The Biggest October 2023 Video Game Releases

Battle Shapers takes the integral ingredients of Mega Man, a first-person shooter, and a roguelite to birth one of the more unique sci-fi games of 2023. You'll command the battle-hardened abilities of a revived fighter bot named Ada, who steps up to wrest control of "New Elysium" from their evil mechanical "Overlords" and their rabid robots. Defeating each Overlord gets you access to their "Core," which lets Ada acquire new combat powers and even a change in appearance. Blasting bots, navigating dangerous trap-filled towers, and braving the increasing difficulty of each stage as you grow in strength all equal up to an experience that will challenge you every step of the way.

Disgaea's dedicated audience is known for having a huge appreciation for the IP's hilarious happenings, over-the-top characters, and explosive tactical battles that elicit insane amounts of battle damage onscreen. Now those same fans will get to bask in all those signature elements while venturing through the warring period of feudal Japan. "Hinomoto" will be your home as you follow two main characters - one is a bushido fan-girl named Pirilika, while the man she hires to be her protector is called Fuji. Their journey will take a whacky turn as they get caught up in wild turn-based strategy battles, which will give you the ability to utilize and master 40+ different battle classes. Gorgeous cel-shaded visuals with an anime art style, plus new combat features ("Jumbification," "Hell Mode," and "Item Reincarnation") promise to offer Disgaea diehards hundreds more hours of fulfilling gameplay.

The world's most popular (and honestly only) hockey simulator is back in the saddle for another year of authentic on-ice competition. NHL 24 is looking to strengthen its legacy gameplay via major changes that will make each match feel and look even more like the ones you watch in real-time. The "Exhaust Engine" will make changes to the "Chel" system by rewarding players due to their actions via extended offensive events and attack zone time. An improved physics and animation system will make all those high-impact shoves look even more agonizing. The "Vision Passing System" will incorporate "One Touch Passing" to make puck passing even faster and smoother. With the ability to fake, pass, and deke while you're on the move, you'll have even more trick options at your disposal to throw off your opposition.

It should come as no surprise that one of the most notable selections on this list of the biggest October 2023 video game releases is this fan-requested return to form for Ubisoft's biggest IP. Assassin's Creed Mirage is targeting a gameplay feel reminiscent of the initial series entries that embraced more traditional action-adventure mechanics over the franchise's modern-day action RPG feel. Players will step into the role of Basim and put his master assassin skills to good use across four districts set in Baghdad. The "Assassin Hidden Blade," smoke bombs, throwing knives, and poison darts will all be at your disposal alongside the debuting "Assassin Focus" ability. This new mechanic allows Basim to take out multiple foes in quick succession as long as he remains unseen - time slowdown is activated after each assassination, which will give you ample time to target your next victim. The new ability to cross wide gaps via poles gives this new Assassin's Creed game something extra cool to utilize for parkour enthusiasts.

The first game in this mech-themed tactical RPG series made its way over to the Switch via FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake. And now Switch strategy RPG fans can continue heading into battle with their trusty "Wanzers" with a new and improved rendition of the sequel. FRONT MISSION 2: Remake is coming to Nintendo's hybrid console with much-needed enhancements in the form of a new soundtrack, modern in-game effects, a free-camera option, multiple language support, and new Wanzer coloring & camouflage options. The explosive combat of the original and the plotline that encompasses three different characters having to arrive at the real reasoning concerning a conspiracy behind a military coup are still intact.

When Advance Wars took a lengthy hiatus away from the turn-bases tactics spotlight, developer Chucklefish decided to fill the series vacancy with its take on all that cartoony military warfare with Wargroove. Now we're moving from the fantastic 2019 original to an ambitious sequel that looks like it'll keep Wargroove's high level of quality intact. Wargroove 2 will center on three different campaigns that will intertwine with an overarching story dealing with combatting a foreign faction looking to unearth harmful technology that could endanger the realm of "Aurania." Turn-based battles make their return with the newly implemented "Groove System," which gives each "Commander" access to powerful skills that can turn the tide of battle in an instant. Four-player co-op/versus battles in a local/online setting, the new single-player roguelike "Conquest" mode, and custom map, cutscene, & campaign creation tools make this sequel an enticing sequel worth considering.

Back on the Nintendo 3DS, the first Detective Pikachu landed on the handheld console and provided fans of the lovable yellow electric mouse with a cool spinoff adventure game. Now the hat-wearing, crime-solving Pokémon is back to solve a new series of mysteries and continue looking for his missing detective partner, Harry Goodman. Some other important characters players will interact with include Tim Goodman (Harry's son, who's the only one that can understand what Pikachu is saying), Howard Myers ("Ryme City's" mayor), Rachel (Tim's school buddy and Howard's daughter), and more. Exploring Ryme City with the gruff taking Pikachu will entail investigating crime scenes, searching for clues, teaming up with other Pokémon for extra assistance, and using your case book to make deductions about each mystery you come across.

Sword Art Online has gotten plenty of action RPGs from the gaming publishing house of Bandai Namco Entertainment over the years. With Last Recollection now on the way, it looks like the developers behind it are doing everything in their power to make it the most feature-rich series entry to date. From a storyline standpoint, players will get involved in a new plot contained within the "War of Underworld" arc that pits Kirito and his loyal friends against the evil forces of the "Dark Territory." The MMORPG-like combat systems make their return here and the roster of playable warriors you can take into battle is massive. Kirito, Asuna, Eugeo, Deusolbert, and a whole bunch more SAO heroes will come along for the ride in this game's alternate take on one of the manga/anime's most epic plotlines. A four-player co-op option is available in Last Recollection, so you can bask in all that fast and furious anime action with some online buds!

The thirteenth main installment in the Forza franchise and eighth Forza Motorsport is looking to remodel itself via this brand new reboot. And as always, it will offer one of the most jaw-dropping graphical outputs you'll ever witness from a hardcore racing simulator. On launch day, Forza Motorsport will have more than 500 real-world vehicles in its massive digital garage. Speeding across the many raceways in this game, which include Virginia International Raceway, Watkins Glen International Speedway, and so much more, will lead to your car picking up realistic wear and tear plus dirt buildup. The visual splendor and impressive sound delivery of this racer will certainly have players in awe thanks to the power of ray tracing that's been implemented to produce improved reflection and audio detail. Racing game fans need to look no further for their next addiction on our list of the biggest October 2023 video game releases.

We realize there is a huge fanbase associated with the NFL Blitz and NFL Street games that is depressed over the lack of new releases from both defunct IPs. Developer Saber Interactive is rising to the occasion to produce an arcade football game that deviates from the simulation focus of the Madden NFL franchise. That zany footballer is known as Wild Card Football, which will let players hit the field with a seven-player squad. Real-world players, such as Colin Kaepernick, T.J. Watt, and Jalen Hurts, will be at your beck and call during intense football skirmishes where special game-changing "Wild Cards" come into play. With over 150 of them to choose from, you can disrupt the competition by boosting your team's stats in an instant, activating invisibility, turning on pinball bumpers to keep players off of you, and more. A single-player Season Mode, local/online crossplay multiplayer, extensive team customization, and a rule-changing mechanic called "Rule-Breaker" make up the rest of the exceptional features of Wild Card Football.

Sega and Creative Assembly's turn-based strategy IP Total War has touched on a good number of historical time periods. Fans have experienced the tumultuous, war-torn skirmishes of the Sengoku jidai era of Japan, the Middle Ages that once spanned across medieval Europe, and even the Classical antiquity period of the Mediterranean & beyond. Total War: Pharaoh delivers its amalgamation of turn-based grand strategy, real-time combat, and civilization management within the New Kingdom of Egypt and its surrounding locales before the collapse of the Late Bronze Age. Players can look forward to choosing their faction-affiliated leader, commanding their units to do battle, and politicking their way up the ladder of power. Becoming a Pharaoh is certainly a tall task, but we're confident that your strategic expertise will help you reach that lofty position.

Have any of you guys and gals played the 2014 version of this "Soulslike" game? It didn't garner the most positive of reactions as most people who played it deemed it too slow, weighty, and just not as good as FromSoftware's sub-genre offerings. Now Lords of the Fallen is getting another turn at bat in a series revival of sorts that's doing a ton of things to differentiate itself from the Souls series while also implementing the best facest of those challenging action RPG experiences. With your custom warrior at the ready (that can be concocted from nine different character classes), you'll dive into the oppressed realm of "Axiom."

What's so interesting about this game's explorative elements is the fact that when you die, you'll be whisked off to another plane of existence dedicated to the dead called "Umbral." Now mind you - you can use your magical lantern to go there without having to taste defeat. Exploring both realms will lead you to plenty of treasure and all sorts of deformed beasts that will push you to the edge. Fun fact - you can actually rip out the souls of enemies and attack them to really put the hurt on them before returning their incorporeal forms to their physical bodies.

Sega's Sonic Team and Arzest (a development studio founded by Sonic the Hedgehog series co-creator Naoto Ohshima) have rekindled their relationship to produce a blast from the past with modern sensibilities. That chubby version of Sonic the Hedgehog fans love so much is hopping back into the picture for a classic side-scrolling experience lifted by gorgeous 3D graphics. Sonic Superstars features the "Blue Blur" himself, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy as they aim to thwart Doctor Eggman and Fang the Hunter's diabolical scheme.

Running and jumping through the debuting "North Star Islands" 12 zones will introduce you to stage layouts that are equally nostalgic and fresh for longtime Sonic fans. The introduction of a new particular stage needed to unlock the "Chaos Emeralds," cool abilities granted by each Emerald, local four-player co-op, and a local/online PvP mode that pits robots against each other all look to provide one of the most feature-rich Sonic games to date.

Be sure to check out our review for this game right here.

We're racking our brains trying to remember if there are any other half-decent Hellboy games out there! Since there clearly aren't enough memorable ones popping into our heads right now, we're thankful that publisher Good Shepherd Entertainment and developer Upstream Arcade are looking to right that wrong. Hellboy: Web of Wyrd lets players play as the famous "Right Hand of Doom" and dive into procedurally generated levels full of beasts to beat up and shoot. Breaking down an enemy's "Toughness" and unleashing superpowered "Payback" attacks to come out on top are at the heart of this game's combat focus. Prepare to get whisked off to the "Butterfly House," open a doorway to the "The Wyrd," and go searching for Hellboy's fellow "BPRD" agent.

Sonic Superstars isn't the only major release coming our way this month. Gamers can also look forward to checking out the latest entry in the Endless franchise from the longtime Japanese publisher/developer - the last time we saw the Endless IP, it produced a solid turn-based strategy called Endless Space. Endless Dungeon offers a different playstyle as it dips into the combined genres of a tower defense twin-stick shooter with a cool roguelite spin on the formula. Your main objective in this game entails defending a "Crystal Bot" as it moves toward a bulkhead door across a myriad of procedurally generated levels. With eight varied characters to choose from, you and three other players will have to band together to combine each other's weapons and special abilities to fend off the opposition that comes at you from every direction. Prepare yourself for multiple stage runs as you get destroyed, go back to the saloon to upgrade your skills & weapons, and head back out for another bout of Crystal Bot defensive action.

Now here's the perfect game for you and the young ones to hop into this month, especially on Halloween! And when it comes to announced games, this one is one of the more surprising re-releases we've become aware of. Old-school Disney cartoon fans will love this latest game on our list of the biggest October 2023 video game releases. Say hello to a remaster of an underrated 16-bit action-platformer - Gargoyles Remastered. As the hulking purple gargoyle Goliath, you'll hop across rooftops and other stage layouts during your journey to save the world from certain doom.

You'll need to go into attack mode as you use Goliath's sharp claws to swipe away the opposing forces that confront you. One of the coolest features of Gargoyles Remastered is the fact that you can instantly switch between the game's original 16-bit graphics and the newly installed animated visuals that look much closer to the animated series. The "Instant Rewind" feature is also in place here to lessen the high difficulty factor of the original game that kept a lot of us 90s babies from beating it back in the day.

2021's Hot Wheels Unleashed marked a high point for the iconic toy car franchise when it gave racing game fans a better-than-expected foray into speeding across those famous orange lanes with a controller in hand. Now Milestone (the development studio behind the first game) is all-in to make that experience even better with the sequel, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged. You'll be engaging in a whole lot of speeding and drifting, of course. But this time, your chosen toy car will also be able to manually leap into the air and use dashes to avoid obstacles & knock its rivals out of the way.

Speaking of vehicles, over 130 cars will be available in this game's digital garage with the addition of ATVs and motorcycles. When it comes to additional tracks, new outdoor locales will be included so you can expect to rip up the dirt roads that make up the backyard and mini-golf-themed courses. With everything coming back from the first game to this follow-up, this sequel is going to great lengths to realize its full potential.

We all know what the biggest pick on this list is for October 2023 video game releases. What you're looking at right now is PS5's marquee release for the month and all of 2023 via Insomniac's follow-up to its 2018 Marvel Comics gaming classic. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is expanding the first game's digital recreation of New York City by including the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, in which players can cover more ground thanks to the addition of newly installed "Web-Wings."

Both Peter Parker and Miles Morales will be playable, so you'll get to utilize both of their unique movesets as they come to blows with Kraven the Hunter, the Lizard, and Venom. Speaking of Venom, his infamous alien parasite "Symbiote" will find itself attached to Peter and alter his personality while also blessing (cursing?) him with new combat maneuvers that turn good old Spidey into a tendril-flinging powerhouse. New suits, new abilities, and a host of new missions are also being implemented to make Marvel's Spider-Man 2 one of the greatest superhero games of all time.

Find out more about this game right here.

When looking at this list of the biggest October 2023 video game releases, you can't help but think how crazy it is that two platforming icons are getting retro-stylized games that are releasing in the same week! We already spoke about Sega's Sonic Superstars, so now it's time we hop over to Nintendo to chat about Super Mario Bros. Wonder. This time around, the "Mushroom Kingdom's" very own Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Toad, Toadette, Nabbit, and Yoshi come together to thwart Bowser's heinous actions once again.

This new 2D side-scrolling romp will transport players to the "Flower Kingdom," which is full of pretty biomes and mind-bending events that add an extra sense of "wonder" that this game is packed to the brim with. Touching a "Wonder Flower" activates a monumental change to whatever stage you're currently playing on, such as pipes coming to life and moving along the ground earthworms. The ability to change into an elephant, shoot out bubbles, and use a drill set atop your head adds to the suite of fresh features Super Mario Bros. Wonder has in store.

Be sure to check out our review for this game right here.

The original Cities: Skylines gave fans of SimCity a new king of city-building simulators to brag about for years to come. Developer Colossal Order has done a phenomenal job at constantly updating that game and expanding it to the point where it's been deemed as pure simulator perfection. Now the development studio is looking to go above and beyond the amazing product they've made beforehand with a follow-up for the ages. Cities: Skylines II will let you construct a metropolitan capital, of course.

But now a host of new features are set to make your custom megalopolis even more active and prosperous. Those features include improved transportation & economic systems, upgraded construction & customization options, stronger modding capabilities, and the ability to mix & match zone types. If you're a fan of the first game and are intrigued at the prospect of managing your very own mixed residential and commercial zone, then Cities: Skylines II has exactly what you're looking for.

The first Ghostrunner exudes a strong sense of cool thanks to its focus on hyper-fast action and parkour courtesy of its katana-wielding cyber ninja Jack. Now he's back to confront a new host of enemies and his ultimate opposition in the form of a terrorizing AI cult. Now you'll explore the post-apocalyptic world centered outside of "Dharma Tower" and put your combat & maneuvering skills to good use once again. What's really enticing about Ghostrunner II is the addition of motorbike sections that offer a nice change of pace from the usual on-foot stage playthroughs. With deeper conversational sections empowered by the game's new dialogue system, you'll get to delve into the world of Jack and see what's hiding behind its curtains.

Konami may not have a whole lot of fans these days but if there's one thing all gamers agree on, it's that the Japanese publisher/developer sure knows how to make some damn good compilations. So far, we've gotten collections based around their Castlevania and Contra IPs. Now we're finally getting a new one for the company's standout franchise, Metal Gear. The Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is jam-packed with content for Solid/Naked Snake's wild espionage-fueled adventures. So here's the lineup for this first assemblage of classic games - Metal Gear (both the NES and MSX versions), Snake’s Revenge, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid (which comes with the VR/Special Missions content), Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (the remastered port from the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection), and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (another remaster from the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection). There's also going to be a ton of digital books, soundtracks, and video content included here to round out this plentiful serving of MGS.

We have all the hope in the world that this game ends up wiping away the bad taste left behind by the abysmal release of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. By the looks of what's been put on display by The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, it may just end up being one of the better LOTR games released in years. This survival-crafting game takes place during the "Fourth Age of Middle-earth" after the events of The Lord of the Rings. You'll command a group of dwarves led by Gimli and attempt to reclaim their homeland of "Moria" while also restoring the ancient kingdom of "Khazad-dûm." To reach those lofty goals, you'll find yourself exploring the deep mines of Moria via procedurally generated areas that you must excavate for precious materials. On top of all that, you'll need to keep tabs on your dwarves' everyday necessities, fend off all sorts of fearsome foes, and build bases that help you unearth ancient tools for further usage.

You're obviously looking to scare yourself into a frenzy for the month of October by watching some throwback horror films, walking through some haunted house attractions, and playing a few survival horror games. On that last note, we want to make you aware of the soon-to-be-released Stray Souls, which combines the unsettling atmosphere of Silent Hill with the refined third-person shooting of Resident Evil 4. Players will find themselves trapped within the gloomy town of "Aspen Falls" - as Daniel, you'll inherit the home of his estranged grandmother and also encounter a mysterious woman who knows all about Daniel's troubled past as it pertains to his family. While you look to get to the bottom of this game's central mystery, you'll need to defend yourself from bloodcurdling creatures and solve intricate puzzles along the way. With a soundtrack composed by Silent Hill's Akira Yamaoka, Stray Souls is certainly setting up the right type of vibes for its survival horror focus.

Survival horror fans should be more than pleased with this next pick on our list of the biggest October 2023 video game releases. After so many years of waiting, Alan Wake is finally making his grand return. And just like his first endeavor, he'll find himself having to confront new supernatural threats that put him and his psyche in immense danger. The famed novelist is actually trapped within a treacherous alternate dimension, in order to escape, he begins penning a new horror story that ends up getting an FBI agent named Saga Anderson entangled in his otherworldly happenings.

Players will be able to play as both characters - Alan will be present within the realm that's been keeping him captive for 13 years while Saga will find herself in Bright Falls, Washington as she investigates a series of mysterious killings. A slower-paced survival horror approach to gameplay that evokes the feel of the Resident Evil remakes and detective-based gameplay segments come together to create one of the most anticipated horror games of 2023.

Find out more about this game right here.

Be sure to check out our review for this game right here.

If the names Israel Adesanya, Stipe Miocic, Amanda Nunes, and Alex Volkanovski evoke feelings of excitement within you, then you're obviously a hardcore follower of the UFC and the sport of MMA as a whole. EA Sports is ready to provide the latest evolution within its UFC simulation series via UFC 5, which promises to be the ultimate interactive MMA experience. Authentic damage, doctor's checks & stoppages, new animations for strikes & hit reactions, and a revamped submission system are all being implemented to freshen up the solid gameplay foundation put forth by previous series entries. Plus the newly featured "Fight Week" challenges and other features look to replicate the amazing fan experience that comes with being a UFC devotee. Fighting game fans will certainly be pleased with this recommendation on this list of the biggest October 2023 video game releases.

For the next game on our list of the biggest October 2023 video game releases, we want to highlight a brand-new platforming game coming from the celebrated development house of Don't Nod (Life Is Strange, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie). Jusant follows a wandering fellow and his water-themed ally as he embarks on an adventure where he must seek out the artifacts of a long-lost civilization and discover its many secrets. This considerable journey will entail a whole lot of climbing since those mysterious items and revelations about the main civilization in question are littered throughout a massive ascending tower. You'll need to become acclimated to your climbing equipment, manage your stamina, discover the best methods toward reaching each destination, and so much more as you learn the ins and outs of Jusant.

The next survival horror game coming our way real soon comes from the good folks at TeamKill Media and it looks like it may emerge as a dark horse contender for best spooky game for the month of October. Quantum Error follows a firefighter named Capt. Jacob Thomas, who jumps into action when called upon to put out the flames that have engulfed the "Monad Quantum Research Facility." What starts out as a simple search & rescue mission turns into a battle against cosmic horrors that are responsible for causing the facility and its survivors to go down in the first place. You'll be able to eliminate those monstrous foes via first- or third-person combat, which is a cool feature that we can't wait to take advantage of once we dive into the terrifying world of Quantum Error. Survival horror fans are eating really good this month as evidenced by this pick and the two other selections on this list of the biggest October 2023 video game releases!

"Dead or alive, you're coming with me." 80s babies who frequented movie theaters during their younger days probably have a clue where that quote is lifted from. The hulking police officer of the future known as RoboCop uttered that phrase and embedded himself in cinematic & pop culture history thanks to the greatness of the first film. He's starred in some halfway-decent video games over the years, but it looks like RoboCop: Rogue City may be his strongest foray into gaming to date. Development studio Teyon is applying the first-person shooter foundation it established with Terminator: Resistance to this violent romp through "Old Detroit." With your "Auto-9" pistol and other firearms in hand, you'll head out on crime-riddled streets and make an attempt at wiping out the bad guys that are responsible for their sorry state. It's time to uphold the law as the ultimate crimefighting cyborg! We hope this game and all our other picks for the biggest October 2023 video game releases keep you busy this month and across the last remaining months of the year!

Ever since Electronic Arts acquired racing game developer Codemasters, the publisher has tapped into the studio to keep on cooking up quality racing simulators. The fruits of both companies' labor have resulted in the creation of the soon-to-be-launched EA Sports WRC. If you recognize that acronym, then you're clearly tapped into the exciting offroad sport of the World Rally Championship. The very best in rally racing will be put on full display here - players will be excited to learn that EA Sports WRC comes with a mode that lets you construct your dream rally car, a new & improved multi-surface handling model, and a mode that lets you dive into historic & current events that have been a major part of the automobile sport. At launch, 78 rally cars will be at your disposal and allow you to tackle global circuits across Monte Carlo, Portugal, Kenya, and Japan.