The Games We Couldn’t Stop Playing In October 2026

Gears of War: E-Day

It saddens me that a game from a series this huge would be under the radar for anyone, but early player figures for Gears of War: E-Day have not been particularly impressive. That’s a real shame, because it’s up there with my favorite games of the year. The prequel chronicles the opening days of the Locust invasion, with Marcus and Dom’s ragtag squad forced to improvise as the homicidal creatures begin decimating Sera.

Alongside all the classic third-person shooting and giant bosses you’d expect from a Gears game, there are also plenty of quiet world-building moments that ended up being some of my favorite parts. I’m curious to see where The Coalition will take the story next, because we were left on a major cliffhanger at the end of Gears 5, but I also really want to know what happened to the (still-alive) characters introduced in E-Day. For that to happen, however, people need to play this game, so go do that. — Gabe Gurwin

Also playing: 

• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2: The sequel to an already-wonderful boomer shooter is somehow even better, with a new playable character, branching paths, and more varied enemies. 

Legion Was Here

In an age of fragmented attention spans, Legion Was Here might just be the perfect way to train your brain muscles. As someone who religiously watches Columbo reruns, a game that’s all about observing the small details is one that appeals heavily to me, especially when you’re challenged to come up with the perfect disguise, memorize every minute fact about your target, and infiltrate a clandestine meeting where one slip-up could get you killed. 

The work of a solo developer, Legion Was Here merges the thrill of creating a custom character, espionage, and talking to random people, creating one of the best high-stakes experiences of the year. Quirky art, nuanced interrogations, and the thrill of successfully coming up with the perfect disguise makes for one short and sweet game. — Darryn Bonthuys

Over the Hill

I often find “relaxing” games to just be pretty boring. There are exceptions, and Over the Hill is the latest: a game where you drive around in various classic-style 4x4s, exploring beautiful landscapes and snapping pictures, and not doing much else.

The vibes are very chill, but Over the Hill has maintained my attention with the style of its driving. Traversing its off-road areas, you’ll need to rely on your winch and gear, make intelligent use of low/high-gear, and generally be mindful of the paths you take. There is a deliberateness with which you move through the world–you won’t get 200mph streaks across the map like in Forza Horizon–that simultaneously makes for engaging gameplay and contributes to the relaxing nature of the game.

Automatic/manual transmission lets you tweak just how locked in you need to be, but for me, using automatic allows Over the Hill to find that sweet spot of letting me relax without ever feeling boring. — Chris Pereira

Also playing:

• Forbidden Solitaire’s The Discarded DLC — A great excuse to revisit one of the year’s best games.
• My Arms Are Longer Now demo — An absurd comedy game that also, oddly, got me to just chill out.
• Dog in the Machine — Into the Breach is an all-time favorite of mine, and I’m having fun in the early going with this take on it that centers around robotic dogs.

The Doll Shop

Though The Doll Shop is short and sounds sweet, the reality is that this game is quite bitter and extremely dark. In this lushly illustrated visual novel, you play as an isolated young man who has taken over his father’s doll shop. After repairing a doll that seen better days, our protagonist realizes he never received the address of his client, Mrs. Fujimoto, and sets out onto the snow-covered streets of his Japanese hometown to find someone who might know where she lives.

However, each person he encounters seems corrupted–shrouded in black static save for their eerily smiles and pale, vacant eyes. We also come to discover there has been a disappearance in town, as fliers related to the disappearance of a young girl hang in every window. Over four days, our protagonist is forced to dig deep to discover what is going on in this small town.

As a lover of psychological horror, painterly art direction, multiple endings, and games I can play through in one sitting, The Doll Shop checked a lot of boxes for me. Though not as robust, frightening, or emotional as Paranormasight or Slay the Princess, I’d recommend the experience to fans of either–especially if they’re looking for a tame-yet-disturbing game to play this spooky season. — Jessica Cogswell

Also playing:

• Queen’s Domain — After finishing its fantastic demo, I am thrilled to play more of this stylish, dark fantasy RPG inspired by From Software’s King’s Field.

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