The autumn season keeps marching on as more amazing games are released leading up to the new year. There were quite a few major releases for familiar franchise faces but only one can take home the honor of being our Game of the Month for October. Some of us disagreed, and some of us had our own personal winners, but we eventually settled on one consensus pick. Without further ado:
The Game of the Month for October 2015 is…
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
Senior Editor Ishmael Romero
Coming off of a shoddy release all Assassin’s Creed Syndicate needed to do to be loved was simply work. So many fans, myself included, wanted nothing more than a game that allowed for assassinations in a beautiful city where people and potential targets lived until we, the master assassins, decided they shouldn’t exist anymore. And Syndicate did that, the game works quite well, but that alone isn’t the reason why it’s game of the month worthy. Ubisoft could’ve easily skated by with a “hey guys we made it work at launch, hurrah,” but they instead took the time to create one of the best cities in the franchise, two extraordinary protagonists, and some revamped gameplay to make one of the newest feeling Assassin’s Creed games in a long time. It finally got a proper current generation push, and it brought a breath of fresh air that was sorely needed.
Associate Editor Justin Carter
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate had a lot on its shoulders. Not only did it have to continue…whatever the hell is going on in the present day Templar/Assassin war, it had to be a comeback title for Ubisoft. A lot of people were still wary after Unity ended up being a buggy and irritating mess to go through, and that’s just putting it lightly. Thankfully, Ubisoft got its groove back and went back to what made the games fun in the first place. Parkouring is the best that it has been in quite some time, and the combat feels like it’s got some extra weight to it. And that’s to say nothing of the twin leads Jacob and Evie Frye, who practically win you over from the first minute. Whether you like bashing people’s skulls in as Jacob or sneaking about as Evie, the two handle great and have a fun dynamic together. After a disjointed Unity, this Syndicate is one hell of a victory.
Honorable Mentions
Life is Strange Episode 5: Polarized
News Editor Zhi’Qing Wan
If you’re into stories or narrative-driven games, then Life Is Strange should be right up your alley. The first episode saw its release early this year and finally received an emotional roller coaster of a finale. Fair warning, though; the story does deal with some heavy subjects like abuse and date rape, so you might want to be a little wary if these issues cause you any discomfort. Still, Life Is Strange does a lovely job of making you feel like your actions and decision have actual weight in the story, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that its two female protagonists are charming teenagers that we can latch onto fairly easily. If you’re looking for a good, gripping story that might make you cry tears of sadness and emotional frustration, don’t pass this one up.
Tales from the Borderlands Epsiode 5: The Vault of the Traveler
Staff Writer Zak Lyons
Tales from the Borderlands feels like the culmination of Telltale Games’ repertoire to date. It has drama akin to The Walking Dead, storytelling on par with The Wolf Among Us, and more laughs than Sam & Max and Tales of Monkey Island combined, and these are not statements made lightly. Tales is incredibly accessible too. The main cast of characters are all brand new to the Borderlands universe, and their story is all new, so you don’t have to play the three other games in the series to understand what’s going on. On the other hand there are more than enough references and recurring character appearances scattered throughout to please longtime Borderlands fans. From its strong start in episode 1 to the insanely satisfying finale, Tales from the Borderlands is easily one of October’s best games, and even a solid contender for Game of the Year.
Halo 5: Guardians
Managing Editor Ed McGlone
Halo 5: Guardians may not be a transcending game that converts non-believers like the original game did, but it’s still a damn fine Halo game. For those invested in the story of Master Chief and the Halo universe, you’ll find a solid campaign story jam packed with its iconic “bowl” style mission design. Where Halo 5 shines the most though is its multiplayer. The Halo franchise has always been a competitive FPS leader but Halo 5 pushes it to another level with Warzone. The new Warzone mode takes massive total war gameplay such as Planetside and MAG and adds a AAA Halo polish to it. And of course, all of the classic multiplayer modes are there too with Forge mode support on the way shortly. Halo 5: Guardians may not be perfect, but it will definitely whet any FPS or Halo fans appetite.
That does it for our October Game of the Month picks! Agree or disagree? What were your favorite games this month? Let us know in the comments!
