Do you hear that distant rumble? It’s the sound of millions of chainsaw bayonets waiting to be thrust into alien baddies when Gears of War 4: Ultimate Edition arrives later this week. While the standard version of the game won’t be out until next Tuesday, October 11th, those who are willing to pay a premium can start the fight early.
And who could blame them for wanting to get the jump? Gears of War 4 is a departure for the series in a big way, with a fresh set of heroes led by Marcus Fenix’s son, J.D., and a new threat to fight. Nearly everything has changed, with the notable exception of the classic, cover-based third-person-shooter gameplay. Microsoft has a lot to prove in the Xbox One debut of one of its biggest series, and we can’t wait to see if it lives up to the towering legacy of its predecessors.
Read on to get the lowdown on all the new releases as well as our massive list of upcoming games heading into 2017 and beyond.
EGM’s top picks for this week:
Gears of War 4: Ultimate Edition (October 7th)
Available for: Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: The Coalition
Why we’re excited: One of the biggest Microsoft franchises is finally coming to Xbox One, and that means new campaign, multiplayer, and Horde, all full of the gory, over-the-top action the series is known for. The early buzz: Early hands-on impressions of the game have been solid, with writers from many outlets hailing its mix of classic Gears gameplay, more challenging enemy types, and new environmental threats. Past is prologue: If you can’t handle the wait, you can tide yourself over by watching the phenomenal first 20 minutes of the game, which take the form of a playable history lesson set across three of planet Sera’s most important battles.
Mafia III (October 7th)
Available for: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Hangar 13
Why we’re excited: While it’s never managed the cache of bigger open-world crime games—say, ones that rhyme with Sand Left Blotto—the Mafia series has always offered distinct take on the genre that’s less frantic and more refined. We’re excited to see how 2K infuses that pedigree with more modern sensibilities. The early buzz: Mafia III is garnering a lot of attention for its attempts to blend action gameplay with social consciousness. The game is set in the South in the 1960s, and you play as a black man, so you can rest assured that this isn’t your standard romp through the world of organized crime. It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity: While Lincoln Clay is the star of Mafia III, it’s the richly imagined city of New Bordeaux, based on New Orleans, that really steals the show. The distinctive architecture and culture of the Big Easy doesn’t get nearly enough play in open-world games.
Paper Mario: Color Splash (October 7th)
Available for: Wii U
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Why we’re excited: When the entire universe is made of paper, there’s nothing more fun than using paint to color it. Color Splash is like a game and an art project all in one. The early buzz: Fans weren’t thrilled with the initial announcement of Color Splash, but Nintendo seems to have learned its lesson after Sticker Star. Rainbow Road: Snappy dialogue, tons of Toads, and plenty of humor mean that there’s a lot to love about Port Prisma, the game’s hub town.
Also releasing this week:
October 3rd
Super Mixtape (PC)
Maximum Archery The Game (PC, Mac)
Mythic Victory Arena (PC)
October 4th
Aragami (PS4, PC)
Atari Flashback Classics: Volume 1 (PS4, Xbox One)
Atari Flashback Classics: Volume 2 (PS4, Xbox One)
Atlas Reactor (PC)
Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack (3DS)
A Bastard’s Tale (PS4)
Corpse Party (3DS)
Dead Synchronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today (PS4, Xbox One)
Earth’s Dawn (PS4)
GTA Online: Bikers (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Rocksmith 2014 Edition Remastered (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac)
Rogue Stormers (PS4)
Shu (PS4, PC)
Space Hulk Ascension (PS4)
Tropico 5 – Complete Collection (PS4)
Viking Squad (PS4, PC, Mac)
Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide (PS4, Xbox One)
October 5th
Butcher (PC, Mac, Linux)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered Campaign Early Access (PS4)
Powargrid (PC, Mac, Linux)
Slain: Back from Hell (Xbox One)
Wheels of Aurelia (PS4, Xbox One)
October 6th
Demolish & Build Company 2017 (PC)
Duke Grabowski: Mighty Swashbuckler! (PC, Mac, Linux)
Industry Manager: Future Technologies (PC)
Syndrome (PC)
October 7th
Beglitched (PC, Mac)
Dispatcher: Revoke (PC)
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location (PC)
Gears of War 4 Ultimate Edition (Xbox One)
Mafia III (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac)
Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U)
Rogue Stormers (Xbox One)
The Silver Case (PC)
WRC 6 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Future confirmed release dates for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, 3DS, Vita, PC, and more:
October
October 10th
100ft Robot Golf (PS4, PSVR)
Straimium Immortaly (PC)
October 11th
Criminal Girls 2: Party Favors (Vita)
Dragon Quest Builders (PS4, Vita)
Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Gears of War 4 (Xbox One, PC)
Manual Samuel (PS4)
Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Reus (PS4, Xbox One)
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration (PS4, PC)
Rise of the Tomb Raider: Blood Ties (Xbox One, PC)
SteamWorld Collection (PS4, Wii U)
Sunless Sea: Zubmariner (PC)
Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni (Vita)
WWE 2K17 (PS4, Xbox One, 360, PS3)
October 12th
GoNNER (PC, Mac, Linux)
October 13th
PlayStation VR (PS4, PSVR)
Ace Banana (PS4, PSVR)
The Assembly (PS4, PSVR)
Batman: Arkham VR (PS4, PSVR)
Battlezone (PS4, PSVR)
Chase: Cold Case Investigations – Distant Memories (3DS)
DriveClub VR (PS4, PSVR)
EVE: Valkyrie (PS4, PSVR)
Gunjack (PS4, PSVR)
Harmonix Music VR (PS4, PSVR)
Hatsune Miku VR: Future Live (PS4, PSVR)
Here They Lie (PS4, PSVR)
Hustle Kings VR (PS4, PSVR)
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (PS4, PSVR)
Kismet (PS4, PSVR)
Loading Human (PS4, PSVR)
The Playroom VR (PS4, PSVR)
PlayStation VR Worlds (PS4, PSVR)
Rez Infinite (PS4, PSVR)
Rigs: Mechanized Combat League (PS4, PSVR)
Robot Squad Simulator 2017 (PC)
Rollercoaster Dreams (PS4, PSVR)
Shadow Warrior 2 (PC)
SportsBarVR (PS4, PSVR)
Star Wars Battlefront: X-Wing VR Mission (PS4, PSVR)
Super Stardust Ultra VR (PS4, PSVR)
Superhypercube (PS4, PSVR)
Tethered (PS4, PSVR)
Thumper (PS4, PC, PSVR)
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood (PS4, PSVR)
Wayward Sky (PS4, PSVR)
World War Toons (PS4, PSVR)
Yesterday Origins (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
October 14th
Ballistick (PC)
The Deep Paths: Labyrinth Of Andokost (PC)
Disney Magical World 2 (3DS)
DoDonPachi Resurrection (PC)
Farabel (PC)
Hero Boy (PC, Mac, Linux)
Manual Samuel (Xbox One, PC)
October 16th
Skylanders Imaginators (PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, 360, PS3)
October 18th
Batman: Return to Arkham (PS4, Xbox One)
Battlefield 1 Deluxe Edition (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Crazy Machines 3 (PC, Mac, Linux)
Eagle Flight (PC, Rift)
Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky (PS4, Vita)
Lance A Lot (PC)
Lego Harry Potter Collection (PS4)
Neverwinter: Storm King’s Thunder (PS4, Xbox One)
Rock Band Rivals (PS4, Xbox One)
Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls (Vita)
October 20th
Pixel Gear (PS4, PSVR)
Ships 2017 (PC)
October 21st
Battlefield 1 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Negligee (PC, Mac, Linux)
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (PC)
October 25th
ATV Renegades (PS4, Xbox One)
Corpse Party (3DS)
Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Darksiders: Warmastered Edition (PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, PC)
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 (PS4, Xbox One)
Farming Simulator 17 (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac)
Ginger: Beyond the Crystal (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Just Dance 2017 (PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, 360, PS3)
Lithium: Inmate 39 (PC)
Mark McMorris: Infinite Air (PS4, Xbox One)
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence – Ascension (PS4, PC)
World of Final Fantasy (PS4, Vita)
Yomawari: Night Alone (Vita, PC)
October 26th
Meadow (PC, Mac, Linux)
October 27th
Weeping Doll (PS4, PSVR)
October 28th
Carnival Games VR (PS4, PC, PSVR, Vive)
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 (PC)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Root Letter (PS4, Vita)
Titanfall 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
October 31st
Creepy Castle (PC, Linux)
November
November 1st
Apollo 11 VR Experience (PS4, PSVR)
BlazBlue: Central Fiction (PS4, PS3)
Ira (PC)
The Journey: Bob’s Story (PC)
Owlboy (PC)
The Sims 4: City Living (PC, Mac)
Super Dungeon Bros (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
November 3rd
Heroes of Issachar (PC)
Moto Racer 4 (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac)
November 4th
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Football Manager 2017 (PC, Mac, Linux)
Football Manager Touch 2017 (PC, Mac, Linux)
Mario Party: Star Rush (3DS)
November 8th
Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers (PS4, Xbox One, 3DS)
Eagle Flight (PS4, PSVR)
Road Rage (PS4, Xbox One)
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization (PS4, Vita)
November 9th
Warfire (PC)
November 10th
PlayStation 4 Pro
Motorsport Manager (PC, Mac)
November 11th
Dishonored 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
November 15th
Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection (PS4, Xbox One)
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star (PS4, Vita)
Neptune Flux (PC)
Silence (PC)
Watch Dogs 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
November 17th
Planet Coaster (PC)
November 18th
Lego Dimensions Wave 7 (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U)
Killing Floor 2 (PS4, PC, Linux)
Pokémon Moon (3DS)
Pokémon Sun (3DS)
Pokémon Sun/Moon Double Pack (3DS)
November 24th
Super Red-Hot Hero (PC)
November 29th
The Crew: Calling All Units (PS4, Xbox One)
The Crew: Ultimate Edition (PS4, Xbox One)
Final Fantasy XV (PS4, Xbox One)
A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV (PS4, Xbox One)
Star Trek: Bridge Crew (PS4, PC, PSVR, Rift, Vive)
November 30th
Second Coming (PC, Mac)
December
December 1st
Galer: Plague of Heroes (PC)
Syberia 3 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Colina: Legacy (PC)
December 2nd
Gravity Rush 2 (PS4)
Steep (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Super Mario Maker (3DS)
December 6th
Dead Rising 4 (Xbox One, PC)
The Last Guardian (PS4)
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun (PC, Mac, Linux)
Werewolves Within (PS4, PC, PSVR, Rift, Vive)
December 13th
Dragon Ball: Fusions (3DS)
December 20th
Eagle Flight (PC, Vive)
December 30th
HVR (PC, Vive)
The Last Weekend (PC)
January 2017
January 2nd
Rivals Em Batalha (PC)
January 10th
Runbow Pocket (3DS)
January 19th
Monster Slayers (PC)
January 20th
Traiteur (PC)
Urban Empire (PC)
January 24th
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (PS4)
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (PS4, Xbox One, PC, PSVR)
Yakuza 0 (PS4)
January 27th
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
January 30th
Disgaea 2 (PC)
January 31st
Constructor HD (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Hitman: The Complete First Season (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
February 2017
February 1st
Ira (PC, Mac)
February 3rd
Hero (PC)
Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World (3DS)
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 – Road to Boruto (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
February 7th
Arelite Core (PC)
February 9th
Nioh (PS4)
WarpBall (PC)
February 14th
Air Conflicts: Secret Wars (PS4)
For Honor (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Heartomics: Lost Count (PC)
Persona 5 (PS4, PS3)
Sniper Elite 4 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
February 17th
Blackwood Crossing (PC)
Halo Wars 2 Ultimate Edition (Xbox One)
February 21st
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk (PS4, Vita, PC)
Halo Wars 2 (Xbox One, PC)
February 24th
Eternal Return (PC, Mac)
February 28th
Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4)
Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns (3DS)
Vikings: Wolves of Midgard (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
March 2017
March 1st
Alone Without Her (PC)
March 7th
Locus Solus (PC)
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
April 2017
April 7th
Eliosi’s Hunt (PC)
April 19th
Army Gals (PC)
May 2017
May 9th
Oxygen Not Included (PC)
June 2017
June 14th
Echo Tokyo: Phoenix (PC)
July 2017
July 3rd
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (PC)
August 2017
August 1st
Abatron (PC)