Halo 5: Guardians – Xbox One – October 27th
It wouldn’t be an Xbox console iteration without a new Halo game (duh). Last year, The Master Chief Collection whet the appetite of Halo fans everywhere, while giving them a taste of the multiplayer that will be binged on by many in Guardians. In just a few short weeks, we will be able to taste the first true next-gen Halo game and figure out just what the hell is going on with Master Chief.
WWE 2K16 – PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360 – October 27th
This year WWE 2K16 is enhancing its focus on its MyCareer mode (similarly to its NBA cousin) by making your journey from newbie to Hall of Famer more personal and offering a wider variety of paths to follow. Following a rather disappointing showing from last year, WWE 2K16 is looking for a shot at redemption at being the ultimate wrestling sim in gaming.
Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate – Xbox One, PS4 – October 23rd
Another year, another Assassin’s Creed. There’s a huge amount of pressure on Ubisoft to not repeat what happened with Unity but it’s hard to imagine that actually coming to fruition. This time, the game takes place in London during the Industrial Revolution and the combat has a major focus on brawling mechanics.
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes – 3DS – October 23rd
Tri Force Heroes is a top-down co-op puzzle action game reminiscent of the earliest games in the Zelda series. Three players can band together to tackle a variety of puzzles using different outfits that Link can wear, each with different properties. One can be used to create and throw bombs, while another lets Link use his trademark spin attack. Every boss in the game will be a puzzle as well, and players will have to mix and match outfits to fit each situation.
Divinity Original Sin: Enhanced Edition – Xbox One, PS4 – Xbox One, PS4, PC – October 27th
Divinity Original Sin is a love letter to fans of pen and paper role playing games. With open ended turn based combat, a plethora of character creation options, and different dialogue choices for every kind of character you can play as, console RPG fans will finally be able to experience what many PC gamers felt was the best RPG of 2014.
Yoshi’s Woolly World – Wii U – October 16th
Remember Kirby’s Epic Yarn? That game that exploded in popularity during E3 2010 as a dark horse candidate for Game of the Year? Well it didn’t quite end up making that same kind of impact on release, but it was a fun game none the less. Now Nintendo is taking some of those same yarn weaving mechanics, and applying them to everyone’s favorite green dinosaur, Yoshi. The game features co-op and Amiibo support along with some of the best looking digital yarn you will ever see.
Just Dance 2016 – Wii U, Wii, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 – October 20th
The game that should be called So you think you can Just Dance gets yet another iteration with a new batch of songs. Even though the formula doesn’t change much (pretty much not at all), Just Dance remains one of, if not the best party games on the market, and with camera support from the Kinect and PlayStation camera, you can laugh at yourself long after your dance party has ended.
Tales of Zestiria – PS4, PS3 – October 20th
The Tales series is another one of those JRPG franchises that just keeps hanging around thanks to its loyal following. Though the series has never been known for its graphical prowess, it has always made up for it with stylish anime visuals, compelling narrative and action-oriented combat.
The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition – PS4 – October 13th
Usually by December, the awards for the best games have already been decided and the release calendar is pretty much over. But in 2014, The Talos Principle snuck in the back door and took a lot of people by surprise by how good it was. The Talos Principle is a first-person puzzle game that pushes a lot of themes from philosophical science fiction. If you are a fan of games like Portal, Antichamber or Magrunner: Pulse, The Talos Principle is a game you should have on your radar. The Deluxe Edition releases with The Road to Gehenna Expansion Pack, so PS4 owners will be getting a pretty solid deal.
The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone – PS4, Xbox One, PC – October 13th
Raise your hand if you’ve actually done and seen everything in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Anyone? Buehler? If you actually have, you probably haven’t been playing much else, and if that’s the case, why not indulge in some more? Hearts of Stone is the first of two planned expansions for CD Projekt RED’s behemoth RPG, and if the standard game is any indication (and what a game it is), expect more from what is arguably the best game to release this calendar year.
Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut – Xbox One, PS4 – October 13th
Wasteland 2 is a classic Fallout-inspired RPG that was Kickstarted back in 2012 and released exclusively on PC to great acclaim. Now, Developer inExile has adapted the controls and the experience to work with consoles by taking inspiration from X-COM: Enemy Unknown. Much like Fallout, Wasteland 2 is a romp through a post-apocalyptic world with strategic turn-based combat and an emphasis on exploration to survive.
Rock Band 4 – Xbox One, PS4 – October 6th
The Rock Band franchise is the epitome of music video games evolved. When Guitar Hero first launched on the PS2 back in 2005, it was an immediate sensation in how intuitively the classic “press the right button in rhythm” game mechanics worked with a new (at the time) guitar controller. It masterfully emulated the feel of actually playing a guitar. Two years later, Developer Harmonix evolved these mechanics to include a Base Guitar, a Microphone, A Drum Set and a Keyboard to make Rock Band. The series hasn’t seen an official entry since 2010, so Rock Band 4 is seen as somewhat of a revival for not just the series, but the genre as a whole.
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection – PS4 – October 9th
PlayStation owners know by now that Nathan Drake is arguably the face of the Sony exclusive brand. The Uncharted series has been a hit since it’s initial release, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune back in 2007, and it’s second entry Uncharted: Among Thieves is widely considered to be one of the greatest games of all time. Now PlayStation 4 owners will be getting one of the best collections in gaming for the price of one, with Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection.
The Legend of Legacy – 3DS – October 13th
You might not have heard of The Legend of Legacy, but its developer, Atlus has quite the reputation for delivering quality JRPG games. The game also has a few notable minds working behind the scenes as well with Koyoji Koizumi (Game Design) and Tomomi Kobayashi (Visual Design) from the SaGa series and Masato Kato who penned the story for the classic RPG Chrono Trigger. The Legend of Legacy is reminiscent of past JRPG’s with its turn-based combat and difficulty curve giving genre fans a lot to look forward to.
The second month of the final quarter of the game calendar is here and there’s more great games on tap that are out to make your bank accounts cry. A few PC exclusives make their console debuts alongside an expansion for a game so massive, it didn’t need one (but did). Xbox One will also be stepping into the spotlight with what is probably their best chance at getting an exclusive to win Game of the Year, by releasing their flagship First Person Shooter, Halo 5: Guardians. Here is our comprehensive list of the games on every platform that we are most looking forward to.
Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance – PS4 – October 6th
Though it has never been a flagship franchise for Sony’s PlayStation platform, Disgaea has always had a steady niche presence. Disgaea is a turn-based tactical RPG with an anime art-style, built in the same vein as the classic Final Fantasy Tactics. Players move their team of unique characters along a grid based level using positioning and height to gain an advantage in battle.
Transformers: Devastation – PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360 – October 6th
For fans of the classic 1980’s cartoon, Transformers: Devastation might just be a dream come true. Utilizing some of the best looking cel-shading techniques in years, Devastation has been able to recreate the Generation 1 look to peak perfection. The game itself is a hack-and-slash affair, so action will be plentiful throughout. The game will also run at a flat 60 fps on Xbox One, PS4 and PC, so it should prove to be one of the smoothest games of the year.
