Sept. 7 (UPI) -- The annual fall video game release has begun with some of the year's most anticipated titles including Red Dead Redemption 2 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Here are the highlights of games coming through December for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
September
Spider-Man (PlayStation 4)
Spider-Man, set for release Friday, promises to make players feel like the iconic wall-crawler as he takes on villains Kingpin, Mister Negative, Electro, Scorpion, Vulture, Rhino and mercenary Silver Sable inside an open-world New York City. Spider-Man's stellar graphics and cinematic presentation have made the Marvel superhero look better than ever.
NBA 2K19 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC)
This annual basketball franchise is set to return on Sept. 11, when it will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Fans will be able to purchase a special anniversary edition of the game that features LeBron James on the cover along with a number of in-game content related to the King. NBA 2K19 also boasts a soundtrack curated by Travis Scott featuring songs from the rapper and Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa, Fall Out Boy and Migos, among others.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)
Lara Croft is back on Sept. 14 with the third entry in publisher Square Enix's modern Tomb Raider trilogy, which began in 2013. Shadow of the Tomb Raider will bring to a close the trilogy that introduced a younger, less experienced and more realistic-looking Lara. This time around, the globe-trotting heroine finds herself in South America, where she will be racing against the clock to save the world from a Mayan apocalypse. Fans will experience new dangers around every corner and, of course, new tombs filled with hidden treasures.
October
Forza Horizon 4 (Xbox One, PC)
Microsoft's premiere racing franchise reaches the finish line on Oct. 2 with a fourth entry its Horizon series. Horizon 4, which takes place in Britain, will contain over 450 cars, a changing weather system that will affect races with dry, wet, muddy, snowy and icy conditions, and the promise of new content being delivered to the game weekly, including new challenges and rewards. Gear heads will want to team up or race each other online across Britain's numerous valleys, castles and beautiful scenery.
Mega Man 11 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC)
After a long hiatus, Capcom's iconic Blue Bomber returns in Mega Man 11, set to arrive on Oct. 2 as the series begins to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Capcom's return to its classic side-scrolling action series will have an art style that places 3D visuals onto a 2D plane for a new animated and detailed look. Mega Man 11, directed by Capcom veteran Koji Oda, will harken back to the series' glory days while still offering something fresh for old and new fans alike.
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)
Ubisoft's latest entry in its long-running Assassin's Creed series arrives on Oct. 5 and places players inside ancient Greece for the first time. Also new is the option to take control of either Alexios or Kassandra as they start to become a Spartan hero. Loyalists of the franchise will want to pick up Odyssey as Ubisoft has announced plans not to release a new Assassin's Creed game until 2020.
Super Mario Party (Nintendo Switch)
Gather your friends, bring extra controllers and prepare for a number of shouting matches as Super Mario Party will ruin friendships once again on Oct. 5. This time around, Nintendo has outfitted the game with online features for the first time and 80 minigames. Super Mario Party also contains the ability to use two Switch tablets together in order to present certain minigames in new and fun ways.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)
Activision's return to Call of Duty's Black Ops series on Oct. 12 may not feature a single-player story mode, but it attempts to make up for it with a robust Zombie mode, featuring three campaigns and a still-mysterious Battle Royale mode known as Blackout. Time will tell if Black Ops 4 can compete with the likes of battle royale champion Fortnite.
Soulcalibur VI (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)
The tale of souls and swords will be told yet again when Soulcalibur VI arrives on Oct. 19. The first entry in the weapons-based fighting game series in over six years features a roster of returning warriors, including Mitsurugi and Taki, along with special guest-character Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher series. The classic roster, along with the story mode set to re-explore events from previous games, sets Soulcalibur VI up to be a back-to-basics approach to the long-running series.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
The big one, Red Dead Redemption 2, the sequel to 2010's best-selling and critically acclaimed Red Dead Redemption, finally hits stores on Oct. 26 following multiple delays. Developer Rockstar Games' return to a world of outlaws will introduce players to a living, breathing Wild West world that takes place before the dawn of the modern age in the United States. Players will assume the role of Van der Linde gang member Arthur Morgan, who has been seen in trailers stealing and shooting his way across America's heartland as he flees federal agents. Diverse forests, mountains, swamplands, deserts and towns will be free for exploration, as will a constantly moving Van der Linde gang camp that offers new missions, card games and the ability to hear stories around a campfire.
November
Spyro: Reignited Trilogy (Playstation 4, Xbox One)
Spyro flies out of the late '90s and back into the modern day on Nov. 13 with this collection of remastered titles that will allow fans to relive the glory days of the PlayStation 1. Spyro: Reignited Trilogy, taking a page from Activision's Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, offers the purple dragon's first three PlayStation 1 adventures, which have been completely remade to offer updated graphics, controls and cinematics. Series composer Stewart Copeland of The Police has also returned to Spyro with a new theme, titled "Tiger Train," which will appear on Reignited Trilogy.
Fallout 76 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)
The nuclear wasteland can finally be explored with friends when Fallout 76 emerges on Nov. 14. The next installment in the popular action role-playing series goes online for the first time, tasking Vault dwellers to work together in order to recolonize West Virginia. Players will be working together to fight off diseased monsters and build mini-societies that can withstand the horrors of the wasteland. With a team by your side, Fallout 76 offers a completely different take on the franchise's familiar formula.
Pokemon Let's Go! Pikachu Version and Pokemon Let's Go! Eevee Version (Nintendo Switch)
Nintendo's Switch console gains a pair of Pokemon games on Nov. 16, which combine elements of its popular Pokemon Go mobile title and classic Game Boy entry Pokemon Yellow. Both versions of Pokemon Let's Go! takes place in the Kanto region that houses all 151 original Pokemon, including their Alolan forms. Nintendo has added in the ability to capture Pokemon using the motion-controls present in the Switch's Joy-Con controller and a two-player co-op mode, in addition to series' signature turn-based battles. A separate Poke Ball Plus controller will also be available for purchase.
Battlefield V (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)
Grand, sweeping World War II era battles will come to life when Battlefield V arrives on Nov. 20 to offer its signature take on multiplayer shooters. The World War II setting comes after Battlefield 1 tackled World War I with developer DICE stating that this new game will have deep, personal stories that will be told during single-player and multiplayer modes.
December
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo Switch)
Nintendo is skipping out on the packed fall season and releasing its feature-heavy fighting game sequel, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Dec. 7. This version of Super Smash Bros. will feature every playable character from the franchise's past. If that isn't enough, a dizzying number of match and stage options have been added to customize every battle along with new playable characters, including Castlevania characters Simon and Richter Belmont, Donkey Kong Country villain King K. Rool and Ridley from the Metroid series.
