This month’s gaming releases include a trip to a galaxy far, far away along with a new tale from a beloved franchise, the chance to liberate London, an opportunity to test your skills on the pitch, and the chance to delve deep into untold horrors.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
A multiverse awaits in this long-awaited release. In Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, Crash and his sister Coco are recruited once again by Aku Aku to help save the world. Only this time, there is more than one world thanks to Aku Aku’s evil twin brother. Enraged at the failure of Dr Neo Cortex and Dr Nefarious Tropy, Uka Uka’s wrath has caused the walls between dimensions to break down, allowing the dastardly doctors the chance to conquer new dimensions no matter what the cost may be to other worlds. Among those caught up in the reality blending caper are the returning Tawna and the newly retired Dingodile, who find themselves sucked into the multiverse.
Players who pre-order any edition through select retailers will receive buildable Crash and Coco Bandicoot figures. Those who pre-order the Digital Edition will gain access to the game’s demo as well as unlocking the Totally Tubular Skins pack at launch. Those on PlayStation 4 will also be able to unlock the Marsupus Erectus and Serious Upgrade skins as they progress through the game.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time will be available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 from October 2*
Star Wars: Squadrons
Choose your side in this high action shooter. Taking place after the events of Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Squadrons is a new story for fan to enjoy. Taking on the role of a pilot, players must choose whether to fight for the Empire or the New Republic as they do battle. Featuring 5-on-5 combat, players will be able to visit never-before-seen locations from the Star Wars universe, planning each battle carefully. For those looking for a more singular experience, the single-player story will allow players to design their own pilot character before being placed right in the middle of the action.
Players who pre-order will be able to unlock a host of cosmetic items for both their Imperial and Rebel characters. Included in the bonus pack are two Flight Suits skins – Imperial Ace and New Republic Recruit – along with an additional decal for each side, four Starfighter skins and the Var-Shaa Hunter X-Wing and Var-Shaa Survivor TIE Interceptor skins.
Star Wars: Squadrons will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC from October 2*
FIFA 21
Win as one with this year’s FIFA release. With over 700 teams from 30 leagues, FIFA 21 brings players that chance to play their way both on the pitch and off. For this year’s outing, a more in-depth managerial style comes to Career Mode, with players able to manage each detail of their game even in Quick Sim matches. For those looking to step out of the stadium, Volta has more player choices and a new cinematic experience called The Debut where players can take a deep dive into Volta football with a little help from Brazilian legend Kaká.
Players who pre-order any edition of FIFA 21 will receive three Gold packs (given weekly), a Kylian Mbappe Loan Item for five matches, a FUT Ambassador Loan Item for three matches and a selection of FUT kits and stadium items. The Champions Edition includes a copy of the game, three days Early Access, 12 Gold packs (issued 1 per week), Kylian Mbappe Loan Item for five matches, a Homegrown Talent to use in career mode, FUT Ambassador Item for three matches and special edition FUT kits and stadium items. The Ultimate Edition includes a copy of the game, all the content from the Champions Edition along with an additional 12 Rare Gold packs (one per week).
FIFA 21 will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC from October 9*
Remothered: Broken Porcelain
A new piece of the story comes to light in this horror prequel. Set in the mountains of Italy, Remothered: Broken Porcelain follows the story of Jen, a young woman working as a maid at the Ashmann Inn. Initially expelled from boarding school, Jen realises that her new position is not all as it seems as the hotel has an unsettling past. As Jen starts to piece together what is happening, the owner of the inn runs into Rosemary Reed, an old foe who is searching for Celeste Felton – a young girl who vanished in mysterious circumstances many years ago.
Tying into the tale of Remothered: Tormented Fathers, this atmospheric horror will have players trying to grapple with the mysteries of the past and the horrors of the present. Inspired by classic horror and the real-life fears of the developers, players will work their way through this new story, using stealth and quick thinking to delve further into the mysteries of the Ashmann Inn.
Remothered: Broken Porcelain will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC from October 13*
Watch Dogs Legion
London is yours to liberate in this dystopian sequel. Set in the near future, Watch Dogs Legion takes the DedSec fight to London, which has been taken over by a private military group known as Albion. Led by Nigel Cass, Albion quickly turns the city into a surveillance state where people are monitored 24/7 and DedSec are driven underground after being framed for a terrorist attack. Players will be tasked with rebuilding DedSec so they can bring down Albion and liberate London. To do this, players will be able to recruit literally anyone they meet, as everyone is a possible asset and ally in this fight.
Players who pre-order any edition of the game will receive the Golden Lion Pack, featuring an additional mask, pistol skin and Lux car skin. The Resistance Edition includes a copy of the game with a new hacker character – Lynx – along with themed skins and 1 week of VIP Status to earn XP and currency faster. The Gold Edition includes a copy of the game with unique cover art, a copy of Watch Dogs: Complete Edition and the Season Pass, which will include four unique heroes, story expansions, additional DedSec missions and a Dedsec car skin. The Ultimate Edition includes a copy of the game, three days Early Access, four weeks of VIP Status, all Season Pass content, Urban Jungle Pack¸- which includes three new playable characters and themed skins – and the London Dissident Pack featuring three new masks for recruits to wear. The Collector’s Edition includes a copy of the game in a limited edition SteelBook case, Season Pass, all of the content of the Ultimate Edition, sticker set, a double-sided poster and a 38cm LED DED Coronet Mask and stand.
Watch Dogs Legion will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Stadia and PC from October 29*
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
Discover the ending of this haunting tale in the Dark Pictures Anthology. Set in New England, Little Hope follows three college students and their professor who find themselves stranded in the titular town following an accident with their bus. Presented by a figure known as “the Curator”, players will have to make their way through the story, making crucial decisions along the way, and uncover the mysteries of this quaint town and how the protagonists are connected to another group who were executed as part of the witch hunts in the late 1600s.
Players who pre-order will unlock the Curator’s Cut of the game. This new mode, which will be unlocked after the first playthrough, will feature scenes and characters that were previously unavailable. These new additions to the story allow for even more choices and outcomes to be possible in this twisted tale. The release of The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope will also be joined by the release of The Dark Pictures Anthology: Volume 1, which includes Little Hope along with 2019’s Man of Medan.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope will be available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 from October 30*
Free to Play
Xbox users with a Gold subscription or Game Pass Ultimate will receive four games to add to their library for free this month. On Xbox One, Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut will be available from October 1-31*, with Maid of Sker available from October 16 – November 15*. On Xbox 360 – and Xbox One via Backwards Compatibility – Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy will be available from October 1-15* followed by Costume Quest from October 16-31*
Over on PlayStation, two games will be available for those with an active PS Plus subscription. From October 6*, Need for Speed: Payback and Vampyr will be downloadable for free on PlayStation 4.
Players who have a Twitch account linked to an active Amazon Prime account will be able to claim five games for free through Prime Gaming. From October 1* Layers of Fear, Silver Chains, Dead Age, Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl and Surf World Series will be available to download. There will also be four games available until limited times in October – Q.U.B.E. 2 (October 9*), Rocket Arena (October 10*), Bridge Constructor (October 16*) and SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell (October 23*). Full details on how to claim these games, along with details on all the offers and perks, can be found on the Prime Gaming website.
Also Released This Month
October 2* – Let’s Sing Queen (Xbox One, PS4, Switch), Human Fall Flat (Xbox One, PS4, Switch), Warborn (PS4, Switch), Distrust Collector’s Edition (Switch)
October 5* – Foregone (Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
October 6* – Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders (Switch), Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2 Grand Prix (Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
October 8* – Ys Origin (Switch), Ikenfell (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch), Game Dev Tycoon (Switch), Ride 4 (Xbox One, PS4, PC)
October 9* – The Survivalists (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch), The Walking Dead Onslaught (PC VR, PSVR), Ben 10: Power Trip (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch), Supermarket Shriek (PS4, Switch), Do Not Feed The Monkeys (PS4), Zenith Collector’s Edition (Switch)
October 13* – Woodsalt (PC), Second Extinction (PC), GI Joe: Operation Blackout (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch), Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid – Collector’s Edition (Xbox One, PS4, Switch), Sayonara Wild Hearts (PS4, Switch)
October 14* – Partisans 1941 (PC)
October 15* – Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition (PC), Space Crew (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch), Ring of Pain (PC), Vaporeum: Lockdown (PC), Kunai (Switch), Craftlands Workshoppe (PC – Steam Early Access), My Universe: My Teacher (PS4, Switch)
October 16* – 9 Monkeys of Shaolin (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch), Mario Kart Live (Switch), Nightmare Boy (PS4, Switch), The VR Power Pack – Raw Data & Spirit Vector (PSVR), NHL 21 (Xbox One, PS4), Truck Driver (Switch), Earth Defence Force 5 (PS4, Switch), Tin & Kuna (PS4, Switch), Zoids Wild Blast Unleashed (Switch), Robotics; Notes Double Pack (PS4, Switch), Pinstripe (Switch)
October 20* – Drone Swarm (PC), Control Ultimate Edition (Xbox One, PS4)
October 21* – Tenderfoot Tactics (PC), Scourgebringer (Xbox One, PC, Switch)
October 22* – DwarfHelm (PC)
October 23* – Budget Cuts (PSVR), Transformers: Battlegrounds (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch), Monstrum (Xbox One, PS4, Switch), Mortal Shell (Xbox One, PS4, PC), Cadence of Hyrule – Crypt of the NecroDancer (Switch)
October 27* – Carto (PS4, PC), The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 4 (PS4), Ghostrunner (Xbox One, PS4, PC), World of Warcraft: Shadowlands (PC), Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues (Xbox One, PS4), My Universe: Fashion Boutique (PS4, Switch)
October 28* – AGOS: A Game of Space (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index)
October 29* – Company of Heroes 2: All Out Edition (PC), Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (Xbox One, PS4, PC)
October 30* – Pikmin 3 Deluxe (Switch), Dead Cells Prisoners Edition (PS4, Switch)
October 31* – Auto Chess (PS4)
*Dates refer to UK release only. International dates may vary and are also subject to change. Information correct at time of writing.
Words by Megan Roxburgh
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