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 overlook.

　　Well… apologies to your wallet in advance as October is almost upon and it’s one of the biggest ones in years. Major blockbusters like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder are being backed up by almost equally-exciting titles like Alan Wake 2, Forza Motorsport, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Lords of the Fallen, just to name a few. And indies aren’t sitting out the month either, with promising titles like Wargroove 2 and Ghostrunner 2 on the way.

　　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

　　Assassin's Creed Mirage (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 5)

　　For some time now, more, more, more has been Ubisoft’s mantra for each new Assassin’s Creed -- more content, bigger worlds, deeper RPG systems – but Assassin’s Creed Mirage opts to go in the opposite direction. This is a more stripped-down, traditional action-adventure take on AC. Will Mirage live up to old-school fans expectations? Probably, but don’t expect old irritations with the formula to be fixed – during my early hands-on time, I found the game did in fact feel like classic Assassin’s Creed, for better and for worse. You can pre-order Assassin’s Creed Mirage here.

　　Forza Motorsport (PC & Xbox Series X/S, Oct. 10)

　　Microsoft’s premier racing sim drifts back onto the track this month. The new Forza Motorsport promises some impressive technical updates, including full in-race ray tracing at 60fps and number of updates to the series’ driving mechanics, weather simulation, and more. Xbox fans who have been looking jealously at Gran Turismo 7 are about to have their day. You can pre-order Forza Motorsport here.

　　Total War: Pharaoh (PC, Oct. 11)

　　The Total War franchise marches on with Ancient Egypt serving as the latest battlefield. Total War: Pharaoh will be a somewhat stripped-down experience compared to some other recent entries in the series. The focus this time around seems to be on more dynamic battles, which can be affected by weather and fires, and a greater ability to customize your campaigns in granular detail. Time to send your enemies crying for their mummies. You can pre-order Total War: Pharaoh here.

　　Lords of the Fallen (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Oct. 13)

　　Yes, Soulslikes are a dime a dozen at this point, but the upcoming Lords of the Fallen looks to be a more promising example of the subgenre than most. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the game is gorgeous, truly capturing that dark From Software aesthetic, and employs a clever dual-world mechanic that hopefully sets it apart from the rest of the grim pack. Check out Wccftech's hands-on coverage here. You can pre-order Lords of the Fallen here.

　　Sonic Superstars (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 17)

　　Do you wish the Sonic franchise would give up on the gimmicks and just give fans a good, old-school 2D adventure? Well, then Sonic Superstars is for you. While the game features updated HD graphics, it’s designed to play just like the 16-bit classics. With a slate of all-new levels, a ton of favorite characters, and full co-op play, this one miiiight just avoid the dreaded Sonic Cycle (although no promises on that). You can pre-order Sonic Superstars here.

　　Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (PS5, Oct. 20)

　　Over five years after its initial release, Marvel’s Spider-Man is still the definitive open-world superhero experience, and Insomniac Games looks to one-up their previous work with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. This time around Insomniac is doing their own take on the Venom storyline, with players being able to play with the alien symbiote costume and switch freely between Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Is this game more of the same? Sure, to some degree, but when the original was so good, I’ll happily take seconds. You can pre-order Spider-Man 2 here.

　　Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch, Oct. 20)

　　Mario finally returns to his side-scrolling roots with his first all-new 2D platformer in over a decade, Super Mario Bros. Wonder. While the New Super Mario Bros. series had a tendency to feel a bit bland, Nintendo is adding plenty of wacky flavor to this one, including an elephant powerup for Mario and “Wonder Flowers” that will remix stages in weird and unpredictable ways. Needless to say, Mario doesn’t miss when it comes to platformers, and he’s not gonna start with this game. You can pre-order Super Mario Bros. Wonder here.

　　Cities: Skylines II (PC, Oct. 24; Consoles in 2024)

　　For years now Cities: Skyline has been carrying the urban builder torch after EA and Maxis abandoned the Sim City franchise, and now a full sequel is finally on the way. In addition to a major update to the tech under the hood, Cities: Skylines II promises a new approach to progression, more complex city services, a full weather system, and more. Your new lazy Sunday afternoon time waster is here. You can pre-order Cities: Skylines II here.

　　Alan Wake 2 (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Oct. 27)

　　After years as a cult-favorite, it seems like the Alan Wake franchise is finally ready for the big time. Remedy Entertainment’s first full-on horror game, Alan Wake 2 offers up a split narrative – half will be devoted to Alan himself as he navigates a trippy version of New York, while the other follows FBI agent Saga Anderson as she tries to unwind various mysteries in dark, quirky Twin-Peaks-esque town. It looks like Remedy is throwing absolutely everything they have at this one and it could well be a new benchmark for both them and the horror genre as a whole. You can pre-order Alan Wake 2 here.

　　EA Sports UFC 5 (Xbox Series X/S & Switch, Oct. 27)

　　Get ready to step into the octagon again with EA Sports UFC 5. This time around EA is using the Frostbite Engine to deliver much more detailed characters and more gruesome violence. As a result, this will be the first M-rated entry in EA’s franchise, so expect the sport to be represented in all it’s bloody glory. You can pre-order EA Sports UFC 5 here.

Promising Indies

　　Wargroove 2 (PC & Switch, Oct. 5)

　　Released back in 2019, the original Wargroove satisfied many fans’ desire for a new Advance-Wars-style tactical strategy game. Wargroove 2 adds new maps, units, creation tools, and more to what was a very solid foundation. Nintendo recently revisited the Advance Wars series with a remake first two GBA games, but Wargroove should still be able to stand on its own. Here’s the Steam page for Wargroove 2.

　　Wizard with a Gun (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 17)

　　Wizard with a Gun is a new isometric co-op survival game ala Don’t Starve Together, but with a lot more bullet-riddled action added to the mix. Customize both your wizard and your weapons then blast your way through various procedurally generated biomes in search of various crafting items and other goodies. This one looks magically delicious. Here’s the Steam page for Wizard with a Gun.

　　Ghostrunner 2 (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Oct. 26)

　　2020’s Ghostrunner earned a loyal fanbase with its frenetic combination of parkour-like platforming and hack ‘n’ slash action, and developer One More Level is looking to wallrun to a new level with this sequel. Ghostrunner 2 just looks much bigger, more visually-impressive and ambitious than its predecessor, adding new abilities, destructible environments, and a badass motorcycle to the mix. Here’s the Steam page for Ghostrunner 2.

　　Full List of Games Worth Watching in October:

　　Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless (PC, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 3)Silent Hope (PC & Switch, Oct. 3)Station to Station (PC, Oct. 3)The Lamplighters League (PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X/S, Oct. 3)A Tiny Sticker Tale (PC & Switch, Oct. 4)Assassin's Creed Mirage (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 5)Cricket 24 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 5)Front Mission 2: Remake (Switch, Oct. 5)Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 5)Wargroove 2 (PC & Switch, Oct. 5)Detective Pikachu Returns (Switch, Oct. 6)NHL 24 (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 6)Forza Motorsport (PC & Xbox Series X/S, Oct. 10)Total War: Pharaoh (PC, Oct. 11)Haunted House (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, & Atari VCS, Oct. 12)Star Trek: Infinite (PC, Oct. 12)Lords of the Fallen (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Oct. 13)Transformers: EarthSpark – Expedition (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 13)Cyber Knights: Flashpoint (PC, Oct. 17)Skull Island: Rise of Kong (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 17)Sonic Superstars (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 17)Wizard with a Gun (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 17)Alaskan Road Truckers (PC, Oct. 18)Hellboy: Web of Wyrd (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 18)Endless Dungeon (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 19)Gargoyles Remastered (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 19)Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 19)Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 19)Strike Force Heroes (PC, Oct. 19)The Jackbox Party Pack 10 (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 19)World of Horror (PC, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 19)Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (PS5, Oct. 20)Slay the Princess (PC, Oct. 20)Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch, Oct. 20)Cites: Skylines II (PC, Oct. 24)Just Dance 2024 (Xbox Series X/S, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 24)The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (PC & PS5, Oct. 24; Xbox Series X/S later)Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 24)Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord (Meta Quest & PS VR2, Oct. 26)Ghostrunner 2 (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Oct. 26)War Hospital (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Oct. 26)Alan Wake 2 (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Oct. 27)Desolatium (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 27)EA Sports UFC 5 (Xbox Series X/S & Switch, Oct. 27)Headbangers: Rhythm Royale (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 & Switch, Oct. 31)Jusant (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Oct. 31)Stray Souls (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Oct. 31)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?