Don’t let these 3 October hidden gaming gems fly under your …

Heading into October, it was no secret that this month was going to be the busiest month ever for video games. Many notable game franchises are receiving brand new entries; Just this week a new Assassin’s Creed game arrived and opened up early access forza motorsport, Still, these flashy AAA games are far from the only games coming out right now, and even with only eight days in the month, we reckon some great games have already slipped under the radar.

Especially for those who like games that force them to think strategically, the first week of October featured three new games that have not gone unnoticed forza motorsport And killer’s creed is a mirageBut still worth it: Silent Hope, The Lamplighters LeagueAnd wargroove 2, These are three solid games that are worth playing while you wait for Spider-Man and Mario.

Lamplighters League

Did you know that Harebrained Schemes, the developer behind brilliant strategy RPGs like shadowrun trilogy And battletech, Add a new game this week? Well, the studio closed on October 3rd Lamplighters League, a supernatural strategy game inspired by the esoteric stories of the early 1900s. This is reflected in the game’s cartoonish art style and charismatic voice acting, which I found very appealing.

When it comes to gameplay, it will be familiar to those who have played Harebrained’s previous games or the XCOM series. Players can move around in stealth mode in real time between battles. During those segments, they can explore, learn more about the world and lore, deploy their troops appropriately, and use each character’s unique abilities to defeat certain enemies before the encounter begins. Can also kill. This setup creates Lamplighters League The missions are more in-depth and comprehensive than its peers.

Although it’s not a revelation for the strategy game genre, it does make you feel like the mastermind behind a diverse team of spies overcoming overwhelming forces working against them. While many of this month’s big releases are fast-paced, action-focused romances, Lamplighters League Will force you to stop, think smart, and execute smart tactical strategies to complete a mission with as few accidents or casualties as possible.

Lamplighters League Available now for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series It is also available through Xbox Game Pass.

wargroove 2

Next, there is wargroove 2Released on October 5 by Chucklefish. While it’s also like a strategy game Lamplighters League, it looks at the idea differently. Advance Wars is the inspiration here rather than XCOM; Original wargrove Came out when the Advance Wars series was MIA, and a strategy game genre really needed a game like it. the fact that Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp Launched earlier this year it looked like it might obviate the need for games like this wargrove 2, but it is not so.

wargroove 2 is a deep and engaging strategy game that emphasizes terrain and the tactical relationship between standard units and powerful commander units, which are active on the field in the game. Commanders are stronger, boost certain units standing near them, and have powerful groovy abilities, such as forcibly moving enemies from one location to another, which opens up new battle strategies.

You have to be careful not to overextend these commander units and take damage trying to fight in terrain that overwhelms your unit’s defense. This becomes even more important in the game’s roguelike mode, Conquest, where players advance along paths full of choice tactical challenges, collecting new units and abilities while trying to keep everyone healthy along the way. gives victory wargroove 2 A sense of endless replay value, which works well in a genre that’s all about mastering the mechanics to develop the best strategies. instead of just a mission Lamplighters LeagueYou can fit the entire Conquest run in between other games for the rest of the year.

wargroove 2 Now available for PC and Nintendo Switch.

silent hope

Ultimately, there is silent hope For those who want to be fully immersed in a roguelike experience with lots of replay value. Released on October 3 by Marvelous and XSEED, it is a roguelite based in a world where no one can talk except a princess wrapped in a giant teardrop. After seven heroes emerge from the crystal, they task with the princess to navigate a vast chasm and search for the king trapped at the bottom of the chasm.

In practice, this means that players will have to venture through the Abyss in multiple races as one of seven character class archetypes, fighting enemies and improving the character’s stats and chances of survival each time. Resources will have to be collected for this. Although its combat and story are not that simple Hades, Silent Hope It has a lovely and welcome quirkiness and charm that can only come from a Japanese developer.

It’s this core gameplay loop that makes roguelikes extremely entertaining, while adding a lot of charm to the world and visuals. While other games this month may be more ambitious or sophisticated, something as simple as a good roguelike will be just as entertaining in some of the quieter moments included in the rest of the 2023 release calendar.

silent hope Available on PC and Nintendo Switch. A free demo will give you a solid feel for all of its basic gameplay systems and loops, allowing you to play through the first area as much as you want, so that alone is worth the download.