This week in video games, September 19, 2016: Gears of War 4 launch trailer, NHL 17

This week, get your game on with NHL 17, a Vancouver indie developer shows off in San Francisco, and Destiny gets even bigger and better with Rise of Iron. But first, first impressions of Gears of War 4, and the game's launch trailer.

Watch the Gears of War 4 launch trailer now

Last week I spent a few hours playing Gears of War 4. I played the story-based campaign, and was delighted to discover that the new game is very much in the spirit of the original Gears of War trilogy. The characters are compelling, the environments elaborate and distinctive, the script singing with clever repartée.

Gears of War 4, developed right here in Vancouver at the Coalition, comes out on October 11 for Windows 10, Xbox One, and Xbox One S.

Studio head and the man in charge of the franchise, Rod Fergusson, said in an interview that the Gears games fill a critical space in the Microsoft Games Studio catalogue: edgy, dark, mature-themed shooter. Gears of War 4 certainly qualifies.

The game was authored to support 4K resolution and high-dynamic-range screens. Even on a standard high-definition monitor, the visuals are stunning. On a computer with a 4K monitor, or on an Xbox One S with a HDR television, Gears of War 4 is breathtaking.

For fans of the original trilogy, Gears of War 4 will be like welcoming an old friend into your home. It is filled with references and homages to the earlier games. Those new to the franchise will find that this game is a perfect entry point.

Anyone picking up the limited-edition Gears of War 4 Xbox One S can also add a GoW HyperX headset, which echoes the deep red, distressed design of the console. It has a leather headband, memory-foam earpads, and a detachable microphone.

Destiny gets bigger with Rise of Iron

Destiny, the first-person shooter from Bungie that so many of us can't stop playing, gets bigger and better this week with the release of Rise of Iron on Tuesday (September 20).

The new expansion includes a new story campaign, a new location on Earth to explore, a new raid, and both new and remastered strikes.

Even better than getting more real estate to explore, I'll be able to play Crucible, finally, because Bungie is now supporting private matches, so I can get into player-versus-player with friends and acquaintances where I'll fare better than when I'm matched against the general public, where I get my ass handed to me.

With private matches, you choose from 18 modes on 27 maps, and you can set match length, point scores, and even which vehicles you want in the game.

Private matches have already been enabled for everyone playing Destiny on PS4 or Xbox One/S, not on PS3 or Xbox 360.

Previous generation console owners will also find that they can't play Rise of Iron, which is only available on PS4 and Xbox One/S.

Rise of Iron comes as part of Destiny: The Collection, which includes all Destiny content for US$60.

The Collection is also an opportunity for PS3 and Xbox 360 players who have The Taken King to jump to next-gen, as Bungie and Activision are running an upgrade program that gets you The Collection for US$40.

Vancouver indie developer featured at the Google Play Indie Games Festival

This Saturday (September 24) in San Francisco, Google is showcasing 30 games created by independent developers from across North America.

Representing Vancouver at the Google Play Indie Games Festival is Busan Sanai Games.

The studio will be showing off Maruta 279, a stealh puzzler set in a cloning facility, that's in development for both Android and iOS devices. The game is planned for release this fall.

If you're in San Francisco, the festival is taking place at the Terra Gallery.

Play in the World Cup of Hockey with NHL 17

You think EA Sports is going to limit you to NHL teams with the latest edition of its hockey sim? No way.

Sure, you can play as your favourite NHL squad, but you can also pick one of the national teams participating in the World Cup of Hockey, taking place in Toronto this month.

Hockey fans will also love how they can not only build their own fantasy hockey team but also play the squad against friends.

NHL 17 is available now for PS4 and Xbox One/S.