Release Radar: Our pick of the week's best TV, movies, and games (October 21-27)
The best games, movies, and shows of the next seven days
1. A new RPG has arrived and it's out of this world
The Outer Worlds is a new, massive, every so slightly mischievous RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, a developer with a solid pedigree. It created Fallout: New Vegas, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords and Neverwinter Nights 2, and this is its first release since getting snapped up by Microsoft. It's set in an alternate future where corporations have colonized space, and your character has been dragged out of cryosleep to help find out what happened to colonies. The RPG features are a rabbit hole of options, the choices feel endless - you can kill anyone in the game should you so desire - and the humor is just tongue in cheek enough to stop it all feeling pompous. If you've been in RPG withdrawal waiting for a new Elder Scrolls or Mass Effect, grab your tourniquet and find a vein, because this is the good stuff. Rachel Weber
What: The Outer Worlds
Where: PS4, Xbox One, PC
When: October 25
2. Bojack Horseman’s not horsin’ around anymore
It’s come to this… Bojack Horseman – arguably the best Netflix original but certainly the best show on television about an animated, alcohol addicted horse – is coming to an end. On October 25, the first half of season 6 begins, with the second half coming early next year. We last saw the eponymous anthropomorphic animal entering rehab to get over his many addictions. Whether he can fully recover remains to be seen. However, Bojack’s not the only one suffering: Princess Carolyn, Diane, Mr. Peanutbutter, and innocent Todd all have their own problems to deal with.
The Sopranos ran for six seasons, and the sixth was released in two halves… And if that’s the formula for an iconic show that will be talked about for decades, then perhaps we should expect the same from Bojack Horseman. Now, everyone together: “Back in the ‘90s, I was in a very famous tv show…” Jack Shepherd
What: Bojack Horseman
Where: Netflix
When: October 25
3. Modern Warfare is back with some top tier talent behind the booms
Every year there’s a new Call of Duty promising to be the best one ever, but this year it might actually pull it off. It’s not just that a huge number of ex-Infinity Ward people have come back specifically to make this reimagined take on the original game, but it’s also headed up by some of Naughty Dog’s best - Jacob Minkoff and Taylor Kurosaki. They’ve worked on several Uncharteds, the original Last of Us and effectively studied under Any Hennig. It means that this is an FPS combining the best of Infinity Ward’s shooter skills with Naughty Dog’s narrative and set piece chops. That, in case this wasn’t clear, is a good combination. It looks like it’s sailing close to the wire in terms of story too, with London bombings, interfering Russian powers and more ‘straight from the headlines’ sourcing. At least Captain Price is back to sort things out, which all you could ask for in that sort of situation. Leon Hurley
What: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Where: PS4, Xbox One, PC
When: October 25
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4. Countdown is an app-solutely bonkers horror
“What if an app could tell you how long before you die?” – and so begins the trailer for Countdown, a horror movie that is part-Black Mirror, part-Final Destination, 100% cheese. The perfect combination.
The premise is simple enough though, as the trailer shows, the ticking clock adds an extra layer of heart-pounding intensity to a well-worn genre of twenty-somethings getting in way over their head. Supernatural forces and scary, scary things that go bump in the night are predictably littered throughout – but it’s the unique spin of the app that causes panic and fear. It’s just like scrolling through my Twitter timeline, albeit with slightly fewer people being horny on main. Catch it in theaters this week. Bradley Russell
What: Countdown
Where: Cinemas
When: October 25
5. Are you ready to go back to Castle Rock?
The first season of Castle Rock was a rollercoaster ride through the Stephen King universe, with creepy characters like The Kid and moments of almost unbearable tenderness with Sissy Spacek's Ruth Deaver. Season 2 is looking promising too, focusing on a young Annie Wilkes (who you might know from the King novel Misery) and her daughter Elsie, played by Eight Grade's Elsie Fisher. Both get trapped in Castle Rock, where rival families are at war. Shawshank Redemption's Tim Robbins plays loan shark Pop Merrill, returning to the original season's tradition of using stars from other King adaptations in lead roles, and there are story links to past King works like Salem's Lot, The Body (which became Stand By Me), and Needful Things. Rachel Weber
What: Castle Rock season 2
Where: Hulu
When: October 23
Release Radar picks the best games, movies, and shows of the next seven days every Monday at 11am GMT.
Sam Loveridge is the Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar, and joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for a decade, and for GamesRadar, she's in charge of the site's overall direction, managing the team, and making sure it's the best it can be. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. She plays across all platforms, and specializes in titles like Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, The Sims, and more. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! In her spare time, Sam likes to live like Stardew Valley by cooking and baking, growing vegetables, and enjoying life in the countryside.