We are mere days away from the arrival of the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, which means a whole load of new games are also set to launch. While both systems are launching with plenty of games, albeit many upgraded editions of existing titles, there are also a bunch of compelling games launching for current-gen systems and PC this month.
Planning out your month of gaming and/or building your own personal holiday wish list? Here’s a look at the biggest new video games releasing in November, along with links to pre-order copies so you have ‘em on the launch date.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, PC)
Release Date: November 10 (PS5: Nov. 12)
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla shifts the historical open-world series to England during the time of the Viking invasion in 873 CE, and you’ll play one of the invaders, Elvior—a man or woman, your call, along with myriad other customization options. While the core of Ubisoft’s long-running series is well established and has only gradually evolved from entry to entry, Valhalla is influenced by Norse mythology and frequently has you return to your created settlement, which you can expand and enhance over the course of the narrative adventure.
It looks like another compelling setting for the series, and should still be plenty sprawling despite the welcome promise of a more handcrafted world. As the trailer above shows, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla looks richly beautiful and will no doubt be a showcase for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, not to mention a well-equipped gaming PC. And even if you’re sticking with a PS4 or Xbox One for now, it still ought to look pretty slick.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5, PS4)
Release Date: November 12
This fall’s Marvel’s Avengers game was actually pretty good, but there’s even more hype around this month’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales launching on PS5 but simultaneously available for PS4. Spun off from Insomniac Games’ great 2018 Spider-Man game on PS4, the new game shifts the focus away from Peter Parker to Miles Morales, star of Into the Spider-Verse.
This is an original take on the comic hero, though, but looks to accurately infuse his personality and unique powers into the open-city, web-swinging action from the first game. The above trailer is a delight to watch, showcasing Miles’ world and his capabilities in combat, all presented thanks to the added gloss and power of the PS5 hardware. And yes, the Spider-Verse suit is in there, presented in the same twitchy animation style as the flick.
Insomniac says the game is shorter and smaller in scope than the last Spider-Man game, but it’s also $10-20 cheaper than the average new release, depending on platform. A special Ultimate Launch Edition for PS5 also includes a download code for a remastered version of the original PS4 game, too, in case you missed it the first time around.
Demon’s Souls (PlayStation 5)
Release Date: November 12
The PlayStation 3 cult favorite that kickstarted the whole “Soulsborne” genre of Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and others of its ilk is back in action as a PS5-exclusive launch title. Demon’s Souls has been revived for 2020, and as the trailer above shows, there’s no sign at all that this is an older game given a fresh coat of paint. It’s absolutely gorgeous, with menacing enemies, inviting-yet-claustrophobic environments, and an incredible amount of detail all over the place. That’s the PS5 edge in action, apparently.
Of course, Souls games are all about richly compelling combat first and foremost, and that’s sure to be the bigger draw over the rich visual upgrade. Surviving in Demon’s Souls requires expert timing and patience as you attempt to survive each skirmish; this isn’t a mindless brawler that you can brute-force your way through. Your reward for pushing through the brutal difficulty is immense satisfaction, and while it won’t be for everyone, those willing to scratch a masochistic itch might find Demon’s Souls irresistible.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, PC)
Release Date: November 13
Following last year’s Modern Warfare revival, Call of Duty continues to mine its most popular sub-franchises with Black Ops Cold War, a new game designed as a direct sequel to 2010’s original smash Black Ops. The formula is almost exactly the same as it was a decade ago, pairing a story-led campaign (this time with a creepy CGI Ronald Reagan calling the shots), an elaborate online multiplayer suite, and a co-op Zombies survival mode.
By now, you probably know whether you’re still hot for CoD after all this time, although this year’s free-to-play battle royale game Call of Duty Warzone can potentially satisfy fans without you needing to drop $60 upfront on a new retail edition. Treyarch and Raven might be able to recreate the feel of the original Black Ops with Cold War, but we’ll see whether they can recapture the enthusiasm from a decade back.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Switch)
Release Date: November 20
Look, all of the Zelda fans probably wanted the announced sequel to the brilliant Breath of the Wild to come out this fall, but … this isn’t it. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity features the same visual style, setting, and narrative framing of that game. However, instead of a vast, open-world role-playing odyssey, you get a hack-and-slash brawler in which you take out thousands upon thousands of foes without breaking much of a sweat.
Like the first Hyrule Warriors game, Age of Calamity is a button-mashing Dynasty Warriors spinoff, and those games always wear out their welcome through sheer repetition. Our hope, at least, is that the return to the Breath of the Wild timeline—complete with familiar playable characters and side missions that promise to build out that world a bit more—will counteract the very straightforward nature of the gameplay itself. That’s the hope, at least. There’s already a playable demo on the Switch online store if you want to try before you buy, though.