Where have all the releases gone? It would seem the publishers are sleeping for the summer, letting Steam's summer sale trundle on unmolested as gamers pick up the PC titles of the past year that they've been holding off on, in hopes of massive discounts. What anxious gamers do get, though, are a few HD rereleases of existing titles, a 3DS game (gasp!), and one of the strangest, most psychedelic experiences ever to hit any console.

Is it Diablo on the 3DS? Well, yes, pretty much. Create a character who conforms to a set character class and then level him (or her) by slaying monsters from an isometric perspective. The game is a bit more action-y than its inspiration, since it gives the player direct control of their character rather than mouse-guided movement, but the sentiment remains: Kill monsters in semi-random dungeons, level up, rinse and repeat until you're strong enough to take on the big bad.

Perhaps the title's greatest claim to fame, though? It comes complete with both StreetPass and SpotPass integration, allowing the player to trade or sell items (much as they would on an auction house) or compete in daily challenges (kind of like Infinity Blade II, with its ClashMobs). Heroes of Ruin hits store shelves this Tuesday, July 17.

Tony, Tony, Tony; the once-great name in gaming has been sullied by boardroom aberrations like Tony Hawk: Ride and its sequel, Tony Hawk: Shred. Look, the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series was fun because it provided a sort of arcade rush. Tricks were pulled off with button combos and chained together in absurd ways while the player strived to complete target goals under a stringent time limit. There was a risk/reward mechanic in play for trick chains, because it was possible to lose it all by fumbling on one's big landing. In short, the series had a hook, and a core mechanic that simply made it enjoyable to play.

So let's return to those days, with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD release. The goal, here, is a return to classic gameplay and classic levels, focused on the first two entries in the franchise. THPS3 stages are slated to follow as DLC. What won't be DLC, though, is the soundtrack, which does include "Superman" by Goldfinger. Consider me sold. The game hits the XBLA on Wednesday, July 18.

Do you like Resident Evil? More to the point: Is it the gameplay you enjoy or the wacky characters, crazy situations, and helter-skelter plot of the series? Probably the gameplay and atmosphere, but that didn't stop Capcom from releasing a pair of rail shooters on the Wii that retold the Resident Evil mythos, finally connected and with implied and unexplored bits newly unveiled, with a more action-game bent.

The craziest thing about these two was that, against all the odds, they actually worked, becoming fairly notable titles in the Wii's less-than-stellar history, as far as games for the mature and hardcore set goes, at least.

Now, those two rail shooters are coming to the PlayStation 3 (with Move support) by way of the PSN. And in HD, no less. If you haven't yet had the chance to play them, and fancy yourself a Resident Evil fan, they can certainly offer an enjoyable (and multiplayer!) diversion. They're hitting the PSN on Tuesday, July 17.

The Rest:

Maestia: Rise of Keledus (PC; Thursday, July 19)

Petit Computer (DSiWare; Thursday, July 19)

The Phantom Thief Stina and 30 Jewels (3DS eShop; Thursday, July 19)

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Collection (PC; Tuesday, July 17)

DLC Slated for release this week:

Mass Effect 3: Earth (PC, PSN, XBLM; Tuesday, July 17)

Max Payne 3: Local Justice Map Pack (PC; Tuesday, July 17)

Hidden Gem of the Week:

Dyad
(PSN)

Imagine, if you will, that you had homebrewed a concoction of only the most potent of psychedelic drugs. Were this concoction subsequently injected directly into your brainstem, odds are the experience you had would still pale in comparison to the audio-visual trip Dyad provides (in other words: don't do drugs, kids; just play Dyad).

Billed as a racing/puzzle/shooter, Dyad fuses Tempest-esque controls with an Audiosurf mentality, all thrown at you at speeds that resemble the futuristic hover-racing of WipEout. Visually, the first things to come to mind are Child of Eden and Rez, which might actually be an underrepresentation of just how crazy this game looks in action, and how fast it expects you to process its stimulus. This summer, don't sit in a slump; try something different with Dyad.

By Shelby Reiches Contributing Writer @Shelby_Arr Date: July 16, 2012

*The views expressed within this article are solely the opinion of the author and do not express the views held by Cheat Code Central.*