It’s been a huge month for gaming, with some absolutely massive releases for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. We finally got the long-awaited Hollow Knight sequel, plus new entries in massive franchises like Borderlands and Silent Hill.
But which games are actually worth the money? I’ve played every major title that’s come out this month and have put together this list featuring some of our highest rated titles from this September.
Each and every one of them would be a fantastic choice if you’re searching for something to play, so read for my five top picks.
1. Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hollow Knight: Silksong has been a long time coming, but for die-hard fans of its predecessor it’s been well worth the wait. It’s another metroidvania set in a cute little bug kingdom, but don’t let the adorable hand-drawn style visuals fool you: it’s as difficult at they come.
It brings the already excellent combat of Hollow Knight to another level with its new protagonist Hornet, who boasts increased aerial speed and much greater agility. Encounters play out like deadly dances as you bounce between strong enemies while going for tricky diagonal attacks.
Exploring its massive winding map rewards you with new upgrades, weapons, friendly non-player characters (NPCs) that you can bring into fights for a hand, and much more so if your strategy doesn’t succeed, it’s important that you take a break to explore and come back stronger.
This is vital when you go up against the many deadly bosses, highly choreographed gauntlets that put all of your skills to the test. They’re a real highlight and, while unbelievably punishing, are incredibly satisfying to master.
If you’re up for a challenge, Hollow Knight: Silksong is a must and there’s no reason not to give it a try via Xbox Game Pass if you’re not sure whether it will be for you.
2. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Look, I love Mario Kart World but its new open-world format left me itching for a good, old-fashioned circuit racer in the style of Mario Kart 8 – and I know that I’m not the only one. Luckily, that’s exactly where Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds comes in.
Developer Sonic Team has nailed all the basics of great arcade kart racing here, with full cross-platform play, tons of modes, and buckets of unlockable content to keep you coming back for more. It’s got a formidable 24 courses at launch, but the innovative Travel Ring mechanic adds the ability to warp into 15 more as you race – giving you a total of 39 unique tracks to stop things getting stale.
Its Grand Prix cups are elevated by races that have you swapping between land, water, and air vehicle modes and the fact that each course can change significantly on the final lap. The core handling is well-polished and much faster paced than World, with a renewed focus on satisfying drifting that really channels the Sonic franchise’s trademark speed.
Throw in a range Time Trials, a Race Park mode with custom ruleset support, the ability to challenge ghost data and online leaderboards in World Match, and detailed vehicle customization items, and you have a robust package that’s well worth playing even if, like me, you’re not the biggest fan of the blue hedgehog.
It even has a bonkers selection of guest characters, including virtual idol icon Hatsune Miku – how could you not love that?
3. Borderlands 4
Sometimes you just need a good old fashioned shooter and Borderlands 4 certainly delivers the goods. It’s easily the strongest instalment the series has had in years, with some absolutely fantastic gunplay and a seemingly endless number of weapons to loot and shoot.
Set on the new planet of Kairos, it’s also the first true open-world entry but the move away from smaller environments fits so well that you would never be able to tell. It’s presents a practically seamless map with three major biomes to discover, each brimming with quirky inhabitants to meet.
The central story is particularly strong, with a much stronger villain than Borderlands 3, and ties all three of these areas together well. It also features loads of call backs and returning face for long time fans, while simultaneously being perfectly approachable for newcomers.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Borderlands without heaps of side content to get through too, with well-paced side quests and loads of optional challenges. The robust endgame also means that there’s no reason to stop playing once you hit the credits.
If you’re buying one game this month and want something that you can squeeze the most possible value from, this is it.
4. Hell is Us
Hell is Us is unremittingly bleak and often quite disturbing, but undeniably compelling.
Set in the middle of a fictional 1990s civil war, it takes you to the decimated nation of Hadea as a former Peacekeeper named Remi who is desperately searching for his parents. After sneaking into the country illegally, he soon discovers that there’s something even more disturbing going on.
Filled with creepy supernatural creatures, you battle your way through a large open-ended world that doesn’t hold your hand. There are no objective markers to help you, forcing you to full immerse yourself in your surroundings in order to succeed.
The combat is meaty, drawing upon the Dark Souls series in many respects, but isn’t as hard as you might expect. Rather than combat or the many environmental puzzles that await you, the big focus here are the human characters that you encounter – with each of their stories exemplifying the real-world horror of war.
5. Dying Light: the Beast
Kyle Crane is back and he’s not taking any prisoners.
This latest Dying Light game started as a DLC, but quickly grew into its own standalone project that is well worth your time.
It’s centered on the all-new world of Castor Woods, the new home of first game protagonist Kyle Crane. Having been captured and experimented on, Kyle Crane is now part man, part beast, and not particularly happy about it.
You tear through the post-apocalyptic environment with your new suite of beast mode abilities, bombastic powers that turn a would-be survivor into an apex predator, in a bloody quest for revenge against the man responsible for your transformation.
An overhauled movement system means that parkouring between rooftops is more satisfying than ever and next-level gore turns every fight into a delightful bloodbath.
It’s not all ripping off zombie heads though, as you have to deal with powerful Chimeras in gripping one on one fights that present a much more significant challenge.
It’s a blast, and you can also complete the entire experience with up to three friends in co-op making it a good pick if you want something to try as a group.
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dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood)
