It’s pretty much impossible to deny the arrival of spring now; in fact, many would say that May heralds the beginning of summer. The weather is beginning to warm up, the birds chirp in full effect, and hayfever strikes with a vengeance.
Of course, the best way to celebrate the dawning of nicer and more clement weather is to remain indoors and keep playing video games, and May 2026 has a bevy for you to enjoy.
Here, then, without further ado, are the best games you can enjoy for yourself this month. Perhaps they’ll convince you not to go outside with all that horrible grass and tree pollen, eh?
Directive 8020 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series – May 12th)
We don’t mind telling you that we’ve got our eyes very firmly on Directive 8020, and will be watching it carefully (with the eyes that we’ve just told you are very firmly fixed on it, of course).
Developed by The Dark Pictures and The Quarry studio Supermassive Games, Directive 8020 promises a little more interactivity than the developer’s usual fare, so hopefully, this one won’t be quite so hands-off.
Of course, if you’re a fan of Supermassive’s particular brand of choice-inflected horror, then you’ll most likely get your money’s worth from this one as well.
Subnautica 2 (PC, Xbox Series – May 14th)
The controversy surrounding Subnautica 2 has almost overshadowed the actual game, but while picking this one up may itself be a rather charged act, it’s still promising some exciting underwater survival shenanigans.
If you’ve played the original Subnautica, you’ll know what to expect here; think farming creatures for food and resources, running away from the bigger ones when they show up to menace you, and establishing an underwater base for yourself.
Hopefully, Subnautica 2 will also boast a story as surprisingly engaging and exciting as the first game’s was, in addition to the refined survival gameplay it’s already offering.
Forza Horizon 6 (PC, Xbox Series – May 19th)
Playground Games and Microsoft have rather cornered the market when it comes to open-world simcade racers, and with Forza Horizon 6 on the way this month, that domination is set to continue.
This time around, the action takes place in Japan, but short of some new scenery, you know what to expect here: lots of different race challenges in some gorgeous scenic locations.
A PlayStation 5 version of this one is also on the way at some point, although Xbox is staying pretty cagey about when that’s coming, so if you want to play sooner rather than later, you’re better off sticking to PC or Xbox Series.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (Switch 2 – May 21st)
Yoshi platformers are almost always a lot of fun; they’re not usually the most challenging of the pack, but what they lack in controller-snapping frustration, they often make up in charm and heart.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book looks to continue this particular Nintendo tradition. It’s got an adorable central gimmick that sees Yoshi investigating elements of each level to catalogue them for a rather sweet-looking book character.
If you’re in the market for a platformer that isn’t going to break your wrists, but that may well put a smile on your face, here’s where you should start. It’s also well worth going back to check out as many other Yoshi platformers as you can!
Zero Parades: For Dead Spies (PC – May 21st)
Zero Parades developer ZA/UM is mired in controversy for many; it is, after all, the studio responsible for Disco Elysium, but many of the original creatives involved in the making of that game left the company acrimoniously.
That, of course, hasn’t stopped ZA/UM from making this new game a lot like Disco Elysium, right down to the whole waking-up-with-no-memory-of-where-you-are-or-why opening gambit.
Still, though, if you can stomach ZA/UM’s rather checkered past, and if you’re looking to play something a little more cerebral this May, this one’s for you. It’ll still boast the studio’s characteristic intelligent writing and atmospheric locations, it seems.
Paralives (PC – May 25th)
Competitors to EA’s mighty Sims series don’t exactly have the best track record, but hopefully, Alex Massé’s Paralives can buck this trend and deliver something enjoyable.
Described by its creator as “a life simulation game about building homes, lives and bonds”, Paralives gives you the opportunity to create and customise a whole host of elements, including town residents, homes, and more.
It’s coming to Early Access in May, so don’t expect a finished product when it does arrive, but there should be more than enough here to tempt Sims-curious players. Updates will be free once you’ve bought the game, too, so that’s something to look forward to.
007 First Light (PC, PS5, Xbox Series – May 27th)
IO Interactive’s 007 First Light has a surprisingly rich and storied history of James Bond games to live up to, but early previews are looking very promising indeed.
This latest stealth adventure will adhere largely to the blueprint established by IO’s Hitman series, although this time around, you’ll be playing as a suave British spy rather than a barcode-tattooed psychopath.
Expect jet-setting in lots of exotic places, as well as tons of opportunities to sneak and speak your way through encounters with classic Bond goons and villains.
Mina the Hollower (PC, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch/Switch 2 – May 29th)
Mina the Hollower promises to be for Game Boy-style Zelda adventures what Shovel Knight was to Mega Man and Castlevania-esque platformers, and it’s by the same developer, so that makes a lot of sense.
This top-down title has been through the wringer a little in terms of its development history, so it’s nice to see that it finally has a release date and that Yacht Club can finally show us what it’s been working on all this time.
Here’s hoping that the extra time afforded to the studio by the game’s delays has allowed it to polish things up to a mirror sheen, or Mina the Hollower might meet with a muted reception.
