The new deal will mean resident doctor pay will be 35.2 per cent higher on average than it was four years ago

Strikes involving resident doctors in England are to come to an end after a fresh offer to improve pay and working conditions was accepted, it has been confirmed.

Resident doctors have voted to accept the Government offer and end a year of strike action, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said. It comes after a total of 21 days of strike action by the British Medical Association (BMA) Resident Doctor Committee (RDC) since July 2025.

The new package includes standard 2016 resident doctor contract terms for all locally employed medics and an average 6.6 per cent pay uplift to be fully implemented by April 2027. There will also be 4,500 extra specialty training places over three years.

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The deal will mean resident doctor pay will be 35.2 per cent higher on average than it was four years ago, the DHSC has said.

Health Secretary James Murray said: “This is very good news for resident doctors, patients and the NHS as a whole, allowing us to draw a line under the disruption of previous months and focus on getting on with the job of rebuilding our health service.

“Because of this deal, resident doctors will benefit from a new pay structure, better career progression opportunities and a range of other improved conditions to support them as they rotate and train. Patients will be relieved that the NHS is entering a period of greater stability.

“But this is the beginning, not the end of the journey. I know there is much more to do, and I am determined to keep working constructively with resident doctors, all NHS staff, and the unions who represent them to improve their working lives and together build a health service that is fit for the future.”

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The online vote for resident doctors ran from June 18 to June 26. The BMA had also warned that if they choose to reject the deal, strikes would ‘have to escalate in intensity’. Thousands of resident doctors in England were set to stage a four-day walkout on June 15, which would have been the 16th round of strike action since 2023. But it was called off on June 13 after the offer was made.

Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of RDC, said: “Resident doctors have spoken. They have decided that the current offer is sufficient to continue on the road to pay restoration, and sufficient to address the absurd lack of jobs in the NHS. The strikes will now end.

“These strikes did not need to happen. We spent far too long at loggerheads with the Government when a solution in everyone’s interest was waiting for us: more jobs for doctors, better pay for doctors, and a better-staffed NHS secured for patients well into the future.

“This is what constructive negotiations can achieve. Next time we hope they can be done without a single picket line having to form – all it takes is a government willing to think ahead and think creatively.”

He went on to warn that this is ‘by no means the end of the road for pay restoration’ and says he hopes the Government will keep ‘this journey going’.

Dr Fletcher added: “I’d like to thank everyone who stood on a picket line, who organised, argued and raised their voice on the issues of pay and jobs. Your continued dedication and refusal to give in has moved us miles from where we started, and you should be proud. When we organise, we win.”

53 per cent of eligible members voted in favour of the offer, the BMA said. The turnout of the referendum was 57 per cent with 32,932 doctors voting in total.

Dean Royles, interim chief executive of NHS Employers, said: “After such a long running dispute that has caused so much upset and disruption to patient care, all parties will be pleased that a resolution now seems to have been found and there will be no further strike action.”

Stuart Andrew MP, the Conservative shadow health secretary, has criticised Labour for making concessions to the BMA. He said: “Many will be relieved that these strikes are finally coming to an end, but at what cost?

“This is the second consecutive year that Labour has had to make major concessions to end these strikes, and the BMA is already planning further industrial action.

“Only the Conservatives have the team, the plan and the leader with the backbone to ban doctors’ strikes once and for all.”

Chelsea have irked Sunderland with a low first bid for Granit Xhaka, while the Blues are stepping up their interest in Maxence Lacroix. Marco Palestra is set to finalise his move to Stamford Bridge as the first new arrival of the Xabi Alonso era, with Pep Chavarria now eyed as a Marc Cucurella replacement amid reports that Malo Gusto has agreed to join Manchester City. Manchester United have planned a medical for wonderkid Cristian Orozco as they continue to battle Spurs hard for the signing of Mateus Fernandes.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

The promotion is part of a limited-time ‘Hydration Break’ offer, giving customers a saving on the popular summer drink, usually priced from £8.95.

Fans can take advantage of the deal by ordering a main meal and quoting the phrase “I’d like an Aperol Hydration Break, please” to their server.

Jemma Townsend, marketing director at ASK Italian, said: “At its heart, Italian dining is a generous occasion, all about a fuller table for everyone to enjoy.

“Our tournament deal shows up loud, proud, and playful – exactly how we like it.

“Whether you’re stopping by for a £3 Aperol Hydration Break before the big game or getting the gang together for a late-night kick-off, we’ve got the ovens fired up, the drinks on ice, and a seat at the table waiting for the ultimate home team.”

The offer draws inspiration from the hydration breaks being used in this summer’s football tournament, turning a moment of controversy into a reason to celebrate.

It aims to give football fans a chance to enjoy Italy’s favourite aperitivo for almost two-thirds the usual price while dining out during the tournament.

The £3 Aperol Spritz Hydration Break will be available daily at all ASK Italian restaurants until the end of the tournament (Sunday, July 19).

ASK Italian offers new summer menu

Alongside the ‘Hydration Break’ deal, ASK Italian has launched some new summer menu items, which are available until Monday, August 31.

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New dishes include the likes of Pollo Picante Crocchettes as starters, a Prosciutto, Truffle and Stracciatella pizza and a Lemon Meringue Pie Sundae.

Jemma Townsend, Marketing Director at ASK Italian, said: “At its heart, Italian dining is a generous occasion, all about a fuller table for everyone to enjoy.

“Our new menu celebrates this ‘Italian way of dining’, inviting the joy of passing plates and discovering new flavours together.”

Have you made the most of any restaurant/shop deals during the World Cup? Let us know in the comments.

BBC viewers have hit out at the broadcaster’s Wimbledon coverage after fans said they missed a crucial moment

BBC viewers have criticised the broadcaster’s Wimbledon coverage.

The tennis championship began on Monday (June 29), with the BBC alternating between BBC One and BBC Two to deliver coverage from SW19, alongside streaming games on iPlayer.

However, numerous fans expressed frustration during the evening broadcast, claiming a crucial moment was missed due to a channel switch, with some describing it as “a joke”, reports the Mirror.

Former Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic was facing Wu Yibing on Centre Court when the broadcast changed channels, prompting many fans to share complaints on X about the disruption occurring just as Wu was poised to claim the second set.

One viewer wrote on the platform, formerly known as Twitter: “They didn’t just miss that Wu set win because they were changing channel. Oh wait… they did. Shambles.”

Another person said it “spoiled the tension”, while someone else exclaimed: “Channel change at set point @BBCSport – really!!”

“Shocking from @BBCSport to leave the channel at such a crucial point to switch channels and it’s not even on there!!” posted another viewer.

One person described it as “appalling”, while another remarked: “Fed up of BBC coverage of #wimbledon only just started and already there is constant channel hopping, and missing crucial stages of the match as a result is unacceptable.”

“Shocking #Wimbledon coverage from BBC there,” commented another spectator.

“Djokovic serving to stay in the set, they switch channel with both showing an advert, then come back to the game with the set over. What’s the point watching for hours then missing a key moment!”

Another viewer questioned: “Would have been nice to watch that set point live @BBC but instead you switched from BBC One to BBC Two with no great hurry… missed the set point and now they’re closing the roof so there’s a delay anyway – Could you not have waited one minute?!”

Someone else posted: “The BBC coverage of Wimbledon truly is a joke,” adding: “An absolute disgrace. If you’re going to follow a match live, then don’t keep switching channels halfway through. Either dedicate yourself to the tournament, or let it go.”

Coverage of Wimbledon will air on BBC One and BBC Two, as well as being available to stream on BBC iPlayer

A North Yorkshire councillor has spoken to The Press today (Monday, June 29) in the wake of the latest closure of Whitby Swing Bridge.

Last weekend, as reported in The Press, the bridge failed due to high temperatures caused by the expansion of metallic parts with the council saying it can become stuck during swing operations.

This led to an impromptu closure and warning from the police over people ignoring the closure signs.

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North Yorkshire Council said a team of bridge and highways experts will work through tonight to try and resolve the issues that stop it from closing properly.

A council spokesperson said the work will require a full road closure from 6pm tomorrow until 2am on Wednesday of this week.

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for highways and infrastructure, Barrie Mason, said: “We fully appreciate the impact this issue is having on the town, its residents, businesses and visitors and we will do everything we can to get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible.

 “The structure is inspected every three months, but for this particular programme we will be looking for, and removing, any build-up of corrosion on the deck ends.

 “Normally the function of the swing bridge’s own opening and closing would naturally remove any rust building up as the two sides move.

“The extremes of heat we have seen may well have impacted on this, so we will be looking for any signs of that.”

The structure was completed in 1908 and opened a year later to allow traffic and pedestrians to cross between the east and west of the town over the River Esk, whilst also allowing vessels to pass along the navigable channel.

Over the years, the bridge has seen increasing footfall and demands on its engineering and heritage, which has led to impromptu closure.

North Yorkshire Council publishes a list of scheduled bridge closures – except for buses – to improve pedestrian safety over 13 weekends and two Bank Holiday Mondays in 2026.

The Whitby Swing Bridge was constructed in 1908 and opened a year later – the council are set to put in new light-coloured high-friction surfacing to try to reduce heat build up (Image: Kevin Glenton)

The council said a shuttle bus will run between 6pm tonight and 11.59pm tomorrow.

Mr Mason added: ““

Some noise is to be expected, and there may be a delay in starting if the bridge is too warm, but we are committed to sorting it out.

“In the near future, we are also looking to put in some light-coloured high friction surfacing as a further measure to reduce heat build-up.

“I want to thank everyone for their patience and reassure them we are taking this very seriously.

“While we do this, we ask that people don’t take unnecessary risks and respect the closure.”

North Yorkshire Council said Whitby Swing Bridge is set to undergo urgent works to try and solve issues with unforeseen closures (Image: North Yorkshire Council)

Councillor Neil Swannick, who represents the Whitby Streonshalh division on North Yorkshire Council, which includes the town harbour said the swing bridge closure is not a new occurrence and there’s a degree of recognition locally that it’s a problem which is not easy to fix.

He said: “There has been varied number of reasons in recent years for the closure.

“Primarily because of health and safety issues over too many people and too much traffic at the same time, and the bridge closing at peak time.

“The question is where do we go from here? A new bridge is not an option so we’ll have to deal with the here and now.”

The councillor said North Yorkshire Council will always try to get the bridge working as soon as possible but said there’s always a problem of getting staff and customers around the town to their shops and offices when the bridge is closed because it’s a long way round to take the next bridge upstream in the town which is the A171 New Bridge, just under a mile away.

The council did provide shuttle buses last weekend but the bridge was still being used, prompting the police warning.

Engineers have identified that the black road surface is absorbing too much heat, causing the bridge to expand.

This expansion then leads to the bridge’s swinging sections interfering with each other and the edges of each section when opening and closing.

In response, engineers will test a new light-coloured surfacing, expected to reflect the sun’s rays, thereby reducing the thermal build-up and expansion.

Cllr Swannick said: “We are up against problems inherent in keeping a 116-year-old bridge working in times when climate change is creating extreme conditions, which were not anticipated when the bridge was built.

“I am hopeful that the plan to cover the black tarmac with a light-coloured high-friction surfacing this summer will at least reduce the number of mechanical problems and that, if this plan works, the job can be completed out of season.”

The issue of overheating is not unique to Whitby Swing Bridge, as other swing bridge owners frequently encounter similar problems, he added.

Think about the last time you used your phone to find your way somewhere. What would happen if, halfway through the journey, the route instructions vanished or your phone battery died? You might find yourself starting to panic. But once you notice something familiar or are able to ask someone for directions, this will usually subside, and you can adapt.

For some people, though, this feeling of getting lost doesn’t go away. It can even occur when navigating their own home.

Some estimates suggest up to one in 30 people may be affected by developmental topographical disorientation (DTD). This condition has been described as a lifelong inability to orient oneself – even in extremely familiar surroundings.

People with DTD report getting lost frequently (at least a few times a week) since childhood. DTD is not caused by a brain injury, a neurological disease or a psychiatric condition. As far as researchers can tell, this is just simply how their internal navigation system has always worked.

Early research on DTD focused on the extreme cases in people whose disorientation was disruptive enough that they sought professional help. But we now know there’s substantial variation between cases of DTD. Milder forms may pass by unnoticed across a person’s entire lifetime – quietly written off as merely being “bad with directions”.

Over the past decade, the DTD label has stretched to cover a broad range of navigation problems. The breadth of this label has caused issues of precision, making it difficult to accurately understand and provide support for people living with this experience.

So our research is working to disentangle these navigation impairments. We are focusing on a specific subgroup of people with DTD – those without a cognitive map.

Mapping our world

Most of us make sense of our surroundings by building a mental representation of landmarks and where they are in relation to ourselves and each other. This is referred to as our “cognitive map”. It allows us to predict what’s around the corner and get from one place to another without having to think too much about it.

Being able to build and use a cognitive map also allows us to work flexibly in our environment. We can cut across a street we’ve never walked before, or point roughly toward home even when we’re somewhere new.

Working closely with people who have this experience through consultation and qualitative interviews, we propose that this sub-type should be termed “atopia”, which literally means to live without a place or map.

People with atopia do not build a cognitive map of their surroundings. So although they actually have a good landmark memory – the ability to recognise and remember distinctive features of their environment – their overarching cognitive map never quite assembles.

This means they might know their home is somewhere near the station, and that the shops are somewhere near home – but the pieces stay as separate facts rather than fusing into a single layout they can mentally rise above and read.

So the moment a familiar route is interrupted (a closed road, a wrong turn or approaching a building from an unexpected side) there’s no map to fall back on. The landmarks tell them what they’re looking at, but not how it all fits together.

As one participant we interviewed as part of our research explained: “I am always in one place in my head, so I cannot imagine what my environment looks like.”

When everyday navigation becomes more challenging, it creates a perfect setting for people with atopia to become more rigid, avoid leaving their house or become reliant on GPS devices. This behaviour can be misread as carelessness, anxiety or even low intelligence – which is completely unfounded, but would have significant negative impacts on these people.

Without the right support, people with atopia can quickly lose their independence. For instance, one of our participants would not go anywhere by herself as she relied on her husband whenever she wanted to go anywhere further than a few streets away from their house.

Finding your way

The reassuring part is that atopia and DTD is not degenerative and navigation is more trainable than some people might think.

There’s good evidence that navigation can behave like a muscle. In one study, people who did not exercise their navigation system and relied more heavily on GPS had measurably worse spatial memory when later asked to find their way without it. When the same people were followed over three years, heavier GPS use predicted a steeper decline.

Previous studies have shown that virtual training programmes can be helpful for people with DTD in improving spatial orientation skills. We’re currently testing a similar kind of training to help people with atopia. We developed a six-week virtual programme that aims to reduce navigation complaints and improve navigational skills in people with the condition.

The next time you reach for your phone to follow directions, it might be worth a moment’s pause. Can you still find your way without it? This remarkable ability to find our own way through the world is something many of us take for granted. Maybe we should try to nurture it before it gets lost.

The town of 10,000 people was home to one of Scotland’s greatest ever sports stars, has a particularly old library and some of the cleanest air you’re like to find

A small town with medieval charm and a charming riverside has the country’s cleanest air.

The UK may be a place beset by sewage-swamped rivers that struggles to control its town centre air quality, but there are a few places that buck that trend.

One of them is Dunblane, a small but elegant town in Stirlingshire, central Scotland. The town of 10,000 had the cleanest air of anywhere in the UK last year, according to air monitoring firm IQAir.

Aside from a lovely lungful of O2, there are plenty of other reasons why Dunblane has a reputation as a lovely place to stop if you’re travelling between Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Highlands, or a peaceful destination in its own right for a weekend break.

What to do in Dunblane

1. Dunblane Cathedral The Cathedral dates back to the 13th century, with a small section of one tower 200 years older than that. Its highlights include fragile blue-purple stained glass and delicately carved pews, screen and choir stalls, as well as a tenth-century Celtic cross-slab standing stone. The church is dedicated to the 6th-century saint, St Blane, who gave the town its name: Dunblane, meaning hill of St Blane.

2. The Leighton Library Scotland’s oldest private library building might not look like much from the outside, but there are treasures within. It dates back to the death of Archbishop Robert Leighton in 1984, who left his book collection and £100 to the Cathedral, along with orders for a library to be built. Today, it holds over 4,500 rare books and manuscripts covering theology, medicine, law and classical literature. Stepping inside feels like entering a scholarly time capsule, with oak shelves and leather-bound volumes.

3. Andy Murray’s Gold Postbox Dunblane is the hometown of tennis star Sir Andy Murray. Locals celebrated his gold medal win at the 2012 London Olympics by painting the town’s Royal Mail postbox gold. It is proudly displayed outside the Dunblane post office on the High Street.

4. Kippenrait Glen Right on Dunblane’s doorstep is the ‘wildwood’ of Kippenrait Glen. The extensive woodland clothes the steep-sided banks of the Wharry Burn, much of which is thought to have been continuously wooded since the last ice age. Given how little ancient woodland remains anywhere in the UK, Kippernrait Glane is arguably more exciting than it first sounds. In spring, bluebells, white wood anemones, and wild garlic are particular highlights.

5. Deanston Distillery Deanston Distillery sits by the River Teith, ten minutes from Dunblane. Having been a cotton mill for 180 years, it was transformed into a distillery in the 1960s and has been producing whisky using traditional methods ever since, with a visitor centre and café on site.

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6. The Battle of Sheriffmuir & Clan MacRae Monument Those interested in Scottish Jacobite history can visit the scene of the 1715 Battle of Sheriffmuir. An obelisk monument to the Clan MacRae erected in 1915 stands on the battlefield, alongside the Gathering Stone (a block of grit enclosed in an iron cage since 1840) where the standard of the Scottish clans is said to have been placed.

7. Argaty Red Kite Feeding Station Argaty is central Scotland’s red kite feeding station, offering daily ranger-led visits to a hide where you can watch these birds flying without disturbing their fragile population. There are beavers and red squirrels living on the site, with a good chance of spotting both.

8. The Allan Water & River Walks A visit to Dunblane is not complete without a walk along the beautiful River Allan, which runs through the middle of the town. Paths can be accessed from the cathedral or either end of the bridge in the town centre.

9. Blair Drummond Safari Park A short distance from Dunblane is Blair Drummond Safari Park, home to 350 rare and exotic animals including Scotland’s only giraffes and Chimp Island, which visitors can reach by boat.

10. Independent High Street Dunblane’s High Street is compact and full of independent shops, bakeries, gift stores, and bookshops. There’s also a regular farmers’ market with local produce, crafts and street food. Getting there is easy: Dunblane is on the main railway line through Scotland, with regular direct services to Stirling (7 mins), Edinburgh (1 hr) and Glasgow (40 mins).

A British resident living in Monaco has told of the “commotion” at the police station following the explosion.

She told The Mirror: “We live next door to the police station so we are overlooking it. It all began at around 9pm when we saw lots of police in the street. First of all we heard a big commotion outside and then there was a procession of police cars heading off.

“Everything is on high alert at the police station. There are now two armed police outside who are being ultra-cautious, they are checking everyone who is going past.”

According to local reports the suspect fled towards the neighbouring town of Beausoleil, which the Brit explained “is just over the border into France”.

They added: “I imagine he has just disappeared into France.”

July’s release schedule includes a remake of a fan favourite Assassin’s Creed, a couple of new Nintendo exclusives, and the debut of Halo on PlayStation 5.

Believe it or not, we’re halfway through 2026 now, although in video game terms that’s not so exciting, because it also means we’re in the middle of the usual summer games drought.

June might have been filled with multiple gaming showcases, and saw the opening of GTA 6 pre-orders, but there weren’t many big name game releases, and it’s not much different in July.

Even so, there are still some intriguing new video games worth saving your money and time for, including two new Nintendo titles, the long awaited remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, and a PlayStation 5 release that would’ve seemed completely impossible a decade or so ago.

Rhythm Paradise Groove

Nintendo Switch

Not only is Rhythm Paradise Groove the first new entry in the Rhythm Paradise series in over a decade, but it’s also Nintendo’s final first party exclusive for the original Nintendo Switch… at least that we know of, as the company has suggested it still intends to support the console alongside the Switch 2.

Regardless, Rhythm Paradise Groove promises to be the biggest entry in the series so far, after spending much of its life in the shadow of WarioWare. Aside from offering 80 rhythm minigames to master, there’ll be a neat side mode that emulates turn based role-playing games and some very entertaining multiplayer modes.

There’s a free demo that covers five of the single-player minigames and while we don’t expect this to be a heavy hitter come launch, it’s oddball eccentricities might earn it some new fans, especially those who enjoyed the humour of Tomodachi Life.

Release date: July 2

Doom: The Dark Ages – Revelations

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC

This is only an expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages (and it won’t be the only one, according to Bethesda) but it does promise to be a sizable piece of DLC.

Doom: The Dark Ages – Revelations continues the plot of the base game and while we’re not a fan of Doomguy losing his helmet, he does get a fancy new spear weapon for a batch of new levels set in an icy purgatory he must escape from.

While this is paid DLC, a free update to the game’s Ripatorium arena mode will arrive on the same day, that adds further customisation options and, for anyone who clears the Revelations DLC, new maps, weapons, and demon enemies.

Release date: July 7

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC

Easily one of the worst kept secrets of all time, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has been rumoured for years and is a full remake of the original Black Flag from 2013, which has always been one of the more popular and well-regarded entries in Ubisoft’s flagship series.

Aside from a graphical glow-up, Ubisoft promises new and improved gameplay while remaining faithful to the original, so don’t expect this to be a role-playing game like modern entries such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

The story is unchanged too, but there’ll be additional missions focused on characters like Blackbeard, and it sounds like the modern day subplot will be downplayed this time.

Release date: July 9

Palworld 1.0

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC

Palworld made a huge splash when it launched in early access at the beginning of 2024, thanks to its Pokémon-with-guns premise, which unsurprisingly had some people deeming it a potential Pokémon killer despite being more of a survival game than a role-player.

It is utterly bereft of original ideas – so much so that Nintendo is suing developer Pocketpair over potential patent infringement – but Palworld has chugged along with numerous updates and is now poised to exit early access.

So far, developer Pocketpair has promised new pals to capture, new areas to explore, and a wing pack that allows you to fly through the air as part of the 1.0 update – as well as new story content involving the mysterious World Tree.

In case you’re wondering if Nintendo’s lawsuit threatens to stifle any of Palworld’s plans, it’s been suggested by IP expert Florian Mueller that even if Nintendo wins, all it may get out of it is $30,000 (about £22,700) in ‘chump change.’

Release date: July 10

D-Topia

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC

Billed as a ‘gentle paced puzzle adventure,’ D-Topia comes from indie game publisher Annapurna Interactive (Mixtape, Wanderstop) and is developed by a small Japanese studio called Marumittu Games.

Set in a world where AI is used to ‘maximise happiness,’ you play as a Facilitator whose job is to ensure the titular D-Topia facility runs as intended and its residents are kept happy by solving a variety of logic puzzles.

It’s unclear whether this will have any biting satire on the current state of AI technology, but the trailers do hint at something sinister brewing beneath the chill vibes and presentation.

There’s a free demo available already, although it’s only on PC, via Steam, despite D-Topia launching for consoles too.

Release date: July 14

Denshattack!

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC

Wait, didn’t we already include Denshattack! on our most anticipated games of June list? Yes, but just a week after that went live, developer Undercoders announced it was delaying the game until July.

Everything we said before still stands, though. Denshattack!’s unique premise of high-speed train driving while doing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater style flips and tricks is enjoyably over-the-top and it shares similar vibes with Sega’s Jet Set Radio games, thanks to its graphics and art style.

Speaking of Jet Set Radio, Denshattack! has landed one of that game’s composers, Richard Jacques, to work on the soundtrack alongside the likes of Persona series composer Shoji Meguro and Daytona USA’s Takenobu Mitsuyoshi (this guy),

They even snagged Nintendo’s Ryo Nagamastu, whose credits include the soundtracks for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 3. So, if nothing else, Denshattack!’s music promises to be amazing.

Release date: July 15

Moss: The Forgotten Relic

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC

Moss and its sequel are among the best PlayStation VR games out there, as they’re incredibly charming, full of inventive puzzles, and make fantastic use of the VR technology.

The decline in VR support, though, is what no doubt prompted developer Polyarc to remaster both games and bundle them together in a non-VR package.

Without the barrier of needing an expensive VR headset, Moss: The Forgotten Relic does stand to reach a wider audience (there’s also a free Steam demo) although we worry it will lack a lot of the original games’ charm without the VR elements.

Polyarc’s decision makes sense though, considering the team had to cancel an unspecified ‘major project’ a couple of months ago and, after failing to secure funding, laid off a significant number of staff.

Release date: July 16

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC

Even if you don’t care for Netflix’s live action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender (season two having recently dropped), fans of the franchise will be eating well for the rest of the year.

A new animated movie (officially) comes out in October but before that, a dedicated fighting game launches in July that brings characters from both The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra to duke it out, while replicating the animation and art style of the cartoons.

Its roster is only 12 characters but it’s pretty affordable at only £24.99 and it already has plans to add a further five fighters as DLC. In fact, anyone who pre-orders the game gets to cast their vote on who one of the DLC characters will be, from a list of fan favourites.

Release date: July 23

Splatoon Raiders

Nintendo Switch 2

Rather than Splatoon 4, Splatoon’s Switch 2 debut is a spin-off that eschews competitive multiplayer entirely and focuses on being more of a single-player experience.

Despite this shift, it seems to retain Splatoon’s excellent core shooting and traversal mechanics, as you explore the Spirhalite Islands in search of treasure, assisted by the idol trio Deep Cut from Splatoon 3.

Multiplayer isn’t completely absent, though, as up to four players will be able to play through the game in co-op. Plus, a new amiibo pack for the three members of Deep Cut in their Splatoon Raiders outfits will launch the exact same day as the game.

Release date: July 23

Halo: Campaign Evolved

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Easily the most important release of the month, Halo: Campaign Evolved isn’t just an attempt to appeal to the nostalgia of Xbox fans but a ploy to introduce Halo to a new audience and help revitalise the franchise.

Halo was once the Xbox’s key exclusive but after losing so much of its lustre over the years, it’s going multiplatform and debuting on PlayStation 5; an act that would have been unthinkable during the franchise’s prime.

Weirdly, this remake is omitting the original game’s multiplayer, despite it being one of the main reasons Halo became so popular in the first place, but it thankfully brings back local co-op and includes a few new story missions.

Presumably, this will lead to future Halo games on PlayStation 5, although Xbox’s weird pivot back to exclusives makes that less certain, especially when Xbox’s own logic for what is and isn’t an exclusive doesn’t make much sense.

Release date: July 28

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo not only announced a new Xenoblade game during its June Direct but also Switch 2 upgrades for all three numbered Xenoblade Chronicles games, which not only bump up the performance but add brand new content to boot.

The upgrade for Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is already out, with Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s upgrade scheduled to arrive right at the end of the month.

Aside from 4K resolution support and an improved frame rate of 60fps, the Switch 2 version adds a new battle mode where you can take direct control of your Blades, a new sidequest, and new costumes for Pyra and Mythra.

In case you’re wondering, the original game’s DLC expansion, Torna – The Golden Country, will benefit from the performance upgrade too and, so long as you already own it on Switch 1, is included with the Switch 2 upgrade pack, which costs £7.99.

Release date: July 30

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