October promises some of the biggest game release of the year, with a packed schedule of titles across different genres and platforms. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, one of the most anticipated launches of 2024, will take players back on a campaign focussed on clandestine military operations. The shooter is set in 1991, building fictional narratives around real-world events and political figures. Black Ops 6 will also be the first Call of Duty title to arrive on Xbox Game Pass day one, when it launches October 25.
This month’s games also include a couple of horror remakes –– Silent Hill 2 and Until Dawn. The former, rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5, faithfully recreates the slow terror of the original, while the latter brings a visual overhaul to the narrative-driven horror title on PS4. Both remakes bring upgraded visuals and gameplay improvements and are available on PS5 and PC. Later this month, Sony will launch Horizon Zero Dawn – Remastered, which brings up the visuals of the 2017 action-adventure title to the standard of the 2022 sequel, Horizon Forbidden West.
Square Enix is gearing up to launch Life is Strange: Double Exposure this month, which serves as a direct sequel to 2015’s Life is Strange. The game will mark the return of protagonist Max Caulfield, now older and wielding a new power. The narrative-focussed episodic game is coming to PS5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo switch and PC on October 29. There is a lot to look forward to this month. Here are our picks for the games to look out for in October:
Until Dawn
When: October 4
Where: PC, PS5
Until Dawn first released on the PS4, featured a branching, interactive story inspired by slasher flicks. The game’s sprawling cast of characters, all of them familiar stereotypes from horror movies, featured likeness, motion capture and voice acting from popular actors like Rami Malek and Hayden Panettiere. While gameplay wasn’t the focus –– players could control the movement of characters and perform contextual actions –– player choice was paramount. Your decisions shaped the story and decided the fate of the characters.
As an interactive horror movie experience, the game became a sleeper hit. Now, it’s here for both PS5 and PC, remade for modern graphical standards. While the merits of the remake can be argued, the new version brings a few improvements on the original. For people who never played the original, Until Dawn remake could be the ideal way to experience the game. It’s out now on PS5 and PC.
Silent Hill 2
When: October 8
Where: PC, PS5
October is the month of horror remakes, and the long-awaited Silent Hill 2 remake is finally here. Developed by Bloober Team from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5, the remake brings a modern take on the horror classic. The original Silent Hill 2 is remembered for its haunting visuals, evocative soundtrack and a disturbing story. The game follows Jason Sunderland who receives a letter from his deceased wife and returns to Silent Hill to investigate. Over the course of the story, he uncovers terrifying secrets and encounters grotesque monstrosities.
The remake brings a host of gameplay improvements and visual upgrades, while faithfully adhering to the ethos of the original. If you’ve never played the survival-horror masterpiece, Silent Hill 2 remake is the definitive way to experience the game. It’s out now on PS5 and PC.
When: October 11
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series S/X
In modern times, Atlus has carved a niche in the RPG genre with its Shin Megami Tensei franchise, with the most notable game being Persona 5. But with Metaphor: ReFantazio, the publisher has tried its hand at something quite ambitious — a fantasy world with geopolitics as its core theme.
Rich narrative and overarching storylines are not new for Atlus, and with Metaphor: ReFantazio, you get to see more of them. However, there is one difference. Instead of taking an introspective look at the human psyche (like the Persona series), the storyline focuses on real-world challenges such as racism and discrimination.
The anime and manga universe is currently filled with the isekai (Japanese word for “other world”) genre, and that’s how this game begins as well. The protagonist starts in the modern world and is quickly sent to the United Kingdom of Euchronia, a medieval mirror world, where different races and classes of creatures live. Sent to the alien land, the Protagonist finds himself in a turbulent time as the king of the land has been assassinated, shaking the kingdom to the core. Now, as a boy from the Elda tribe, which is discriminated against by the wider society for the inheritance of forbidden magic, he must go on a quest to lift a curse placed on his best friend.
Coming to the game mechanics, if you have played any Megami Tensei game, the combat system would be familiar to you. It is a strategic turn-based combat where the speed stat of the characters determines the battle order, and attack type, defensive moves, archetype and accessories play a crucial role. Social Link, which was seen in the Persona series, makes a comeback and players will be able to bring their loyal ally into the battle as well.
Unknown 9: Awakening
When: October 18
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
With Unknown 9: Awakening, a new intellectual property, Bandai Namco is kicking off a transmedia franchise comprising a video game, podcasts, novels, and comic books. The game, set to arrive later this month, follows the story of Haroona, a Quaestor of Indian descent, played by Anya Chalotra, who has a unique connection to a mysterious dimension, the Fold. The world stands divided as two competing orders fight to wield the power of a hidden knowledge.
Haroona must channel her connection to the Fold, use her newfound powers and thwart hostile enemies who threaten to upend the order of things. In the action-adventure game, you can utilise stealth, melee combat and Haroona’s unique Stepping ability that allows her to briefly take over the bodies of her enemies and make them do her bidding. Unknown 9: Awakening arrives on PC, PlayStation and Xbox platforms on October 18.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
When: October 17
Where: Nintendo Switch
The game’s tagline of “Welcome to the biggest Mario party yet” is an interesting claim, but looking at what Nintendo is offering, it might not be an overstatement. Super Mario Party Jamboree is a party game, meaning it is best enjoyed with a group of people and a social atmosphere. But if you have that covered, the game might take care of the rest. The game retains the best parts from the previous two Mario Party games for Switch, including the Rainbow Castle board in Party Mode, and combines them with potentially exciting new features.
Jamboree has significantly increased the number of four-player maps (now up to seven) and introduced a large number of mini-games. The game also introduces a large roster of characters where several characters have unique mini games tied to them. Another interesting aspect is the increased variety of items.
Anyone who has played any Super Mario game knows that items always cause chaos, and with a larger selection to pick from, the match-ups are sure to be intense. There are quality of life improvements as well, such as dice that go up to standard 10 and stars that cost 20.
The new game modes also deserve a mention. For instance, Jamboree introduces a 20-player online mode dubbed Koopathon. Every player plays different single-player mini-games and collects coins from them. The more coins a player has, the more spaces they move on the board. Between the rounds, a 20-player mega mini-game also occurs, which gives players an extra chance to leave others behind. Apart from that, Bowser’s Kaboom Squad, an eight-player co-op mode where players play together to defeat Bowser before he destroys the town, is also a unique addition to the Party-series.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead
When: October 17
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X
A Quiet Place has quickly established itself as beloved new horror film franchise. With two films and a prequel that was released in June, the timing for this survival-horror game based on the world from the movies is apt. The game’s premise is the same as the movies — the planet has been overrun with alien monsters with hypersensitive hearing abilities, and they kill indiscriminately.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead’s gameplay focuses on stealth, as the modus operandi of the aliens is sound. So, the protagonist Alex Taylor, who is a college student with asthma, will have to complete his journey while making as little noise as possible. The stealth mode is quite interesting and might be reminiscent of Alien: Isolation.
In terms of new game mechanics, players will get a walkie-talkie-like instrument that can track directional sound. Using this information to circumvent the monsters and any panicking non-playable character (NPC) will be interesting. Visually, the game seems to have set the tone perfectly to match the atmospheric horror vibe. So, if survival horror is your go-to genre, you will have fun with this game.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed
When: October 18
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed storyline takes place eight months after the events of the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. It follows the Turtles as they navigate their new lives in society, having realised their dream of attending high school. However, they soon face a new threat: a wave of mutants wreaking havoc across New York City. Developed by Aheartfulofgames and published by Outright Games, the game follows the four Turtles — Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo — from the third-person perspective. The pizza-loving crime fighters are seen teaming up with characters like April O’Neil, their first human ally, and Splinter, a mutant rat, to go up against rogue Mewbies (new mutants).
Players will explore well-known settings featuring iconic TMNT locations, such as the sewers and rooftops while battling a variety of familiar enemies and challenging bosses. Each of the four turtles has a distinct, updated combat style and their own personalised proficiency, allowing them to unlock new battle moves with earned XP. Mutants Unleashed, unlike most previous Turtles games, is a 3D brawler with DMC-style fighting.
Sonic X Shadow Generations
When: October 25
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch
In this platformer developed by Sonic Teams, Sonic and Shadow band together (shocker!) to prevent Black Doom’s plans of world domination. Sonic x Shadow Generations sees Shadow face his history in order to save the planet. Dr. Eggman and the mysterious Time Eater disrupt history, scattering Sonic and his companions across space and time. With the open-zone gameplay of Sonic Frontiers, players can enjoy Shadow’s newly acquired abilities and explore even more secrets. You can surf on water, navigate over obstacles, and manipulate time with the return of Chaos Control. Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, a three-episode animated prologue miniseries created by Studio Giggex and written by Ian Flynn, was released between September 25 and October 10, 2024.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
When: October 25
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
The 21st installment of the Call of Duty series and the seventh title in the Black Ops sub-series is almost here. Unlike some other games in this list, CoD does not require any introduction. Anyone who is a fan of first-person shooters knows how incredibly addictive yet deeply frustrating the franchise can be.
This time around, whether the game is fun or not will depend on your answer to one question — do you like the omnimovement mechanic? Developer Treyarch has introduced a new game mechanic which is likely to dominate every single multiplayer match. Omnimovement allows a player to sprint, slide, or dive in all directions including backwards. The movement system is fast, responsive, and easy to learn.
This means most players online will spend a lot of time mastering this unpredictable movement to get an edge over their opponents. If you can do the same, you’ll have a good time. But if you’re expecting a balanced game like the previous Black Ops, that is rather unlikely.
If you thought that was the limit to fun new features, you’re wrong. Black Ops 6 also adds a new capability where the players can lift an eliminated operator’s body and use it as a human shield. These fun improvements aside, the game will continue to have the online and co-operative mode, the latter of which will feature zombies.
The online mode will feature 16 new maps, where 12 of them are designed for classic 6v6 matches, and four of them will also support 2v2 battles. Picking up after Black Ops Cold War which came out in 2020, the new installment spent four years in development, and it appears that Activision might have an exciting experience ready for the players.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
When: October 29
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch
The first Life is Strange offered a melancholic coming-of-age tale in a beautiful Pacific Northwest setting of Arcadia Bay. Max Caulfield, a budding photographer and a student at Blackwell Academy, discovers she has the power to rewind, and she uses it to solve the mysteries of the coastal town.
In Life is Strange: Double Exposure, a direct sequel the 2015 game, Max returns with a new power: she can transfer her consciousness to other timelines. With her newfound power, Max tries to save the life of her friend in an alternate timeline by preventing her murder. The episodic adventure arrives October 29.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
When: October 31
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X
BioWare’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard will allow the player to navigate the complex political landscape of Thedas, where the Veil — the barrier between the world of the living and the realm of spirits — begins to weaken. Stepping into the shoes of Rook, DA’s newest hero, you will lead a team of seven, forge alliances with the different factions and save the world from ruin. The game allows you to weave the backstory of your character and put together a team with people from different races and combat classes. You can choose between warrior, mage and rogue classes, each of whom has a different play style. The soundtrack of this single-player RPG is co-composed by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe.
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
When: October 31
Where: PC, PS5
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, which updates the visuals of the 2017 action-adventure title and brings it to the standard of its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, arrives later this month. We first met Aloy, the series’ plucky protagonist, in the 2017 version of Horizon Zero Dawn, where she explored a post-apocalyptic world and uncovered secrets about Earth’s fate, while combating robotic creatures left to roam the land. In the upcoming iteration, the beautiful setting returns, bolstered by a slew of technological advancements, visual upgrades and new features. The remaster also comes with The Frozen Wilds expansion, that introduces new locations, skills, weapons, and machines. Aloy, in her journey of saving the world from the next imminent disaster, will meet distinctive tribes, intriguing companions and newer dangers.
Those are our picks for the game releases to watch out for in October. The month is packed with titles from all genres. If you’ve played Diablo IV, you can dive into its new expansion, Vessel of Hatred. Or, you can check out Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, a fighting game based on the world of the popular anime. And if you’ve never played Red Dead Redemption, the Western masterpiece finally arrives on PC, 14 years after it first released on PS3 and Xbox One, on October 29.
