It’s been another surprisingly big month for games in May with long-awaited AAA titles, a genre resurgent on PC and indies galore. Here’s our picks for the month, and what we’re looking forward to in June.
May:
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
What can we say about Uncharted 4 that hasn’t been said a thousand times already? Naughty Dog’s “Ode to Joy”, a rollicking Errol Flynn-esque adventure with a lot on its mind, Uncharted 4 brings the story of Nathan Drake, ten years in the telling, to an emotional and satisfying close. Worth every penny. If you own a PS4, you need to own Uncharted 4.
Total War: Warhammer
We’ll have a review on this title coming up in a few days, but damn. Total War has always been known for being a technical playground for those who like their strategy a little micro-heavy. To wit, the marriage to the Warhammer fantasy franchise seems like a match made in heaven. The Creative Assembly have found a way to cleverly recreate the tabletop game in a digital setting without sacrificing the character or infuriating RNG that gives the game its charm.
Hitman: Episode 2 – Sapienza
Hitman‘s second episode takes the complex level design of its first episode and ratchets everything up a ways. Set in an idyllic Italian town, Agent 47 is out to find a secret science facility and stop a potential virus from being released into the world. It’s a James Bond movie that you control, and we couldn’t be more into it.
Battleborn
Battleborn had its work cut out for it releasing this month, and we’ll get to the reason for that later. Departing from their popular Borderlands franchise, Gearbox have put together an interesting blend of FPS and MOBA gameplay that may not engage fans of either long-term, but in the short-term, man, it’s a good time.
DOOM
When our review copy of DOOM arrived on launch day, we thought it might be a bit of a mess. We are thrilled to report that it is just the opposite. A loving tribute to the shooters of old, a turbo-charged run-and-gun shooter that gushes blood and gore over every surface and a game that knows its story is rubbish and embraces it in the goofiest ways possible … who could ask for more? Review soon!
Overwatch
Overwatch. Need we say more? The team shooter that has been taking over the world even ahead of launch due to a hyper-exclusive closed beta and a wildly popular open beta is finally out and we couldn’t be having more fun with it. 21 characters, four game modes, an XP system that doesn’t grant unfair advantages and some of the mot engaging art design this side of a Pixar movie combine to make something really special. Doubly impressive given Blizzard have never made a shooter before.
June:
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst
We weren’t quite sure what to make of Mirror’s Edge Catalyst when it was announced last year, but after playing the closed beta last month we’re more than ready to jump back into Faith’s minimalist, corporate-ruled world. Less combat, more parkour, same amount of vertigo. Prepare for some amazing YouTube content when the internet gets it working on a VR headset.
No Man’s Sky
The game that everyone wants to play but still aren’t quite sure what it’s all about. All being well, we’ll finally get to explore its near infinite universe next month when it releases for PS4 and PC.
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens
You would think we’d be well and truly sick of Lego games by now, but we aren’t. Have you seen the trailer? C’mon, how can you not be psyched to play this? Wall-to-wall adorable. Plsu: Poe Dameron minifigs!
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