NBA Live 16 – September 29, 2015
EA looks to make some major improvements to the core gameplay with NBA LIVE 16, including improved defense and offense play, passing play, shooting play, and dribbling play. There’s also more animations and the addition of Freestyle Control and Movement with improved visuals.
LEGO Dimensions – September 29, 2015
Looking to get a piece of that toys-to-life pie, LEGO Dimensions takes characters from your favorite franchises (DC Comics, The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, Jurassic World, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, and more) and brings them all to life in the LEGO Multiverse dimension. The game comes with a basic Starter Park that includes the game and LEGO Toy Pad (portal), the Batmobile, and three characters: Batman, Gandalf, and Wyldstyle. Of course, there will be a slew of Level packs (contain characters plus a vehicle/gadget and a new level to play in), Fun packs (contain a character from a specific franchise and a gadget or vehicle), and Team Packs (similar to Fun packs, but contain more characters, more vehicles/gadgets, and come with unique abilities).
NBA 2K16 – September 29, 2015
NBA 2K16 already has some stellar gameplay — probably the best there is right now. And now 2K is looking to upgrade the other parts of the game, bringing director Spike Lee on board to direct, write, and co-produce NBA 2K16’s MyCareer mode. The mode looks to take players on the journey of an NBA player — “following a kid through the trials and tribulations of being a top high school player and the decisions he has to make.” NBA 2K16 will also see some major visual improvements as many players in the game have had their entire body scanned for a more realistic look. Previously, NBA 2K games would only have the face scanned.
Not sure what games to pick up this month? Check out our most anticipated games of September.
Skylanders: SuperChargers – September 20, 2015
The next installment of Activision’s toy-to-life franchise, Skylanders: SuperChargers introduces vehicles that can "speed across Skylands' roads in vehicular combat, race down roaring rapids and engage in aerial dogfights as they barrel-roll through enemy swarms." 20 new vehicles and 20 new SuperChargers (characters with special in-game abilities to help fight Kaos) will bolster a roster that includes the 117 characters already introduced in the series since Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure. Of course, gameplay ultimately consists of the same mix of puzzle, combat, platforming, and story elements that players have grown to love.
Blood Bowl 2 – September 22, 2015
Adapted from Game Workshop’s famous board game, Blood Bowl 2 smashes Warhammer and American football together, in an explosive cocktail of turn-based strategy, humour and brutality.
FIFA 16 – September 22, 2015
For the first time in the series, FIFA 16 will include female players. A total of 12 women’s national teams have been added to the game, although players won’t be able to create mixed-gender teams or have women’s teams play against men’s teams. Still, it’s a nice advancement in EA’s annual soccer title, which also adds a new Training Mode to Career Mode that allows you to developer players in the team of which they are managing without actually playing them. Specifically on current-gen consoles, FIFA 16 will involved a licensed presentation package for the Bundesliga, new weather and kick-off time variations, and the use of vanishing spray during certain matches.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 – September 25, 2015
Serious nostalgia with this one. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 is the first main entry in the series since 2007’s Proving Ground, and a follow-up to 2002’s Pro Skater 4. Like in the previous installments of the series, Pro Skater 5 will feature a slew of professional skateboarders to play as. A selection of levels based on real-world locations feature multiple objectives, missions, obstacles, and gaps for you to discover and complete. The game also features Create-A-Park which, as the name suggests, allows you to create and share your own skateboard park with the online community.
Destiny: The Taken King – September 15, 2015
I realize this is an expansion, but at this point in Destiny’s life, it’s like a completely new game. Destiny officially turns one year old this month, and looking ahead Bungie has some big changes planned. And it all starts with The Taken King expansion which introduces a more narrative-driven campaign, three new subclasses for each of the game’s main classes (Titan, Warlock, Hunter), and a number of new activities and rewards. Destiny: The Taken King already has the price tag of a full-fledged new release, so might as well treat it as one.
Forza Motorsport 6 – September 15, 2015
The latest in Turn 10 Studios’ critically acclaimed racing series, Forza 6 introduces a new weather mechanic that impacts your actual game. Rather than being merely cosmetic, rain will have an effect on your driving, causing cars to skin or even hydroplane if hitting a puddle at too great of speed. In addition to a single-player campaign that boasts more than 70 hours of gameplay, the highlight of Forza 6 is the sheer number of cars. Forza 6 includes more than 450 cars, which is more than twice the number available at the launch of Forza 5.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 – September 15, 2015
PES 2016 marks the 20th anniversary for PES productions in making soccer games. As such, teh game sees a true return to “core PES values of total control, super responsive control, and renowned gameplay, where you have unrestricted control over how they play.” For PES 2016, Konami has extended their license for the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup until 2018.
NHL 16 – September 15, 2015
After being dropped from last year’s game, the fan-favorite mode EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL), a multiplayer mode in which each team is composed of custom players controlled by individual users, make its triumphant return in NHL 16. NHL 16 will also make changes to its progression system. To address the balancing issues, a switch to a class-based progression model similar to Be a Pro mode has been made, along with the removal of attributes and boosts.
We made it, folks. We’re past the dog days of summer and officially into the home stretch of the calendar year. The holidays are rapidly approaching which means the year’s biggest blockbusters will start to hit, and it starts this month. September sees the release of quite a few big hitters, including Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Destiny’s new expansion The Taken King, and the Xbox One’s biggest racing exclusive Forza Motorsport 6. But there’s plenty more on the way this month. Check out September 2015’s Xbox One game releases.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain – September 1, 2015
Director Hideo Kojima’s farewell to the franchise, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the conclusion of the two-part MGSV mini-series, which began with Ground Zeroes in 2014. Critics have praised The Phantom Pain, which puts players in the role of Punished/Venom Snake (aka Big Boss) as he travels into Afghanistan and the Angola-Zaire border region to exact revenge on the people who destroyed his forces. Read our review.
Mad Max – September 1, 2015
Based on the Mad Max film series, the game mixes vehicular combat with third-person action gameplay. Inspired moreso by the Mad Max universe, the game’s story is standalone with no tie-in of any of the films in the series. In the game, you control Max Rockatansky as he travels through the wasteland to seek out his lost car, the Interceptor, and to build his ultimate car the Magnum Opus.
