Got a bunch of reviews out since the last monthly release post, that’s nice. Those were mostly for March releases though (and a game from last year). April has been a whole lot of nothing, so the only actual April 2022 game I might end up having a review for is one I didn’t even list last time because I completely missed it, that being the Gotta Protectors sequel.
May isn’t quite as dead as April, but it’s still a bit on the quieter side, with no BIG releases. There is some cool smaller stuff though. Some game companies (specifically Nintendo) seem like they might be waking up starting in June, with a bunch of games being on the way at that point. For May, I’m highlighting: 11 multiplats, 3 Switch games, and 3 PC games. And there are games I will actually get in there. I’m thinking there are 4-5 games I might get.
Disclaimer: I only list games that I think are worth mentioning. This includes games I’m personally interested in, games that will likely be popular, highly advertised games, small interesting ones I may notice, and such. Not just games I care about myself, I highlight as much as I think makes sense. And of course, I can’t see the future, so I may be missing games and I may be listing games that may get delayed.
MULTIPLATFORM RELEASES
Trek to Yomi 05/05 (PC, PS4, Xbone, PS5, Xbox X/S)
This is some Samurai action game with the camera pretty far from the action and a black-and-white aesthetic. It’s “basically” side-scrolling, at least in the videos I checked. Like, some battles are 3D, but the rest of the progression is left-to-right stuff. The combat seems boring, with most encounters looking very simplistic and a couple of seconds long even if they’re multiple enemies. I dunno, this doesn’t look fun at all. There are a lot of “just walking forward not actually playing a video game” moments in the gameplay I’ve seen. There needs to be something interesting in-between combat encounters, and in the videos I’ve looked at, there isn’t.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising 05/10 (Switch, PC, PS4, Xbone, PS5, Xbox X/S)
This is a side game for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (which was a very successful Kickstarter), a game that is largely based on the Suikoden series and is made by some of the original creators of that series. Rising, unlike Hundred Heroes, is a side-scrolling action RPG that looks decently fun. I am looking forward to it. Though I think people who backed the main game don’t get this one unless they specifically got the add-on. Unless I misread things.
Salt and Sacrifice 05/10 (PC, PS4, PS5)
This is a sequel to Salt and Sanctuary, a game I didn’t play but have heard good things about. This is a “souls-inspired” Metroidvania action RPG. Looks fine, I’m sure it’ll be good.
NIS Classics Vol. 2: Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman 05/10 (Switch, PC)
The first volume was pretty good, it was nice getting versions of Phantom Brave and Soul Nomad that don’t have the PS2 loading times. This features Makai Kingdom, which is very similar to Phantom Brave (with a hint of Disgaea), and Z.H.P., a PSP semi-action-roguelite kinda deal where you go through tougher and tougher dungeons as the Unlosing Ranger (a superhero that can’t die), in an attempt to get strong enough to be able to defeat Darkdeath Evilman (he’s evil). It was an entertaining enough one. If you haven’t played these, I definitely recommend this pack.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story 05/12 (Switch, PC, PS4, Xbone)
We talk about some games being interactive movies (said games generally suck balls), but this is an example of that term being pretty relevant. This is a Japanese FMV game where you follow a story like it’s a movie (which is where you find clues and evidence), but there are actual gameplay moments where you’re trying to put hints together to solve murders and such, with different stories spanning different time periods. Looks rather interesting in what it’s trying to do. Not sure I want to give it a try, but I hope people check it out.
Evil Dead: The Game 05/13 (PC, Switch, PS4, Xbone, PS5, Xbox X/S)
It’s a co-op survival multiplayer game, which gives me some L4D vibes kinda, as you travel a map to find some objectives as a team and fight certain stronger demons that pop up alongside the fodder. There’s also a Dead by Daylight-like mode where one player fights the other 4 players, playing as the Kandarian Demon, summoning deadites, possessing trees, and other such Kandarian Demon things. I dunno, I lose interest in games when they’re multiplayer-only. Doesn’t look completely terrible, but I can’t care. Maybe I’ll watch some streams of it if it somehow catches the interest of vtubers.
Souldiers 05/19 (Switch, PC, PS4, Xbone, PS5, Xbox X/S)
It’s a side-scrolling action Metroidvania… I feel like I’ve highlighted a bunch of similar-ish stuff this month… whatever, this one looks pretty cool too, and I like highlighting lesser-known stuff. It doesn’t seem to do anything SUPER unique, but it does look really well made. Combat looks smooth and there seems to be some interesting movement-based power-ups. I’ll be keeping an eye out for this one.
Cotton Fantasy 05/20 (Switch, PS4)
Cotton Fantasy is a new entry in the Cotton series. It’s a classic shoot ’em up series where you play as a witch flying on a broom. I’ve played a couple of these (specifically I have Cotton 100% on Super Famicom) and they’ve been pretty good. This looks very similar to most of the others.
Kao the Kangaroo 05/27 (Switch, PC, PS4, Xbone, PS5, Xbox X/S)
Kao the Kangaroo is probably considered retro-ish at this point? It’s a series from the PS2 days, with the last entry coming out in 2005 on PC only (and that one wasn’t even localized outside of Poland). I never played any of these so I have no idea if they were good. I’ve watched a few videos, both of the new one and the old ones. The old ones kinda look like every 3D platformer of the time (first is more linear, second and third have a bit more to their level design and movesets), when there were a bunch of these, but they look pretty fun. The new ones seem like just… a smoother, better graphics version of that. 3D platformers are a bit more of a rarity than they used to be, so I welcome any new blood… even if it’s old blood. I might get this.
Pac-Man Museum + 05/27 (Switch, PC, PS4, Xbone)
This is a collection of Pac-Man games. Features Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Pac-Land, Pac-Mania, Pac-Attack, Pac-In-Time, Pac-Man Arrangement (both the Arcade and PSP versions), Pac-Man Championship Edition, Pac-Motos, Pac ‘n Roll Remix, Pac-Man Battle Royale and Pac-Man 256. This does actually have a decent variety of Pac stuff, with some puzzle games, some maze games, some side-scrolling platformers, some multiplayer games, some meh… It’s a decent collection.
SWITCH RELEASES
Seven Pirates H 05/12
This is SOME shit. It came out in Japan on Vita a while ago and was never localized because Sony of California hates Japan. This game is part of the same series as the Moero Chronicle games, except this one doesn’t seem to do the first-person grid-based dungeon crawler thing (based on the videos I saw). It’s an RPG where you grow/shrink your party members’ boobs by rubbing them or something, where different sizes have a different statistical impact (smaller is faster, bigger is stronger). Yeah, it’s dumb as fuck. Yeah, I’m buying this.
It does seem to have decent gameplay if you look beyond the weirdness. The Moero Chronicle games are pretty decent, after all.
Snow Bros. Special 05/19
This series hasn’t seen the light of day since, afaik, 1994. It was a series of single-screen platformer levels where you have to kill all the enemies by turning smaller ones into snowballs and rolling them into other enemies. Kinda fun. This looks like basically the same as the original game, but with more modern HD graphics. I’m actually not sure if this is a new game or just a remaster.
Touken Ranbu Warriors 05/24
Fujobait Warriors let’s go! I have zero familiarity with the Touken Ranbu series, I’m sure it’s fine, and Warriors is fine too… But I kinda don’t care about Warriors unless it’s based on something I like.
PC RELEASES
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters 05/05
It’s 40K XCOM. You can customize your characters with different equipment in-between battles and stuff. Looks pretty cool.
Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars 05/11
This just came out on Switch, now it’s coming to PC. Haven’t played it yet, not sure I ever will but if I’m bored enough at some point it might happen.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia 05/11
I played the demo for this when it came out on Switch 2 years ago. Not my kind of strategy game, but it seemed really good. Kind of a grand strategy thing where you lead several parties around a map to do quests and stuff.
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