This happens every year. I get through that long period from January to September without much of a problem, leaving my favorite games at launch, and strategically waiting for others. I am waiting for a trade; I'm dealing with the first hype cycle. Every month I give myself enough money to buy two triple-A games (or the equivalent number of indies), and that's enough.
But, every year without fail, October comes and my plans fall apart. You'd think that, after six years of covering the games industry, I'd be used to it. Reader, I have not. This week we entered the horror season and, so far, the only scary thing about it is the number of games fighting for my money.
The game is hard to follow
I have too much to do. The game that gets the lion's share right now is The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. I entered with a 2-for-$100 voucher, so I'm also set for Mario & Luigi: Brotherhood when it comes out in November (if I don't get cut when I need to shoot Zelda and buy Skyward Sword HD). I've played about an hour of Frostpunk 2 — long enough to get through the first mission — but haven't had any serious time to dedicate to it because of Zelda. Meanwhile, Adventures in Gameland, the new Rugrats platform that I called my most anticipated game of 2024 a year ago is out and I still haven't touched it, despite getting a free copy via the Epic Games Store. And, last but not least, I really love Star Wars Outlaws and want to keep playing it, but I have other things to play and I'm busy.
Thanks to Game Pass and giveaways, I only paid for Echoes of Wisdom and Outlaws. But the coming months will not be so kind. Silent Hill 2 came out this week and, as a Bloober team member who feels vindicated by the positive feedback the game has received in previews, I'm excited to check it out. I have no connection to the original game, and would like to see the other, non-Resident Evil side of the missing survival horror. On the other end of the spectrum, the newest entry in my favorite series, Life is Strange: Double Exposure, arrives at the end of the month. I have mixed feelings about the series going back to the good Max Caulfield, but these games give me such a unique thrill that I wouldn't miss any game in the world.
The update to Dawn came out this week and, although I'm a big fan of the original and October seems like a good time to revisit Blackwood Mountain, I just don't have 60 bucks to spare to buy a decent version more face. game already mine. It's also why I'm hoping to resist the call of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered at the end of the month, but I loved that first game so who knows. It might get me.
Indies are hitting hard in 2024, and there are a lot of them
While these triple-A reviews feel easy to miss, the deluge of indies doesn't. UFO 50 launched two weeks ago and, despite following the game's development for years, I have yet to pick it up. The idea of 50 games being released for a fictional console by a fictional developer is great, but I barely have room in my life for one more game, let alone 50. Apartment Story can end I'm in a chair, which is a point for him. for me as a busy adult, but there are also points against it because there are so many games fighting for my wallet.
I'm overwhelmed. And we haven't even mentioned Metaphor: ReFantazio, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Sonic X Shadow Generations, Slitterhead, Stalker 2, or Indiana Jones and the Dark Circle. I want to play every single one of these games and I don't know how to do it. I guess I should thank Ubisoft for delaying Assassin's Creed Shadows and making the next few months easier on my bank account.
