5 Of August's Biggest Gaming Releases

August is the calm before the storm, the last month before we start getting into some pretty wicked territory, as far as video games are concerned. We've got Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain right around the corner on September 1, Mad Max releasing the same day, Super Mario Maker, and a wealth of other titles heading our way as well.

But what about August? There are plenty of games to get your hands on this month while kids are headed back to school and you've got some time to kill before the deluge of games. Here are 5 of August's biggest gaming releases that you can get your hands on very, very soon.

Gears of War Ultimate Edition - Xbox One (August 25)

If you've been a hardcore gamer since the advent of the Xbox 360, you remember plenty of late nights spent curbstomping other players to death and then ripping them to shreds with your Lancer. You can have that thrill again, with The Coalition's upcoming HD reworks of the Gears saga, including all four of the Gears of War titles from 360 in 1080p and 60fps. It also includes acess to Gears of War 4's beta so you can stay on top of your game. It's coming to both Xbox One and PC on August 25, and it'll be a great throwback and primer for the other shooters you'll be playing soon. Plus, it's Gears. You can't go wrong there.

Until Dawn - PlayStation 4 (August 25)

Until Dawn might have found a better release in October, given its spooky premise, but it looks like a trip and a half, especially given all the weirdness that comes along with a game that finds you cowering from someone who wants nothing more than to kill you and do who-knows-what with your corpse. Supermassive Games' upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive features star power in the form of Hayden Panettiere and Peter Stormare, and it'll feature the "Butterfly System" that seeks to offer a different playthrough for gamers each time they sit down to take the journey. With several different endings and an interesting premise, it's likely going to be worth your hard-earned cash to evaluate, especially if you're a horror fan.

Disney Infinity 3.0 - Xbox One, 360, PS4, PS3, Wii U, PC (August 30)

The latest installment in the Disney Infinity saga brings a whole new hope along with it in the form of Star Wars figures and plenty more new surprises. Not only will you want to add it to your game collection, but the kids will be clamoring for it as well. It's something the whole family can enjoy for once, and the adults don't have to stand around shaking their heads, trying to figure out what the appeal is. With figures like Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Luke Skywalker, Leia, and more coming out, you're going to want to drop a whole lot of money on them anyway. Might as well get into the game proper too.

Mega Man Legacy Collection - Xbox One, 360, PS4, PS3, Wii U, PC (August 30)

There's nothing better than going back to play the classics, and that's the appeal of the Mega Man Legacy Collection, which gathers the first six games in the Mega Man mythos and puts them in one easy place for you to collect them all. Developed by Digital Eclipse, the Legacy Collection uses the Eclipse Engine, a cross-platform emulator, to make the games appear as they would have back in their heyday. There's also a collection awesome extras, like sketches, concept art, flyers, and other unlockables to go with all the retro goodness packed inside. The best part? It'll only run you $14.99.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III Beta - Xbox One, PC (August 26)

You know it. You love it. It's Call of Duty: Black Ops III, and it's coming much sooner than we thought. The multiplayer beta begins August 26 for both Xbox One and PC users, and it's going to be back to the very same carnage we know and love from the seminal first-person shooter series. Technically not a full game release, of course, but it's coming available soon and will be the talk of the gaming community. Best to keep your eyes open and get in a few matches before the game drops proper later this year.