USA TODAY International Edition
9 VIDEO GAMES GETTING HYPE FOR FALL
It’s the prime season for familiar favorites to return to screens
Fall is approaching, which means we’re about to reach the most wonderful time of year to be a video game player.
In late August, Electronic Arts launched its pro-football simulation Madden NFL 18, the latest in a franchise that has become the unofficial beginning to the holiday video game season.
Between now and December, video game publishers will be releasing some of their biggest new hits. Here’s a look at the nine games players will talk about a lot this fall.
DESTINY 2
When is it available? Sept. 6 Where can I play it? PS4, Xbox One, PC (starting Oct. 24)
Why will we talk about it?
The first big blockbuster of fall could come from Bungie, the creators of the beloved Halo series for Xbox. The first Destiny placed players in the role of Guardians protecting the last city on Earth. In the sequel, that city has fallen to a new threat, and players must reclaim their status as Guardian and restore the city. The franchise will also support PC for the first time Oct. 24.
MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF WAR
When is it available? Oct. 10 Where can I play it? PC, PS4,
Xbox One
Why will we talk about it?
Defeating orcs never gets old. The follow-up to 2014’s Shadow of
Mordor expands on the popular Nemesis System, used to sway orcs to fight on your behalf instead of simply killing them. Action is bigger this time around, as players command large armies of orcs and even dragons to overrun and capture enemy strongholds.
ASSASSIN’S CREED ORIGINS
When is it available? Oct. 27 Where can I play it? PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Why will we talk about it?
With the franchise approaching its 10th anniversary, Assassin’s Creed travels back to its roots. The franchise features assassins in a Brotherhood spanning centuries. Origins looks at how the Brotherhood was born, tracking the story of Bayek as he creates the group in ancient Egypt. Players will explore the pyramids, seek out lost treasures and vanquish countless foes. You are an assassin, after all.
CUPHEAD
When is it available? Sept. 29 Where can I play it? PC, Xbox One Why will we talk about it?
The action game’s incredible visuals resemble cartoons from the 1930s like Felix the Cat. The cooperative adventure features Cuphead as he attempts to repay a bet he’s made with the devil. Developers said they used classic techniques such as traditional hand-drawn cel animation, as well as old jazz recordings, to create the game’s appearance.
CALL OF DUTY: WWII
When is it available? Nov. 3 Where can I play it? PC, PS4, Xbox One
Why will we talk about it?
After years fighting in modernday war zones, Activision’s flagship series returns to World War II. The story follows a U.S. Army squad battling in Europe between 1944 and 1945. Conflicts will take place in Belgium, France and Germany and touch on the historic storming of Omaha Beach in Normandy.
MARVEL VS. CAPCOM INFINITE
When is it available? Sept. 19 Where can I play it? PC, PS4, Xbox One Why will we talk about it?
Capcom’s popular fighting series returns, pitting Marvel Comics heroes including Iron Man, Captain Marvel, and Doctor Strange against Capcom veterans including Mega Man and Chris Redfield (Resident Evil). One big change: instead of 3-on-3 battles, players will pick two characters to fend off other duos in either singleplayer matches or competitive battles online.
STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT II
When is it available? Nov. 17 Where can I play it? PC, PS4, Xbox One
Why will we talk about it?
Not only do players get a new story that takes place right after the events of Return of the Jedi, but the sequel also introduces epic space battles to the series for the first time, with players weaving past enemy ships in X-wings or TIE fighters. Familiar faces will pop up, too, including Darth Maul from The Phantom Menace and Rey from The Force Awakens.
WOLFENSTEIN II: THE NEW COLOSSUS
When is it available? Oct. 27 Where can I play it? PC, PS4,
Xbox One
Why will we talk about it?
The first-person shooter takes place in an alternate timeline in which the Nazis won World War II. It’s 1961, and the Nazis have made their way to America. Players follow hero BJ Blazkowicz, an American hero who will take on the Nazi hordes.