“Assassin’s Creed”: “Odyssey” is the latest of the “Assassin’s Creed” games, and according to its developers, it’s much different than its predecessors.  

 The game, set in 431 B.C. during the Peloponnesian war in Greece, allows you to choose the gender of your character as well as adding other role-playing elements which are new to the franchise. There are dialogue options, multiple endings and even a notoriety system. 

 Opening up the world of “Assassin’s Creed” to more choices should ultimately make the game more enjoyable. The setting is exciting and original, and I am looking forward to its reception after its Oct. 5 release on Xbox 1, PS4 and PC. 

 “Black Ops 4” is being released on Oct. 12 and seems from the promotional footage and information on the game to take a large departure from earlier installments as well.  

 Perhaps the biggest difference is that “Black Ops 4” no longer features a single- player campaign, but rather weaves narrative into multiplayer game modes. This absence of a single-player is not an excuse for little character development. The game lies heavily on class-based combat with the play able to choose specialist characters with tools and abilities.  

 On top of that, there is the obligatory Zombies mode, which “Call of Duty” players have come to know and love. The settings for the Zombies mode range from Ancient Rome to the deck of the Titanic. 

 Finally, and if it wasn’t a given already, the game will include a battle royale mode call “Blackout.” It is similar, obviously, to all other battle royale games and takes maps from across all Black Ops games and conglomerates them into an eyesore of a map. I don’t think this is necessary, and it is clearly just an attempt to capitalize on a dying fad.  

  “Red Dead Redemption 2”: If “Call of Duty” is a series we hear too much about, then “Red Dead” is (now) a series we don’t. The first game was well-received for its gameplay and storyline. Thankfully, it looks like “Red Dead 2” is even richer and larger than the first. Offering an entire array of activities which were likely available to a legitimate 1890’s frontiersman, the game aims to portray more of a sense of immersion. 

 The game follows a gang of outlaws as they tear across the Western United States, offering a variety of GTA style heists as well as smaller missions and side quests. Beyond the main storyline, the interactions you have with passerby’s can be either amusing or dangerous, depending on how you handle them.  

 The world is giant and rich with flora and fauna, allowing the player to hunt animals and either bring them back to the camp on horseback or skin and eat them on the spot.  

 The gang also introduces 20 plus unique characters, all with their own stories and backgrounds. The player can determine their relationship to any of them, ultimately affecting gameplay. 

 I am beyond excited for this game which has been years in the making and cannot wait for its release on Oct. 26.

Written by Patrick Barry, Staff Writer. Gif courtesy of Giphy.