Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Mirage focuses on Basim Ibn Ishaq and his journey from street thief to an assassin as part of the Hidden Ones. With only the four districts of 9th century Baghdad to explore, the return of parkour and urban traversal, and a more open-ended approach to assassinating targets, Assassin’s Creed Mirage looks to be a strong return to form.

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria

Following up on the success of titles like Valheim, The Forest, and more, Free Range Games’ co-op experience focuses on Gimli and his dwarves as they return to reclaim Moria. Players will traverse the mines, claiming different resources to create better tools, weapons and armor, and battle enemies like orcs, cave trolls and more. With base-building, exploration, survival elements and support for up to eight players, it’s an overall different spin on the Lord of the Rings formula and launches on October 24th for PS5 and PC.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is easily the biggest release of next month and launches on October 20th for PS5. Set several months after the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, it sees Peter and Miles battling new villains like Kraven and his hunters, while also dealing with Dr. Curt Connors, who transforms into Lizard. Meanwhile, the Symbiote takes hold of Peter, granting new powers but corrupting his mind. With a map that’s twice as large as previous games, brand new activities and abilities, and instantaneous switching between both heroes, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 looks like a step up from the original in almost every way.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

At first glance, Super Mario Bros. Wonder seems to ask, “What if Mario, but trippy?” After Bowser shows up in the Flower Kingdom and does Bowser things, it’s up to Mario and friends to stop him. New Wonder Flowers can alter a stage in crazy ways, from living pipes to an overhead perspective and stampeding enemies, but the 2D platformer has a lot more to offer. You can equip Badges for unique perks, and use new power-ups like turning into an Elephant or using bubbles to trap enemies.

Multiplayer supports up to four players with the option to create rooms and partake in races, while asynchronous elements like Live Player Shadows add a whole new dimension to solo play. Super Mario Bros. Wonder launches on October 20th for Nintendo Switch.

Detective Pikachu Returns

If you need a Switch title to tide you over before Mario’s next big adventure, there’s Detective Pikachu Returns. As a sequel to the 2016 adventure title on the Nintendo DS, it sees Tim Goodman and Detective Pikachu working together once more to investigate the disappearance of Harry, Tim’s father.

While Tim questions human NPCs for clues, Pikachu interacts with Pokemon and uses their abilities in unique ways, like tracking scents with Growlithe, destroying objects with Darmanitan or seeing through walls with Luxray. How extensive the mystery will be remains to be seen, but Detective Pikachu Returns should be worth investigating when it launches on October 6th on Nintendo Switch.

Forza Motorsport

As a reboot of Turn 10 Studios’ acclaimed racing sim franchise, Forza Motorsport has over 500 cars (with more than 100 making their debut for the series), 20 locations, and 800 upgrades. It’s a ground-up rebuilding of what makes the Motorsport series so good. Everything, from the handling and tire physics to the damage model and visuals, has been revamped and supports full ray tracing during gameplay.

The new Builders Cup will test your skills in single-player, while Featured Multiplayer aims to create a living racing community with continuous events. All of this barely scratches the surface of Forza Motorsport, and we can’t wait to dive deeper when it launches on October 10th for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Sonic Superstars

Jump up, superstar, but not quite the one you’re thinking. Sonic Superstars sees Sonic, Knuckles, Amy and Tails reunited, venturing to the new North Star Islands to combat Eggman, Fang the Sniper and the mysterious chip. For the first time in the series, there’s support for up to four players on screen, while new abilities manifest thanks to Emerald Powers.

If you’re looking for more competitive multiplayer, Battle Mode is available with races, star collecting and survival for up to eight players online and four players locally. Sonic Superstars launches on October 17th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Ghostrunner 2

Jack is back and this time, he’s venturing outside of Dharma Tower to pursue an AI cult. You’ll still traverse perilous environments, wall-running, slow-mo dodging and slicing enemies into ribbons (while hopefully not dying). However, along with new skills, Jack also has a bike to engage in fast-paced stages with split-second platforming. Releasing on October 26th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, Ghostrunner 2 also promises revamped progression, more involving boss fights and the same synthwave goodness.

NHL 24

Compared to EA Sports’ other properties, from the revamped EA Sports FC 24 to the long-awaited EA Sports UFC 5, NHL 24 may feel like more of the same. However, EA Vancouver promises plenty of new features, from new total control skills to a new passing system, physics-based contact and even full crossplay for Ultimate Team and the new and improved World of Chel.

Whether you’re keen on body-checking fools or mastering the system’s intricacies, NHL 24 looks like a sizable improvement over its predecessor. It launches on October 6th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4 and Xbox One.

Lords of the Fallen

Lords of the Fallen is releasing on October 13th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Developed in Unreal Engine 5 and aiming to be Dark Souls 4.5 in a post-Elden Ring world, it sees players exploring two worlds: Axiom, the Land of the Living, and Umbral, the Land of the Dead.

While you have a litany of weapons, armor sets, and spells to battle enemies, utilizing the Umbral Lamp to traverse environments and potentially escape the realm of the dead is also important. It looks sharp, and even with the release of Lies of P, who can say no to another solid Souls-like?

Alan Wake 2

Over 13 years since the first game’s release (both in-game and outside of it), Alan Wake finally returns in a full-fledged sequel. While Alan remains trapped in the Dark Place, seeking an escape, newcomer and FBI agent Saga Anderson ventures to Bright Falls to investigate killings related to Wake’s work. The former surreal environments and even bends them in unique ways, while the latter acquires clues and organizes them in her mind space.

Both will have to deal with horrifying enemies, using flashlights to focus and make them vulnerable to firearms. With a much more ambitious scale and gorgeous visuals, Alan Wake 2 could be a dark horse in one of the most packed years in gaming. It’s out on October 27th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1

At long last, the legend returns…sort of. Konami’s Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection is a compilation of the mainline titles, with Vol. 1 featuring Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. These aren’t remasters or remakes, though – Metal Gear Solid is locked to 30 FPS, while Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 are from the HD Collection released about a decade ago.

Nevertheless, they’re as faithful as you can get, while the collection delivers goodies like graphic novels, guides, scripts and even the option to play Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake and even Snake’s Revenge. Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 launches on October 24th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Transformers: EarthSpark – Expedition

Going from the Cybertron series and Transformers Devastation to this doesn’t paint Transformers: EarthSpark – Expedition in the best light. Nevertheless, Tessera Studios’ action-adventure title could be better than expected with its combat and exploration. It launches on October 13th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged

A follow-up to the surprisingly entertaining Hot Wheels Unleashed, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged offers even more arcade racing with more content and features. There are five new environments, from a museum to a mini-golf course, new abilities like double jumping, and over 130 vehicles (with two new types: motorcycles and ATVs).

There’s even an extensive new campaign and cross-platform support with new modes like Elimination Events and Drift Challenges. All-in-all, it looks like a worthy follow-up that doubles down on what works. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged launches on October 19th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Ark: Survival Ascended

What if Ark: Survival Evolved but remade in Unreal Engine 5 (and also charging fans for it)? For better or worse, Studio Wildcard is going in that direction with Ark: Survival Ascended, which launches in October for PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Along with better visuals and support for Nanite and Lumen, it offers cross-platform multiplayer, improved performance, a new third-person camera, Photo Mode, an updated mini-map, ping system and much more. Will it be worth the wait, especially with the $45 price and Survival Evolved going offline? Time will tell, but thus far, the developer has its work cut out for it.

"We wanted to create a story that everyone could enjoy, so Bumblebee was the perfect starting point."

Given how many fan-favorite characters the massive cast of Transformers has featured over the years, what was behind the decision to shine the spotlight on Bumblebee in particular for this game?

Bumblebee is an iconic character that has been prominent in so much Transformers media over the recent years. He is instantly recognisable to both the new, younger generation of fans and by those who’ve been fans of the franchise for decades, and acts almost like a link between the generations. We wanted to create a story that everyone could enjoy, so Bumblebee was the perfect starting point. We also felt there was a lot to explore within Bumblebee’s character and backstory, so we’re looking forward to seeing seasoned fans discover new things about this heroic Autobot.

For fans of the Transformers IP, will EARTHSPARK – Expedition feature plenty of references and easter eggs?

Absolutely! We have plenty of recognisable characters that will appear alongside Bumblebee throughout the game, including Optimus Prime of course, as well as Grimlock, Skullcruncher, Nova Storm, and Skywarp. The in-game card collection features a number of illustrations and descriptions of fan-favorite characters from across the Transformers universe, and astute players will also notice a few subtle easter eggs throughout the game…

How heavily will the game emphasize exploration, especially given the game’s inclusion of Metroidvania design elements?

The game has a very big focus on open exploration, with plenty of secrets, detours, and side missions dotted about the biomes for players to discover. The side missions link closely to the main story, so there’s a lot of incentive there to find and complete them. Players are also able to backtrack to previous biomes in order to access new areas that may have originally been inaccessible the first time around.

 What can you tell us about the three biomes that will be available, and how much they will differ from each other?

The three biomes work as separate maps that must be completed in order to access the next one. The first is Road Canyon, the second is Jungle Temple, and the third and final is the Glacial Mountain. As can be inferred from the names, each biome boasts a new type of environment with unique threats, challenges, and twists that keep the game exciting.

"Bumblebee’s racing car form can be used to travel around the world more quickly, but it can also be incorporated into powerful combo attacks in battle too. There are lots of possibilities here for players to explore."

What kind of depth and variety can players expect from the game’s combat systems, and the abilities that will be available in Bumblebee’s arsenal?

We’ve developed a dynamic hack and slash combat system that utilises combos to create exciting action sequences. New abilities and combos can be unlocked as the game progresses, with abilities like the Charged Shot and Grapple allowing access to new areas, and others like the Ultra Attack allowing huge amounts of damage to be done to enemies.

How expansive can players expect the game’s progression mechanics to be?

Players can expect to gradually unlock new game mechanics throughout their playtime. While the list of new combos and upgraded abilities is expansive, many players will likely gravitate to a few that they enjoy using such as the Charged Shot or Nitro Boost

What sort of an impact will Bumblebee’s vehicle form have on different aspects of gameplay, from movement to combat to exploration?

Bumblebee’s racing car form can be used to travel around the world more quickly, but it can also be incorporated into powerful combo attacks in battle too. There are lots of possibilities here for players to explore.

With TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition being a game that’s designed for all ages, what are the biggest challenges of crafting an experience like that? How do you look to strike the right balance between complexity and accessibility?

The most important thing for a game like this is to keep the core mechanics simple enough for young players to grasp, while providing optional additional features that appeal to older, and more experienced players (for example, our fully-fledged combo system). By identifying challenges young players typically have with open world games, and implementing solutions that helped solve those problems, we were able to create a solid foundation. We then added a lot of side missions, collectibles, and other optional content that provides rewards for those who are up to the challenge.

"We’ve developed a dynamic hack and slash combat system that utilises combos to create exciting action sequences."

Roughly how long will an average playthrough of the game be?

TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition will take many hours to complete the main story campaign and then even more to find every collectible and hidden easter egg within the game.

Since the reveal of the PS5 and Xbox Series’ specs, a lot of comparisons have been made between the GPU speeds of the two consoles, with the PS5 at 10.28 TFLOPS and the Xbox Series X at 12 TFLOPS. How much of an impact on development do you think that difference will have?

Working on a title for both older generation consoles at the same time as a current console requires that there be some concessions, because of modern development tools. However, the smaller TFLOPS difference between both console generations doesn’t have a huge impact on our development perspective.

The PS5 features an incredibly fast SSD with 5.5GB/s raw bandwidth. How can developers take advantage of this, and how does this compare to the Xbox Series X’s 2.4GB/s raw bandwidth?

The PS5 and XSX SSDs are without a doubt, much faster than older generation consoles. One opportunity is to take advantage of the loading times, and to use them to develop seamless transitions between maps.

The Xbox Series S features lesser hardware compared to Xbox Series and Microsoft is pushing it as a 1440p/60 FPS console. Do you think it will be able to hold up for the more graphically intensive games as this generation progresses?

1440p/60 FPS is still an ambitious goal from a performance perspective, so it is possible that many incoming games are going to target 30 FPS on Xbox Series S because of those hardware restrictions.

"The game has a very big focus on open exploration, with plenty of secrets, detours, and side missions dotted about the biomes for players to discover."

What frame rate and resolution will the game target on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S?

In PS5 and Xbox Series X, TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition will have 4k resolution and 60FPS. The Xbox Series S edition will feature 1440p resolution and a frame rate of 60FPS.

What frame rate and resolution will the game target on the Switch in docked and undocked modes?

For undocked mode, the dynamic resolution will be between 480-720/30FP, whereas docked Switches will have dynamic resolution between 720-1080/30FPS.

What are your thoughts on the Steam Deck? Do you have plans for any specific optimizations for the device?

It is an incredible portable console, I think people are very happy with how it is handling games. However, TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition won’t have any specific optimizations for the Steam Deck.