Traditionally speaking, September is a sad time for many. Kids are on their way back to school, autumn is starting to set in, and there’s a general sense of resigned melancholy about the world.
That’s unfortunate, though, because September is also very often an excellent month for video games. Perhaps because developers and publishers realise just how downbeat everyone is feeling, a surplus of great games can often be found on shelves as autumn begins.
September 2023 is looking no different as regards PS5 games, with plenty of great titles on the horizon to check out. Here are the best PS5 games headed your way in September 2023!
Baldur’s Gate 3 (September 6th)
Having already made its way to PC in August, Larian’s long-awaited RPG finally hits PS5 in September. Although it’s a continuation of the long-running and iconic Baldur’s Gate series, you don’t need to have played any of the previous games in order to enjoy this one; it’s effectively a clean break for the franchise, promising hundreds of hours of rich, immersive role-playing and turn-based tactical combat.
Super Bomberman R 2 (September 13th)
Promising “the largest content volume in the series’ history”, Super Bomberman R 2 looks like it’ll carry on the Bomberman legacy with aplomb. Packed with party games, modes, and features, this should be a great game to play when you’ve got a few friends over and you’re looking for something hectic and crazy to enjoy together. You can even take your Bomberman skills online to test them against players around the world.
The Crew Motorfest (September 14th)
This latest instalment in Ubisoft’s The Crew series transposes the open-world racing action to the Hawaiian island of O’ahu, so you can be sure of some breathtaking vistas as you race for dominance against your opponents. This time around, it looks like Ubisoft is gunning for Playground Games’ Forza Horizon crown, so expect plenty of open-ended arcade-sim racing and lots of vehicles to try out and unlock.
Lies of P (September 19th)
Despite its rather strange and oblique name, Lies of P looks to be a fairly straightforward endeavour; it’s a Soulslike set in a steampunk universe loosely based on Carlo Collodi’s classic children’s novel The Adventures of Pinocchio. Okay, so perhaps it’s not that straightforward, but action-wise, the game resembles Bloodborne crossed with Spiders’ underrated Steelrising; you’ll be exploring a steampunk city, dispatching puppets, and no doubt discovering some horrible eldritch truths.
Mortal Kombat 1 (September 19th)
Mortal Kombat 1 will serve as the twelfth mainline instalment in the Mortal Kombat series, which is perhaps not very well-communicated by its name. Series mainstays like Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and Scorpion will return, with other iconic characters like Jax and Kano appearing as a new type of fighter known as a “Kameo Fighter”. Expect the usual mixture of shockingly brutal fighting and sublimely incomprehensible storytelling.
Payday 3 (September 21st)
Payday 2 proved an unexpected multiplayer hit for developer Starbreeze, and so it makes sense that Payday 3 would effectively offer more of the same, but bigger, better, and richer. Features like stealth and character loadouts have been expanded, and you can also look forward to more advanced enemy AI that will respond to your actions more appropriately, but otherwise, it’s more of the same exciting multiplayer heist action.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (September 26th)
Although it might sound like a Metal Gear Solid title, Phantom Liberty is, in fact, the name of the first major Cyberpunk 2077 expansion. CD Projekt Red has managed to win back much of the goodwill it arguably lost with the botched Cyberpunk 2077 launch, and so this expansion pack is warmly anticipated; it’ll add a new area to explore, as well as a new chunk of the morally complex cyberpunk story that won so many gamers over the first time around.
My Time at Sandrock (September 26th)
Pathea’s idyllic post-apocalyptic farming sim has been in Early Access on PC for a while, and it’s finally making its way to consoles in September. If you’ve played My Time at Portia, then you’ll know roughly what to expect: a village full of eligible townsfolk to romance, a surprisingly in-depth story to uncover, and, of course, lots and lots of farming, resource-gathering, and customisation. This should prove a great way to unwind when the pressures of autumn get you down.
Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai (September 28th)
Another slightly ridiculous title hides what looks to be a very engaging and compelling action RPG. Based on the popular Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai manga, this game takes Dragon Quest’s usual turn-based RPG combat and transposes it into a more active action-based mode. The signature Dragon Quest aesthetic is very much intact here, though, so if you love Dragon Quest, you should find plenty to enjoy in this newest spinoff.
EA Sports FC 24 (September 29th)
Would FIFA by any other name smell as sweet? EA is certainly hoping the answer to that question is “yes”, because EA Sports FC 24 is basically FIFA 24. Luckily, the game will enjoy many of the same full licences and features that the FIFA series had, so you shouldn’t notice any kind of dip in quality or authenticity despite the name change. In short, if you love FIFA, then you’ll likely love EA Sports FC 24, so you and your friends won’t have to find a new football title to enjoy.
