Back-to-school month is stacked with great games--from the free titles on the subscription services to the high-budget blockbusters from the top developers. There's also some high-profile remakes late in the month--established classics with a fresh coat of paint on them--to look forward to.
From Tony Hawk to Tommy Angelo, we're looking forward to stepping into these characters' shoes again. Here's your monthly video game news roundup for September 2020.
XBox Live Gold Free Games
Xbox One
The Division (September 1 - September 30)
Part RPG multiplayer, part third-person shooter, The Division casts you as a Special Agent who, along with his comrades, must investigate a viral pandemic that has devastated Manhattan. How timely.
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 (September 16 - October 15)
This is a fantasy point-and-click adventure. Think King's Quest, but for a new generation.
Xbox 360 (backwards compatible)
De Blob 2 (September 1 - September 15)
This is a puzzle platformer, starring a Blob with color-based superpowers. Liberate Prisma City and restore color to its inhabitants.
Armed and Dangerous (September 16 - September 30)
It's a shooter game that parodies other shooter games and general pop culture. It also has a Land Shark Gun, which is exactly what it sounds like.
Playstation Plus Free Games
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (September 1)
The battle royale craze started right here. You and 99 other players parachute onto an island, scavenge for weapons and supplies, and fight to the death until there's one person left standing.
Street Fighter V (September 1)
The fighting game par excellence is now available to all Playstation Plus users for free. The aesthetic might take you aback at first, but the technical gameplay is incomparable. Like all the best fighting games, there's a whole lot of depth beyond the button mashing.
Google Stadia Free Games
Super Bomberman R Online (September 1)
It's classic Bomberman gameplay, as you negotiate mazes and try to pin your opponents against walls to blow them up. Don't fix what isn't broken.
Gunsport (September 1)
A ridiculous premise with addictive gameplay, Gunsport has you play volleyball by shooting the ball with a gun. It also has a charming, 16-bit-meets-cyberpunk look to draw you in.
Hitman (September 1)
A stealth game with a dark sense of humor, Hitman casts you in the role of Agent 47, who uses subterfuge and disguises to get close to his targets. Jetset amongst the elite and kill them.
Hello Neighbor (September 1)
Sneak into your neighbor's basement. That's the premise for this stealth horror game, which conceals some horrifying secrets.
Metro Last Light Redux (September 1)
A first-person-shooter set in post-apocalyptic Russia, Metro Last Light Redux is a remastered version of the 2013 game. Skulk about the subway system while taking down mutants and Neo Nazis.
Embr (September 1)
A humorous game with a frightening premise, you play as a gig firefighter who must chop down doors, save lives, and put out fires for the right price.
Marvel's Avengers (September 4)
Part action adventure, part loot-based RPG, Marvel's Avengers lets you play as Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and more as you face off against MODOK and regain the public's trust. We reviewed the beta version of the game last month and commended the game's action-adventure elements.
NBA 2K21 (September 4)
The latest in 2K's basketball simulator franchise features a new Career mode and a new Neighborhood. It continues the 'pie chart' approach to Create A Player from last year's game. Once again, it allows you to select the badges and select the skills that you want to hone to Hall of Famer status. If you're worried about whether to buy this on current-gen or next-gen hardware, all your MyTeam collections and VC will carry over. The "Mamba Forever" edition of the game also comes with a next-gen console upgrade, so you won't have to pay twice.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 (September 4)
Featuring your favorite levels from the first two classic Tony Hawk games, this complete remastering recalls the tail end of the '90s, when Tony Hawk first hit the 900 at the 1999 X-Games. It also includes the classic soundtrack, so if you're ready to do everything you can, pretending you're a Superman, pick this one up, and challenge other players around the world to a game of H.O.R.S.E.
The Outer Worlds: Peril On Gorgon DLC (September 9)
One of the standout titles of 2019, The Outer Worlds is getting its first DLC with Peril on Gorgon, You investigate the Gorgon asteroid, where experiments with chemical Adrena-Time--intended to increase worker productivity--went horribly, horribly wrong. Like the core game, the DLC also features branching narratives and 1st-person action gameplay. Trust no one.
Spelunky 2 (September 15)
A long-awaited sequel to the 2008 classic, Spelunky 2 will feature online multiplayer, rideable turkeys, and flamethrowers. Navigate randomly-generated levels in search of secrets and hidden treasure.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds (September 18)
While the developers of WWE 2K22 take an extra year to deliver the next simulator game, there's a fantasy arcade game for your fix of virtual in-ring action. Ever want to fight in a bayou and toss John Cena into a crocodile's mouth? WWE 2K Battlegrounds has you covered.
Mafia: Definitive Edition (September 25)
In 2002, the original Mafia game brought some realism and grit to Prohibition Era Chicago (renamed Lost Heaven). This is a bottom-to-top remake, featuring a historically inspired rendering of the city and motion capture acting for Tommy Angelo, who makes a slow rise from cab driver to Mafia capo.
The Walking Dead: Onslaught (September 29)
It's kill-or-be-killed zombie action in full VR. Play as Rick, Michonne, Daryl, and Carol from the hit AMC show, and get close enough to the action to feel the Walkers breathing down your neck.
Baldur's Gate 3 Early Access (September 30)
The latest game in the series will utilize 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons mechanics to create a robust, team-based RPG experience. Early access users will be able to choose a pre-established character or create their own, as well as choose from six distinct character classes: Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock, and Wizard.
