The top 10 games on PC in October

After a few lean months over the last year, we’re really in it now. So, I hope you’ve done all your book-reading, TV-watching, and music-listening, because the next four weeks is just wall-to-wall video games.

There's a big one, a smaller one, a middling-sized one, a spiritual successor one, an early access one, one with a bigtime actor, one with fishing, one with a legally distinct Chris Pratt analogue, one with terrible dress sense, and one that might scare you into doing a little wee.

But, I’d imagine you’re looking for some details before you make any purchasing decisions so let’s just get into it. Here are the top 10 video games coming to PC in October, 2021.

If you like moving images set to words and music, you can have a watch of the video above. But, if you prefer text, then read on.

Far Cry 6 (October 7th)

Who's it by? Ubisoft Toronto
Where can I get it? Epic Games Store | Ubisoft Store
How much is it? £50/€60/$60

Some people have grown tired of culling cassowaries to upgrade their school bag, and others find getting trigger happy in outposts full of ill-advised men and women doesn't hit the same as it once did. I’m not one of those people. If the dictator of Cuba-inspired Yara (TV’s Giancarlo Esposito) wants to spit monologues at me in between missions that have me torching fields with a flamethrower, I’m game. While it would be a pleasant surprise, I’m not expecting Far Cry 6 to lean on subtlety in its story that sees you join a guerrilla uprising. There’s a gun that shoots CD-Rs of the Macarena and an alligator that’ll attack enemies on your command: that doesn’t scream Emotions to me. Changes have been made though. The biggest one is probably that your character progression is tied to the gear and weapons you have, rather than a skill tree. We’ll get to see what other tweaks have been made – if any – when the game launches early this month.

Back 4 Blood (October 12th)

Who's it by? Turtle Rock Studios
Where can I get it? Steam | Epic Games Store
How much is it? £50/€60/$60/£0.00 with Xbox Game Pass For PC

Emptying clips into the undead wasn’t a regular pastime of mine growing up, so I wasn’t really bothered when Back 4 Blood was announced. Then I played the beta with a few members of the RPS treehouse and I began mapping out future character builds. With three friends alongside you, the PvE campaign seems like a right good time, and – importantly – the Left 4 Dead aficionados on staff had a hankering for more after playing it. The weighty guns, the variety in enemies, the card buffs: there’s enough new bits and bobs in here to make Back 4 Blood feel like more than just a shinier version of the old game. It wasn’t perfect when we played it a few months back – the PvP was far from inspiring, and the lack of a versus campaign mode did garner a few groans – but I’m still excited to get back out there. There are zombies to kill, and I am more than happy to kill them. (It’s not dark, because they’re already dead).

Jett: The Far Shore (October 5th)

Who's it by? Superbrothers, Pine Scented Software
Where can I get it? Epic Games Store
How much is it? £24/€30/$30

This space exploration game has had minds racing since it was first revealed in June of last year. But, even after a round of previews in August, many are still wondering what it actually is. So, let me tell you what I know: you play as a scout called Mei who is scoping out an alien planet on her super nimble jet. You fly around this environment, scanning items and areas of interest and fending off aggressive wildlife, all while pretending you’re an otherworldly Maverick. But only a bit, I’d imagine, because it’s not like feeling the need for speed appears to be essential here. It’s more about gliding along this planet’s surface at your own pace, uncovering the mysteries of it all.

Age Of Empires IV (October 28th)

Who's it by? Relic Entertainment, World's Edge
Where can I get it? Steam
How much is it? £50/€60/$60/£0.00 with Xbox Game Pass For PC

Age Of Empires players that have been able to get hands-on time with the new game pre-release – including our own Nate – have said this is more like a sequel to the second one rather than the third one. But this isn't a retread: Company Of Heroes dev Relic Entertainment have been brought in to give RTS fans another game they can play for years to come. It will launch with eight civilisations, but there are plans to add more in the future; there are four campiagns to choose from at the start; and it obviously looks a lot snazzier than previous games in the series. Time will tell whether it'll have the staying power of Age Of Empires 2, but it's looking good right now.

Solar Ash (October 26th)

Who's it by? Heart Machine
Where can I get it? Epic Games Store
How much is it? TBA

From the developer of Hyper Light Drifter comes something quite a bit different. Sure, it's all hot pinks and seafoam greens, but that appears to be where the comparisons begin and end. Solar Ash is a 3D platformer wherein you'll be slashing at some nasties that need to be put in their place – there are even some massive Shadow Of The Colossus-sized baddies for you to take down. But, mainly, this one is all about movement, as our own Alice Bee discovered a few weeks ago. You skate along the ground with ease, and leap through the air with the grace of a luchador. While this definitely ticks the Difficult Second Album box, Heart Machine could be onto a winner if they nail the feel of Solar Ash.

Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy (October 26th)

Who's it by? Eidos-Montréal
Where can I get it? Steam | Epic Games Store | Humble
How much is it? £50/€60/$60

Long before the announcement that he'd be crushing mushrooms to death as an Italian plumber, Chris Pratt (and pals) gave life to one of Marvel's lesser-known crime-fighting crews, the Guardians Of The Galaxy. Now, seven years later, Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot are getting their own computer game. Well, after the other computer game they got. Anyway… as the bottle blonde Quill, you'll be offing all manner of aliens in combat, whilst also issuing commands to your friends. There's a bit of strategy in this third-person shooter. Also, given the fact developer Eidos-Montréal also brought you Deus Ex: Human Revolution, it shouldn't come as a major surprise that you can get chatty with your buddies back on your spaceship. Fingers crossed this one has a smoother landing than Marvel's Avengers. I'm hopeful.

Moonglow Bay (October 7th)

Who's it by? Bunnyhug
Where can I get it? Steam | Epic Games Store
How much is it? TBA/£0.00 with Xbox Game Pass For PC

If you're not keen on the AAA bombast that fills the pages of your internet newspapers around this time of year, then grab your fishing rod and head for the tranquility of Moonglow Bay. After your partner's been lost at sea, you and your daughter decide to fulfil her final wish, which is to fill in a journal of all the local aquatic life. Meanwhile, the area is on the brink of financial collapse, and its up to you to rebuild this Canadian coastal town by investing in it via funds accrued from the fish you catch. If you're looking for a bit of calm this month, this fishing game RPG could be just what you need.

Riders Republic (October 28th)

Who's it by? Ubisoft Annecy
Where can I get it? Epic Games Store | Ubisoft Store
How much is it? £50/€60/$60

If you can look past all of the terribly annoying NPCs and the "how do you do, fellow kids?" tone, I think Riders Republic might prove to be a pretty fun game. Like its predecessor, Steep, Ubisoft Annecy's follow-up lets you zoom down snowy mountains on a snowboard or a set of skis, and you can also take to the skies in an Iron Man-esque, rocket-powered wingsuit. My favourite mode of transport when I previewed the game a few months back was probably one of the new sports, though: the mountain biking is just great craic. Speaking of general good times, the 50+ person, multi-stage mass races also amount to an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. They contain the right amount of bedlam. If the kooky characters are kept to a minimum, this could turn out to be one of the more entertaining games out this October.

Darkest Dungeon II (October 26th)

Who's it by? Red Hook Studios
Where can I get it? Epic Games Store
How much is it? TBA

Yep, the sequel to one of your favourite turn-based, dungeon-crawler RPGs is out at the end of this month. Launching via early access on the Epic Games Store, developer Red Hook has made a decent few changes for the sequel. Darkest Dungeon II has a rogue-like structure, where you'll be managing a different party on each run. However, there are some permanent upgrades you can acquire, so it sounds like there's always an element of progression. I could be here all day listing tweaks the team has made, but one that people will notice straight away is that character models are now in 3D. Although, that distinctive hand-drawn artstyle remains, of course. The first one was in early access for about a year, so expect a few changes between late October and whenever the game is proper out. But if you have a desire for more Darkest Dungeon, then get in on the ground floor in a few weeks time.

Inscryption (October 19th)

Who's it by? Daniel Mullins Games
Where can I get it? Steam | GOG
How much is it? £15/€18/$18

It's spooky season again, so I had to include something that'll give you the heebie jeebies. Inscryption is the latest game from the developer that brought you the fantastic Pony Island, and it's shaping up to be just as wonderful. If you haven't downloaded the Steam demo yet, I can tell you that it's a deck-building card-battler with escape room puzzles and a tabletop feel. Oh, and some of the cards talk to you, and you can pull your own teeth out with a pliers, and there's a shadowy figure that I do not trust one bit. This is at the top of my wishlist, and I'd wager it would be high on yours if you gave the demo a go. I'm very much looking forward to having my head royally fucked in mid-October.

Once again, another packed month. As well as the 10 I've highlighted, there's House of Ashes, a new Jackbox, FIFA 22, the Alan Wake remaster, and Into The Pit. I could rattle off countless others, but I want to know what new games, if any, you’re looking forward to getting your hands on, this month? Want to lead a revolution in Far Cry 6? Eager to blow the heads off zombies in Back 4 Blood? Or do you plan on knocking off a few civilisations in Age Of Empires IV? Let us know in the comments.