The fall game season usually brings a host of new titles and highly anticipated releases, and this year is no different. 2016 may be sporting one of the most robust and longest fall release lists in quite a while, and it’s all AAA titles and fandom riding games clashing for the top.
“Gears of War 4”
“Gears of War 4” for PC and Xbox One was released Oct. 11. Even though it’s the fourth game in an acclaimed series, so far it’s living up to its legacy. The game takes place 25 years after the events in “Gears of War 3.” The protagonist of this game is J. D. Fenix, son of the legendary Marcus Fenix from the previous games, who sets out with his friends Kait Diaz and Del Walker to save their loved ones from a new enemy called The Swarm. According to IGN, the game’s new enemies, the Swarm and the Deebees, add a new layer of challenge to this cover-based shooter as they use tactics different from the Locusts of the previous titles. Players will mostly feel pressured and challenged by the mechanics of the new enemies. “Gears of War 4” is currently rated as 9.2/10 on IGN and 85 percent on Metacritic.
“Battlefield 1”
“Battlefield 1,” which released on Oct. 21 on PC, PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Xbox One, has been long-awaited. The game dives headfirst into World War I, going all in with the guns, technology and appearance of the era. The main focus of the game is the multiplayer aspect, with objective-based gameplay and an arsenal of WWI guns, vehicles and settings to back it up. The multiplayer gameplay has been overhauled so that every weapon and tank feels unique and specialized, encouraging cautious gameplay and teamwork to fuel the chaotic nature of the game’s multiplayer setting. The game currently sits at 9/10 on IGN and 88 percent on Metacritic.
“Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare”
Another year, another “Call of Duty” game. “Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare” hit the shelves on Nov. 4 for PS4, Xbox One and PC, but it might as well not have as the game is dry. The single player is slow and the multiplayer is better at making the game hard rather than fun to play. The single player campaign is lackluster to say this least, and even actor Kit Harington couldn’t carry the story for long. With a very generic storyline featuring a group rebelling against Earth, along with space combat and spaceship fights, “Infinite Warfare,” isn’t giving us much to hope for. The only redeeming aspect of the game is that you can get “Modern Warfare Remastered” packaged with it. The game currently sits at 7.7/10 on IGN and 80 percent on Metacritic.
“Civilization VI”
Moving away from the first person shooter genre, Sid Meier’s “Civilization VI” was released on Oct. 21 for PC, Mac and Linux. The game once again bears the robust tried and true real-time strategy gameplay with a plethora of options for managing and running your country. The game features a new civics technology tree, as well as a new style of multiplayer combat where who moves first is determined based on who moves first in real time, adding a new dimension to the game. Another shining addition to the proud 25-year-old series, “Civilization VI” currently sits at 9.4/10 on IGN and 89 percent on Metacritic.
“Titanfall 2”
A title that’s making its revival this year, “Titanfall 2” came out Oct. 28 for PS4, Xbox One and PC. The game has drastically improved since its predecessor and now sports a single player campaign. In the campaign, you play as Jack Cooper and the vanguard class titan, BT-7274. The campaign is beautifully designed on every level and area and the story writing is refreshing, playing hilariously on the human and robot friend trope. Multiplayer is where the focus is, again, as the game has received several tweaks and upgrades to make for an overall better experience that doesn’t suffer from the same dryness as “Titanfall 1.” “Titanfall 2” sits at 9/10 on IGN and 86 percent on Metacritic.
“Watch Dogs 2”
Another game that will, hopefully, see its heyday is “Watch Dogs 2,” which will be released Nov. 15 across Xbox One, PS4 and PC. You play as Marcus Hallaway, a hacker who joins a hacking group called DedSec to stop a corporation named Blume, which has been gathering private info on pretty much everyone in the city through questionable methods. “Watch Dogs 2” awaits reviews, but it may be able to redeem the series after the “Watch Dogs 1” flop.
“Pokémon Sun” and “Pokémon Moon”
On a lighter note, “Pokémon Sun” and “Pokémon Moon” are coming to Nintendo 3DS on Nov. 18. The long-running series has charged into oblivion as of late with more and more confusing design decision. Decisions aside, the new games have a new power system called the Z-Move system, where a Pokémon, holding a specific item, can use a one-time extremely powerful move called a Z-Move. Another new system being implemented Hyper Training, where you can train a Pokémon’s individual stats to levels they normally would not achieve. “Pokémon Sun” and “Pokémon Moon” await reviews, but seem to indicate another strong title in the series.
It’s certainly a star-studded season for games this year with a larger number of big-name titles taking the stage. With the usual suspects, the newcomers and the back-from-the-graves, gamers this fall have a lot to look forward too.
