September is here, which means the Fall is here, which means some of the biggest games of the year drop this month. We’ve already played some of the biggest ones, so check out our previews of Marvel’s Wolverine, Control Resonant, and more below.
Marvel’s Wolverine
Release Date: September 15
If Insomniac has proved anything over the last eight years, it’s that they know how to make a hell of a superhero game. Spider-Man remains one of the PlayStation 4’s defining action games and a shining example of open-world design, as are both of its follow-ups. Now they’re looking to replicate that magic with Wolverine, albeit this time as a traditional linear AAA action game. I got to play about two and half hours at a recent preview event, and while my impressions are mostly glowingly positive, I did come away with a few questions and concerns. Read our full Marvel’s Wolverine preview.
Control Resonant
Release Date: September 24
I stepped into my exclusive two-hour-long demo of Control Resonant hoping to see more of what I love so much about Remedy’s output — unrivalled world-building, consistently surprising level design, and simply being shown things I haven’t seen before. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. Read our full Control Resonant preview.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
Release Date: September 17
After seven years, Fire Emblem is finally returning to the world introduced in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. There’s a lot of similarities to be found in the structure of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, but there are also plenty of ways that developer Intelligent Systems is building out the features that defined Three Houses in some pretty exciting ways. Even though I was only able to get just a few chapters in with each of the main heroes, I’ve already found several new additions I’m very fond of… and maybe one that I’m not as high on. Read our full Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave preview.
Silent Hill: Townfall
Release Date: September 24
There’s always a foggy town that instills a certain fear, cryptic puzzles within that tense atmosphere, and an underlying trauma to ground the chilling horror. I had an inkling that Silent Hill: Townfall could nail the series’ particular style of horror, and after getting three hours of hands-on time with it, I’m thrilled to say my intuition was spot on. This being in first-person definitely sparked the thought of what P.T. could have been, because my time with Townfall showed that the more intimate interaction with the environment can bring you closer to both the story it’s trying to tell and the gameplay elements that give rise to such dread. I came in thinking Townfall would be just another direction the series could explore, and came away eager for whatever comes after the end of my preview demo. Read our full Silent Hill: Townfall preview.
Hot Wheels: Infinite Rush
Release Date: September 24
From my 30 minutes of hands-on time, I really came to appreciate the sense of freedom of taking my chosen vehicles out into the field. The Burnout Paradise-style open-world racing is a great fit for the toy-car world of Hot Wheels, as the focus on exploration offers a surprisingly charming space to tear my way through. Hot Wheels: Infinite Rush is very much a living toy box of a world to unravel, and so far, developer Milestone has got a great concept for its big upgrade for Hot Wheels racing games. Read our full Hot Wheels: Infinite Rush preview.
Garfield: Escape from Monday
Release Date: September 24
Effectively capturing the vibes of Garfield can be a real challenge to pull off well, but Garfield: Escape from Monday is shaping up to be a worthy addition to the lovable slacker’s library of interactive adventures. Much like the recent Bubsy 4D, Escape from Monday is pretty familiar when it comes to the structure and formula, but that’s seemingly by design, as recapturing the fun of 3D platformers from a simpler time is very much in style these days. Luckily, his new Garfield adventure backs up solid fundamentals with snappy platforming action and a cool hook that showcases the endearing sourpuss in a fun and exciting way. It might not reinvent the genre, but that’s okay, and as Garfield will tell you any day of the week, there’s nothing wrong with a little comfort food. As long as it’s not healthy vegetable lasagna on a Monday morning. Read our full Garfield: Escape from Monday preview.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, and a co-host of Next-Gen Console Watch. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
