Games We’re Excited About - May 2021
We’ve been in a little bit of a slump lately. Busy with work, busy with life, and getting through games became a bit of an uphill battle - especially with the backlog growing. But after the holiday weekend, and enjoying our daughter’s 6th birthday (her second during COVID), we’re feeling refreshed and ready to get back into it - starting with a list of games releasing this month that we’re really looking forward to.
The Colonists
- Releasing May 4th for Xbox, PS4 and Switch.
This peaceful little settlement building sim from developers Codebyfire looks amazing. You can take your time to explore and build your own little robot civilisation exactly how you like; or if you want to spice things up a bit and go down the less-relaxing route, you can play military-style against AI colonies. It looks like a lot of fun, and one we definitely want to try out soon.
Skate City
- Releasing May 6th for Xbox, PS4/PS5, Switch and PC.
Skating games always catch our eye. As much as we’ve loved skateboarding in plenty of games in the past, there’s always a little part of us that feels like something is missing from them. It’s never anything we can put our finger on, so we continue to play other skate games in the hope that we find it. And something about Skate City has us feeling hopeful, so we can’t wait to dive in.
Nongunz: Doppelgänger Edition
- Releasing May 6th for Switch & May 7th for Xbox, PS4 and PC.
Developed by Brainwash Gang and published by Digerati, Nongunz: Doppelgänger Edition is described as a “nihilistic action-platformer roguelike”, and that sounds right up our alley. After a tumultuous time getting to the console release, with their previous publisher vanishing without a trace, Nongunz has been upgraded and remastered with the tag line “Doppelgänger Edition”. The pixel art style looks very interesting, and roguelikes always go down well in this house.
Resident Evil Village
- Releasing May 7th for Xbox, PS4/PS5, PC and Stadia.
As fans of the Resident Evil franchise and big goth tiddies, this release has us super excited. Resident Evil always tries to keep things interesting, and Village looks to be no exception. You’ll play as Ethan Winters, the returning protagonist from the 7th game, as he tries to figure out just what is going on in the aftermath. I am a baby when it comes to horror games, but RE is one series that I can normally handle, if I take it slowly, as the story and the secrets give me a brief reprieve from the horror lurking around every corner. And with what looks to be a complex and intriguing story, we really want to get stuck into this one.
Retro Machina
- Releasing May 12th for Xbox, PS4, Switch and PC.
This title sees you take on the role of a small robot who seems to be the only one aware that something is wrong in Endeavour City. As the robot, you can hack into and take control of other robots and enemies, to help you gain access to new areas, complete puzzles and more, on your quest to get to the bottom of things.
RWBY: Grimm Eclipse - Definitive Edition
- Releasing May 13th for Switch.
A 4-player online co-op game from Rooster Teeth Games, RWBY: Grimm Eclipse is based upon their hit series RWBY, and sees you engage in hack-and-slash combat to stop the evil Doctor Merlot. Including all DLC, the Definitive Edition is packed full of content, spanning the three years since its initial release on PC, including costumes, and a two-player couch co-op mode!
Exodemon
- Releasing May 13th for Switch & May 14th for Xbox.
The fast-paced gameplay of Kuupu’s Exodemon looks so fun, and the retro graphics look truly gorgeous. You play as a scientist infected by an alien entity - hence the claws - and you must locate the last escape pod before you succumb entirely to the beast. It gives off some classic DOOM vibes, and we can’t wait to delve into the secrets and mystery of it.
Subnautica: Below Zero
- Releasing May 14th for Xbox, PS4/PS5, Switch, PC and Mac.
Originally intended as a DLC to Subnautica, before expanding into a full-fledged game, Below Zero follows the events of the first game, to see you exploring the deepest, darkest oceans as well as above ground - with far more significant areas of land for you to discover than in its predecessor. Subnautica was never actually released on Switch, so alongside this launch - the first game will be released on Switch for the first time at the price of £24.99 - although it’s currently 10% off, ending on the 13th, so you’ll need to move quickly for the saving.
Rust Console Edition
- Releasing May 18th for Xbox and PS4.
My Steam library has not been touched in a few years now, and Rust was always one of the games that I’d see a bunch of friends playing. It always came highly recommended too, but despite having a fairly decent spec Alienware laptop, I just couldn’t get half of the games I wanted to play to run. So when the laptop eventually gave up the ghost entirely, I never looked back. Console gaming was always my preference anyway, but I did always feel like I was missing out on some of the games on offer on PC that I couldn’t otherwise play. So for Rust to finally come to Xbox and PS4, is fantastic. Hope to get an actual PC again at some point in the future, but for now - if more PC only games could come to console that would be great, thanks.
Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield
- Releasing May 19th for Xbox, PS5, Switch and PC.
When we saw the reveal during Gamescom 2020, we fell in love with Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield. The artstyle and smooth AF gameplay just looks like pure perfection, and the music from the trailer is amazing so I’m excited to see how it feels to play. Being developed by just one person, it looks to be super impressive, so we are really looking forward to this game’s launch.
The Wild at Heart
- Releasing May 20th for Xbox and PC.
The art of Moonlight Kids’ The Wild at Heart immediately drew us in, with its whimsical, pencil-drawn style. There are tonnes of mythical, mysterious creatures to find and take command of - and a world filled with secrets and charm - so we’re really eager to try this one out.
Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl
- Releasing May 20th for Xbox and PS4.
Snootchie Bootchies! We are mega excited for this to finally be coming to Xbox after launching on Switch a year ago. With Xbox being our main ‘home’ for gaming, we held out hope that this would finally be announced for it - and it did! Developed by Interabang Entertainment, who are currently working on Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch - Mall Brawl acts as a prequel to their upcoming release. You can play alone, or with a friend, and enjoy the brawling action as Jay and Silent Bob themselves.
Just Die Already
- Releasing May 20th for Xbox, PS4, Switch and PC.
From the designers of Goat Simulator, Just Die Already is an old-people mayhem sandbox game where you play as an angry elder who has just been kicked out of their retirement home. And now you need to pull off survival in a world where everything and everyone wants you to Just Die Already. It looks like a lot of fun, and with all the hours of fun we’ve had in Goat Simulator - we’ve got high hopes.
Knockout City
- Releasing May 21st for Xbox, PS4/PS5, Switch and PC.
This one really grabbed our attention when we first saw it, and playing the Demo when it was available just solidified our love for it even further. And to make things even better - it’ll be available on Day One for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers at no extra cost. Woo!
Miitopia
- Releasing May 21st for Switch.
Originally released in 2016 for the 3DS in Japan, before releasing worldwide a year later - Miitopia is finally getting a Switch remaster! Building up a team of family and friends for your adventure looks like a tonne of fun, for all of the family.
Biomutant
- Releasing May 25th for Xbox, PS4/PS5 and PC.
From developers Experiment 101, this title is one we’ve been waiting for since it was first revealed at E3 all those years ago. We preordered it from Amazon as soon as it became available, in September 2017, and each year it has remained in our Open Orders as a constant reminder of a game that seemed like it was just never gonna arrive. Thankfully, with a final release date that’s less than a month away, we’ll soon get to hold this baby in our hands.
Maneater
- Releasing May 25th for Switch.
We’ve already played - and completed - this one on Xbox but it definitely feels like a game that’ll be well suited to the Switch, too. Plus, we’ve got some killer DLC in the form of “Truth Quest” coming out this Summer, so we may as well refresh our memories and get back into the water in preparation.
Very Very Valet
- Releasing May 25th for Switch.
Toyful’s Very Very Valet has you and up to three friends take on the roles of some of the most elite puppet Valets in the world. You can go for a teamwork approach to get all of the cars parked and dealt with, or you can totally hinder each other by wildly launching your fellow valets. It looks like an extremely fun party game, and with its comical puppet style, its sure to open a lot of doors.
Pecaminosa: A Pixel Noir Game
- Releasing May 25th for Xbox, PS4, Switch and PC.
Cereal Games’ Pecaminosa has you play as a disgraced Detective as he tries to unfold the weirdest case he’s ever dealt with: helping the ghost of a dead mobster as he looks to wash away his sins to get into Heaven. Described as a cross between The Legend of Zelda and Touch of Evil, this is one RPG we can’t wait to investigate.
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster
- Releasing May 25th for Switch.
Eighteen years after the initial release for Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne, and it’s getting a Remaster for Switch! Well received all round for the 2003 launch, it’s easy to see why this is one that fans want to come back. The series from which Persona spun-off, neither of us have actually played any core Megami Tensei games, but seeing how amazing this one looks makes us want to change that, pronto.
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers
- Releasing May 27th for PS4 and Switch.
Going for a very different look from the mainline Earth Defense Force titles, World Brothers has a gorgeous voxel appearance that works really well with the characters and story. Released in Japan last year, the success of this title called for a Western release, and we’re so glad it did. It looks really fascinating, even for me (a total newbie to the series), so we both are really looking forward to this one.
Fighting Ex Layer - Another Dash
- Releasing May 27th on Switch.
A spiritual sequel to 1998’s Fighting Layer, Fighting Ex Layer - Another Dash comes from development team Arika, made up of some of the people who worked on Street Fighter Ex titles. It was initially revealed as an April Fool’s Day prank, when they showed off some prototype footage they’d been working on. Fans went wild, and so they went ahead and made it into a full game - and it’s not too long before we get to play it!
Song of Horror
- Releasing May 28th for Xbox and PS4.
I am a scaredy cat. I’ve said it time and time again, but I am unbelievably terrified of horror games. I love horror: horror movies don’t phase me at all, although I am guilty of falling victim to jump-scares no matter how many times I’ve seen them before; but something about horror games just really knows how to turn me into a sweaty-palmed mess on the couch. I like to try and play them, but this usually results in me playing approx. 30 minutes or less before I can’t take it anymore, and resign myself to watching Allan play instead. Backseat gaming for horror is the best way for me, as I get to enjoy the experience like a movie - without nearly causing myself a heart attack in the process. Song of Horror looks absolutely petrifying - and we can’t wait!
World’s End Club
- Releasing May 28th for Switch.
Part Visual Novel and part puzzle-game, World’s End Club from developer IzanagiGames, follows the ‘Go-Getters Club’ - a group of misfits from all across Japan - as they find themselves trapped inside a strange theme park whilst on a school trip. Taking part in a mysterious game, called the ‘Game of Fate’ is the only thing they can do to test their bond and find their way out. It looks super intriguing and visually it’s got a really colourful, weird vibe to it that has me totally hooked!
What games are you most looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments below!
- V x
