Admittedly, this console generation has been somewhat lackluster. It’s taken a while to get off the ground and for special exclusives to be released. This fall and winter season sees a slew of fantastic games that are being released right in time for the holidays. Finally, this console generation is coming into its own and games are no longer being marketed for both last-gen and current-gen: it’s all about now and it’s all about exclusives (mostly.) These are 5 must have-games this fall encompassing almost every gaming system with mostly exclusives sprinkled with some multi-platform games.
5 Must-Have Games This Fall — 5. Mafia III
We had the chance to go hands-off with Mafia III this June at E3 and the experience did not disappoint. The game is not only an open-world sandbox game full of revenge, but a game where choice matters. This is not something that is common at all in the Gangster/GTA-style genre. Giving territories to lieutenants, who you trust, changes the game experience. The game also has a killer soundtrack and what better place for the game to take place in than an inspired New Orleans? Mafia III was one of the top games we saw at E3 and we are thrilled for its release in October.
5 Must-Have Games This Fall — 4. The Last Guardian
The Last Guardian is the highly anticipated follow-up to the classic Shadow of the Colossus, an action-adventure and puzzle game. You take on the main character who befriends a feathered animal named Trico and evade capture, explore, and solve puzzles together. The game was originally supposed to come out for the PlayStation 3, but it was plagued by development hell. When it was announced at E3 2015 the industry was shocked, but in a good way. Sony desperately needs an exclusive for their console, with Horizon Zero Dawn being delayed until February and No Man’s Sky having such a severe backlash from fans, as well as not delivering on promises. At this point, the nod as far as exclusives go has to go to Microsoft.
5 Must-Have Games This Fall — 3. Pokemon Sun and Moon
Nintendo’s only game(s) on this list (hey, Zelda was delayed!) Pokemon Sun and Moon very well may be the most revolutionary entries in the entire series. The Aloha region is rife with some incredibly exotic Pokemon, new gameplay mechanics, and some really cool alternate versions of the Pokemon we all know and love. Pikachu even has his very own Z-moves, brand new to the series. The real question is whether or not to get Pokemon Sun and Moon, but which one to get. I’m more of a Moon person, and as this may be Pokemon’s last hurrah on the Nintendo 3DS, it may be better than we could possibly imagine when it releases this November.
5 Must-Have Games This Fall — 2. Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV started out as Final Fantasy XIII Versus, but smartly, Square made it its own game entirely. Although the Final Fantasy XIII series is underrated, it is a far cry from the glory days of the franchise. Final Fantasy XV has the chance to change the franchise’s status as a disappointing RPG franchise and could revitalize the JRPG genre once again. The gameplay looks stellar, the story incredibly intriguing, and the characters seem endearing. It’s a shame that the game was delayed a few months, but it’s still coming out in November and is a must-have for console owners. Western RPGs may have taken over the market, but if Xenoblade Chronicles X showed us one thing, that doesn’t mean they are necessarily better.
5 Must-Have Games This Fall — 1. Gears of War 4
Gears of War is the face of Xbox. Halo has lost that title for a while. From all accounts, Gears of War 4 is the Gears game we have all been waiting for since Gears of War 3. Viewing a demo of the campaign at E3, I was enamored by the dynamics of the environments and how beautiful the game looked, not to mention how well it played. The framerate was steady. There were no issues. The story drew the audience in and while it seemed somewhat familiar comparative to the previous games, a great game developer once told me this: to make a successful game, you have to incorporate something familiar yet something new. The Gears team has done this perfectly and with Horde 3.0 mode, Gears 4 is poised to be the best game to come out this year not only because of its quality of content but shear amount of it.