Written by Blackamura
Streamcast launches Phase 2 today! New content, same old lovable cast (minus one)!
Arguably, autumn might be the most jam packed season of the year when it comes to new releases. Splatoon 3, Bayonetta 3 and Sonic Frontiers are just a few bangers you can expect to see over the season.
We like to keep these lists to 5 so we can’t include every great game but continue reading to find out which 5 games we believe will be the best new games to come out this season.
Of course all release dates below are correct at the time of writing so these are always subject to change or delay.
1. Grid Force: Mask of the Goddess
I had the opportunity to play this at the Barclays Games Frenzy event back in June and I can’t wait to pick this up again!
Grid Force unapologetically boasts an all-female cast with you taking control of Donna - someone who has lost all memory of who she is. I really enjoy this kind of storytelling when it comes to games as it perfectly reflects the mind state of a player starting a new game.
As Donna starts to find her feet, she comes across friends who remember her such as Koniko whose bitterness and snappiness is reflected by her lightning-fast reflexes. Other friends you meet also have abilities that reflect their personalities such as Bird, who is a protector and is like a mother so it’s only fair that she be the one with the most strength and she advises you in and out of combat.
As the name suggests, Grid Force is a grid-based real-time RPG so strategy and speed will be equally important to defeat your enemies and progress in the game.
If you like manga-style art then there’s even more to like about this game as the bulk of the story is told using black and white manga panels.
With genuine diversity and multiple endings to be seen, I can’t wait to uncover just who Donna is and find out how in-game decisions will affect the ending you unlock.
Grid Force lands on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch on 15th September.
2. Gotham Knights
Gotham without Batman? That sounds insane but that’s the reality of the world we’re living in. Play as Red Hood, Batgirl, Robin or Thicc Gr- Nightwing in solo play or co-op with one other player and continue the work that Bruce Wayne started under his cowl.
I won’t lie, I’m a little disappointed that four player co-op isn’t a possibility in this game but I pray this changes in the future.
I have been excited to see the customisation options for the various heroes and the fact they will all play differently means the likelihood of me replaying this game is high!
Gotham is the ghetto but it’s your ghetto. It’s all up to you and a potential partner to keep the streets clean when the game releases on 21st October on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, PS4 and PS5.
3. The Chant
Oh, I love a white garment cult!
I like the direction this game has gone in, opting for a story telling manner more akin to a film with a tranquil retreat being the vehicle getting us to this strange island.
Things appear to quickly unravel as the group on the retreat either summons, or is transported to, an alternate dimension. People are screaming, there are monsters everywhere - it all seems a bit of a mess to be honest!
Jess Briars is the protagonist of this title and she uses the retreat to get away from the stresses of her career in biomedicine. Only time will tell if she will be able to survive the horrors of Glory Island and return to her normal life.
The Chant starts from 3rd November on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
4. Pokémon Scarlet/Violet
It’s that time again!
Pokémon is one of the greatest gaming franchises of all time and when people start to complain that the series is becoming stale, Pokémon switches things up.
Pokémon Go, Let’s Go and Legends: Arceus have shown that the powerhouse publisher knows how to continually experiment and evolve with their titles.
Scarlet and Violet will have you running the gauntlet once again; you will be thrust into an open world with the pengest Professors ever guiding you throughout your journey.
With the legendaries Koraidon and Miraidon representing the past and future respectively, I wonder whether time will play a prominent factor in the plot concerning the 9th Pokémon generation.
Just as important as your legendary is the first Pokémon you call yours and you will have the selection of Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. You know me, as the resident fire starter, I have to go with Fuecoco.
Let us know who your starter will be on 18th November for the Nintendo Switch.
5. God of War: Ragnarök
I have waited four long years for the sequel to 2018’s God of War. To this day, it’s the best game I’ve ever played. It is the pinnacle of perfectly blended storytelling and gameplay. For many gamers, God of War was their first experience of playing through the life of Kratos but for those legends that played through the prequels, you know why this game was special.
The same way that God of War I, II & III covered Kratos’ story, the 2018 Game of the Year covers the story of Kratos’ son Atreus. It would have been so simple to make Atreus just like Kratos but Atreus was the complete antithesis of his father. Where Kratos was violent and headstrong, Atreus was multilingual, soft-spoken and empathetic.
This naturally caused the two main characters to not get along for most of the game. This was reflected in the gameplay as Atreus starts the game being unhelpful when it comes to combat, resulting in Kratos barking at and talking down to his son.
It is only when the threat of losing his son becomes real that Kratos truly understands that it’s not enough to just be Atreus’ protector, he must also be his father. Once Atreus recovers, the bond between the two changes with Atreus now being the one out of pocket who needs discipline to set him straight.
As Atreus is shown true love and acceptance, father and son are able to overcome the big bad who has been chasing them since the start of the game. Much like a Greek tragedy, they set in motion the first embers of the end of the world.
I am looking forward to fighting Thor, Freya and Odin but I’m really looking forward to finding out some answers. How did Kratos get to Midgard? Why did Faye choose Kratos? And who blew the horn when Kratos was carrying Atreus?!
Ragnarök is coming and we must be ready to slaughter whoever stands in Kratos’ way, just like old times.
The end is near, it’s actually set for 9th November on the PS4 and PS5.
So there you have it, five games that we can’t wait to play as the leaves start to fall and the weather starts to get colder. Let us know what your most anticipated autumn release is, did we mention it? If not, which game are you most looking forward to playing?