October is usually the time for horror movies, trick-or-treating, and parties with friends, but you can also find time for video games. Knowing the best pitches will save you time and money, especially in this economy.
Hey SoCal is here with the best upcoming video game releases for October.
The most popular titles of October
“Overwatch 2” – 4th of October
“Overwatch” took the gaming world by storm in 2016. Featuring a vibrant cast of unique characters with their own playstyles, its gameplay has captivated many, so it made sense for Blizzard to create a sequel.
“Overwatch 2” will feature a revamped PVP (player versus player) experience, new playable heroes, and single-player content that will finally release in 2023. The old roster of heroes from the first game will also be present, making the roster mostly made up of by returning characters.
The most significant change from the original will be the free-to-play model that the sequel will adopt. You won’t have to pay money to play, but certain cosmetics will be tied to a “Battle Pass,” a system that encourages constant play. The price of the “Battle Pass” has not been announced yet, but it will probably be in line with other “Battle Passes” in the industry.
Available for PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
“NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition” – October 6
“NieR:Automata” was a huge hit in 2017, garnering a lot of praise and attention for the then dormant “NieR” series. The highly polished gameplay and captivating storyline bolstered the dedicated but small fanbase. The newest version of the game, “The End of YoRHa Edition”, will finally be available for Nintendo Switch owners.
This version of the game will include all previously released content and exclusive cosmetics for this release. Nintendo fans can finally experience the story of protagonists 2B and 9S, who are part of a group dedicated to winning a war against a group of automatons. While the premise seems simple, “NieR: Automata” is anything but.
With 26 endings to earn and several secrets to uncover, players can expect to put hundreds of hours into the game if they want to discover it all. With a plot as layered as NieR:Automata’s, it’s well worth the time and effort.
Available for Nintendo Switch
“No More Heroes 3” – October 11th
Goichi Suda (also known as SUDA51) is highly respected in the gaming industry for his outlandish works, namely the “No More Heroes” series. The most recent entry, “No More Heroes 3,” was released last year on the Nintendo Switch. After porting the first two games to PC, the release of the third entry for PC and game consoles was announced.
Known for being a series with a chaotic tone and excessive violence that borders on the absurd, “No More Heroes 3” is the climax that the series deserved. You play as legendary assassin Travis Touchdown, who is brought out of retirement to face off against an invading alien threat. The gameplay is simple yet cathartic as you’ll blast through enemies with Travis’ signature “Beam Katana” and various wrestling moves.
While not the most complex or profound of games, “No More Heroes 3” is an entertaining and moving farewell to one of gaming’s lesser-known stars. Playing the other games is a must, otherwise you’ll get lost in the sea of characters and references to past events.
Available for PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One
“Dragon Ball: The Crushers” – October 14th
“Dragon Ball Z” is mainly known for its various fighting games, in which you play as your favorite hero and battle it out locally or online. “Dragon Ball: The Breakers” approaches the world of “Dragon Ball Z” from a completely different angle. Imagine if you, a normal civilian, were involved in the series’ momentous battles.
Now, imagine that instead of crazy powers being thrown, you’re hiding and running from the villain. “The Breakers” is a multiplayer game in which one person controls a powerful villain while everyone else plays as civilians. The objective of the game is to escape from the playing field alone or with your fellow civilians.
As you try to make it out alive, the villainous player (or Raider) will go to great lengths to capture everyone, while building up more power. Players can expect to control iconic “Dragon Ball” villains like Cell, Frieza, and Majin Buu at launch. Presumably, more characters will be added in the future. Gather some friends and enjoy the thrill of escaping from super powerful aliens.
Available for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
“A Plague Tale: Requiem” – October 18
Focus Entertainment made everyone hate rats with “A Plague Tale: Innocence.” The story of two brothers trying to escape French soldiers and plague-ridden hordes of rats was fascinating to many. The horror of seeing swarms of vermin devouring people was both shocking and refreshing. Focus Entertainment intends to do the same with “A Plague Tale: Requiem”, a direct sequel to “Innocence”.
In it, siblings Amicia and Hugo must travel to an island that may contain the cure for Hugo’s affliction. It plays similar to the first game with a few additions, such as Hugo’s ability to control rats. Seeing entire mobs will still be fascinating and terrifying, even if you are in control of them this time.
“A Plague Tale: Requiem” promises to be another harrowing journey for two brothers who just want to get back to some kind of normalcy. Be careful with this title if you prefer your gaming experiences to be much more emotional.
Available for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch
“Gotham Knights” – October 21
Rocksteady blessed the world with the fantastic “Batman: Arkham” series of action games. Years after the release of the last game in the series, Warner Brother Games has created a fresh new game that is divorced from the Rocksteady series. “Gotham Knights” is the newest Batman game that has an emphasis on RPG (role playing game) elements.
Its premise sees a recently deceased Batman leaving Gotham City without his hero to protect him. The Bat-Family (several protégés of Batman) have to intervene and control Gotham City in the midst of a wave of criminal activity. You can choose from four characters (Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Red Hood) to play as, and each one is unique in terms of gameplay.
You’ll have the entirety of Gotham City to explore, filled with plenty of villains to defeat alone or with friends online. If you like live service games like “Destiny 2”, then this latest addition to the Batman game library will be for you.
Available for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X
“Disdain” – October 21
Gamers have been waiting since 2014 for the release of this HR Giger-inspired first-person shooter. “Scorn” is without a doubt one of the most anticipated horror games in recent memory, with developer Ebb Software hard at work creating a horrifying world for players to explore.
You play as a nameless humanoid exploring unsettling biomechanical environments and fighting horrific, twisted monstrosities. The weapons in this game are not conventional, they look like additional appendages instead of the traditional weaponry of shooters. Puzzle solving seems to be a central aspect of the game and all are presented without a single line of dialogue to explain anything.
“Scorn” is an atmospheric horror experience that wants to twist your expectations of what the first-person perspective can do. The lack of dialogue prompts the player to intuit solutions from what they can deduce from the world they are exploring. The horror faithful can expect a mind-blowing and unsettling experience from the few gameplay snippets that show up on their own.
Available for PC, Xbox Series X
“Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2” – October 28
“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” was a surprising reboot for fans of the franchise, reinvigorating interest in single-player campaigns in “Call of Duty” and emphasizing more realism. There was more emphasis on slow, semi-simulated set piece levels where players can experience military operations. However, there was still plenty of action.
A direct sequel was expected after such a successful launch, and “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” is sure to continue the momentum of the reboot series. Follow the newly formed Task Force 141 on a globe-trotting campaign to stop a terrorist organization. Mechanically, it seems to be more of the same edgy shootout that “Call of Duty” is known for and the campaign seems to be even more over-the-top and silly than before.
While many enjoy the single player experience these games provide, the multiplayer mode is often the reason players buy them. “Modern Warfare 2” will presumably continue the trend of fast-paced multiplayer the series is known for alongside other cooperative modes. If “Call of Duty” has been off your radar for years, maybe this one is worth paying attention to.
Available for PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One
For the September list, click here.
You can contact Eloin Barahona-Garcia at [email protected].
