For 2021’s penultimate month, there are stories aplenty to enjoy. Battle in the past or the future, bring your Jurassic dreams to life, visit Mexico for a high-octane festival or revisit some old friends with some of November’s gaming releases.
Call of Duty: Vanguard
Rise on every front with the latest in the Call of Duty franchise. In Call of Duty: Vanguard, players will travel across the world to experience some of the most influential battles of World War II from a whole new perspective with the formation of the group known as Task Force One. Comprised of Cameroonian-British paratrooper Sgt. Arthur Kingsley, Soviet sniper Lt. Polina Petrova, US fighter pilot Lt. Wade Jackson and Australian infantryman Pte. Lucas Riggs, Task Force One will be key players in turning the tide of the Allies’ fortunes on the battlefield and off.
Players who pre-order will unlock Arthur Kingsley as an Operator along with the Night Raid Mastercraft blueprint. The Standard Edition includes a copy of the game and the Frontline Weapons pack. In addition, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the Standard Edition will include Backwards Compatibility within the same console family. The Cross-Gen Bundles include the game on either Xbox One & Xbox Series X/S or PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5, all the content in the Standard Edition and a 5-hour Weapon 2XP boost. The Ultimate Edition includes the game, all the content in the Cross-Gen Bundle, a 5-hour Player 2XP boost, a Task Force One pack with additional skins and blueprints and the Battle Pass Bundle with additional in-game content.
Call of Duty: Vanguard will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC from November 5*
Forza Horizon 5
Start your engines and head for the festival for the latest Forza Horizon release. For Forza Horizon 5 the global racing festival spectacular is heading to Mexico. With a mix of stunning scenery, rough terrain, dense jungles and narrow streets, drivers will be tested to the limit across all aspects of competition. Away from the competition, players will be able to explore all that Mexico has to offer, with active volcanos and ancient Mayan temples featuring in the open world exploring, with the city locations full of art and music brought to life by Mexican artists, who worked with the development team at Playground Games to bring a true taste of Mexican culture to players.
Players who pre-order any edition of Forza Horizon 5 will be able to pre-load the game onto their console or PC, so it is ready to play on Day One. The Deluxe Edition includes the game and the Forza Horizon 5 Car Pass, which will unlock eight new cars at launch followed by an additional 34 cars to be released weekly. The Premium Edition includes the game, the Car Pass, VIP Membership – which unlocks additional cars, player houses, a race rewards boots, weekly bonus spins of the Super Wheel and a host of in-game cosmetic items – and two yet-to-be-announced expansions. The Premium Add-On will also be available to those with the Standard and Deluxe Editions as a separate purchase.
Forza Horizon 5 will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC from November 9*
Jurassic World Evolution 2
Create your own Jurassic paradise in this much-anticipated sequel. For Jurassic World Evolution 2, players will take control of their own park in the United States. Set after the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, this new story will see players working alongside Dr Ian Malcolm and Claire Dearing to lead the efforts to conserve dinosaur life. Players will be able to manage all aspects of the park – from habitats to research and beyond. Those looking for a real test of their management skills will find it in the game’s Challenge mode, while those with a more creative approach will be able to showcase their flair in Sandbox mode.
Players who pre-order will unlock three additional vehicle skins to use in Sandbox and Challenge made inspired by the vehicles in The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The Deluxe Edition includes the game, a pack with five additional dinosaur species and a bonus Skins & Signs pack inspired by the Dinosaur Protection Group to use in Sandbox & Challenge modes.
Jurassic World Evolution 2 will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 from November 9*
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition
Three iconic stories are brought together in this collection. Comprising of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, this collection will take players through three memorable tales. As Claude, players will be on the hunt for vengeance in a world of corruption in Liberty City. As Tommy Vercetti, the excess and bright lights of Vice City in the 1980s provides the backdrop for a tale of mob empires, while Carl “CJ” Johnson’s criminal past puts his future at risk amidst the corruption and gang warfare taking hold across the cities of San Andreas.
Players who pre-order from either the online Rockstar Store or from the Rockstar Games Launcher will receive a discount on a future order as a bonus. In addition, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Remastered will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one and Grand Theft Auto III Remastered will be playable on PlayStation Now from December 7*
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC from November 11*
Battlefield 2042
A new breed of warfare awaits in Battlefield’s latest outing. In Battlefield 2042, the world is on the brink of disaster after a catastrophic event leads 70% of satellites to fail and crash back to Earth. With the devastation of climate change already taking hold, war has broken out between nations. Playing as one of ten Specialists, players will have to work together in groups known as Task Forces to complete their missions and defend their territory long enough to help with the overall objective of ending the war and trying to repair the damage done. For those looking for a creative challenge or outlet, Battlefield 2042 will bring Portal mode to players. With assets and maps from Battlefield 1942, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 2042, players will be able to change the rules of war to test their skills and create their own battles to share with the community.
The Standard Edition includes a copy of the game, an Irish Battle-Hardened Legendary skin, Baku ACB-90 knife, a Mr Chompy weapon charm, Landfall player card and Old Guard tag. The Gold Edition includes the game, all the content in the Standard Edition along with Early Access to start playing on November 12 and the Year One Pass, which includes four new Specialists, four Battle Passes and three Epic Skin bundles. The Ultimate Edition includes the game with all the content of the Gold Edition along with the Midnight Ultimate bundle, digital artbook and a digital copy of the game’s soundtrack. Additionally, the Standard Edition on both Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 allows for cross-play within the same console family (digital only).
Battlefield 2042 will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC from November 19*
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Pokémon Shining Pearl
Train to be the very best with these much-anticipated remakes. Being released as part of the 25th Anniversary Celebrations of the Pokémon franchise, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Pokémon Shining Pearl take players to the island region of Shinnoh. This diverse island features a whole host of new Pokémon to catch, train and grow while exploring all the island has to offer, with a little help along the way from Professor Rowan. However, trouble is never too far away as Team Galactic have also arrived in Shinnoh in search of a way to control the legendary Pokémon that inhabit the island.
Players who pre-order Pokémon Shining Pearl will receive a Palkia Figurine and Shining Pin. Players who pre-order Pokémon Brilliant Diamond will receive a Dialga Figurine and Brilliant Pin. Both games will also include a special assortment of Poké balls to help trainers get started. The Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Double Pack includes both games in a limited-edition Steelbook case along with the bonus Poké balls.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl will be available on Nintendo Switch from November 19*
Free to Play
Those with an Xbox Gold or Game Pass Ultimate subscription will have four new games to add to download and keep for free this month. On Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, Moving Out will be available from November 1-30*, with Kingdom: Two Crowns available from November 16 – December 15*. On Xbox 360 (and Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S via Backward Compatibility) Rocket Knight will be available from November 1-15, followed by Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes from November 16-30*
On PlayStation Plus, those with active subscriptions will have six games to choose from across the PlayStation family this month. From November 2*, Knockout City will be available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 along with First Class Trouble, with Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning available on PlayStation 4. To mark the 5th Anniversary of PSVR, The Persistence, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and Until You Fall will also be available to download, play and keep for free, also from November 2*
Over on Prime Gaming, nine games will be available for those with linked Amazon Prime and Twitch accounts to download and keep for free. From November 1*, the following games will be available to claim for free:
- Dragon Age: Inquisition
- Control: Ultimate Edition
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Rogue Heroes
- Liberated
- Puzzle Agent 2
- Demon Hunter 2: New Chapter
- BAFL – Brakes Are For Losers
- Secret Files: Sam Peters
Details on how to claim these titles, along with bonuses for New World, Last Day On Earth, Far Cry 6 and more can be found on the Prime Gaming portal.
Also Released This Month
November 2* – Giants Uprising (PC – Steam Early Access), World War Z (Switch), Tunche (Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PC), Demon Turf (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Spacelines From The Far Out (Xbox One, PC), Asteria Ascending (PS4, PS5, Switch), Hell Let Loose (Xbox Series X/S, PS5)
November 3* – Time Loader (PC)
November 4* – Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy (PS4, PS5), Just Dance 2022 (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, Stadia)
November 5* – Fast & Furious Spy Racers: Rise of SH1FT3R (Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
November 9* – Blue Reflection: Second Light (PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Clunky Hero (PC – Steam Early Access), Football Manager 2022 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S), My Singing Monsters Playground (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch)
November 11* – Synthetik 2 (PC – Steam Early Access), Synth Riders (PSVR), Epic Chef (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch), Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Switch), The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Anniversary Edition (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC)
November 12* – Shin Megami Tensei 5 (Switch), Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda (Switch), Let’s Sing 2022 (PS4, PS5, Switch)
November 16* – Sherlock Holmes Chapter One (Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC), Moncage (iOS, Android, PC), The Last Stand: Aftermath (Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC), Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (Xbox One, PS4)
November 18* – BloodRayne: ReVamped & BloodRayne 2: ReVamped (Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
November 19* – Zenith (Switch), Distrust (Switch)
November 22* – Farming Simulator 22 (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC)
November 23* – Death’s Door (PS4, PS5)
November 25* – Cricket 22: The Official Game of The Ashes (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC)
November 26* – Len’s Island (PC)
November 30* – Evil Genius 2: World Domination (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5), Beyond A Steel Sky (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch)
*Dates refer to UK release only. International dates may vary and are subject to change. Information correct at time of writing.
Words by Megan Roxburgh
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