September can be a busy month for games but October is when the holiday release season really kicks off. Publishers and developers push to get their games to shelves so they can take advantage of the boon of Christmas shoppers. October was a big month for COGconnected as it was our first full month in business after launching the beautiful site you see before you! We reviewed a total of 45 games this month, ranging from smaller PC indies to mega-hyped AAA beasts, and while a lot of them were stellar there were a few stinkers thrown in the mix too. Narrowing down the three best was no small feat of course, especially considering how many amazing games were released; Halo 5: Guardians, Rebel Galaxy, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Transformers: Devastation, Guitar Hero Live, Rock Band 4, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, Yoshi’s Woolly World… the list goes on and on! Let’s take a quick look at the best and worth of the month as we look forward to even more great games coming for November.
The Best
Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox One)
**Click here for our Full Review**
It’s really no surprise that Halo would make the list this month. Not only was it the most anticipated game for nearly every Xbox One owner out there it is hands down the flagship franchise for Microsoft. While there was some criticism regarding the lack of couch co-op this time around the game was very well received among fans. Of course the game is easy to pick up and play but to get the biggest bang for your buck out of the story it’s best if you know at least some of your Halo lore. It falls a bit on the shorter side of what was expected but 343 Industries delivers a punch and one hell of an ending. We can’t forget the multiplayer component either as it’s a staple of every Halo game. Not only do you have the online PvP which is as solid as ever but you can play through the story line itself with up to three others. It really changes up the way you experience the game and well worth doing if you can round up a squad.
Lego Dimensions (Multi-Platform)
**Click here for our Full Review**
LEGO rules. Videogames rule. LEGO videogames don’t always rule but when you combine real LEGO bricks and building with videogames… well, that rules. The newest entry into the ring for toys-to-life games delivers one hell of a one-two punch by combining the world’s number one toy with the world’s number one entertainment medium and it’s magical. Not only that, the Danish toy maker has secured rights to some of the most iconic IPs on the planet; Doctor Who, Portal, Ghostbusters, Scooby Doo, Back to the Future, DC Comics… and I’m just getting warmed up. A strong debut from LEGO in a market that is inundated with these types of games, LEGO Dimensions has what it takes to not only hold its ground but quite possibly knock on of the other two down the tournament ladder. Now if only they could figure out a way to get Marvel and Star Wars from Disney…
Guitar Hero Live (Multi-platform)
**Click here for our Full Review**
You better believe there’s a toss-up amongst rhythm game fans over which of the rebirths is the best. In the end the nod goes to Guitar Hero Live by one measly point so that pretty much puts them on a fairly level playing field. The difference between Rock Band 4 and Guitar Hero Live though is the fact that while RB stayed the course, Guitar Hero had the balls to change EVERYTHING. A new guitar, a new platform and a new way to approach DLC (by not having it at all), that was a gutsy move on the part of FreeStyle Games and Activision. The new guitar takes getting used to but once you get into it, it’s a ton of fun. While a lot of fans hated the loss of their old DLC the new streaming GHTV platform gives you a constantly updating library of new music for FREE. 242 tracks right out of the box with plenty on the way, fans of Guitar Hero have a lot to look forward to.
Click thru to page 2 for the worst of the worst!