It has been an amazing year for video games, and there are more to come. Here are the top 10 games you should buy this month.
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10. Jusant (October 30, 2023)
Climbing has become an essential, sometimes gratuitous, mechanic for many games, so it may seem odd that Jusant’s primary mechanic is just that – climbing. However, it is getting praise from early access previews and, maybe, when climbing is your main mechanic, not a necessary evil for traversal, it may get a more robust treatment. You are tasked with climbing a tall mountain and the simple, straightforward goal is already enticing in a gaming world that fixates on complexity. Amid the simple goal, the climbing boasts realism as you control both characters’ arms, reaching for the next handhold. Additionally, on your climb, you will discover the remains of a lost civilization, which may indicate a deeper story than meets the eye.
9. Bilkins’ Folly (October 2, 2023)
Bilkins’ Folly may be one of the more obscure games on the list but its cute tone and gameplay variations may make it an October sleeper hit. You play Percival “Percy” Bilkins who must find a ship, reunite with his crew, and discover family secrets. It’s categorized as a top-down narrative adventure game. A big part of the game is finding treasure and materials with the help of your best friend, a dog named Drayton. The dog will be essential for sniffing out treasures and indicating the exact spot for digging. Some of the more interesting features are the various mini-games, which can range from Tetris and fishing. As for, navigation, you will use an in-game ruler to mark intersecting lines, which seems like a unique and fun gimmick for pinpointing treasure locations. It may be silly, but after looking at some gameplay, Bilkins’ Folly may be an underrated gem.
8. Detective Pikachu Returns (October 6, 2023)
The original Detective Pikachu came out in 2018, filling the gap of adventure games in the Pokemon world. In the sequel, you play a young man named Tim and Pikachu as they investigate mysteries and solve crimes. Tim can understand Pikachu, but he can’t understand any other Pokemon, so the noir-inspired Pikachu does most of the translation in a bizarrely funny middle-aged take on the iconic character. Detective Pikachu continues to be a charming subseries that strives for case-solving mechanics and delightful interactions between Pokemon and humans. If you want a different take on Pokemon and a more light-hearted October game, then consider picking up Detective Pikachu Returns.
7. Forza Motorsport (October 10, 2023)
Despite being the eighth entry in the series, Forza Motorsport removed the numerical value from the title, signifying a soft reboot for the long-running racing series. As part of the reboot, Forza Motorsport will be a service platform, with development support years after release. Along with this, expect a massive jump in fidelity, visuals, and crash physics. The game boasts 4K resolution on the Series X, real-time ray tracing, and 3D material scans, which will bring an unfounded realism to the cars and tracks. Speaking of cars, Forza Motorsport will have over 500 at launch, including the 2020 Toyota GR Supra, the 2020 Lamborghini Hurricane EVO, and the 2019 McLaren Senna.
6. Sonic SuperStars (October 17, 2023)
Sonic SuperStars looks to revive the classic feel of 2D Sonic in the modern era. It features up to four-player drop-in drop-out multiplayer. Along with the co-op campaign, you can go head-to-head with your friends in battle mode. Here, robotic versions of the characters, Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, and Amy Rose compete in races and survival mini-games. In an alteration from the original games, there is no game over screens or 1Ups. Instead of gaining an extra life after collecting 100 rings, players find collectibles that help customize their robotic battle mode avatars. If you miss the original 2D Sonic games, then Sonic SuperStars captures their feel while focusing on an easier multiplayer/split-screen experience.
5. Ghostrunner 2 (October 26, 2023)
Ghostrunner 2 is the sequel to the first-person, fast-paced slasher from 2020. It takes place in an apocalyptic cyberpunk where you must destroy a cult that is threatening the last of humanity. This time around, the game introduces vehicular combat and traversal through the motorbike, which seamlessly matches the staple unstoppable speed from the first game. Additionally, new supernatural abilities let you take out enemies in unique, dashingly fast ways. Ghostrunner 2 is aiming to be the most fast-paced and stylistic game in October.
4. Assassin’s Creed Mirage (October 5, 2023)
Originally, an expansion for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Mirage turned into a full-fledged game. You play as Basim and rise the ranks of the Assassin’s order in 9th-century Bagdad. The game boasts a return to form, branching away from the RPG formula of recent Assassin’s Creed and returning to the stealth-heavy approach of the earlier games. Instead of a massive map sprawling lands and cities, Mirage takes place in a singular, condensed city and focuses on assassinating several targets. Mirage is perfect for those who miss the original Assassin’s Creed games, and its short 20-hour runtime makes it a welcome respite in a year filled with games that take 100 or more hours to beat.
3. Super Mario Bros Wonder (October 20, 2023)
The next 2D Mario game is getting weird. Super Marion Bros Wonder has all the jumping and Koopa stomping you expect but with polished visuals and well-animated movements. The catch is the wonder flowers. Collecting these will transform the map into a magical and mind-bending environment: warp pipes slither across the ground, the camera takes a top-down perspective, sheep float across the screen, and other bizarre events will change the game. Additionally, new abilities are introduced like a drill mushroom that lets you drill into the ground or the elephant fruit, which turns Mario into an elephant. Super Mario Bros Wonder will surely be a delightful experience to play solo or with friends.
2. Alan Wake 2 (October 27, 2023)
The last we saw Alan Wake, he was stuck in the dark place, a strange dimension that affects life through creativity. Now, 13 years later we can check back in on the horror writer and see how his work has intentionally and unintentionally affected the world. In Alan Wake 2, you play the titular character as he tries to escape the dark place and FBI agent, Sage Anderson, who is tasked with uncovering the truth behind ritualistic murders in Bright Falls. The intriguing part is that you can switch between the two characters anytime, opting to play through Anderson’s full story first, or vice versa. The original game was invitingly cryptic and the sequel, with a focus on survival horror, is aiming to be one of the most convoluted yet fascinating games of the year.
1. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (October 20, 2023)
One of the most anticipated PlayStation exclusives of the year, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 introduces Venom and the symbiote suit into Incomniac’s Spider-Man universe. This time around, you play as two different Spider-Man, Miles and Peter. Miles has electricity and cloaking abilities while Peter gains the aggressive powers of Venom through the symbiote suit. The hardening of Peter’s personality takes center stage in the narrative, which will follow up on teased plot points from the original. From a gameplay perspective, the sequel changes it up by letting you switch between the two Spider-Man at any time during open-world exploration. With some of the best traversal, combat, and visuals on the PlayStation 4, there are high hopes that Spider-Man 2 will be one of the best games of the year.
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