Keeping track of all the latest video games coming out is an increasingly complex task, what with multiple PC storefronts, Xbox One, PS4, Switch, mobile, and more to keep track of, but don’t worry, I’m here to help. Every month I'll be running down the games you need to be keeping an eye on, from the big triple-A headliners, to the intriguing indies you might otherwise overlook.

　　October is here, which means we’re now fully moving into the Holiday gaming season, with major games like Far Cry 6, Metroid Dread, Guardians of the Galaxy, and of course, the latest entry in the ever-reliable FIFA franchise on the way. On the indie front, players can look forward to a number of console exclusives, including Echo Generation and Moonglow Bay (both Xbox exclusive) and Jett: The Far Shore and Solar Ash (both PlayStation exclusive).

　　Note: While I may have played demos or got early access to some of the games recommended in this article, in most cases I’m simply choosing games that look promising, and can’t vouch for the end product. Do wait for reviews before buying!

　　That said, here are the games you should be looking out for in October…

The Headliners

　　FIFA 22 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch & Stadia, Oct. 1)

　　It’s time to hit the pitch yet again. FIFA 22 promises more realistic, satisfying-feeling movement and animation thanks to EA’s new HyperMotion capture technology, as well as the usual Career, Ultimate Team, and gameplay tweaks. I could go on, but I know you footie fans are going to grab this one regardless of what I say! Pre-order the game here.

　　Far Cry 6 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Stadia & Luna, Oct. 7)

　　Far Cry 6 delivers more of the series’ trademark open-world mayhem, with a few tweaks like the ability to craft various wacky makeshift weapons, but the real selling point seems to be the game’s story. Featuring a named protagonist with an actual backstory for the first time and a villain played by the deliciously sinister Giancarlo Esposito, you may actually find yourself paying attention in between blowing up stuff this time around. If you’d like to know more about Far Cry 6’s technical side, you can check out Wccftech’s interview with the game’s lead programmer here. Pre-order the game here.

　　Metroid Dread (Switch, Oct. 8)

　　Metroid Dread has taken on near-legendary status, as credible rumors of its existence emerged all the way back in 2005, but never materialized. Most gave up hope that the game actually existed long ago, but it’s actually happening. Carrying on directly from the events of Metroid Fusion (perhaps wisely, Metroid: Other M has been stricken from the cannon), Metroid Dread delivers the classic 2D exploratory platforming fans love, with a few new twists, like persistent EMMI robots that will stalk you throughout your adventure. Needless to say, Nintendo fans aren’t dreading this one. Pre-order the game here.

　　Back 4 Blood (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 12)

　　Left-4-Dead-style co-op shooters are a dime-a-dozen these days, but now the series’ creators at Turtle Rock Studios are returning to the genre with Back 4 Blood. This new co-op romp includes all the zombie blasting you’d expect, but also adds a new randomized card system to the mix that promises to add more variety to the proceedings. Is Back 4 Blood the next Left 4 Dead, or just another member of the zombie-shooting horde? We shall see. Pre-order the game here.

　　The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 22)

　　In what’s become a bit of a Halloween tradition, October marks the release of another entry in Supermassive Games’ The Dark Pictures Anthology, entitled House of Ashes. Last year’s Little Hope was a solid step up from the shaky Man of Medan, and House of Ashes could be Supermassive’s best Dark Pictures effort yet, given the game’s daring Iraq War setting and new player-controlled camera. The selection of October horror games is actually a bit thin this year, so it may be time to finally give this series a chance if you’ve been holding out. Pre-order the game here.

　　Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch (cloud), Oct. 26)

　　The galaxy’s most unlikely heroes get their own AAA video game, courtesy of the Deus Ex masterminds at Eidos Montreal. While Guardians of the Galaxy bears some superficial resemblance’s to Square Enix’s Avengers game, it’s more of a traditional single-player action-adventure with solid-looking combat, the player choice Eidos Montreal is known for, and of course, a kickass soundtrack. Eidos Montreal hasn’t let me down yet, and I don’t think they’re going to start now. Pre-order the game here.

　　Age of Empires IV (PC, Oct. 28)

　　Age of Empires IV may not be launching with quite as much content as past entries in the series -- a mere eight civs to begin with -- but it looks like that content will be nicely varied and balanced. The game’s campaigns promise to grander in scope, new tutorials should make things more accessible, and gameplay has been tweaked and streamlined. Age of Empires IV has a high standard to live up to, but the game looks like it has a shot of conquering fans’ hearts. Pre-order the game here.

　　Riders Republic (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Stadia & Luna, Oct. 28)

　　Get ready to get extreme! Riders Republic is developed by Ubisoft Annecy, who also made 2016’s Steep and includes a variety of different extreme sports (bikes, snowboards, skis, wingsuits) and the ability to races with up to 50 people on next-gen consoles. Riders Republic’s too-cool-for-school ‘tude is a bit tiresome, but the game throws so much at the wall, there’s a good chance you’ll find something you like. Pre-order the game here.

Promising Indies

　　Jett: The Far Shore (PC, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 5)

　　Jett: The Far Shore is a visually-unique new sci-fi adventure that veers away from the things most similar titles tend to focus on – namely blasting aliens and collecting resources. Instead, the game will be more exploration and puzzle driven, with players having to find out what makes the alien world they find themselves on tick in order to succeed. That said, there are plenty of dangers out there in space, and you’ll taste your fair share of action as well. Here’s the Epic Games Store page for Jett: The Far Shore.

　　The Riftbreaker (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 14)

　　The Riftbreaker is an interesting mashup of genres, combining Starcraft-like strategy with the action of Diablo or perhaps one of Housemarque’s older games. Try to build up your base and create a rift back to Earth, but when baddies show up, you can take your sword directly  to them, tactics be damned. In addition to looking fun, The Riftbreaker is a bit of a technical showcase, featuring ray tracing, FSR support, and more. You can get more technical tidbits in Wccftech’s full interview with The Riftbreaker developer Exor Studios. Here’s the Steam Page for The Riftbreaker.

　　Echo Generation (PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X/S, Oct. 21)

　　Echo Generation sports a fun retro vibe that’s one part Earthbound, one part Stranger Things, with a slick “elevated Minecraft” visual style that really sets it apart. Combining traditional adventure-game-style investigations with turn-based RPG battles, the game should appeal to a wide audience, but particularly to Canucks (the game’s main character literally sports the maple leaf on the back of his jacket and does battle with a hockey stick). Here’s the Steam page for Echo Generation.

　　Moonglow Bay (PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X/S, Oct. 26)

　　Video games and fishing have always gone together like fried halibut and tartar sauce, and Moonglow Bay seems like it may have what it takes to snag anglers’ hearts. The game takes its fishing fairly seriously, with a wide number of creature to catch, while also adding some RPG-like depth with an array of cooking minigames, a full Harvest-Moon-style village to explore, and a dramatic storyline to progress through. If you have a minute, do check out Wccftech’s full interview with the game’s creative directors. Here’s the Steam page for Moonglow Bay.

　　Solar Ash (PC, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 26)

　　Coming from indie studio Heart Machine (Hyper Light Drifter), Solar Ash looks like another impressively-stylish action-adventure, although this time around the pixel art has been replaced with a full 3D world. “Skate” through a beautiful open world using a unique motion system, and take down enemies and massive Shadow-of-the-Colossus-style bosses. A lot of about Solar Ash remains mysterious, but everything we’ve seen has been intriguing. Here’s the Epic Games Store page for Solar Ash.

　　Full List of Games Worth Watching in October:

　　FIFA 22 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch & Stadia, Oct. 1)Alan Wake Remastered (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 5)Jett: The Far Shore (PC, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 5)Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 5)Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 5)Far Cry 6 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Stadia & Luna, Oct. 7)The Lightbringer (PC & Switch, Oct. 7)Metroid Dread (Switch, Oct. 8)Back 4 Blood (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 12)Lumione (PC & Switch, Oct. 13)Aeon Must Die (PC, Xbox One, PS4 & Switch, Oct. 14)Despot's Game (PC, Oct. 14)Ruin Raiders (PC & Switch, Oct. 14)Stolen Realm (PC, Oct. 14)The Riftbreaker (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 14)Crysis Remastered Trilogy (PC, Xbox One, PS4 & Switch, Oct. 15)Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 15)The Good Life (PC, Xbox One, PS4 & Switch, Oct. 15)NHL 22 (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 15)The Caligula Effect 2 (PS4 & Switch, Oct. 19)A Little to the Left (PC, Oct. 21)Disciples: Liberation (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 21)Echo Generation (PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X/S, Oct. 21)Evertried (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 21)Toy Soldiers HD (PC, Xbox One, PS4 & Switch, Oct. 21)The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 22)The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf (PC, Xbox One, PS4 & Switch, Oct. 25)Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch (cloud), Oct. 26)Moonglow Bay (PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X/S, Oct. 26)Solar Ash (PC, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 26)Lovecraft's Untold Stories 2 (PC, Oct. 27)Super Robot Wars 30 (PC, PS4 & Switch, Oct. 27)Age of Empires IV (PC, Oct. 28)Riders Republic (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Stadia & Luna, Oct. 28)NASCAR 21: Ignition (PC, Xbox One & PS4, Oct. 28)Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi (Xbox One, PS4 & Switch, Oct. 28)Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars (PC, Oct. 28)Mario Party Superstars (Switch, Oct. 29)PJ Masks: Heroes Of The Night (Xbox One, PS4 & Switch, Oct. 29)And those are the games you should be keeping an eye on this coming month. What games are you planning to pick up in October? Did I miss anything you’re looking forward to?