Forza Horizon 3
The visually astonishing motor sports series returns to Xbox One, and this time the setting is a realistically modelled reproduction of Australia. With a map twice the size of the previous game and featuring more than 350 cars, it’s a vast driving challenge. There is also a four-player coop mode, so you can take a road trip with your friends, from the rain forests of Queensland to the hippy paradise of Byron Bay.
• 27 September. PC, Xbox One, £45.
Fifa 17
The annual footie sim has had a major overhaul, with a new intelligence system for computer-controller players, refreshed attacking and set-piece controls, and a new journey mode that drops you into the boots of a rookie player named Alex Hunter as he seeks to make his mark on the Premier League. Sports sims and life stories don’t usually go together, so this should be interesting.
• 29 September. PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, £45.
Gears of War 4
The testosterone-soaked sci-fi shooter is back after a five-year hiatus, and promises a familiar blend of massive guns, giant monsters and epic carnage. Set 25 years after the apocalyptic battle that ended Gears 3, a new alien army named the Swarm has emerged to threaten humanity. Luckily, humanity has chainsaw-clad assault rifles and Buzzkill saw blades that whizz around the battlefield until they slice something’s limbs off. There will be blood.
• 11 October. PC, Xbox One, £45.
PlayStation VR headset
At £349, Sony’s virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 4 console isn’t cheap. But with impressive technical specifications and more than 50 games – including Batman: Arkham VR, Rez Infinite and Resident Evil 7 – it could be the most accessible introduction to VR gaming so far.
• 13 October. PS4.
Battlefield 1
The long-running military shooter series is travelling back in time to the first world war. Historically accurate weapons, tanks and aircraft will all figure in the 64-player online dustups, which take place across the muddy fields of France, the frozen Alps and the Sinai desert. Expect action on an epic scale thanks to destructible environments and giant airship attacks.
• 21 October. PC, PS4, Xbox One, £40.
The Last Guardian
One of the most keenly awaited games of this generation, it looked for many years as though Sony’s haunting adventure would never arrive. Created by the team behind PlayStation 2 classics Ico and Shadows of the Colossus, it’s the tale of a young boy who befriends a giant mythological creature and sets out to escape a ruined city.
• 25 October. PS4, £45.
Dishonored 2
One of the most visually and thematically interesting action adventures of the last five years, Dishonored allowed players to sneak around a bizarre steam-punk city, completing stealth missions against its corrupt aristocracy and learning magical skills. The sequel moves the action to an intriguing new locale and introduces a fresh playable character, the beautiful empress Emily Kaldwin, who has become an assassin to claim back her kingdom.
• 11 November. PC, PS4, Xbox One, £45.
Watch Dogs 2
Hacker hero Marcus Holloway must bring down the sinister computerised security system controlling San Francisco in Ubisoft’s near-future cyberpunk thriller. Players can hack and control everything from cars to drones as they explore the beautifully detailed urban environment. The original fell a bit short of its hype, but this seems a much more entertaining and well-structured game.
• 15 November. PC, PS4, Xbox One, £45.
Pokémon Sun and Moon
The phenomenal success of smartphone spin-off Pokémon Go has boosted interest in the monster-collecting series – just in time for the latest instalments (the main Pokémon titles always come in twos). Set on a series of tropical islands, Sun and Moon offer familiar Pokémon-catching adventures, but add new mini-games and competitive multiplayer modes. We’ve still gotta catch ’em all.
• 23 November. Nintendo 3DS, £35.
Final Fantasy XV
After 10 years in development, fan expectations are somewhat elevated for this epic role-playing adventure, which takes place on an Earth-like planet where apocalyptic war looms. The more naturalistic, modernised setting gives the game a different feel to its predecessors, as do the freely explorable environments. It’s a concession to action-focused adventures like Mass Effect and Fallout 4, but have directors Tetsuya Nomura and Hajime Tabata moved too far from the classic blueprint?
• 29 November. PS4, Xbox One, £45.
Events
Legends of Gaming Live
Featuring 20,000 screaming fans and the country’s biggest YouTubers, this two-day extravaganza is basically the Glastonbury of gaming. Stars such as Ali-A, Dan TDM and Syndicate will battle each other in gaming tournaments, pose for photos and sign merchandise, amid playable demos of the latest PC and console titles.
• 10-11 September, Alexandra Palace, London.
FutureFest
The annual weekend event organised by the charity Nesta features talks, performances and immersive experiences on futuristic topics including Brian Eno on the importance of play. Other speakers include Tomb Raider writer Rhianna Pratchett and virtual reality gaming expert Henrique Olifiers, Kanye West’s set designer Es Devlin and the Guardian’s games editor, Keith Stuart.
•17-18 September, Tobacco Dock, London.
EGX
The UK’s biggest gaming event returns to Birmingham, offering attendees the chance to play all the biggest Christmas releases and take part in tournaments, watch talks and meet superstar YouTubers.
• 22-25 September, NEC, Birmingham.
Play Expo
Billed as north England’s biggest gaming expo, Play returns to Manchester this October with playable demos of the winter’s biggest titles as well as gaming tournaments, a virtual reality area and guest speakers.
• 8-9 October, EventCity, Manchester.
