Marvel at September goodies
SEPTEMBER has swept in bringing with it cooler weather, darker nights and – rightly or wrongly – the return of schools. It also heralds the arrival of new games, and there’s some absolute corkers this month.
Marvel’s heroes give us a super start to the month, there’s a boost for footy fans mid-September when PES 21 lands, and mob action with a remastered version of Mafia seeing us into October.
MARVEL’S AVENGERS (PEGI 16)
XBOX ONE, PS4, PC Released: September 1 ITS flashy trailers showcased a superhero co-op brawler you’d be proud to get your hands on – but the recent beta has left fans a little underwhelmed.
While it seems to promise a punchy single player experience, there’s huge concerns about the replayability of the game’s multiplayer experience, which some have been calling way too easy.
Add to that the recent revelation that, while any characters added to the game over time will be free, if you want to unlock any of the cosmetics associated with those superheroes, you’ll have to pay cold hard cash for a Hero Challenge Card – costing around $10 (£7.50).
The game itself features an original storyline, and will be packed with environments, and landmark moments that have thrilled longtime fans of the franchise. Hopefully, once the kinks are ironed out, this will be a very enjoyable title.
TONY HAWK’S PRO SKATER 1+2
(PEGI 12)
XBOX ONE, PS4, PC Release: September 4 THEY’RE the single greatest skateboarding games ever created, and they’ve been rebuilt for the next generation of consoles. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater returns in all its glory for you to grind, ollie, backflip and front foot impossible your way through various environments.
Alongside all the original levels, developer Activison has introduced the ability to create your own skater and skate park. As well as remaining true to the gameplay, the game’s amazing skater soundtrack will also be intact, give or take a few songs they can’t get the rights to.
EFOOTBALL PES 2021 (PEGI 3)
XBOX ONE, PS4, PC Release: September 15
THE annual PES/ Fifa derby is off this year, with Fifa’s latest offering not landing until next month.
The global toll of the pandemic on sport can be felt in the lacklustre release of these two football giants, with eFootball PES 2021 being billed as a Season Update, which is a shame when it’s the game’s 25th anniversary. Basically an updated edition of last year’s PES 2020, this containing the latest player details.
WWE 2K BATTLEGROUNDS
(PEGI 12)
XBOX ONE, PS4, PC, Switch
Release: September 18
LAST year’s WWE 2K20 proved the final straw for the franchise, and with the added problems from the looming coronavirus crisis, the decision was made to pull the plug on plans for a 2K21. But what has emerged in its place is Battlegrounds, a spin-off to the series, featuring over-the-top, in-your-face arcade action with WWE favourites battling it out.
The game includes an impressive roster of Superstars and Legends, including Andre the Giant, Jake the Snake Roberts, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and – of course – The Rock.
I really hope this new take is the magic recipe the WWE guys need to get back in the games arena.
MAFIA: DEFINITIVE EDITION
(PEGI 18) XBOX ONE, PS4, PC Release: September 25 THE original, and best, of the Mafia Trilogy gets a bit of spit and polish in this remaster. Rebuilt from the ground up with new assets, a new score and an expanded story, Mafia sees you play as Tommy Angelo, a cab driver who finds himself thrust into a deadly underworld.
Mafia’s outstanding single-player campaign remains a joy to play nearly 20 years later. For the real masochists among you, try playing the game through on Classic Difficulty, which makes gameplay truer to the original 2002 game, with faster police response times and stricter ammunition management.