Video games can be a welcome distraction from university life, whether you game alone or with friends.
Some people turn to the classics: Mario Kart, Dark Souls, Halo. But for those who are bored of their usual gaming go-tos, some interesting titles are hitting shelves soon.
We’ve compiled a list of the most anticipated upcoming games to help deal with stressors for both avid and casual players.
"Luigi’s Mansion 3"
Oct. 31, Nintendo Switch
If you want to encounter some real ghosts on Halloween, pick up "Luigi’s Mansion 3" for the Nintendo Switch. In the latest installment of the Luigi’s Mansion series, Luigi and his friends are invited to a luxury hotel. But the vacation turns out to be a ploy by King Boo to capture the protagonists. To save Mario, Princess Peach and others, Luigi must explore the enormous hotel and fight ghosts using the new Poltergust G-00.
By changing the setting from a mansion to a hotel, the game attempts to give players the opportunity to explore rather than be locked into a linear path. The game also introduces new gameplay mechanics added in by the Poltergust G-00. And if you don’t want to tackle the haunted hotel alone, a second player can join and take over the role of Gooigi, a green slime copy of Luigi. The multiplayer mode, ScareScraper, even allows up to eight players.
Death Stranding
Nov. 8, Playstation 4
After Hideo Kojima’s iconic return during E3 2016, people have been eagerly waiting to play Kojima’s first game since he left Konami. Luckily, the wait is almost over. On Nov. 8, “Death Stranding” will release for the Playstation 4. The game features some well-known actors such as Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen and the famous director Guillermo del Toro. During the game, the player controls Sam Bridges as he attempts to reconnect mankind after supernatural events threaten to destroy the world.
Similar to Kojima’s older work, “Metal Gear,” Kojima says that “Death Stranding” will create a whole new genre of gaming. The game seems to be an open-world action game that places an emphasis on the concept of life and death and focuses on the idea that humans need to be connected to survive.
"Pokémon Sword and Shield"
Nov. 15, Switch
It’s time to once again become the strongest Pokémon trainer in the latest games in the Pokémon franchise, "Pokémon Sword and Shield." In the games, the player embarks on a journey to catch Pokémon and become the strongest in the Galar region, which is an area inspired by Great Britain.
The Galar region brings the player to an open world filled with sprawling countrysides, steampunk cities and plenty of new Pokémon. There are also some new gameplay features such as the ability for Pokémon to become incredibly large using Dynamax and Gigantamax.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Nov. 15, PS4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
If Pokémon isn’t your thing but you still want to buy a game on Nov. 15, then “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” might be right up your alley. The single-player action-adventure game follows Order 66, as people in the Jedi Order are being hunted and killed across the galaxy. While Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis is in hiding, he uses the force to save a friend. But an Imperial Probe Droid caught footage of the act and the Second Sister inquisitor hunts him down.
During the game, players will get to meet known “Star Wars” characters and worlds as well as new ones.
Shenmue III
Nov. 19, PS4, Windows
The long-awaited sequel to the first two Shenmue games has arrived. This iconic Dreamcast series continues with Shenmue III on Nov. 19. The game takes place in 1980s China and follows teenage martial artist Ryo Hazuki as he tries to find his father’s killer.
In 1999 and 2001, the first two Shenmue games were released for the Sega Dreamcast and the series is considered to be one of the pioneers of open-world RPGs. Even though the director, Yu Suzuki, planned to have more games in the series and the games gained a cult following, the large budget led to the games not making enough profit and the series stalled for years. After a Kickstarter campaign launched by Suzuki in 2015, Suzuki’s company, Ys Net, raised enough money to make “Shenmue III.” Suzuki also received Guinness World Records for the fastest $1 million and $2 million pledges for a crowdfunded video game.
Anastasia Wilds is an assistant arts editor and can be reached at anastasia.wilds@ubspectrum.com and on twitter @AnastasiaWilds.
Anastasia Wilds is the senior arts editor. She has been writing for newspapers since her junior year of high school, and she has appreciated all forms of art for even longer. When she’s not writing, she is either reading, listening to music, hanging out with her friends on discord or streaming on Twitch.
