The blockbuster rush that began in September rolls straight into October, and GameY's look at the release calendar shows a month that will strain both wallets and sleep schedules. From Oct. 2 to Oct. 23 alone, nine major titles are scheduled to launch, and that is before counting the remasters and expansions filling the gaps in between.
The headline releases are 'Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve', 'Star Wars: Galactic Racer', 'Gears of War: E-Day', 'Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen', 'Castlevania: Curse of Belmont', 'Stupid Never Die', 'Final Fantasy Resonance', 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4' and 'Phantom Blade Zero'. Alongside them, 'Rayman Legends Retold', the 'Dynasty Warriors 2' remaster, the 'Ghost of Yotei' DLC and 'Planet Zoo 2' are also worth keeping on the list.
Korean studios are part of the month as well. Kakao Games' 'Dokkaebi's World', a lighter MMORPG that has been building anticipation, arrives on Oct. 8, and Pearl Abyss follows on Oct. 16 with 'Crimson Desert Enhanced: Charting the Unknown', the first DLC for 'Crimson Desert'.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve / Oct. 2 / Flight shooter / PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
'Ace Combat' is the longest-running flight shooter series still in production. This entry is set ten years after 'Ace Combat 7', but it is built so that newcomers can jump in without having played the previous game. Nor does it require any aviation or military knowledge. If you have ever felt the pull of 'Top Gun', this is the one to watch.
Gears of War: E-Day / Oct. 7 / Third-person shooter / PC, Xbox Series X|S
A prequel set 14 years before the first 'Gears of War', 'E-Day' covers the three days immediately following the Locust invasion, Emergence Day included. It shows how a young Marcus and Dom first met and how their brotherhood began. The series' signature cover-based combat is intact, but vertical movement gets far more emphasis this time. Low cover, varied cover types, sliding, vaulting over tall obstacles and jumping all feed into tactical decisions. The setting is the city of Kalona, and the game leans into the horror of watching it torn apart piece by piece.
Dokkaebi's World / Oct. 8 / MMORPG / Mobile, PC
'Dokkaebi's World' is an MMORPG based on the web novel 'Myeolgwisudojeon'. Its look is unusual, with 3D environments paired with 2D pixel-art characters, all set against a distinctly Korean backdrop. There are no fixed classes; players combine skills from different styles into their own build, and the developers have stripped out the more convoluted systems common to the genre. With its 2D-3D hybrid visuals, a familiar setting, an original combat system and a business model that eases the pressure to spend, it is expected to reach a broad audience.
Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen / Oct. 9 / Action RPG / PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
This expansion for the single-player action RPG 'Dragon's Dogma 2' is set in Norgan, a new region battered by bitter cold. Twelve new dungeons are added to the base game's regions as well, each offering roughly 30 minutes to an hour of content, along with new monsters and new equipment. Difficulty is higher than in the main game, and quality-of-life upgrades include a fast-travel item called the Instant Permanent Stone, skill slots expanded to six, and multiple save slots.
Crimson Desert Enhanced: Charting the Unknown / Oct. 16 / Action-adventure / PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
'Crimson Desert', the game that caught the industry off guard in the first half of the year, gets its first DLC. After the adventure on land, exploration now extends to the sea and the seabed. Players take command of a ship, sail the open ocean, and uncover treasures and ruins hidden on new islands and beneath the waves. An upgraded housing system lets players build homes that reflect their own taste, and various facilities can be leased to earn currency.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 / Oct. 23 / FPS / PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
'Modern Warfare 4' is set on the Korean Peninsula after a full-scale invasion from the North. The campaign follows Private Park, a young South Korean soldier fighting on the front line, in parallel with Captain Price, who runs his own off-the-books operation abroad. An extraction mode, DMZ, is also included, sending players in to loot and get out alive. A war on Korean soil has naturally drawn heavy attention in Korea. This entry also launches on Nintendo Switch 2.
This article was originally published in Korean by GameY reporter Lee Jeong-hoon on Sept. 29.
Copyright ⓒ 게임와이 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지
