GRIND's Recommendations for October 2026
I hope you still have some savings…
I can’t believe we made it through September! The start of autumn was packed with solid 7s, from The Blood of Dawnwalker to Silent Hill: Townfall, though the month wasn't exclusively dominated by horror games. Some managed to get a taste of everything, including Wolverine…, while others only got to try a single title from this rich harvest. But we’re done with the transition month, and it’s time to prepare for the harsh cold! Nights are getting longer, electricity bills keep rising, and releases are coming thick and fast, as most developers sought a small refuge in the month of scares. Not least because next month we’re expecting a title everyone has been running from: Grand Theft Auto VI. But until then, let’s see what games will keep us busy in October, the month also known as Spooktober!
Small disclaimer: although we do our best, the list of recommendations may undergo unforeseen changes, such as last-minute delays, cancellations, or surprise releases of titles we had no idea about.
Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered
Release date: 1 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
We kick off the month with a remaster of a much-loved game: Dynasty Warriors 3! The remastered version includes all additions released for the original game, several QoL improvements, as well as a new character: Ziluan, the protagonist from Dynasty Warriors: Origins! So get your weapons and copies of Romance of the Three Kingdoms ready, because it’s time to return to the Han Dynasty period!
End of Abyss
Release date: 1 October 2026
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC
If alternative history isn’t your cup of tea, no problem, because we have another option! And this one fits Spooktober better, being a horror-themed game. End of Abyss is a twin-stick shooter with Metroidvania elements, developed by Section 9. (Try saying that three times fast!) The art style strongly recalls Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares II, and this is no coincidence: before founding Section 9, team members worked at Tarsier Studios!
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve
Release date: 2 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X/S
More than seven years after the last title, Bandai Namco returns with a new chapter in this famous franchise! This time, the protagonist is a simple officer, ordered to assume the identity of the famous Wings of Theve, an extraordinary pilot whose achievements were used for propaganda purposes to boost the morale of the citizens and soldiers of the Central Useei Federation. After the real pilot is killed in action, the protagonist must carry on his legend. Alongside his colleagues, William “Noise” Coster, Tasha Severskaya, and Ellington “Professor” Baxter, he will take part in a final offensive against enemy forces!
Aion 2
Release date: 5 October 2026
Platforms: PC
The famous Korean MMORPG comes with a huge surprise: a sequel to the game released in 2009! The action takes place 200 years after the events of the first title, when, following a catastrophic war, the world was literally torn in two. The North was enveloped in eternal darkness, and its inhabitants were forced to adapt to unimaginable conditions, in a land where resources are scarce. The South, however, was engulfed in eternal light and abundance, and a carefree life made its people arrogant. Against the backdrop of these radical changes, the Balaur, guardians of the world, developed a thirst for power and control, which transformed into a burning desire to destroy humanity.
Gears of War: E-Day
Release date: 6 October 2026
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC
Brudders, it’s time to dust off our Lancers and join DOSboi in his eternal fight against the Locust horde! The game is a prequel, and the action takes place 14 years before the events of the first title. As such, we’re dealing with a younger Marcus and Dominic, who are trying their best to adapt to civilian life after the Pendulum Wars. But everything goes to hell on the darkest day in the history of planet Sera, namely E-Day, the day the Locust horde emerged from the depths of the earth and destroyed the city of Kalona. In addition to the interesting story, the game comes with numerous improvements to the established formula, as well as an impressive graphical style. Now, let’s hope it doesn’t come with the typical engine bugs, because Gears of War: E-Day is created in Unreal Engine 5.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer
Release date: 6 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
After 27 years, it’s time to return to the coolest activity in the Star Wars universe: pod-racing! Or, at least, to racing. Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a racing game developed by Fuse Games, with some roguelite elements, whose action takes place after the events of Return of the Jedi. The narrative thread is interesting, with the protagonist embarking on a mission of revenge against Kestar Bool, an infamous pilot with numerous connections in the Outer Rim underworld. Unlike the famous 1999 game, races will take place in different locations, such as Tatooine, Lantaana, Jakku, Ando Prime, and Sentinel One, and players will be able to choose from several types of customizable vehicles, such as podracers, landspeeders, speeder bikes, and skimspeeders.
Silver Pines
Release date: 8 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch
What happens when you throw Silent Hill, Twin Peaks, 2D, and the Metroidvania genre into a blender? Nothing, for now, because you haven't turned the machine on. But once all the ingredients are blended, something truly memorable emerges: Silver Pines. It’s a horror game that borrows elements from all the mentioned titles and genres, in which a private detective sets out in search of a missing singer. If what I’ve described isn’t enough, I’ll also mention that the game has an active-reload system inspired by Gears of War. However, I wouldn’t advise relying too much on firearms, as you won’t find much ammo.
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival
Release date: 8 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
Clive Barker’s famous Cenobites return in the first adaptation of his celebrated universe into video games. Step into the role of Aidan Lynch (no, not our brudder) and help him save his girlfriend from the depths of hell! Following some extreme, naughty games, Aidan and his girlfriend, Sunny, opened the Lament Configuration and summoned the “angels of pain,” and now Aidan must confront extradimensional horrors and a cult of fanatics who have dedicated their lives to the Cenobites.
Hellraiser: Revival is an FPS with survival horror elements and is the perfect choice for Spooktober!
Valor Mortis
Release date: 13 October 2026
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Probably one of the most anticipated titles by yours truly, this first-person soulslike takes place in an alternative history where Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo and continued his military campaign. To fulfil his grandiose dreams, the little corporal resorted to arcane arts and forbidden experiments to create an eternal army and perfect soldiers. The demo impressed the GRIND editorial team, and from the discussions Leo had with the developers, Valor Mortis seems to have huge potential.
Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen
Release date: 9 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
Okay, I think I can already predict that if there’s a Dragon’s Dogma 3, some time after its launch there will also be a DLC, followed by a complete edition titled Dragon’s Dogma 3: Dark Arisen. Until then, however, this new version of the 2024 game comes with a new area, unseen dungeons, and answers to some of the main game’s mysteries.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun II
Release date: 14 October 2026
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
Miss the 40K universe? Craving some boomer shooter-style carnage? Haven’t eradicated enough heretics in Space Marine 2? Well, we have something special for you: the direct sequel to the first Boltgun! Malum Caedo continues his epic adventure, and this time, his holy duty will take him to the darkest corners of the universe, where he will confront the Chaos gods! But he won’t be alone, as Nyra Veyrath, a Daughter of the Emperor and Sister of Battle, will join him in this glorious slaughter, bringing her own style of heresy eradication. FOR THE GLORY OF THE EMPEROR, LET NO XENOS LIVE!
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse
Release date: 15 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
More than 12 years after the last attempt to revive the franchise and 18 years after the series’ last Metroidvania, Castlevania returns with a new title. Belmont’s Curse is a continuation of the story from Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, in which the player takes on the role of Rose Belmont, the daughter of the legendary vampire hunter Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, the famous witch who helped him confront Dracula’s horde. 23 years after the events of Dracula’s Curse, Rose arrives in a Paris besieged by dark forces, alongside her father.
And if you’re wondering if the game can evoke the magic of the old titles, we have good reason to be optimistic. Development is handled by Evil Empire, the studio behind Dead Cells, one of the most acclaimed Metroidvanias of the last 10 years, as well as the excellent Prince of Persia from 2025. With such experience, at least on the gameplay side, the Belmont family’s new adventure seems to be in good hands.
Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown
Release date: 15 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Usually, developers wait about eight months or a year before releasing a major DLC, but Pearl Abyss decided it was time to remind everyone how solid Crimson Desert is. The DLC comes with a new area, new exploration mechanics, and the ability to have your own ship! And if that’s not enough, now we have the opportunity to venture into the depths of the ocean. With so much to do in Pywell, it’s very likely that with the release of the DLC, we’ll sink another 100 hours into the game and still not have seen even a third of what it has to offer.
L.E.: At the time of publishing the article, the DLC’s release date was 15 October, however, Charting the Unknown has been delayed two weeks and now comes out on 30 October.
Stupid Never Dies
Release date: 22 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC
No, you won’t escape another one of my weirder recommendations this month either. Last month it was Qliphah in Providence’s Shadow, and October’s niche recommendation is Stupid Never Dies, from GPTRACK50 Inc. This dungeon-crawler has a story that, at least from the demo, seems pretty mediocre, but it comes with a memorable aesthetic style and an innovative mechanic: the ability to transform into enemies after devouring their hearts! So you don’t have to remain a rotting zombie. You can always become a furious Phoenix, a Lich with its own army, or even a swift werewolf.
Final Fantasy Resonance
Release date: 22 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch
From discussions with Leo and Silviu, we’ve come to a conclusion: Square Enix tested the waters with the Octopath Traveler series, Triangle Strategy, and The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. And now, after years of perfecting the formula, the developer has prepared a true magnum opus for us: Final Fantasy Resonance, the first Final Fantasy in HD-2D. However, to the disappointment of some fans, we don’t get an original story, but an adaptation of the first arc from Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. Even so, the developer has removed the gacha elements and slightly modified the story to meet fans’ standards and expectations.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
Release date: 23 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S
Last year we got the weakest title in the Call of Duty franchise, and Activision promised us the series would no longer have annual releases. Or, at least, that’s what they implied, as it seems we won’t have consecutive releases of the same sub-franchises. A year after the disastrous Black Ops 7, the Call of Duty series tries to regain its glory with Modern Warfare 4. The new title throws us directly into a conflict between South Korean and North Korean forces, with cinematic missions, explosions, and, of course, Captain Price. The multiplayer returns with the already established formula, but also with a novelty: DMZ, which seems to be Call of Duty’s version of the extraction shooter genre.
Phantom Blade Zero
Release date: 29 October 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC
Although it seems hard to believe, Phantom Blade Zero is not a soulslike, but an action game with RPG elements. This much-anticipated title puts us in the role of Soul, a warrior accused of killing his master, who has 66 days to take revenge on those who wish him ill. The game has a complex combat system that allows us to master 30 main weapons and 20 different secondary weapons, to carve out our own macabre dance.
Folks, these were the recommendations for October 2026! Yes, there are quite a few, but we hope at least one caught your eye!