No need to wait until the holidays for great video games
In case you haven’t noticed, September is shaping up to be one of the strongest months for video game releases so far this year.
Between Konami’s Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Nintendo’s Super Mario Maker, Microsoft Studios’ Forza Motorsport 6, and Disney’s Infinity 3.0, the fall is starting off with a bang.
And there’s plenty more to come before the month’s end.
The following is a look at some other great games to play in September.
Destiny: The Taken King (Activision; for PlayStation 3/4, Xbox 360/One; rated “Teen”; $59.99; 3.5 stars out of 4)
This is the next chapter in Bungie’s sci-fi opus that fuses first-person action with role-playing game elements and a persistent online world.
Destiny: The Taken King includes an all-new campaign, pitting players against the vengeful Oryx, The Taken King, who vows to snuff out the Guardians for killing his son, Crota. Your goal is to find a way to penetrate the mysterious Dreadnaught ship to defeat this malevolent threat and his army before he can take over our solar system.
The game also includes many new quests, activities, enemies, locations, Guardian subclasses (each with new abilities), and weapons, as well as two previously released expansion packs: The Dark Below and House of Wolves.
Note: You do not need the original Destiny to play The Taken King, as it’s included in the core (“Legendary Edition”) version for $59.99, plus there’s also a “Collector’s Edition” for $79.99, which also includes extras such as bonus items, a weapons pack, and SUROS Arsenal Pack.
Destiny: The Taken King is a thrilling new chapter in the popular franchise.
Tearaway Unfolded (Sony Computer Entertainment; for PlayStation 4; rated “Everyone”; $39.99; 3.5 stars out of 4)
Even if you’ve never played the original Tearaway for PlayStation Vita (2013), you’ll immediately fall for the charming Tearaway Unfolded from the UK’s Media Molecule (LittleBigPlanet).
In this colorful world made entirely out of paper, you play as a heroine named Atoi the Messenger, on a mission to deliver an important message, save her friends, and battle papery monsters bent on stopping the delivery.
This third-person platformer takes advantage of the PS4’s DualShock 4 controller as you guide Atoi through dark environments by shining the light bar at your television (by holding down the shoulder buttons); swipe the controller’s touch pad to blow obstacles and enemies away; use your voice to breathe life into the characters; and “catch” items hurled out of the game and toss it back to the TV to solve creative and challenging puzzles.
While Tearaway Unfolded didn’t garner the media attention it deserves, fans of imaginative gameplay with smart puzzles should get their hands on this cartoon adventure.
NHL 16 (EA Sports; for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; rated “Everyone 10+”; $59.99; 3 stars out of 4)
Despite a few bugs and missing features at launch – but fixed with a downloadable patch – EA Sports’ NHL 16 is a fun and frantic hockey sim that delivers the goods.
Along with playing as or against your favorite NHL team, this new disc or download offers more accessible and responsive skating and shooting controls, a new progression system, new animations and stadium art, and better commentary to get you pumped up while you play.
Single-player tweaks include new modes and numerous enhancements to the Be a Pro and Be a GM modes, while multiplayer has been bolstered considerable with a new 6 versus 6 Online Team Play (or Online Couch Co-op), and a reimagined EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL) with specialized player classes, better balancing and with the Day 1 patch, drop-in support (and friend invitations), and player badges.
Also added with the downloadable update: an online and offline Shootout mode, on-ice team practices, new arenas and rules options.
You’ll want to hit the ice with NHL 16 – especially if you haven’t played a NHL game in a while.
Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. E-mail him at techcomments@usatoday.com.