Gaming October will be busy in all respects: a variety of genres, large and smaller projects, continuations of well-known franchises, and a little something new. Some will have to break away from Baldur's Gate 3, others – from Starfield, which causes very conflicting feelings. It will be easier for gamers who are not stuck on something specific.
Here is a list of some of the most anticipated games for October (mentioned as they are released), with a small bonus added.
Most anticipated games of October
1. The Lamplighters League
Coming October 3rd for PC, Xbox One, and X/S and will be available on Game Pass
Not a single month can go without something X-COM-like, The Lamplighters League will fill this niche in October.
Players will be sent back in time to the alternative 30s of the last century. The world is restless, the Disgraced group is about to take power into its own hands, and the capabilities of scientists who have held back the dark force for thousands of years are drying up. However, a group from the League of Lamplighters is ready to risk everything to save everything.
The Lamplighters League is being developed by Harebrained Schemes, which has the Shadowrun trilogy behind it, as well as BattleTech among the more current ones. Therefore, there are unlikely to be any difficulties with the gameplay, although it is already difficult to come up with something new in this field. So everything is usual: assemble a team, upgrade your characters, and defeat your enemies.
2. Assassin's Creed: Mirage
Releases October 5 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
The Assassin's Creed series game continues its endless narrative, and only its fans will be able to understand how far it has gone (or, on the contrary, not gone) from the ideas that were put into it at the beginning. After all, this is already the 13th game in the series.
This time the events of the game will unfold in the 9th century in Baghdad, the main character will be the thief Basim ibn Ishaq, who joined the Invisibles as a master assassin (not immediately, over time). He will continue to fight the Templar order, which is trying to control the world without any alternatives.
The developers decided to return to the roots, making Assassin's Creed: Mirage similar to the first games in the series. This means more linearity, assassinations, parkour, and stealth. At the same time, a decision was made to abandon the role-playing elements that set someone’s teeth on edge.
3. Forza Motorsport
Releases October 10th for PC and Xbox Series X/S, available on Game Pass
Back to basics again, but this time in the form of a restart. This game is not primarily about story and drama but about cars, racing, and graphics. An incredible variety of cars will appear, from different eras; about 100 (which is about a fifth of the total) will be new to the series. Plus everyone gets upgrades.
Developers have traditionally paid a lot of attention to physics, and modern top-end video cards will allow you to see previously invisible beauties (that is, very few gamers will see them). Separately, by the way, they mention fog and smoke with procedural generation. This is a plus for the weather, changing time of day, “state-of-the-art artificial intelligence” and diverse landscapes.
4. Lords of the Fallen
Releases October 13th for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S
Traditionally, during the hot season, there is also a representative of soul licks. Now this is Lords of the Fallen, which the developers themselves call “dark fantasy.” It sounds fresh (it's not), but that doesn't make the game any worse than others in the genre.
Lords of the Fallen 2023 is a relaunch of the 2014 game of the same name, which at one time did not cause enthusiasm, but still gained popularity. In the restart, the world is made darker and more voluminous; the main villain, the demon god Adyr, who is ready to enslave the world again, has not gone away. The main character, being one of the Dark Crusaders, will try to stop the demon both in the world of the dead and the living.
The story campaign can be completed either alone or in co-op with another gamer; there is also the possibility of other players invading your world – this is how the PvP mode is implemented.
5. Sonic Superstars
This is a classic platformer from the famous game series Sonic the Hedgehog, created taking into account the modern requirements of gamers. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy will go to the North Star Islands, where they will try to stop Eggman, Fang, and a mysterious enemy.
You can play alone or in the company of all the other main characters (two or three). Upgrading characters unlock their new abilities, methods of attack, and movement, there is also a combat mode for 8 people via a local network or the Internet.
The current Sonic Superstars, by the way, has already been called the “most beautiful” of all the games in the series. And, they say, modern on the outside and classic on the inside.
6. Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Coming October 20th for PlayStation 5
That rare case in the modern gaming industry when one of the platforms has an advantage (if you do not take into account strategies): Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has become an exclusive to the current Sony console. And this is certainly one of those rare occasions when PS5 owners can be envied.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a continuation of the stories of Peter Parker and Miles Morales, who cannot find their place in the world: the game is a continuation of both Marvel's Spider-Man, released in 2018, and the spin-off Spider-Man: Miles Morales 2020.
In terms of gameplay, there are not many changes compared to its predecessor games, except that they promise more variety in combat and an increased arsenal of gadgets and abilities. The game world is open for exploring and collecting all kinds of goodies that develop the main characters.
7. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Coming October 20th for Nintendo Switch
Another platformer, however, unlike Sonic Superstars, Super Mario Bros. Wonder will only be available on Nintendo consoles. The side-scroller has eight characters, but otherwise, it is a classic of the series: the character must be guided through the level without getting caught by enemies, and local multiplayer for up to four people is also announced.
In Super Mario Bros. Wonder will have new power-ups: you can turn into an elephant, enclose enemies in air bubbles, gnaw on mushrooms, receiving additional advantages and various gameplay modifiers.
8. Cities: Skylines II
Released on October 24 for PC, in 2024 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, will be available on Game Pass
The Colossal Order studio remains true to itself, making only a couple of simulators (more precisely, now one).
Cities: Skylines II is a city-building simulator that makes the hearts of gamers who want to build the city of their dreams flutter. The reason is the extremely well-thought-out economic and transport component of the very complex gameplay, in which it is necessary to take into account many variables to create a prosperous settlement.
The gaming community does its part by adding variety through modifications, and Skylines II has made them easier to use. The developers also note that the use of an advanced version of AI allows the growing city to respond to the player’s actions more realistically. Compared to the previous game Skylines II, the world of the new one has noticeably increased in size, and in some aspects, it has become less predictable.
9. Ghostrunner 2
Releases October 26th for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S
Ghostrunner 2 is a continuation of a very difficult slasher in a cyberpunk world. The developers quite successfully combine hardcore mechanics, more typical of “dark fantasy,” and the ambiance of an equally dark future.
You will have to play as a cyberninja, who is opposed by the same cyberninjas no less deadly than himself. The game is characterized by fast-paced combat and high pacing – in general, this is the key to victory (at least this was the case in the original Ghostrunner).
Plus planning attacks, since Ghostrunner is more of a hardcore slasher, and there is little smell of casual here, the slightest mistake leads to defeat. At the same time, it should be really fun: the developers tried to make the suffering of the game fun. Graphics, special effects, and soundtrack help achieve the result.
10. Alan Wake II
Releases October 27 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S
More than 10 years have passed since the release of the original game: Alan Wake was released in 2010. At least a generation of gamers has changed, and now Remedy Entertainment, having first invigorated the Alan Wake remaster in 2021, is releasing a direct sequel to the horror game. And in parallel, let us remind you, he is working on a remake of Max Payne 1 and 2, as well as Control 2 and a couple of less obvious titles – Condor and Vanguard.
The main character of Alan Wake II is expected to be Alan Wake, who will be accompanied by FBI agent Saga Anderson. It will allow you to look at what is happening from the outside, and at the same time diversify the gameplay: Alan Wake II offers two parallel single-player stories for each of the heroes with the ability to choose who to play for. But you will have to go through the beginning of the game and its ending for someone alone.
The new game will become less “adventure” and more “horror,” as follows from the developers’ explanations. There is a “detective component” in Alan Wake II, which helps to understand what is happening and where it leads.
11. Total War: Pharaoh
Coming October for PC
For those who can't get enough of Cities: Skylines II, you can take on the management of your empire, rather than a miserable town. The events of Total War: Pharaoh take place during the Egyptian New Kingdom; gamers will have access to three factions, represented by eight leaders. You will need to win the love of the people and at the same time fight for survival at the end of the Bronze Age: this is a turbulent era.
Over time, the situation will only heat up, presenting players with more and more obstacles to a peaceful (or relatively peaceful) existence. So you will have to survive both the ascent to glory and the risk of falling into the abyss of oblivion – just like in a real story. The dynamic environment will interfere and help in everything: the weather and time of year will affect the balance of power, and natural phenomena will add fuel to the fire.
No revelations are expected from Total War: Pharaoh: most likely, in general, it will remain faithful to the series, having undergone a slight evolution, adjusted to the expectations of gamers.
Bonus
Hellboy: Web of Wyrd releases October 4th for PC, Switch, PS4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S. An adventure roguelike action game in the interesting comic style of Mike Mignola, who is the author of the Hellboy series.
Endless Dungeon releases October 19 for PC, Switch, PS4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S. An action shooter with a top-down view and TD elements for solo (then you have to give commands to the rest of the AI members of the group) and cooperative fun. Nothing serious, just endless waves of enemies on a huge space station.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria releases on October 24 for PC and PS5, and in early 2024 for Xbox Series X/S. A survival simulator in the world created by John R. R. Tolkien. First, you come up with your gnome and then go to the world generated on the fly – bottomless mines. Along the way, accumulate resources, craft junk and create alliances.
Jusant releases on October 31st for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. A rather unusual platformer about a traveler who sets out to explore a mysterious tower built by a vanished civilization. It sounds much simpler than it is: the tower is a huge world with its mysteries.
