Bright ideas for dark nights
THE magical month of October has arrived, meaning the spooky delights of Halloween are hovering in the shadows. Sadly the new month also heralds longer nights – getting even longer when the clocks fall back an hour in just a few weeks’ time.
But there’s no need to despair. This month also sees the arrival of a host of lovely new games – games that will keep you entertained on the dark winter nights ahead.
The month kicks off with some platforming fun with Crash Bandicoot, football fans get their FIFA hit mid-October, and seeing out the month is the hotly anticipated Watch Dogs: Legion.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (PEGI 7)
XBox One, PS4 Release: October 2
WHILE this is the eighth main game in the series, it’s actually a direct sequel to 2018’s superb Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, which was a re-master of the original titles.
There are five playable characters to choose from, as you traverse multiple levels, each filled with enemies, crates, wumpa fruit and hazards.
There are two different game modes, Retro and Modern. For players braving retro mode, you start with limited lives, collecting additional ones as you move through levels – and when you die, all your progress is wiped out and you are forced to start again.
Modern Mode features unlimited lives and a death counter.
As the name suggests, there’s a time theme here, and each level has an “alternate timeline”, offering their own layout of hazards, enemies and objects.
Transformers: Battlegrounds (PEGI 7)
XBox One, PS4, Switch Release: October 23
TRANSFORMERS have enjoyed a bit of a resurgence this summer, thanks to the War For Cybertron series on Netflix.
The characters that feature in this new, tactical, real-time strategy game are based on those in the Transformers: Cyberverse series – even down to the same voice actors.
Battlegrounds finds Megatron and the Decepticons closing in on the Allspark – an artefact capable of creating new Transformer life.
You join the leaderless Autobots, fighting to save not only Cyberton, but the Earth itself.
Fans will love the stunning artwork and animation that brings the characters as ‘true to life’ as possible.
FIFA 21 (PEGI 3)
XBox One, PS4 Release: October 9
STRANGELY, EA decided not to release a demo this year, but there’s still a way to gain early access to the game ahead of its release.
EA’s paid subscription service, EA Play, allows members to enjoy a kickabout on FIFA 21 from October 1 – eight days before it goes on general release.
As you would expect, new game, new skills. This year EA has introduced the Agile Dribbling system, which gives players greater control in 1-on-1 situations.
There’s a re-imagined collision system, to create smoother player interactions, and increased positional awareness raises in-game intelligence to put players in the right place at the right time.
Nightmare Boy (PEGI 12)
Switch, PS4 Release: October 16
NIGHTMARE Boy is a charming metroidvania, action/adventure from Spanish indie studio The Vanir Project, which sees protagonist Billy whisked from the safety of his bedroom into Donorok, the land of nightmares, where he becomes a Dark Prince – and then his problems really start.
The graphics are adorable, channelling 90s side scrollers, as weird and wonderful villains cross your path. But, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the game’s quirky good looks, it really can be very challenging in places, especially the boss fights which often give you very little time to register what’s happening before you’ve been knocked on your backside.
Xbox owners have already had a chance to enjoy this game, now PlayStation and Switch fans can too.