Gears of War: E-Day leads 5 highlights from Xbox's October release week
Microsoft's weekly release slate brings the Locust Horde, run-based podracing, and a massive Kingdom Hearts bundle to Xbox and PC.
The fall release calendar is hitting its stride. According to Xbox Game Pass, the week of October 5 brings a heavy mix of first-party blockbusters and indie time loops. Microsoft's weekly roundup covers a lot of ground, but a few specific titles stand out. Here are five highlights from the upcoming slate.
Going back 14 years for Emergence Day
Microsoft first announced this prequel back in June 2024. Now it's finally hitting the storefront on October 6 for $69.99, and it lands on Game Pass on day one. The Coalition built this entry from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. It follows Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago during the initial Locust Horde invasion. I want to see how the reimagined Horde Siege mode feels compared to the older games. The package also includes a refined 4v4 Versus multiplayer mode.
Run-based racing in the Outer Rim
Secret Mode is publishing this $59.99 arcade racer on October 6. The premise drops the usual Jedi prophecies for underground syndicate racing after the fall of the Empire. STAR WARS: Galactic Racer does feature podracers as one of its playable vehicle classes alongside landspeeders, speeder bikes, and skim speeders. I'm curious how the run-based progression actually works in a racing game. It sounds like a structural departure from standard circuit campaigns.
The entire Dark Seeker saga in one download
Square Enix is dropping a massive bundle on October 6 for $74.99. It packs in 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, the 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III with the Re Mind DLC. That's a massive amount of action-RPG history in a single Xbox Play Anywhere release. You can start on a console and pick up the save on a PC.
A Metroidvania gated by knowledge instead of gear
Akupara Games releases this $19.99 time-loop adventure on October 8. It also hits Game Pass on day one. Instead of finding a double-jump boots upgrade, you progress by learning information across different cycles and applying it to the next run. The concept of a knowledge-based Metroidvania is a fun twist on a very crowded genre.
500 dogs in the English countryside
Sometimes you just need to look at a screen and find a dog. This hand-drawn hidden object game arrives on October 7. It features 15 levels filled with moving planes and trains. It's a quiet palate cleanser between the heavier releases this week.
The rest of the week fills out with titles like Titanic Escape Simulator and Neon Abyss 2. The focus is clearly on E-Day, but the mid-tier lineup has plenty of variety.
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