These are the game highlights in October

Alien Isolation put the fear of God into us ten years ago. It was the gaming highlight of October 2014. The coming month again offers plenty of spooky fun. Even if you don’t care for horror and Halloween, I’ve still put together some promising games for you. It’ll raise your pulse out of excitement, not fear.

Throne and Liberty – come to steal your time

If you’re looking for a way to kill time, there are few things better suited than MMOs. Throne and Liberty is the latest addition to this illustrious circle. It offers a fantasy setting, lots of classes, areas to explore and is free to play to boot.

Release date: 1 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: PvE and PvP

Metal: Hellsinger VR – slaughtering and headbanging

In Metal: Hellsinger, you slaughter your way through hordes of bloodthirsty demons to the beat of a powerful metal soundtrack. Memories of Doom arise. The better and longer you destroy opponents on beat, the more damage you deal. There’ll soon be a VR version for anyone who wants to immerse themselves even more in the butcher’s symphony.

Release date: 3 October
Where: PC-VR, PS VR2, Meta Quest
Multiplayer: no

Kill Knight – shooting and sweating blood

My colleague Domagoj and I were already able to try this one at Gamescom. Its potential is unmistakable. A frenetic action game, it requires you to skilfully manoeuvre and juggle your attacks, dodging skills in a small playing area. There’s potential for a classic «aww, just one more game!» scenario to arise.

Release date: 3 October
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: no

Victory Heat Rally – race until sparks (and pixels) fly

This one’s a declaration of love for classic arcade racers. In beautiful 2.5D pixel graphics, you race through twelve locations with just as many racing superstars. The party spirit is upheld thanks to the local split-screen mode.

Release date: 3 October
Where: PC
Multiplayer: local and online multiplayer

Exploding Kittens VR – a new dimension for cat chaos

Up to 15 people can meet in the Social Hub of the VR version of this iconic card game. All those crazy cards are brought to life. There are also various tools, such as a slingshot or judge’s gavel, which you can use during a game.

Release date: 3 October
Where: Meta Quest
Multiplayer: online for up to 15 people

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game – starfish mania

For once, SpongeBob’s faithful friend Patrick takes on the lead role. Explore the open game world of Bikini Bottom. Just like in the animated series, the starfish is a walking magnet for chaos. You can get up to all kinds of mischief with various power-ups. There are physics puzzles, mini-games and countless outfits. Of course, you’ll also meet other famous sea creatures such as Squidward, Sandy and Mr Krabs.

Release date: 4 October
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: no

Diplomacy is Not an Option – masses make the difference

Diplomacy is Not an Option mixes Command & Conquer with tower defence. To defend your castle from tens of thousands of attackers, you have to manage your resources, install catapults and command huge armies. As far as the scale of units is concerned, even Total War will grow green with envy. And if nothing else helps, let meteorites rain down on your enemies. Looks like a wonderfully fun battle simulator with a great physics engine.

Release date: 4 October
Where: PC
Multiplayer: no

Silent Hill 2 – guaranteed horror, thankfully not from the graphics

More than 20 years after its release, the cult survival horror game is being re-released. With the remake, you no longer have to cringe at the dusty PS2 graphics. The game has been completely redeveloped and looks really snazzy thanks to ray tracing and the like. But anyone familiar with the original will feel right at home again. Provided you fancy calling a monster-infested city your home.

Release date: 8 October
Where: PC, PS5
Multiplayer: no

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred – Welcome to the Jungle

New class, new region, more story and still endless hordes of monsters begging to be slaughtered. This is what awaits you in the Vessel of Hatred expansion. The playable Spiritborn class sounds like a mixture of druid and witch doctor. It’s a class that relies on staff and pole weapons, channelling the skills of four spirit guardians in battle. The spirit-born are at home in the new jungle region of Nahantu. So there’s plenty to do once more for carnage-hungry adventurers in October.

Release date: 8 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: online co-op

Dead Season – turn-based battles in the zombie apocalypse

The easiest way to describe Dead Season is XCOM with zombies. In turn-based, tactical battles, you lead a group of survivors through the apocalypse. Resources are scarce, the undead endless and relentless. Sometimes you can use your surroundings to your advantage, driving a combine harvester to clear the path of undead, for example.

Release date: 8 October
Where: PC
Multiplayer: no

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero – Kamehamehaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Do you want epic and completely over-the-top battles with screen-filling explosions? Then Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero could be for you. Just like in the anime, an epilepsy warning again applies in this beat ’em up when Son-Goku and co. unleash their superpowers.

Release date: 11 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: local and online PvP

Europa – slowing down on a moon of Jupiter

Europa is a nice way to reduce stress levels again after Dragon Ball. In it, you explore a paradisiacal world on the eponymous moon. You glide across lush meadows and lazy rivers or take off completely for a short time. Looks absolutely stunning.

Release date: 11 October
Where: PC, Switch
Multiplayer: no

Starship Troopers: Extermination – a game packed with bugs

If Helldivers 2 hasn’t given you enough aliens to blast, then Starship Troopers: Extermination is the new shooter for you. Up to 16 trigger-happy troopers can hunt monster beetles in it. Together, you build bases and defend them from alien hordes. During Early Access, it still lacked oomph and polish, but the potential for chaotic multiplayer action was definitely there.

Release date: 11 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: online co-op for up to 16 people

Neva – a playable work of art

The studio behind Gris will soon be delivering its next work of art. Like its predecessor, Neva impresses with a unique visual style. In this action adventure, you accompany Alba as she and a growing wolf cub explore a magical world that’s slowly falling apart.

Release date: 15 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: no

Super Mario Party Jamboree – let the games begin!

The party series is back, with new chaotic mini-games guaranteeing plenty of yelps and laughter. More than 110 of them are waiting to drive you up the wall. Get ready to once again be completely blindsided as you snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. There won’t be many changes to the last game, but the new release should again be good for reliable party fun.

Release date: 17 October
Where: Switch
Multiplayer: local and online multiplayer

MechWarrior 5: Clans – follows in massive metal footsteps

The legendary steel colossi will soon be stomping across the battlefield again. In MechWarrior 5: Clans, you control a squad of five pilots from Clan Smoke Jaguar through tactical missions. As always, there are various Battlemechs to choose from, which you can change to suit your mood. There’ll also be an exciting story to go with it.

Release date: 17 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: online co-op

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead – play, don’t watch

I’ll never stop being amazed that a brilliant but small horror movie has become a franchise. Three movies are now being followed by their own survival horror game. Here, too, the focus is on sneaking so that the aliens with their super hearing don’t discover you. Nobody was waiting for it, but it could be a lot of fun.

Release date: 17 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: no

RetroRealms Arcade – slaughter until pixels fly

Fans of Evil Dead and Halloween are getting two horror classics in the finest 16-bit pixel graphics with RetroRealms Arcade. In these exaggerated bloody 2D platformers, you can slaughter your way through hordes of monsters as either chainsaw-wielding Ash Williams or knife enthusiast Michael Myers. Great fun for anyone who likes 80s horror cinema.

Release date: 18 October
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: no

Unknown 9: Awakening – futuristic globetrotting

You play Haroona, a Quaestor born with the gift of being able to travel to a mysterious dimension called The Fold. This gift attracts evil forces who want to use it to influence the course of mankind. In addition to imaginative locations, Unknown 9: Awakening offers plenty of battles. Haroona can use magical abilities, including one that allows her to slip into the bodies of her enemies. Definitely looks original.

Release date: 18 October \ Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: no

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed – colourful action fun for the whole family

There have probably never been more mutants in the classic show than in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed. The katana- and nunchuk-wielding turtles are joined by fighting snails, zebras with octopus arms and dolphins with wooden legs. Gameplay consists of a mix of 3D platforming and endless brawls. The Turtles are a little younger here. Their design is based on the 2022 film Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie. After introducing my children to the original show from the 80s, this will be at the top of our wish list.

Release date: 18 October
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: local and online co-op for four people

Streets of Rogue 2 – a playground to let off steam

Streets of Rogue 2 is a sandbox RPG, meaning you’ll have a huge game world at your disposal in which you can really go wild. In this case, going wild means racing around like in GTA and shooting at everything that moves. You can also play a scientist and trigger a zombie pandemic. Alternatively, build your own house and take care of your farm. The game offers different roles and really only gives you one goal: overthrow the corrupt president. Looking at the trailers, I’m unsure whether I’d be a better choice as ruler.

Release date: 22 October
Where: PC, Mac
Multiplayer: online co-op

No More Room in Hell 2 – together against the zombie hordes

Fancy a spooky horror game that you can play with up to seven other people? In No More Room in Hell 2, you once again find yourself in a zombie apocalypse. You start alone and have to find your team members first. The next step is to coordinate with each other using proximity voice chat to master various scenarios. The game uses permadeath, so don’t get hit too often; otherwise it’s all over. No More Room in Hell 2 is launching in Early Access with a rural Pennsylvania area around a huge power plant.

Release date: 22 October
Where: PC
Multiplayer: online co-op for eight people

Zero Sievert – oh brother, another apocalypse…

Many describe the game as Stalker with 2D pixel graphics. In Zero Sievert, you explore a procedurally generated wasteland. Search for equipment, solve quests and above all – stay alive. Because in this post-apocalyptic world, danger lurks around every corner. And since the bird’s-eye view means you can only see what’s in your character’s field of vision, you can easily run into the claws of a mutated bear.

Release date: 23 October
Where: PC
Multiplayer: no

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – gunplay Groundhog Day

The campaign is an espionage action thriller and actually looks a bit more varied than the usual mindless shooting gallery we get. The story takes place in the early 90s, shortly after the Cold War. The USA is rising to become a superpower. In multiplayer, you can expect tried-and-tested action fare in an easily digestible form. Once again, the turn-based zombie mode celebrates its return with two new maps.

Release date: 25 October
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: online PvE and PvP

Sonic x Shadow Generations – one new title, one remake

The latest Sonic game consists of a remaster of Sonic Generations and the new Shadow Generations. As the name suggests, you play Shadow the Hedgehog. The gameplay is a mix of sidescroller and 3D platformer at the usual fast pace.

Release date: 25 October
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: no

Life is Strange: Double Exposure – guaranteed drama

Max Caulfield, the protagonist from the first game, returns. She never used her magical ability to turn back time again. That all changes when she finds her friend dead in the snow. To save her, she wants to travel back in time. Instead, she opens up a parallel timeline. These two realities are the new gameplay twist in Life is Strange: Double Exposure. We should be getting another emotional story and hopefully many difficult decisions.

Release date: 29 October, deluxe version already on 15 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: no

Post Trauma – homage to survival game classics

This survival game is inspired by genre classics such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill. You play a train conductor who finds himself in a surreal dimension after a panic attack. There, you have to solve tricky puzzles and keep grotesque monsters at bay with limited ammunition. I really enjoyed it when I played it at Gamescom.

Release date: 29 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: no

Dragon Age: The Veilguard – at long last

Ten years have passed since the last part, Inquisition. Baldur’s Gate 3 set the bar high for epic and complex role-playing games last year. Now the former figurehead of the genre wants to prove that it hasn’t been left in the dust. The previews and trailers suggest an action-packed game that nevertheless places a strong focus on story and character. It should have more dialogue than Baldur’s Gate 3, and that’s saying something. We’ll find out at the end of the month whether people are happy to listen to it.

Release date: 31 October
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: no

October game highlights

Which game are you looking forward to the most?

• Throne and Liberty
  3%
• Metal: Hellsinger VR
  1%
• Kill Knight
  1%
• Victory Heat Rally
  0%
• Exploding Kittens VR
  1%
• SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game
  1%
• Diplomacy is Not an Option
  4%
• Silent Hill 2
  8%
• Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
  6%
• Dead Season
  1%
• Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
  5%
• Europe
  6%
• Starship Troopers: Extermination
  2%
• Neva
  3%
• Super Mario Party Jamboree
  6%
• MechWarrior 5: Clans
  3%
• A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead
  2%
• RetroRealms Arcade
  1%
• Unknown 9: Awakening
  2%
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed
  1%
• Streets of Rogue 2
  1%
• No More Room in Hell 2
  2%
• Zero Sievert
  2%
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
  10%
• Sonic x Shadow Generations
  2%
• Life is Strange: Double Exposure
  5%
• Post Trauma
  1%
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
  16%
• another one
  8%

The competition has ended.