It's a whole new month, and that means New Releases has a bunch of games to talk about. November brings the long-anticipated PC release of Red Dead Redemption 2 and PS4 exclusive Death Stranding. Those two platforms are also seeing the return of a cult classic with Shenmue III. Meanwhile, we've got new games for two massive IPs with Pokemon Sword & Shield and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
Red Dead Redemption 2 -- November 5
Available on: PC
Red Dead Redemption 2 was GameSpot's 2018 Game of the Year, so the PC release is a pretty big deal. This version of the game looks better than ever thanks to better textures and lighting, plus 4K/HDR support on capable PCs. You can also check out new story content, including more Gang Hideouts and Bounty Hunts.
Hideo Kojima's latest project is still largely wrapped in mystery, but the elevator pitch is this: Sam Bridges (played by The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus) makes delivers across a shattered United States. Also there are shadow monsters, psychic babies, and tons of celebrity cameos. The game was also just announced for PC, in case you want to wait until summer 2020 to play that version.
By this point, you probably know what you're getting with a Pokemon game, but Sword & Shield are mixing things up. The new Galar Region has its own variants of classic Pokemon like Weezing and Ponyta, plus region-specific evolutions for Farfetch'd and Linoone. Sword & Shield also introduce new giant, kaiju-like monsters called Dynamax Pokemon, some of which can even change form, known as Gigantamax Pokemon.
It might sound cliche, but Fallen Order's combat really does feel like the Dark Souls games. In fact, if you die, you'll have to defeat the last enemy you fought to regain your lost XP, a la Bloodborne. It's pretty fitting that this original Star Wars story is challenging, since protagonist Cal Kestis is one of the few surviving Jedi Padawans after Order 66.
Shenmue 3 isn't the end of Ryo Hazuki's story, but fans of the Sega Dreamcast classic have been waiting a long time for the next chapter nonetheless. The third game picks up in a small fishing village in China, where Ryo continues to track down his father's killer. Expect the usual dose of minigames and intriguing characters as you explore the open world.
November has only just begun, and it's got plenty more video games on the horizon. We didn't even get a chance to talk about Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games 2020, which comes to Nintendo Switch on November 5 in the US and on November 8 in the UK. Next week, we'll take a look at two anticipated remasters: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Romancing SaGa 3.
