➀ The Outer Worlds 2 offers a larger scale than the first game, with bigger explorable zones and more side quests. However, it falls short in providing a diverse character build and fails to deliver on its promises of freedom. ➁ The combat system has improved, but the reliance on shooting over stealth or diplomacy is a letdown. ➂ The companions feel more like mercenaries, with some having little reason to be on your crew or care about the main mission. The game's writing is similar to the original, with a lack of emotional depth.

➀ The Outer Worlds 2 is set to release today for Premium Edition buyers, offering a five-day early access period. The review embargo has been lifted, revealing positive reception from critics worldwide. The game has scored an 84 on Metacritic and an 82 on Open Critic. Highlights include improved shooting mechanics, witty writing, and RPG mechanics that allow players to 'play their way'. However, it may not significantly differ from the original game. ➁ The Premium Edition includes five days of early access and a DLC pass with two future story expansions. The standard edition will be available on October 29th. ➂ KitGuru asks if readers are planning to purchase The Outer Worlds 2.

➀ A new AAA Lord of the Rings game is reportedly in development; ➁ The Abu Dhabi Investment Office has agreed to a $100M deal to fund the game; ➂ The game aims to compete with Hogwarts Legacy, featuring a third-person open-world with customisable characters and RPG elements.

➀ IO Interactive celebrates the 25th anniversary of the HITMAN series by releasing a new limited-edition 25th Anniversary version of HITMAN World of Assassination, combining Hitman (2016), Hitman 2, and Hitman 3. ➁ The edition is a physical-only release for PS5, with no equivalent for Xbox or PC. ➂ It includes exclusive content and is priced at $49.99.

➀ SpongeBob SquarePants returns with a new game, 'Titans of the Tide', by Purple Lamp Studios. ➁ THQ Nordic has released a free demo for the game. ➂ The demo allows players to try the game's unique feature of switching between SpongeBob and Patrick.

➀ The Outer Worlds 2 has officially gone gold ahead of its launch on October 29th. ➁ The game was initially revealed with a $80 price tag, which was later reduced to $70. ➂ The Outer Worlds 2 is expected to be a solid follow-up to the 2017 RPG, with improvements over the first game.

➀ Yacht Club Games announced the delay of Mina the Hollower; ➁ The game was initially set to release on Halloween; ➂ The delay is to apply final polish and balancing; ➃ The team is working on design, art, sound, game balancing, localization, and platform testing.

➀ Ubisoft announced a free DLC for Assassin's Creed Mirage titled 'Valley of Memory'; ➁ The DLC will be a major update celebrating the game's two-year anniversary; ➂ The DLC will feature a new story chapter and missions set in 9th century alUla, Saudi Arabia.

➀ Prototype is a series of open-world titles from the 7th generation of consoles; ➁ The series has seen only two entries and the most recent one was released over a decade ago; ➂ An update to the original Prototype on Steam suggests a remaster might be in the works.

➀ PAYDAY 2 introduces a new DLC rental service; ➁ The service costs £3.99 per month or £15.99 for 6 months; ➂ Players express frustration over the new service.

➀ The upcoming Sonic Racing Crossworlds has not yet officially launched, but fans have found a major unannounced DLC crossover character. ➁ The game's main feature is the crossover into other worlds, including Minecraft Steve, SpongeBob Square Pants, the TMNT, Avatar, and Pac-Man. ➃ The physical edition of the game confirmed that Capcom's classic Mega Man will appear after the launch. ➄ The game has received positive early reviews, with a score of 83 out of 100, making it the highest-rated Sonic racing game. ➅ It seems that Sonic Racing Crossworlds may finally be on an equal footing with Nintendo's mascot in the eyes of players.

➀ Early reviews have placed Hollow Knight: Silksong at the top of 2025's highest-rated games; ➁ The game currently shares the highest Metacritic score of 93 with other notable titles; ➂ Despite not receiving early review codes, user reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with a 9.1/10 on Metacritic and a 91% positive rating on Steam.

➀ Netflix has confirmed that their upcoming Bioshock adaptation will be based on the original Bioshock 1 game; ➁ Producer Roy Lee revealed some early details about the project; ➂ The film's release is still pending, with ongoing script work.

➀ Helldivers 2 reached nearly 1 million players on Xbox in its first week; ➁ The game's success is attributed to its later launch on Xbox, which allowed for more exposure and positive word of mouth; ➂ The game has evolved from an isometric twin-stick shooter to a full third-person action game.

➀ Gears of War: Reloaded, a remake of the 2006 classic, has surpassed 1 million players just two days after its release; ➁ The game is a day-one addition to Xbox Game Pass; ➂ Gears of War: Reloaded is currently the 5th best-selling game on PS5.

➀ The Yooka-Laylee duology is a series of retro platformers reminiscent of the Nintendo 64 and PSOne mascot titles; ➁ Playtonic announced a remake of the first game, Yooka-Replaylee, for current-gen consoles; ➃ The game is set to launch on October 9th, 2025, with upgrades and new content.

➀ SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance has received near-universal critical acclaim with a Metacritic score of 88 and an Open Critic rating of 87; ➁ The game is a new 2D action platformer based on SEGA's classic franchise, developed by LizardCube; ➂ Critics praise the game for its stylish 'hand-drawn look' and combat across visually striking stages.

➀ Assassin's Creed Mirage is receiving a new free DLC later this year; ➁ The DLC will include a new story chapter and missions set in 9th century alUla, Saudi Arabia; ➂ Ubisoft has also teased various gameplay improvements for the base game.

➀ Activision has been slow with the Call of Duty reveals this year; ➁ The event will take place on September 30th, revealing Black Ops 7 multiplayer and Zombies mode; ➂ Black Ops 7 is set to release on November 14th for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

➀ TTGames has announced LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, their most ambitious DC LEGO game yet; ➁ The game features a fully explorable open world inspired by Rocksteady's Arkham games; ➂ The game is set to release in 2026.