  1. Spooktacular box art featuring a movie theater suffused with eerie green light
    1
    This is the perfect family board game for Halloween
  2. 2
    It’s hard to imagine there are many gamers who won’t enjoy this quick but tactical board game for 2 players
  3. 3
    The Outer Worlds 2 review: "The Fallout New Vegas creators have crafted a masterful space age RPG that's willing to play game master to my silliest decisions"
  4. 4
    Once Upon a Katamari review: "Time traveling cowboy adventures, ninja thievery, pirate battles, and more make this the most inventive evolution of the series yet"
  5. 5
    Jurassic World Evolution 3 review: "Far from a fossil, this park builder is one you'll keep coming back to, despite its flaws"
  1. Chainsaw Man
    1
    Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc review "Storytelling just as compelling as the chainsaws, devils, and visually excessive fight scenes"
  2. 2
    Tron: Ares review: "Misses out by swapping the Grid for the real world"
  3. 3
    One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
  4. 4
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  5. 5
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  1. Liam Hemsworth as Geralt in The Witcher season 4
    1
    The Witcher season 4 review: "The Henry Cavill-less fourth season is the best yet"
  2. 2
    IT: Welcome to Derry review: "A supremely confident step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown"
  3. 3
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"
  4. 4
    Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"
  5. 5
    Gen V season 2 review: "As strong as the first season, if not stronger"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...