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Hey guys! 2021 has been a bit of a quiet year for game releases, but things are finally heating up as we get closer to the holiday season. This time of year tends to see the bulk of the year’s biggest releases, and this year is no different.
September, October, November, and even December has some impressive releases on the slate. Today, we’re going to walk you through all the biggest releases to keep an eye on for the rest of 2021. And, a few hidden gems to watch as well.
September
We’re already halfway through September, but there’s still plenty of big games coming out the rest of the month.
TOEM (September 17th)
TOEM (no, it’s not an acronym, that’s just the name) is one of the many indie photography games currently bursting on the scene. However, most of those feature a first-person view, and TOEM is a little different.
TOEM uses an isometric perspective with a cutesy, hand-drawn art-style. And what’s more, the game is completely in black and white! Despite this, the game is a real stunner (as any photography game should be) with tons of style and great writing.
TOEM comes to PC, Nintendo Switch, and Playstation 5 on September 17th.
Deltarune: Chapter 2 (September 17th)
Toby Fox’s 2015 hit Undertale is a bit of a legend in the world of indie games. It’s one of the biggest successes in the indie space, and gained a huge cult following for its clever writing, unique gameplay hooks, and a great pixel art style. In October of 2018, Toby Fox released the first chapter of the follow-up to Undertale, known as Deltarune (frequently stylized in all-caps as DELTARUNE).
Things were quiet after this short chapter was released, with only the most occasional tidbits about progress from Toby Fox. But just recently, Toby Fox surprise announced the next chapter in a Tweet on his personal Twitter, and it’s releasing on September 17th! You can find this latest chapter on PC, Playstation 4, and Nintendo Switch when it releases this evening!
Diablo II: Resurrected (September 23rd)
Diablo II released 21 loooong years ago, receiving a Guiness World Record at the time for being the fastest-selling computer game ever (a feat that would be repeated by the next game in the series, Diablo III, which Guiness lists as the current fastest-selling PC video game). And while developer Blizzard is in a bit of hot water right now (to say it lightly), there’s still a ton of hype for Diablo II’s upcoming remaster, Diablo II: Resurrected.
The game will feature all the great, classic gameplay of Diablo II while bringing remastered graphics, cross-progression, and more! Be sure to check out Diablo II: Resurrected when it releases for PC, Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Switch on September 23rd.
Sable (September 23rd)
One of the most anticipated indie games right now is Shedworks’ Sable. This game could be best described as a “Breath-of-the-Wild-like,” and features many of the signature gameplay hooks as the 2017 smash hit. Namely, gliding and climbing mechanics, environmental puzzle solving, and a focus on exploration.
Sable is far more than just a copy, however, and it really stands out from the pack. For one, it has an incredibly unique, cell-shaded art style that looks like nothing else. Despite taking place in a dry, desert world, Sable still feels lively and vibrant due to its art style.
The game also features sharp writing and great world building. Plus, a soundtrack from indie darling Japanese Breakfast! Be sure to check out this unique, coming-of-age tale when it releases on September 23rd for PC and Xbox.
Death Stranding: Director’s Cut (September 24th)
Death Stranding is the first non-Konami game released by legendary director Hideo Kojima, and it really made a splash when it released back in late 2019. Love it or hate it, Kojima’s unique style really shone through, and at the very least, Death Stranding had some incredible visuals.
Now, the Playstation 5 update of Death Stranding is being released, and it’s going to be called Death Stranding: Director’s Cut (a name Kojima himself has stated he doesn’t like much). The new version will feature a number of additions besides updated visuals, including new missions, new in-game gadgets, improved combat, and a number of other little goodies.
Check out Death Stranding: Director’s Cut when it releases for PS5 on September 24th.
Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye DLC (September 28th)
Outer Wilds is one the most unique gaming experiences available. In this 2019 release, you were stuck in a time loop (mind you, this was before the current glut of time-loop games) and had to find out how to end the loop. Oh yeah, and said loop ends with the sun exploding.
The game’s unique style, stunning music, and all-around great vibes made it a huge hit at release. And now, extremely unexpectedly, developer Mobius Digital and publisher Annapurna Interactive are releasing a DLC called Outer Wilds – Echoes of the Eye. Little is known so far, but discovering mysteries is the heart of the Outer WIlds experience!
Find out for yourself what the mystery is all about when Outer Wilds – Echoes of the Eye releases for Playstation 4, PC, and Xbox One on September 28th.
New World (sep 28)
If you’ve been following The Gamer’s Mind, you already know all about New World. The upcoming MMO from Amazon Games has a lot of buzz surrounding it, and although it’s seen a few delays, it’s finally almost ready for release. This game features all your standard MMO trappings with a strong focus on factions and control of territory, set against an aesthetic inspired by the European Age of Discovery.
The wait is almost over the gaming world’s hottest new MMO; don’t miss out when New World releases on PC on September 28th.
October
The release schedule really starts to heat up in October. A number of long-awaited releases will be dropping in the spookiest months of the year, as well as a few recently-revealed surprises.
Alan Wake: Remastered (October 5th)
Alan Wake was a really unique action-adventure title released by a little studio called Remedy Entertainment back in 2010. The game featured a supernatural, reality-bending story centered around the titular Alan Wake, a Stephen-King-esque horror writer whose latest novel suddenly starts becoming a part of reality.
Although it suffered from some at-times clunky gameplay and a few other issues, it was well-received and remains a cult classic to this day. Now, Remedy Entertainment has announced they’ll be bringing Mr. Wake into the modern age with Alan Wake: Remastered.
The remaster will feature the full game and its two DLCs (“The Signal” and “The Writer”), with improved 4K visuals. Plus, it will come with a brand new director commentary track from creative director Sam Lake. Catch this remastered classic on PC, Xbox, and Playstation platforms when it releases October 5th.
Far Cry 6 (October 7th)
The 6th and latest entry in Ubisoft’s Far Cry series was announced back in 2020 with a dramatic reveal trailer. Far Cry 6 will take place in the fictional Caribbean country called Yara, which is under the brutal rule of the Dictator Anton Castillo (played by Giancarlo Esposito, best known for his role as Gus Fring in Breaking Bad.
The game will feature all the classic Far Cry gameplay fans love with a couple of new twists. It’s up to you to save Yara from its brutal dictator when Far Cry 6 releases on October 7th.
Metroid Dread (October 8th)
Nintendo shocked fans when it announced a new 2D Metroid game during this year’s E3. Called Metroid Dread, the game is a direct sequel to 2002’s Metroid Fusion, and is the first 2D game in the series since that game released 19 years ago. The game features a particularly dark atmosphere, alongside the classic Metroid gameplay that helped spawn a whole genre in the form of Metroidvanias.
You don’t want to miss out on this game when it releases on October 8th exclusively on Nintendo Switch, alongside a new model of that console.
Back 4 Blood (October 12th)
Back 4 Blood is a long-awaited follow up to the classic co-op shooter Left 4 Dead, created by the same developers as the original at Turtle Rock Studio. While they’ve added new thrills and chills, the core gameplay you fondly remember remains, with teams of four players fighting through hordes of zombies in order to progress through a series of stages, ending in one massive stand-off.
Grab some friends and get in on the action when Back 4 Blood releases for PC, Xbox, and Playstation on October 12th.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water (October 28th)
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water originally released back in 2014 for the WiiU. In this game, as in other Fatal Frame titles, the player explores a haunted environment with a special camera that can see ghosts (which is also your only way to defend yourself, as taking photos with it damages ghosts). Now, the game is being remastered for modern consoles with updated graphics.
This hair-raising title releases just in time for Halloween on October 28th.
Mario Party Superstars (October 29th)
One of the biggest disappointments on the Nintendo Switch is Super Mario Party. With only a very small amount of content, the game left players a bit bored, and Nintendo added almost nothing to the game until this past April when they added…. an online mode.
But now, we’re getting a new Mario Party on the Switch! This time we’re getting Mario Party Superstars, which is basically a best-of featuring boards and minigames from the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube games in the Mario Party series. With 5 boards to Super Mario Party’s 3, the game will hopefully have a bit more to do than its predecessors, even if it’s stuff we’ve seen before.
Mario Party Superstars comes exclusively to the Nintendo Switch on October 29th.
November
As the holiday shopping season really gets going in November, a number of big-ticket releases are coming out to take advantage. That means releases from top franchises like Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Pokémon, plus hotly awaited new titles like Icarus.
Call of Duty: Vanguard (November 5th)
Call of Duty: Vanguard is the latest in Activision’s Call of Duty series. The game was announced back in August with an in-game event and this time around, we’re focused on the creation of special forces during World War II. Like in any CoD game, you can expect intense military action with a variety of multiplayer modes, alongside a campaign.
Join the fight when Call of Duty: Vanguard releases on November 5th.
Forza Horizon 5 (November 9th)
Forza Horizon 5 is the latest in the Horizon branch of Microsoft’s flagship racing series Forza. The Horizon games feature huge open worlds, and this latest title is no exception with a Mexico-inspired open world that’s the largest in the series. The game also looks absolutely incredible, with some of the best graphics of any game right now.
Get ready to rev up your favorite ride and get in on the race when Forza Horizon 5 comes to PC and Xbox on November 9th.
Shin Megami Tensei V (November 11th)
Shin Megami Tensei is a series of legendary RPGs created and published by Atlus which is best known these days for its offshoot series Persona. The last main Shin Megami Tensei installment, Shin Megami Tensei IV, released in 2013 on the Nintendo 3DS. Now, finally, the fifth installment is releasing exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
These RPGs are monster battlers, a la pokemon. But instead of cuddly creatures, you’re sending demons into battle! If that interests you, be sure to pick up Shin Megami Tensei V when it releases on Nintendo Switch on November 11th.
Skyrim Anniversary Edition (November 11th)
I don’t have to tell you what Skyrim is. You know all about Skyrim by now. And there’s at least 90% chance you already own it in some form.
Well, Bethesda isn’t one to stop milking a cash cow, and now they’re bringing us yet another edition of the legendary open-world RPG to celebrate the game’s 10th anniversary. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is the same game you know and love, but now with even upgrades. That means updated visuals (of course), quests, spells, weapons, and more. And they added fishing!
Skyrim Anniversary Edition will be available on November 11th.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (November 19th)
Yet another remaster (it seems like we’re getting a lot of those this year), Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl bring the classic Nintendo DS games Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl into the modern age.
Featuring updated graphics and gameplay updates (in Nintendo’s words, “easy-to-understand, player-friendly conveniences of the modern Pokemon series”), you can catch these latest Pokemon games exclusively on Nintendo Switch when they both release on November 19th.
Battlefield 2042 (November 19th)
Battlefield 2042 is the latest in EA’s long-standing series of first-person military shooters, and it’s looking like it will easily be the best yet. The game will feature massive battles of up to 128 players, as well as content from past entries in the series and player-made content via the “Battlefield Portal” mode.
Although it was originally slated for October, the game has now been delayed a month. Battlefield 2042 will now be available on PC, Xbox, and Playstation on November 19th.
Icarus (November 20th)
We’ve already talked about Icarus a bit here at The Gamer’s Mind. This is one of the hottest upcoming titles in the survival genre right now, and for good reason. Icarus is being created by Dean Hall (the creator of the legendary and formative survival game DayZ) and his team at Rocketwerkz. Uniquely, Icarus will be a session-based survival title, where you’ll have a timeline in which to accomplish a certain mission and escape from the alien planet that is the setting and namesake of the game Icarus.
Be the first to experience this exciting new survival title when it releases exclusively on PC this November 20th.
December
December is usually a quieter month for releases and this year is certainly no different. Most of the titles that were slated to come out this month (like Dying Light 2) have been delayed to 2022. But, there is one December release worth getting excited about, and it’s a doozy.
Halo Infinite (December 8th)
I don’t need to tell you about Halo. It’s one of the most legendary games of all time, and if you’re a gamer, you’ve probably played a Halo game at some point. It’s been 6 years since Halo 5, the last mainline Halo title, and now, finally, we’re going to see another one in the form of Halo Infinite.
Featuring a brand new campaign following Master Chief and all the classic multiplayer action you love (plus, the multiplayer mode will be free!), Halo Infinite is sure to be a must-play title. Catch all the action when it releases on PC and Xbox on December 8th.
It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!
The fall release season is one of the most exciting parts of the year for a gamer, and no matter who you are and what you play, there’s sure to be a couple titles on this list that got you excited.
What are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments! And keep your eye on The Gamer’s Mind for all the latest in video games.
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