This is it: the biggest month of the gaming year. October promises to be an absolute howitzer in terms of new releases with AAA monoliths wherever you look, including one game that’s sure to break records because of how anticipated it has been for the past, oh, I don’t know, eight years.
It’s going to be a difficult month for gamers’ wallets, especially those who own multiple platforms. From Greek odysseys to the dissolution of many friendships, October 2018’s new releases may just tide you over until 2019.
October is also my birth month, so I would be happy if you bought me every single one of these games for my birthday on October 20th, thanks in advance.
1. ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission | October 2nd
Developer: JAPAN Studio
Publisher: SIE
Platform: PS4
You might raise an eyebrow at this sharing a pedestal with the other, arguably bigger games on this list, but judging from what we’ve seen from ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission so far, you really shouldn’t discredit it on face value alone. A fully realised platformer in virtual reality, it’s set to join a long list of great PSVR games releasing lately.
From our Astro Robot Rescue Mission review:
“Don’t let Astro Bot Rescue Mission pass you by: it’s one of the most innovative and downright fun PlayStation VR games you’re ever likely to play.”
2. Forza Horizon 4 | October 2nd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmQNo8xtcAg
Developer: Playground Games
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Platform: PC, XB1
By all accounts a very similar game to the Horizon entries that came before it, Forza Horizon 4 will no doubt appeal to those who want an arcade/sim hybrid from their racing games. The reviews for it are absolutely glowing, which may be down to the fact that you can actually drive around Britain’s roads without encountering traffic jams. Might be different if it was set in central London, mind.
3. Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise | October 2nd
Developer: Sega CS1
Publisher: Sega
Platform: PS4
At its essence, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise is a Yakuza game with an anime overlay and the ability to recreate that infamous meme. It will appeal to anyone who’s either a North Star or Yakuza fan, but it may surprise you if you let it. If nothing else, the deep well of content will certainly tide you over for a long while.
4. Mega Man 11 | October 2nd
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform: PC, PS4, XB1, Switch
Mega Man is back, and judging from the reception to the Mega Man 11 reveal, Capcom probably shouldn’t have waited so long. Taking the action from a 2D plane to a mixture of 2D and 3D, the most obvious comparison for Mega Man 11 is Mighty No. 9 in terms of visual style, but there’s absolutely no way it could turn out to be just as much a trainwreck. Right?
5. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey | October 5th
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform: PC, PS4, XB1
It’s strange to see Odyssey release so quickly after Origins, especially since the break between Syndicate and Origins was the reason why the latter felt so fresh. Taking the action to Ancient Greece, Odyssey looks like doing away a lot of the stealth (and general assassinating) in favour of bigger battles and scale. We’re a little cool on this one, but we would love to be pleasantly surprised.
6. Super Mario Party | October 5th
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch
Before you even think about playing Super Mario Party on the Switch, you should probably sign a contract with your friends to stipulate that whatever happens in the game, stays in the game. Super Mario Party promises to cause some arguments this October, but will provide just as much fun. Featuring some interesting uses of the Joy-Cons, Super Mario Party may offer some levity in what is a very heavy month.
7. WWE 2K19 | October 9th
Developer: Yukes/2K Games
Publisher: 2K Games
Platform: PC, PS4, XB1
We weren’t sold on WWE 2K19 before it revealed its new and improved Career Mode, but we still have our reservations. Recent WWE 2K games have released in sorry states with incremental changes, so here’s hoping WWE 2K19 is good from the off and also delivers on the promise of just being more of a fun experience rather than a forced and simulated one.
8. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | October 12th
Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision
Platform: PC, PS4, XB1
The single-player campaign may be gone, but early impressions suggest that Blackout is a decent substitute. Ultimately, however, this is still a Call of Duty game, which may mean that it will be hard for anyone but long-term fans to find a foothold in the game. Still, with multiplayer, Zombies, and the aforementioned battle to play around in, Black Ops 4 will be nothing if not interesting.
9. Soulcalibur VI | October 19th
Developer: Project Soul/Dimps
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platform: PC, PS4, XB1
The long-awaited return of Soulcalibur comes this October and features the same barmy weapon-based fighting that has helped it stand out over the years. Geralt is the customary guest character this time out in a game that I just can’t wait to release, simply so Soulcalibur obsessive Ash can shut up about it and move on to other games.
10. Red Dead Redemption 2 | October 26th
Developer: Rockstar Games
Publisher: Take-Two
Platform: PS4, XB1
Some indie game about cowboys that we thought we would add here for parity.
11. Call of Cthulhu | October 30th
Developer: Cyanide Studio
Publisher: Take-Two
Platform: PC, PS4, XB1
It’s been a long while since we’ve had a decent Call of Cthulu game, but Cyanide’s adaptation of Chaosium’s vision looks like it may be fitting the bill nicely. A RPG horror puzzler, Call of Cthulhu goes to some dark places when it releases just in time for Halloween and includes a surprising amount of depth, though you would expect nothing less from the guys behind the supremely underrated Styx series.
Our Pick For October 2018
Come on. Really? It has to be Red Dead Redemption 2, even if we still don’t have the full picture this close to release. Any game that can get us at least close to John Marston is going to be worth playing, as well as one on this size and scale. Will be intrigued to see how Red Dead Online shapes up when it launches into beta in November, however.
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.
