1. Black Ops 4 is here, but will its multiplayer-only approach feel comparable to a traditional Call of Duty experience?
This year's Call of Duty is an unusual one. If you haven't heard the news, for the first time ever, it's come out without a single-player campaign. That means no dramatic, cutscene intensive, emotional heartstring-tugging story to play through, and for some that's a big deal. I for one, love a Call of Duty campaign, particularly one along the lines of Modern Warfare, or even the *whisper it* Kevin Spacey one, Advanced Warfare. But this year, you're getting a multiplayer-focused experience, with what developer Treyarch is calling a "narrative wrapper", where you get to discover the (often gory and rather twisted) backstories to all 12 Specialists that you can play as in the game. From what I've played so far, I think the entire package might come as a welcome surprise to people. Blackout is the first AAA battle royale offering and it's seriously impressive, while the multiplayer is robust and fun enough to challenge the core players. Then there's Zombies, of course, which I'm only just dipping my toes into - not literally thank goodness - which seems to offer customisation options that will keep you coming back for more for months, and months to come. I think you might need to check this one out for yourselves. Sam Loveridge
What: Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Where: PS4, Xbox One, PC
When: Out now
2. Can a new Netflix series beat Hereditary for "family horror" when it starts this weekend?
Cancel your weekend plans, because Netflix has a new horror series and it looks like a belter. The Haunting of Hill House is a reboot of the Shirley Jackson haunted house classic, swapping a group of strangers for a modern family facing a trauma. The showrunner is Mike Flanagan, who made quality creepfests Oculus, Hush, and Gerald's Game, which has made me hate the word "degloving" more than any other in the English language. In a recent interview Flanagan spoke about making a "family horror" story, making it a rival of the best horror movie of the year so far, Hereditary. Can it freak me out as much as Toni Collette ona ceiling? I hope so. Rachel Weber
What: The Haunting of Hill House
Where: Netflix
When: October 12
3. Will the Jump Force beta reveal it to be a competitive game, or a just-for-fun fighter?
Bandai Namco's next big anime fighter is Jump Force, the Shonen Jump mega-crossover featuring characters from Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Yu-Gi-Oh, Hunter X Hunter, and the recently revealed inclusion of Saint Seiya. And though we'll have to wait until February of next year for the full launch, there's a closed beta test going down this weekend for select registrants (signups already ended, but there should be more tests before long). I'm curious to see how people take to the frantic 3v3 action of Jump Force; personally, I've never been too keen on fighting games with behind-the-back cameras and massive arenas. Will players uncover high-level mind games and concoct some sick combos, or will the online matches devolve into a button-masher's paradise? Either way, anime and manga fans should be happy - but I don't know if Jump Force will have the kind of competitive, spectator-esport appeal as Dragon Ball FighterZ. Lucas Sullivan
What: Jump Force closed beta
Where: PS4 or Xbox One
When: October 12 - 14
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4. Netflix’s Apostle sets Resident Evil 4’s Spanish village in 1905 England
There’s a lot going for Apostle’s gristly looking horror. And I mean gristle, with hooked stretching racks, spike-toothed mangles and other horrible looking ways of painfully killing people. There’s a fanatical cult, creepy masks, some sort of huge blood covered guy dragging bodies around, and a lot of clotted, human tissue clumped torture devices lying around. Into all that comes Legion’s Dan Stevens as a 1905 version of Leon S Kennedy looking for his kidnapped sister, trying to survive, and dealing with a maniacal Michael Sheen as the cult leader. Raid director Gareth Evans is behind all the madness and while it’s a change from his usual high action fights there’s a tense, gory pressure to the trailer that suggests this could be a stern test for even the biggest horror fan. Leon Hurley
What: Apostle
Where: Netflix
When: Out now
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5. For Honor's biggest update is now here, and if you don't do anything else you still need to check out Breach mode
It's been a while since I thought about For Honor, but since I played the new 4v4 Breach Mode at Gamescom back in August, I've been desperate to play it again. It's utterly brilliant - but also rather stressful - fun, where a team of four must work together to storm a caste, working their way through the different walls and keeps, to reach the Lord within, and kill him. Meanwhile, another team of four is trying to work against you, attempting to take out your battering ram, kill you all and generally do anything to protect their Lord. It's strategic, mildly panic-inducing and overall a really, really great addition to a game that might just have fallen off your radar. The Marching Fire update also brings a wealth of other new features though, like new fighters, unlimited PvE content, and a massive graphics overhaul that will make this Viking vs Knight vs Samurai game look even better. Sam Loveridge
What: For Honor Marching Fire
Where: PS4, Xbox One, PC
When: October 16
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6. Ryan Gosling-led biopic First Man aims to put some heart behind the iconic Moon landing
Think of the Moon landing and you probably think about that grainy black and white footage which has become synonymous with the landmark event. Maybe you also think about the controversy surrounding it and the persistent conspiracy theories that it was faked by a US government who needed to win the space race. Chances are, you don’t think about the human story behind the world-changing moment which saw us reach the Moon. That’s maybe all about to change with upcoming biopic First Man from Whiplash director Damien Chazelle. Teaming up with his La La Land star Ryan Gosling, Chazelle aims to show everyone the man behind the Moon landing with an intense and emotional portary of Neil Armstrong’s life leading up to the launch. Dealing with the pressure from the government and the public, as well as the concerns of his family, it’s no doubt a story rife for retelling, but First Man will be one of the first to focus on this aspect of the famous event. Will it be able to put a personal spin on one of mankind’s most well-known achievements? We’ll find out when it hits cinemas this week. Lauren O'Callaghan
What: First Man
Where: Cinemas
When: October 12, 2018
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7. Lego DC Super-Villains wants to indulge your inner joker with an anarchic open world of bricks and debauchery
Traveller’s Tales Lego games are about as pervasive as the red and blue bricks strewn across the carpeted floor of a day care centre these days but, just like the workmanlike toys themselves, each new release is as delightful as the last. For 2018, the developer is taking an interesting turn with its current fascination for comic book characters, as Lego DC Super-Villains puts the spotlight firmly on the bad guys of the Detective Comics universe. Everyone’s here, including Joker, Lex Luthor, and all the DC mainstays, along with some of the more obscure fiends of comic book past, such as Mister Mxyzptlk and, yes, the condiment king. There’s another bustling open world to explore, too, with local and online drop-in/drop-out co-op available in classic Lego fashion, perfect for keeping any little ones occupied over Halloween. Just don’t let them get any ideas about Joker’s habit for pranks. Alex Avard
What: Lego DC Super-Villains
Where: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
When: October 16
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8. Starlink: Battle for Atlas is out on October 16, but could it go the way of Amiibos?
If you’re feeling a distinct lack of space-age adventure in your life, you’ll be glad to know that Starlink, Ubisoft’s toys-to-life game is going to be flying onto your Nintendo Switch screen on October 16. Just like Skylanders and Lego dimensions, in order to fly around its virtual world you’ll need to use real-life toys, mixing and matching the modular components of spaceship models together to create Frankenstein ships. So you can change the pilot, hull, wings, and weapons whenever you want, with the changes appearing instantly in-game. But the history of toys-to-life is a bumpy one. Although Disney Infinity, Disney’s foray into the world of videogames, was discontinued in 2016, Amiibos tell a different story. Their success has proved that as long as you find the right audience for your figurines, they can become a source of delight for years and the rarest of them can even verge into collectible territory (Mega Yarn Yoshis sell for as high as $100 on eBay...gulp). We’ll just have to wait and see whether Starlink’s toy-to-live component is out of this world or is going to crash and burn. Zoe Delahunty-Light
What: Starlink: Battle for Atlas
Where: Nintendo Switch
When: October 16
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