The mad rush of end of year game releases is well and truly upon us, with September’s opening salvo leaving us spoilt for choice and with wallets feeling noticeably lighter. When it comes to video games the end of summer and autumn burdens us with some difficult decisions to make, eager to play every big new release but with completely strapped for time and money. Luckily, if you’re searching for the very best of last month’s lineup, look no further.
September 2018 was a similarly packed month with some notable front runners including Dragon Quest XI, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Marvel’s Spider-Man, alongside the regular crop of annual sports titles. However, judging by the scores, this year’s September selection saw the bar raised considerably.
Only one game could come out on top and even though there was plenty of competition, Simogo’s Sayonara Wild Hearts scooped up our coveted Game of the Month award. Its score-chasing gameplay may be simple, but it was tethered to an effortless style and a flawless electropop soundtrack, taking you on a mini musical odyssey. Short but sweet, Sayonara Wild Hearts is the essential indie hit of 2019, scoring a heroic 10/10 in our review.
Hot on its heels we had a cluster 9s, starting with Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. Although pegged as an expansion, at times it felt as though we were playing a new entry in Capcom’s power-selling franchise. September also served up some more Nintendo Switch magic with the stellar Daemon X Machina, standing out of this year’s must have mech game.
Wild Hearts wasn’t the only indie game that caught our attention, Creature in the Well making a surprise debut thanks to its intriguing dungeon brawling with a pinball twist. Then there was Untitled Goose Game, of course, stealing our hearts with its village terrorising honking miscreant.
As for major sequels, Gears of War made its long awaited return with Gears 5. Its bloody brand of chainsaw-revving, cover-shooting action felt unmistakably familiar, yet this was fused to some interesting new decisions in its design and narrative, while its multiplayer offerings are as fun as ever.
For our full reviews coverage from September 2019, you can find them here:
- Sayonara Wild Hearts – PS4, Switch,  Arcade – 10/10
- Creature in the Well – PS4, XBO, Switch, PC – 9/10
- Daemon X Machina – Switch – 9/10
- Gears 5 – XBO, PC– 9/10
- Monster Hunter World: Iceborne – PS4, XBO – 9/10
- Untitled Goose Game – PC, Switch – 9/10
- Children of Morta – PS4, XBO, PC – 8/10
- Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition – Switch – 8/10
- Exception – PS4, XBO, Switch, PC – 8/10
- FIFA 20 – PS4, XBO, PC, Switch – 8/10
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – Switch – 8/10
- Oninaki  – PS4, PC, Switch – 8/10
- RAD – PS4, XBO, Switch, PC – 8/10
- Telling Lies – PC, iOS – 8/10
- Blasphemous – PS4, XBO, Switch, PC – 7/10
- Code Vein – PS4, XBO, PC – 7/10
- eFootball PES 2020 – PS4, XBO, PC – 7/10
- GreedFall – PS4, XBO, PC – 7/10
- Hamsterdam – Switch, PC, iOS, Android – 7/10
- The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors – PS4, Switch – 7/10
- Rebel Galaxy Outlaw – PS4, Switch, PC – 7/10
- The Surge 2 – PS4, XBO, PC – 7/10
- WRC 8 – PS4, XBO, Switch, PC – 7/10
- Blair Witch – XBO, PC – 6/10
- Borderlands 3 – PS4, XBO, PC – 6/10
- Daymare: 1998 – PC – 6/10
- Super Dodgeball Beats – PS4, XBO, Switch, PC – 5/10
- Utawarerumono: Zan – PS4 – 5/10
- Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey – PS4, XBO, PC – 4/10
(Reviewed platform in bold)
And then the hardware reviews:
- Sega Mega Drive Mini – 9/10
- OnePlus 7 Pro – 9/10
- Nintendo Switch Lite – 8/10
Make sure you come back next month to see our top gaming picks for October. In the meantime, let us know if you had any top picks from in the comments below.
