Games Watch: the 5 best new games coming out in October 2018

October is usually a big month in the world of gaming – and this year it’s no different. This month’s release calendar is stuffed with blockbusters but there’s a couple in there that might have slipped your mind, so here are the five most scintillating new releases coming before Halloween rolls around.

Forza Horizon 4 – out now

If you’ve only ever played the standard Forza Motorsport games and were put off by their obsession with tyres, powertrains and other boring stuff only mechanics are paid to care about, give Forza Horizon a go instead. Why? Because, as our reviewer boldly claimed, Forza Horizon 4 is “simply the best racing game ever created.” And that’s honestly not all that surprising, given how phenomenal the last entry was. Horizon 4 ups the ante with a gorgeous open-road London, loads to play and enjoy, brilliant online racing, and some sweet-looking seasons in the mix to boot. Platforms: Xbox One, PC

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – 5 October

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey marks a return to annual entries for the historical action series, but since last year’s Assassin’s Creed Origins was such a breath of fresh air and Odyssey is a massive shift in location and atmosphere, we’re inclined to think that’s not such a bad idea. Odyssey changes setting to Greece in 431 BC, letting you choose between two very different playable characters in a quest that incorporates more role-playing elements than before. There are dialogue trees, branching quests, amorous relationships, and even different endings in the mix – and a return to naval combat, as well. Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – 12 October

Black Ops 4 is the latest entry in Call of Duty’s most revered current sub-series, but this one’s a bit different – it doesn’t ship with a cinematic single-player campaign for the first time in the series’ core history. On top of that, Black Ops 4 also includes the new Blackout battle royale mode, which follows the lead of Fortnite and PUBG and built up a lot of positive buzz during a recent beta test. Add in some notable tweaks to the standard competitive multiplayer mode and three full Zombies mini-campaigns, and Black Ops 4 is poised to be the ultimate online FPS package. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Reigns: Game of Thrones – 18 October

Reigns: Game of Thrones is clearly the odd game out on this list, as a mobile-centric game sitting amidst four of the year’s biggest console and PC releases – but it’s such a brilliant concept that we can’t help but be excited by it. It takes the gameplay and pitch-perfect writing of the Reigns series – a couple of super-streamlined, swipe-centric, almost Tinder-esque kingdom management games – and introduces the Game of Thrones franchise, letting you make swift decisions in familiar and particularly consequential situations. Sounds like a match made in gaming heaven. Platforms: iOS, Android, PC

Red Dead Redemption 2 – 26 October

And last but not least, here it is – our most anticipated game for all of 2018, not to mention most of 2017 before it was delayed! Red Dead Redemption 2 is not only the sequel to Rockstar’s brilliant last-gen open-world Western game, but also the studio’s first completely new game since Grand Theft Auto 5, one of the undisputed best games of all time. We’re expecting big things – and everything we’ve seen so far has looked pretty phenomenal. Rockstar has spent years crafting this engrossing environment for us to explore and live out our Wild West fantasies within, building off of the immense craft of GTA5 and aiming even higher in some regards. It even comes with access to Red Dead Online, where players can no doubt continue their adventures for years to come. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One