It happens every year. I get through that long stretch from January to September without much trouble, shelling out for the games I want most at launch, and strategically waiting on the others. I wait for sales; I weather the initial hype cycle. Each month, I allot myself enough spending money to afford two triple-A games (or the equivalent number of indies), and that tends to be enough.
But, every year without fail, October arrives and my plan falls apart. You would think that, after six years covering the games industry, I would have gotten used to this. Reader, I have not. This week we entered spooky season and, so far, the only scary thing about it is how many games are vying for my money.
Keeping Up With Games Is Hard
I already have way too much to play as it is. The game getting the lion’s share of my attention right now isThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. I went in on the2-for-$100 voucher, so I’m also set forMario & Luigi: Brothershiponce that comes out in November (provided I don’t break when I need a Zelda hit and buySkyward SwordHD). I’ve played about an hour of Frostpunk 2 — long enough to get through the prologue mission — but haven’t had serious time to devote to it thanks to Zelda. Meanwhile, Adventures in Gameland, the new Rugrats platformer which I calledmy most anticipated game of 2024a year ago is out and I still haven’t touched it, despite nabbing a free copy through the Epic Games Store. And, last but not least, I really likeStar Wars Outlawsand want to keep playing it, but have a bunch of other things to play and have gotten distracted.
Thanks to Game Pass and giveaways, I only paid for Echoes of Wisdom and Outlaws. But the months ahead won’t be so kind.Silent Hill 2is out this week and, as a Bloober Team defender who feels vindicated by the positive responses the game got in previews, I’m excited to check it out. I have no relationship to the original game, and am eager to see the other, non-Resident Evil side of survival horror I’ve been missing. On the other end of the spectrum, the newest entry in a series I have a lot of fondness for,Life is Strange: Double Exposure, is arriving at the end of the month. I have mixed feelings about the series going back to the Max Caulfield well, but these games scratch such a unique itch for me that I wouldn’t miss it for all the games in the world.
TheUntil Dawnremake is out this week and, though I’m a big fan of the original and October seems like the perfect time to revisit Blackwood Mountain, I just don’t have 60 spare bucks lying around to buy a slightly prettier version of a game I already own. That’s the same reason I’m hoping I can resist the call ofHorizon Zero DawnRemastered at the end of the month, but I love that original game so who knows. Maybe it will get me.
Indies Are Hitting Hard In 2024, And There Are A Lot Of Them
While those triple-A retreads feel easily missable, the deluge of indies does not. UFO 50 launched two weeks ago and, despite following the game’s development for years, I haven’t picked it up yet. The concept of releasing 50 games for a fictional console by a fictional developer is fantastic, but I barely have room in my life for one more game, let alone 50. I could finish Apartment Story in one sitting, which is a point in its favor for me as a busy adult, but also a point against it since there are so many games vying for my wallet.
I’m swamped. And I haven’t even mentionedMetaphor: ReFantazio,Dragon Age: The Veilguard,Call of Duty: Black Ops 6,Sonic X Shadow Generations,Slitterhead,Stalker 2, orIndiana Jones and the Great Circle. I want to play each and every one of those games and I have no idea how that will be possible. I guess I owe Ubisoft a thank you for delayingAssassin’s Creed Shadowsand making the next few months slightly easier on my bank account.
