The summer is now over and that doesn’t just mean that the weather is set to get colder over the coming months but publishers and developers are now beginning to prepare to get some of their biggest releases of the year out of the door. September often sees a gluttony of titles making their way to players across all platforms and it appears that this year will be no exception.
Big Hitters
This month traditional sees the release of one of the biggest games of the year, FIFA. However, the past few years have also seen the mainstream soccer series see a challenge from Pro Evolution Soccer. 2016 is now different and both PES 2017 and FIFA 17 are expected to release this month, on September 13 and September 27 respectively. Both titles bring a host of improvements and new features, with FIFA moving onto the Frostbite engine and introducing The Journey game mode that tries to immerse the player in everything it is to be a footballer.
Continuing the sport theme, two more popular franchises are returning this year in the form of NBA 2K17 and NHL 17. The ice hockey game from EA brings a variety of gameplay improvements, including enhancements of the AI and physics, though it still hasn’t made the journey to the Frostbite engine like FIFA or Madden. It is due to release on September 13. Meanwhile, NBA 2K17 is 2K Sports continuation of their established basketball series and now features not just the NBA teams but also clubs from the EuroLeague and other locations.
Another highly anticipated game coming this month is Recore. Published directly by Microsoft and created by Comcept and Armature Studio, it features a story by Halo writer Joseph Staten and is produced by Keiji Inafune. The action-adventure game combined elements of both shooters and puzzle games to create a unique experience where the player is helped by a collection of robotic helpers. It is set to release exclusively on the Xbox One and Windows PC on September 13.
The Xbox One is getting another exclusive in September with Forza Horizon set to hit store shelves on September 27. The latest entry in Microsoft’s own racing series again features a huge open world to explore in combination with a four-player co-operative campaign that can be played online and through cross-play with those on Windows 10.
Destiny is also set to receive some extra content in September with the release of the expansion pack Rise of Iron. This DLC brings a collection of new items, a six-player Raid, and an additional story campaign together to help bridge the gap between the game its upcoming sequel. Bungie and Activision have also gone about releasing an all-encompassing edition of Destiny, featuring every piece of content from the past two years into one package. Destiny: The Collection and Rise of Iron will be available from September 20.
Finally, a classic franchise is set to receive a brand instalment with the release of PAC-MAN Championship Edition 2. Coming to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, the game is a direct sequel to the 2010 release that complete refreshed the series and drew wide critical acclaim for the new mechanics and stages. Featuring new modes and levels, it is set to expand significantly on its predecessor when it releases later in the month.
Retail Releases
The Tomorrow Children | 6th September | PlayStation 4 – An adventure game that has been published by Sony that features a mixture of a building game and a survival title. Set to release as an early-access title this September before its full release later in the year as a free-to-play game.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice | 8th September | Nintendo 3DS – The latest entry in the long running adventure series Phoenix Wright.
Halo 5: Forge | 8th September | PC – 343 Industries attempt at allowing players to create maps and game modes on their Windows 10 PCs rather that within Halo 5 itself. It also offers users the chance to test out their creation in custom games.
BioShock: The Collection | 13th September | PC / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One – The remastered collection of BioShock, which includes all three games in the series that were published by 2K Games alongside all the DLC for each title.
The Witness | 13th September | Xbox One – Jonathan Blow’s next game after Braid finally arrives on Xbox One after releasing exclusively on the PlayStation 4 and PC earlier this year.
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past | 17th September | Nintendo 3DS – The Western port of the Dragon Quest game that originally released in 2000 on PlayStation now comes to the Nintendo 3DS.
Criminal Girls 2: Party Favors | 20th September | PS Vita – A mature RPG that sees seven girls being transported through a reformation program before they become criminals, with the player taking on the role of guiding the characters through their journey.
Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade | 23rd September | PC / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One – Using Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe as its setting, Eternal Crusade is a MMO third-person shooter that allows players to choose from a variety of races and classes.
Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice | 27th September | Nintendo 3DS – Part of the Sonic Boom spin-off, Fire & Ice is an action-adventure game from Sanzaru Games.
XCOM 2 | 27th September | PlayStation 4 / Xbox One – The console release of the highly anticipated sequel to the reimagining of the classic X-Com series. Created by Firaxis and published by 2K Games.
Dead Rising Collection | September | PC / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One – A bundle of the first two Dead Rising games for next-generation consoles and PC.
Indie Games
Agent Walker: Secret Journey | 1st September | PC – A puzzle-adventure game that sees players take on a mission to destroy a mythical weapon before the enemy can use it. From the makers of Enigmatis and Grim Legends.
Lithium: Inmate 39 | 1st September | PlayStation 4 – Telling the story of a psychiatric patient who is attempting to discover his past, Lithium is a 3D puzzle platformer that features claustrophobic horror elements.
Beyond: Flesh and Blood | 1st September | PC / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One – Science fiction action game set in a dystopian Manchester that features intense combat in Mech warriors.
Earthlock: Festival of Magic | 1st September | PC / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One – Created by Norwegian developer Snowcastle Games, this title is an RPG with turn-based combat that is set in the fantasy world of Umbra.
Jotun: Valhalla Edition | 9th September | PlayStation 4 / Xbox One – An upgraded version of the original game for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, bringing the hand-drawn action-exploration game that is steeped in Norse mythology to console players.
Don’t Starve Together | 13th September | PlayStation 4 – The standalone multiplayer expansion for the action-adventure game Don’t Starve. Players must attempt to survive in the harsh environments they encounter as they meet new creatures, enemies and resources.
Rive | 13th September | PC / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One / Wii U – A 2D platforming shoot-em-up in much the same style as classic titles such as Contra.
Dear Esther: Landmark Edition | 20th September | PlayStation 4 / Xbox One – An enhanced port of the original game for next-generation consoles, featuring new audio, commentary, new options, and achievements.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 | 30th September | Nintendo 3DS – A 2D side-scrolling action game that takes inspiration from classic games of the genre and is set in the near future where certain people are born with supernatural abilities.
Freebies
Earthlock: Festival of Magic | Xbox One – A brand new turn-based RPG that is set in a fantasy world with a unique art style.
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China | Xbox One – A spin-off from the Assassin’s Creed main series of games. This title sees gameplay take a 2D flavour rather than the traditional 3D stealth orientated variety of its inspiration.
Forza Horizon | Xbox 360 – One of the most highly acclaimed racing games of recent times, Forza Horizon is the first game in the spin-off series that it set to see a brand new release when Forza Horizon 3 hits later in the month.
Mirror’s Edge | Xbox 360 – The perfect time to check out this freerunning platformer now that its spiritual successor has been out for a few months.
Lords of the Fallen | PlayStation 4 – An action-RPG that seeks to replicate the style of Dark Souls, putting players in charge of a character seeking redemption by ridding the world of a horde of evil creatures.
Journey | PlayStation 4 – One of the highlights of the PlayStation 3 era, Journey is a beautiful artistically driven game that is unique for its lack of genre specific mechanics or concepts.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands | PlayStation 3 – One of the least acclaimed entries in the popular Prince of Persia series. This instalment has players fighting Solomon’s Army using all of his skills as a fighter.
Datura | PlayStation 3 – An equally bizarre and hallucinogenic game that challenges the player to explore a strange world.
Badland | PS Vita – A hugely popular PS Vita game that features more than 100 puzzles that you must navigate while avoiding the various traps and dangers scattered throughout each level.
Amnesia: Memories | PS Vita – A visual novel style game that has the player choosing from a selection of romantic options and paths as they try to find true love.
