Just Keep Gaming Diaries - August 2026

I thought that I would start a new series of monthly posts where I could write up what I have been doing in my gaming life; what I have been playing, what I've finished, etc. I share a lot of that on my X (Twitter), but think it would be good to summarise my month's activity in one post :) So here are my Just Keep Gaming Diaries for August 2026.

Currently Playing:

Waterpark Simulator

After seeing so many hilarious videos of this online, I was hoping we would get a release on console. Luckily that was the case. I have been hooked on this for the last few weeks. The gameplay is just purely addictive, but oh so simple. You will lose track of time, and just want to play through another day of being the owner of a neatly organised and planned waterpark, or a haphazard mess.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

I have been hoping since the Switch 2 released that we would get updated versions of the entire series, and that's what's happening. The second entry is my favourite, with an unforgettable story, compelling characters (including the villains), aided further by the expansion. The music of the series has always been top notch and that is the same here. There is plenty of customisation with party builds due to the various different Blades you can unlock. Yeah, I'm so glad to be back playing this game with much better visuals.

Vampyr

This game has been on my radar and list to play for so long. I personally don't think we get enough games about vampires, and with The Blood of Dawnwalker out soon, I thought this would be the perfect time to finally play it. Vampyr definitely shows its AA drawbacks. The combat is pretty stiff and the visuals can look pretty awful at times. But the story has me interested to keep playing.

Long Walk

I have been wanting to play some more co-op games with my fiancé again after finishing Split Fiction, and this was free on PlayStation Plus, so we both downloaded it to see what it's like. We have only played about 3-4 hours but it's an endearing adventure for sure. You're thrust onto an island where you need to explore and solve puzzles to continue. Nothing too crazy, but the in-game voice chat makes solving puzzles a lot more fun and chaotic.

Star Wars: Zero Company

We don't really get many tactical RPGs in the vein of XCOM and it's a shame, as they are such addictive titles you can easily get sucked in and lose hours to. Star Wars: Zero Company is essentially that game but with a Star Wars coat of paint. Going on combat missions, deciding how to spend your limited resources and time, keeping squad members alive. It's an excellent game so far, minus the performance issues and few bugs. I love Star Wars, so this was a day one buy for me and I'm sure many others.

Finished:

Days Gone Remastered

I had only played the original Days Gone on the PS4 once. At the time, I thought it was good, if nothing special. I picked up the remaster on sale some time ago and only now have gotten around to playing it. I was definitely more invested this time around strangely enough. I loved the story, Deacon was a great character, and the hordes were as terrifying and adrenaline fuelled as before. I enjoyed revisiting this game and definitely recommend.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

I have never been a big Monster Hunter fan. I don't find the games particularly enjoyable to play, verging on repetitive and unsatisfying. However, I love a turn-based RPG, so the Stories spin-off was easy sell for me. While the first two games in the series were solid enough, I found this third entry to be more gripping and improved upon the weaker elements that held the others back. I spent about 40 hours completing it and doing most of the side activities, so it is well worth the money.

With September, comes my birthday and a lot of hotly anticipated games releasing. The Blood of Dawnwalker and Fire Emblem: Fortunes Weave are the main two I am most excited to play - with the recently revealed remaster of my favourite game of all time, The Witcher 3, coming out at the end of the month. Safe to say I will be kept very busy for the foreseeable future :)

Thanks for reading and have a good month!