All eyes may be on Grand Theft Auto 6’s release in November, but this fall has kicked off with plenty else to play. Be it a new friendslop horror game, a relaxing driving experience, or a Mission: Impossible-style deception simulator, we’ve been enjoying a wide range of games in October.
As usual, you can check out our staff picks for October below. We’re primarily focused on recent releases that we loved and you might not be familiar with, though we’ve had some better-known games dominating our free time, too.
Escape from Playtime
The “friendslop” genre is dominated by horror games, and the latest of them is a new favorite for me and my daughter. Escape from Playtime is an eight-player co-op game set in the Poppy Playtime universe, combining the climbing mechanics of Peak with the quota-chasing loop of REPO, all set in a liminal world inspired by the Playrooms. The Poppy Playtime story is strangely complex, but you don’t need to understand any of it to enjoy this offshoot.
My little girl loves horror, so creepy mascot vibes like those in Escape from Playtime are right up our alley–for now, at least. After we played it for a bit, she saw in the trailer that we may eventually run into Miss Delight (pictured above) and is now having second thoughts. We’ll see how much deeper into the weird world of Poppy we can get before she 180s for the exit. — Mark Delaney
Lego Batman’s Mayhem Mode
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight was one of my favorites earlier this year, a fun mash-up romp through various Batman continuity with combat inspired by the Arkham series. The new Mayhem Mode is a treat–a quick retelling of Joker and Harley’s toxic romance followed by a new roguelike mode which has the clown couple wreak havoc across Gotham on a strict time limit.
You only have three minutes to complete objectives like setting up Joker’s iconic balloons from the 1989 film, all while extending your timer by collecting studs and completing optional objectives. After the three minutes are up, you either escape with all the loot or get captured by the Bat and give up a huge chunk of it. Task Force X is also on your tail, which means you’ll sometimes get random encounters against antiheroes like Deadshot, King Shark, and Captain Boomerang.
With your ill-gotten gains, you can collect a wide variety of Joker and Harley outfits from across their many incarnations, scratching that same collector nostalgia itch as the main game. It’s a bit slight, but it’s fun to have a reason to revisit Lego Gotham City. — Steve Watts
Gears of War: E-Day
It saddens me that a game from a series this huge would be under the radar for anyone, but early player figures for Gears of War: E-Day have not been particularly impressive. That’s a real shame, because it’s up there with my favorite games of the year. The prequel chronicles the opening days of the Locust invasion, with Marcus and Dom’s ragtag squad forced to improvise as the homicidal creatures begin decimating Sera.
Alongside all the classic third-person shooting and giant bosses you’d expect from a Gears game, there are also plenty of quiet world-building moments that ended up being some of my favorite parts. I’m curious to see where The Coalition will take the story next, because we were left on a major cliffhanger at the end of Gears 5, but I also really want to know what happened to the (still-alive) characters introduced in E-Day. For that to happen, however, people need to play this game, so go do that. — Gabe Gurwin
Also playing:
- Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2: The sequel to an already-wonderful boomer shooter is somehow even better, with a new playable character, branching paths, and more varied enemies.
Legion Was Here
In an age of fragmented attention spans, Legion Was Here might just be the perfect way to train your brain muscles. As someone who religiously watches Columbo reruns, a game that’s all about observing the small details is one that appeals heavily to me, especially when you’re challenged to come up with the perfect disguise, memorize every minute fact about your target, and infiltrate a clandestine meeting where one slip-up could get you killed.
The work of a solo developer, Legion Was Here merges the thrill of creating a custom character, espionage, and talking to random people, creating one of the best high-stakes experiences of the year. Quirky art, nuanced interrogations, and the thrill of successfully coming up with the perfect disguise makes for one short and sweet game. — Darryn Bonthuys
Over the Hill
I often find “relaxing” games to just be pretty boring. There are exceptions, and Over the Hill is the latest: a game where you drive around in various classic-style 4x4s, exploring beautiful landscapes and snapping pictures, and not doing much else.
The vibes are very chill, but Over the Hill has maintained my attention with the style of its driving. Traversing its off-road areas, you’ll need to rely on your winch and gear, make intelligent use of low/high-gear, and generally be mindful of the paths you take. There is a deliberateness with which you move through the world–you won’t get 200mph streaks across the map like in Forza Horizon–that simultaneously makes for engaging gameplay and contributes to the relaxing nature of the game.
Automatic/manual transmission lets you tweak just how locked in you need to be, but for me, using automatic allows Over the Hill to find that sweet spot of letting me relax without ever feeling boring. — Chris Pereira
Also playing:
- Forbidden Solitaire’s The Discarded DLC — A great excuse to revisit one of the year’s best games.
- My Arms Are Longer Now demo — An absurd comedy game that also, oddly, got me to just chill out.
- Dog in the Machine — Into the Breach is an all-time favorite of mine, and I’m having fun in the early going with this take on it that centers around robotic dogs.
The Doll Shop
Though The Doll Shop is short and sounds sweet, the reality is that this game is quite bitter and extremely dark. In this lushly illustrated visual novel, you play as an isolated young man who has taken over his father’s doll shop. After repairing a doll that seen better days, our protagonist realizes he never received the address of his client, Mrs. Fujimoto, and sets out onto the snow-covered streets of his Japanese hometown to find someone who might know where she lives.
However, each person he encounters seems corrupted–shrouded in black static save for their eerily smiles and pale, vacant eyes. We also come to discover there has been a disappearance in town, as fliers related to the disappearance of a young girl hang in every window. Over four days, our protagonist is forced to dig deep to discover what is going on in this small town.
As a lover of psychological horror, painterly art direction, multiple endings, and games I can play through in one sitting, The Doll Shop checked a lot of boxes for me. Though not as robust, frightening, or emotional as Paranormasight or Slay the Princess, I’d recommend the experience to fans of either–especially if they’re looking for a tame-yet-disturbing game to play this spooky season. — Jessica Cogswell
Also playing:
- Queen’s Domain — After finishing its fantastic demo, I am thrilled to play more of this stylish, dark fantasy RPG inspired by From Software’s King’s Field.
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