We’re quickly approaching the halfway point of the year, a period which has become a pitstop of sorts on the gaming calendar. Between the buffet of big releases we’re now seeing more regular in February and March, to the traditional holiday season rush of tentpole titles, May 2’s game release lineup could have provided some much-needed breathing room and a chance to catch up on your backlog. But as it turns out, May 2024 has some fascinating new arrivals to tempt you with.
From the long-in-development Hellblade 2 to the return of a sci-fi strategy series, there’s a month of varied releases to look forward to. Several games are leaving early access on PC, another PlayStation Studios title is headed to that platform, and Nintendo is bringing one of its best Mario games of the GameCube era to Switch. For more in May, you can see the rest of the highlights below, and for a wider look at what’s still to come this year, you can check out the 2024 upcoming games schedule.
Endless Ocean Luminous
Release date: May 2Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Embrace your inner Jacques Costeau this month and dive into Endless Ocean Luminous, a game where you’ll explore an uncharted stretch of the ocean and document the creatures living there. With more than 500 sea critters to discover–some of which are presumed extinct–this relaxing journey several leagues under the sea looks like an intriguing title. You can even group up with dozens of other divers on your expeditions and travel to new depths to document the unknown.
Indika
Release date: May 8Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
A third-person, story-driven game set in a strange world, Indika is centered around the clash of religion and authority. As the titular nun, you’ll venture beyond the safe walls of her monastery, but you won’t be alone as the devil himself will be your traveling companion. Made by a small studio, Indika features challenging puzzles, surreal environments, and a dark sense of humor.
V Rising
Release date: May 8Platforms: PC
Stepping out of its early access crypt, V Rising heads into May with a polished fusion of vampire action and survival. Avoid the light during the day, stalk your prey at night, and steadily gain enough power to build a castle to store your loot and grow your army of darkness. As you learn and master an arsenal of deadly weapons and unholy abilities, you’ll tailor your vampire lord to your unique requirements, although you might want to be careful as Simon Belmont from Castlevania will be crossing over to hunt you down.
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Homeworld 3
Release date: May 13Platforms: PC
After several delays, Homeworld 3 is finally ready to launch. Developer Blackbird Interactive had previously announced the release date had been pushed back so that it could implement improvements based on player feedback from February’s open demo. Some of the major changes include reworked controls, combat adjustments to make it less tedious, and several quality-of-life updates. After launch, you can expect a lot of free and premium content to be added to the game in its first year.
Braid: Anniversary Edition
Release date: May 14Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch
Following a recent delay out of April, beloved indie platformer Braid is back, and to celebrate its 15th anniversary, this version of the game is a handsome glow-up. While the core story and time-bending gameplay has been retained, Braid’s anniversary edition includes a number of substantial upgrades like improved sound effects, newly recorded soundtrack mixes, and smoother animation. Visually, the game’s graphics have been updated and repainted by hand by original game artist David Hellman, and for anyone feeling nostalgic, you’ll be able to instantly switch between the classic visuals and the updated version of the game. For a look behind the curtain, there’ll also be over 15 hours of commentary from members of the original development team.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut
Release date: May 16Platforms: PC
Ghost of Tsushima has grown into an amazing experience over the years, as this open-world samurai game arrived as a PS4 swansong, got an impressive upgrade on PS5, and introduced new content. The full experience–including the Iki Island expansion and Legends multiplayer mode–heads to PC this month, and if you have the hardware to support it, it’s going to be a visually spectacular game on your system. Explore feudal Japan, master the blade, and take the time to compose an elegant haiku if you decide to pick this riveting adventure up this month.
Read Only Memories: Neurodiver
Release date: May 16Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox One, Switch
A sequel to 2064: Read Only Memories, Neurodiver sees you take on the role of a young psychic agent tasked with tracking down a mysterious psychic antagonist hiding within people’s memories. The game has an old-school point-and-click interface and a ’90s art direction, and as the young esper ES88, you’ll collect clues and thoughts in your subject’s memories as you slowly put the pieces together to push the villainous Golden Butterfly out.
Paper Trail
Release date: May 21Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, Mobile
A top-down puzzle adventure about leaving home, Paper Trail’s story unfolds in a paper world. As Paige, a budding academic, you’ll leave home and learn more about the world in your journey, manipulating its papercraft elements to solve puzzles, explore new areas, and discover long-lost secrets.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Release date: May 21Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S
The next big Xbox game has been years in the making, but it looks it has been worth the wait for this intriguing sequel from developer Ninja Theory. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is aiming to be a bigger and bolder game, one that builds on the original game with improved combat, very cool rocks, and going on a journey of the mind in this dark Nordic adventure. As with all Xbox-published games, Hellblade 2 will be available on Xbox Game Pass on day one.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Release date: May 23Platforms: Switch
Originally released for GameCube 20 years ago, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is getting a new lease on life with a Switch remaster this month. Widely regarded as one of the best RPGs in Nintendo history, this game puts a papercraft spin on Mario and his world. A good-looking game then, its timeless visuals look even better with the HD remaster, and Nintendo has teased a “a suite of additional changes” to add some modern touches to the classic when it lands on Switch. Interestingly, Paper Mario also seems to be indicative of a new change with Nintendo release dates.
World of Goo 2
Release date: May 23Platforms: Switch, PC
The original World of Goo was a delightful and squishy physics-based puzzle, and for the sequel, new types of goo are being introduced. Things will get more challenging as you figure out how to use explosive, growing, and shrinking goo to solve puzzles across more than 64 levels. World of Goo 2 will debut as a console exclusive for Switch and includes four-player local co-op for the system.
MultiVersus
Release date: May 28Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
After a months-long hiatus, platform fighter MultiVersus is back and ready to throw down. This will be the full launch of the free-to-play brawler as it returns with enhanced visuals, improved performance thanks to a move to Unreal Engine 5, and new netcode. Developer Player First has also teased a new PvE mode, although no specifics have been confirmed yet.
Nine Sols
Release date: May 29Platforms: PC
It’s a great month for visually striking games, and Nine Sols certainly fits the bill. A hand-drawn 2D action-platformer featuring Sekiro-inspired combat, you’ll follow a vengeful hero’s quest to slay the nine Sols, powerful rulers of a forsaken realm inspired by eastern fantasy in this “Taopunk” adventure. Similar to its Sekiro inspiration, you’ll be able to slash, deflect, and charge into enemies in fast and brutal action sequences.
F1 24
Release date: May 31Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Just like the sport it’s based on, any changes to Codemasters’ F1 series might seem minor at first glance, but they have the potential to introduce some big improvements to the racing experience. F1 24 offers an overhauled career mode this year–the first major revamp since 2016, according to EA–a new dynamic handling system to make each vehicle feel more authentic, and PC players can even drive to survive with an exclusive VR mode.
May 2024 games schedule
Endless Ocean Luminous (Switch) – May 2Indika (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) – May 2MotoGP 24 (PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch) – May 2Surmount (PC, Switch) – May 2Prison Architect 2 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) – May 7Seed of Life (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch) – May 7V Rising (PC) – May 8Animal Well (PC, PS5, Switch) – May 9Crow Country (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) – May 9Little Kitty, Big City (PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch) – May 9Homeworld 3 (PC) – May 13Biomutant (Switch) – May 14Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut (PC) – May 16Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (PC, Switch) – May 16Read Only Memories: Neurodiver (PC, PS5, Xbox One, Switch) – May 16Gestalt: Steam and Cinder (PC) – May 21Paper Trail (PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, iOS, Android) – May 21Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (PC, Xbox Series X|S) – May 21System Shock (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One) – May 21Bread and Fred (Switch) – May 23Duck Detective: The Secret Salami (PC, Switch) – May 23Hauntii (PC) – May 23Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Switch) – May 23World of Goo 2 (PC, Switch) – May 23MultiVersus (PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One) – May 28Nine Sols (PC) – May 29F1 24 (PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One) – May 31
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