With these darn restrictions continuing to severely limit our entertainment options, picking up a controller and taking part in. a bit of pixelated escapism has proven a great way to escape the drudgery of daily COVID briefings et al.
And as we reach the pointy end of 2021 (finally) there is a slew of titles on the horizon. that are guaranteed to get gamers everywhere excited.
October is no different with some of the most highly anticipated titles of the year dropping this month. So if you’re looking to give your thumbs a bit of a workout, here are some upcoming cames that we reckon are definitely worth a crack.
Far Cry 6
Release Date: 7 October
Platforms: PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox One X/ PC
Fans of open-world shooters are in. for a treat this week with the release of the sixth instalment of this hugely popular Ubisoft franchise.
This time around, you play as Dani Rojas who finds herself smack bang in the middle of the fictional Caribbean Island of Yara which is under the iron-fisted rule of El Presidente Antón Castillo (portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito, who you may know as Gus Fring from Breaking Bad.
It’s up to Dani to topple the malevolent dictator using any means at her disposal – including a punk rock rooster called Chicharron!
The series is one known for mammoth open worlds and audacious set pieces and we expect nothing less here.
Back 4 Blood
Release Date: 12 October
Plteforms: PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox One X/ PC
If you played the utter chef’s kiss of multiplayer goodness that was 2008’s Left 4 Dead then this ‘spiritual successor’ is sure to have you yelling “brains’ in anticipation.
Back 4 Blood was created by the same dev team who created Left 4 Dead and appear to have taken an ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ approach.
You are tasked with surviving a zombie outbreak in an intense four-player co-op campaign and you can also test your mettle playing as a human or Ridden (zombie) in competitive multiplayer.
Oh, and as an added bonus for Xboxers, if you have Game Pass, you can slay the horde from day one. Yippee!
Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
Release Date: 22 October
Plteforms: PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox One X/ PC
If you like your gaming experiences to be more narrative-driven than action-oriented, then this spooky title should be right up your alley.
The last in a brilliant horror trilogy that brought us Little Hope and Man of Medan, House Of Ashes promises the same choose your own adventure style of storytelling that made the first two so great.
This time around, a military unit searching for chemical weapons unearth something far deadlier.
In the ruins of a buried Sumerian temple deep beneath the Arabian desert, something evil is awakened. Savage and unstoppable, a nest of ancient and unearthly creatures has found a new prey to hunt.
Horrific discoveries and impossible decisions await!
Guardians of the Galaxy
Release Date: 26 October
Platforms: PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox One X/ PC
After the lacklustre response to 2020’s Marvel’s Avengers, publisher Square Enix is looking to win back fans of the MCU with this one and the early mail is that they may very well be on the right track.
Ditching the unfocussed multiplayer of Avengers, this one is a strictly single player affair with hero Peter ‘Star Lord’ Quill at the centre of the action. While not directly playable, Peter is able to issue commands to his teammates Gamora, Rocket Racoon, Groot and Drax and decisions made by the player will affect teammate relationships.
Here’s hoping this one does for the MCU what Jedi Fallen Order did for Star Wars.
Riders Republic
Release Date: 28 October
Platforms: PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox One X/ PC
When it comes to the heady world of MMOs (Massively Multiplayer Online Games) sport is a theme that is often sidelined. That’s all set to change with this anticipated Ubisoft title though.
Here you can show off your skills across five activities – mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, wingsuit flying and rocket wingsuiting – taking on a robust career mode or competing in a 6v6 multiplayer mode called Tricks Battle Arena.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to live out your high falutin’ dreams of getting ‘sick air bruh’ Riders Republic should definitely be on your ‘to play’ list.
