Games Watch: the 5 best new games coming out in May 2018
Here are the console and PC games that have us talking this month
OUR TOP PICKS
Even during the slowest months of the year, you’ll find the release list stocked with literally hundreds of games across consoles, PC, and mobile. It’s madness. Given that, it can be easy to overlook some magnificent game releases amidst the stack, but worry not: we’re here to help. Our Games Watch column points out the five biggest and brightest games on the immediate horizon, and outlines why each seems like it’ll be well worth your time and money. With that in mind, here’s your monthly compendium of the five most scintillating new releases coming before June rolls around. You can thank us later.
DONKEY KONG COUNTRY: TROPICAL FREEZE – 4 MAY
Super Mario Odyssey has the Switch market cornered on 3D platforming, but if you’re looking for something a bit more traditional, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze arrives this week with a classic side-scrolling approach. It plays a lot like the old Super Nintendo favorites, albeit with a much nicer coat of paint and an even wider array of places to visit with fun challenges to tackle. Tropical Freeze first released on Wii U, but given the limited number of people who actually owned that console, we’re glad to see this excellent platformer given fresh life on the Switch.
PILLARS OF ETERNITY II: DEADFIRE – 8 MAY
Got a love for old-school, isometric, computer role-players that you just can’t shake? Luckily, the classic genre’s seen a bit of a renaissance in recent years, and Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire looks to be another modern gem built on time-tested principles. Deadfire might look a bit glossier tan the old Baldur’s Gate-style Infinity Engine fare, but it’s very much the same kind of fantasy quest. Like the first Pillars, this one delivers an epic single-player campaign, now with more extensive character customisation (like multi-class heroes), a new companion system, and an upgradeable ship that you’ll captain across the seas.
STATE OF DECAY 2 – 22 MAY
The original State of Decay was a sandbox zombie-killer with plenty of rough edges, yet also so much to do and enjoy that you could easily see past the issues. We dug it, and with at least a couple millions copies sold, you just might’ve dug it too. State of Decay 2 goes for the “bigger and better” kind of sequel, not making any dramatic changes to the formula while delivering a much larger, zombie-packed world and smoothing out a lot of the hitches and annoyances from the original. It should be another huge, super-addictive simulation that sucks you in, and the budget price seems just right.
DETROIT: BECOME HUMAN – 25 MAY
Detroit: Become Human has been one of our most anticipated games for a good couple of years now, but our expectations have been tempered. Why? Because while Quantic Dream made the compelling Heavy Rain, they also made the rather rough Beyond: Two Souls after that. Still, the studio’s knack for narrative storytelling should be a good fit for this super-intriguing premise: in a futuristic world, subservient helper androids are starting to wake up and have real emotions, and it’s like a powder keg about to explode. And luckily, Sony just released a demo on the PlayStation Store, so you can give it a try before the 25th rolls around.
DARK SOULS REMASTERED – 25 MAY
Have fond memories of the original Dark Souls… or just looking for an ideal starting point to see what the fuss is all about? In either case, you’ll want to mark your calendar for Dark Souls Remastered later this month. As the title suggests, this fresh edition wraps up the ultra-tough 2011 adventure in a fresh coat of paint, running at 60fps and 1080p resolution on PS4 and Xbox One, upscaled to 4K for PS4 Pro and Xbox One X and able to run in native 4K on PC. Unfortunately, the Switch version has been delayed to sometime this summer, but hopefully the wait isn’t too long.
