Loading... Top Video Game Releases - Sept '21

Welcome, you video game vagabonds, to the inaugural edition of LOADING… a look ahead to the month’s most anticipated video game titles that should absolutely be sending your bank balance all aquiver like a faulty N64 Rumble Pak in a puddle of Pac-Man’s piddle.

We have arrived at September – I jest thee not – and with it, the ninth month manifests many a mouth-watering title to add to your collections. And whether you’re a Retro Joe looking for a satisfying sip of yesteryear, a purveyor of parties that can’t wait to have the lads and lasses round for a gaming gauntlet, or someone simply looking to play what threatens to be the best game of the year, the next 30 days has you covered.

Let’s get these gems LOADING…

Sonic Colors: Ultimate Loading by: 7th September

As the old rhyme goes: “30 days hath September”, and 30 years hath our bluest of blue boiz, Sonic the Hedgehog. To commemorate this mammoth milestone, the 2010 masterclass, Sonic Colors, is getting a fresh coat of paint and sprinting onto consoles once more.

And whilst that might not scream ‘must-buy’, it could be just the pair of Power Sneakers a pro-retro gamer needs to get their blood pumping for another zip around Sonic’s home turf – which bodes well for the upcoming and brand-new Sonic Raiders.

If ever there was a time to remind the hedgehog hardcores out there just what the superfast blue blur is capable of , it’s right now. And, for those unfamiliar with the original release of this Master Emerald of a game, it’s well worth forking out the rings.

Life is Strange: True Colors Loading by: 10th September

After the original Life is Strange took the video gaming world by storm (coincidentally) back in 2015, everyone was willing the world to fast-forward to the next instalment of the angsty, sob-seducing saga. And though Life is Strange 2 divided audiences and fans of the first iteration, Life is Strange: True Colors looks to have listened to the criticisms and *fingers crossed* is seemingly on course to deliver another delicious, devastating chapter in this superpowered story.

With the bonus episode, Wavelengths, spinning just as much excitement as the main game this time around, it’s one hell of a package deal. Whether anything will ever live up to the traumas and triumphs of Max and Chloe’s genre-defining outing is difficult to judge, but Alex looks like she’s coming armed with as much emotion and heartache as anyone could muster – and I’m willing to give her a chance.

It’s no secret I’m about as hyped for this release as anyone out there, but even for newcomers to the series: take a gamble on this one. If you’re a lover of storytelling in your video games and a little touch of the supernatural, you’ll find few that do both quite so deftly as Deck Nine.

WarioWare: Get It Together Loading by: 10th September

While some will prefer playing Life is Strange: True Colors over the weekend of the 10th September, others may be making the most of being able to get together again with their friends for house parties. And what better way to celebrate these get-togethers than with Get It Together, the latest typhoon of lunacy (typhoonacy?) from the WarioWare chaps.

WarioWare certain isn’t for everyone, but for those of you who grimace at the sight of Wario’s fat head lolloping about the screen in his customarily slapstick style, I ask you this: don’t we all deserve a decent laugh after the past 18 months?

Yes. Yes we do. And that’s why Mario’s vulgar namesake is motorbiking his way onto this list: there are few things more entertaining than a round (or 86) of WarioWare with your pals (and 86 beers). The demo is available from the Nintendo eShop right now, too, and Nintendo are pretty proficient in providing multiplayer madness – so don’t knock it before you’ve tried it.

Eastward Loading by: 16th September

Unrelated to Clint, but offering just as much grit and gravel as you’d expect from the ancient cowboy himself, Eastward borrows its inspiration from all over the place: think old-skool Zelda meets a post-apocalypse. And together, that makes for a charming yet surprisingly deep RPG experience.

The game was good enough to play encore during Nintendo’s Indie World presentation in August, which means we can – and should – expect something special from Pixpil and Chucklefish. Combining action-adventure, puzzle solving and *checks notes* cooking, we follow John and Sam on an unusual stroll across a shady – yet altogether gorgeous – pixel-art futurescape.

Indie games have really been stepping it up over the last decade, and no doubt Eastward will be the next pivotal release on indie gaming’s glowing resumé. Go give this the love it deserves come the 16th.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits Loading by: 21st September

Delays but not dismays: Kena is so close now I can almost feel the fluffy little Rot bumbling about in front of me. And about time, too – is there a more anticipated new title than this anywhere on the 2021 slate?

If you aren’t already rocking where you sit at the thought of this game’s release, then I’m not sure what more can be said to sway you. Combine the quintessentially charming visual style with the compelling gameplay and character design, then slap on a storyline that draws heavily on traditional folklore, and there’s not much room for negativity: this is going to rule.

This might be the first we’re seeing of Kena, but remember this article: this definitely won’t be the last time. We’re witnessing an era-defining dawn of a brand-new IP and beloved character, and you’ll want to be on that hype train long before it’s bursting at the seams.

What are you most looking forward to LOADING… up this month? Bleat like bewildered gaming goats in the comments, share with us your excitement and – most importantly – have a bloody brilliant time with whatever you button-bash this September.

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