April saw the release of hits like Lost Records: Boom & Rage — Tape 2 and the surprising success of Expedition 33: Clair Obscur. Heading into May, offbeat indie games and farming sims are some of the most interesting releases, with a few highly anticipated action games to finish off the month. Before the biggest titles arrive, it's worth checking out this month's impressive lineup of surprising indie releases.
5. Doom: The Dark Ages
You pretty much know what you’re getting from Doom: The Dark Ages — lots and lots of demons to slay in increasingly over-the-top ways. The sequel to 2016’s Doom and 2020’s Doom Eternal ramps up the carnage even more, adding mechs to pilot. Shifting the sci-fi angle of previous games in the series, Doom: The Dark Ages is a medieval take on its story.
Developer id Software says the game will feature a greater focus on telling the origin story of the Doom Slayer, hopefully not enough to get in the way of the combat everyone is actually here for. Melee attacks will also be a greater focus, courtesy of a new shield and flail combo added to the game’s arsenal.
Doom: The Dark Ages will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on May 15.
4. To a T
Undoubtedly the strangest game on this list, To a T follows the daily life of a teenage boy who’s permanently stuck in a T-pose for no clear reason. That bizarre quirk forms the basis of To a T’s minigames, which range from petting a dog to brushing the character’s teeth all without bendable elbows. Making the whole thing even quirkier, there’s also a magical giraffe along for the ride.
If you’re still not convinced, consider two things: this charming song-and-dance number about grocery shopping in the game’s trailer, and the fact that To a T is being developed by Keita Takahashi, the original of Katamari Damacy.
To a T will be released on Xbox and PC on May 28.
3. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
Delayed from 2024, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time finally launches this month, more than a decade after the original Fantasy Life. The game features all the cozy activities you’d expect from a life sim, but in a fantasy setting that also features RPG combat. The original wasn’t the deepest life sim or RPG around, but its charmingly low-key adventure still earned it a cult following.
Fantasy Life i seems to be aiming for a somewhat grander story, with a time-travel twist that lets players move between the present day and 1,000 years in the past while leveling up 14 distinct jobs. Like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Fantasy Life i also adds the ability to reshape its town by changing both buildings and the landscape, and it features a multiplayer mode for up to four players.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time will be released on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC on May 21.
2. Despelote
Starting the month off, Despelote is a one-of-a-kind game. Set in Quito, Ecuador, it tells a semi-autobiographical story about a young boy looking forward to the country’s first time in the World Cup. Despelote has a unique look and sound created from actual photos and audio recordings of Ecuador that you’re free to explore while playing with its first-person soccer mechanics. Its original documentary angle makes Despelote one of the most fascinating games to watch so far this year.
Despelote will be released on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC on May 1.
1. Elden Ring: Nightreign
The most anticipated game of the month, Elden Ring: Nightreign transforms FromSoftware’s acclaimed open-world game into a multiplayer challenge. Rather than one sprawling adventure, Nightreign is broken up into rounds that last an average of 40 minutes, where three players team up to defeat enemies and grow in strength on the way to defeating powerful bosses.
The bosses are a mix of totally original foes with some inspired by Elden Ring and other FromSoftware games. Over the course of a round, players will need to adjust their builds to complement one another and stand up against the boss at the end. Nightreign is a strange take on FromSoftware’s formula that might not scratch the same itch as its singleplayer games, but it’s an intriguing approach that represents something new from the famed developer nonetheless.
