What’s new in May 2024: 7 games that you need to play this month

On paper, May 2024 may look like a weak month for games. The biggest release of the month is Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, a big Xbox exclusive and follow-up to a 2018 horror action game about a woman suffering from psychosis. But if you enjoy experimental indies, this month may just bring your favorite game of 2024 when all is said and done. Developer Team Ninja is being backed up on the indie front, as INDIKA, Animal Well, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and Crow Country are all delivering spooky experiences five months ahead of Halloween.

Of course, those who aren’t fans of horror games also have things to look forward to this month, like the return of a GameCube classic and Warner Bros. crossover fighting game. As we head into May 2024, these are the games that you should be keeping on your radar, listed in chronological order.

INDIKA (May 2)

Recommended if you like: Alone in the Dark

We’re just one day away from the release of Odd Meter and 11 bit Studios’ INDIKA, and I’m still not entirely sure what it is. This horror game has had some of the trippiest video game trailers I’ve ever watched. They’ve all teased an unsettling adventure about a nun who can seemingly speak with the devil and who descends further into madness as she goes on a journey outside the monastery she calls home. While it probably won’t address mental health problems as adeptly as Hellblade 2, I can’t wait to see what exactly this weird game entails.

INDIKA launches for PC on May 2 and will come to PS5 and Xbox Series X sometime later this month.

Animal Well (May 9)

Recommended if you like: Fez

Animal Well left a strong impression on me when I played it at Summer Game Fest Play Days 2022. It’s a puzzle and exploration-driven Metroidvania with an eerie labyrinthine backdrop realized through gorgeous pixel art. Although it looks fairly straightforward to play, its developer has teased that there are well-hidden secrets that could take years for players to find. That kind of meta mystery is something it has in common with Fez and Tunic, which are both also great games, so I can’t wait to check Animal Well out for myself.

Animal Well will be released for PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch on May 9. It will be part of the PlayStation Plus Extra game catalog from the day it launches too.

Homeworld 3 (May 13)

Recommended if you like: Homeworld Remastered Collection

The long-awaited third entry in a classic sci-fi real-time strategy game series finally comes out this month. The Homeworld series made a name for itself with large space fleet battles in fully 3D spaces, and Homeworld 3 looks like it will refine that engaging RTS gameplay for the modern PC gaming era. On top of its campaign and PvP battles, it also introduces a cooperative roguelike mode called War Games that should put a fresh spin on this classic formula. With full mod support from launch, this is definitely the PC game to watch this year.

Homeworld 3 comes out for PC on May 13.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (May 16)

Recommended if you like: Device 6

Simogo is one of the most creative indie game developers working right now, and our early playtime with Lorelei and the Laser Eyes indicates it will be a can’t-miss game in 2024 with its mind-bending puzzles. It’s also a game that we recommend players go into with as little prior knowledge as possible. I’ll be succinct and say that if you enjoy cryptic puzzle games and spooky undertones, then Lorelei and the Laser Eyes should definitely be on your radar.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes launches for PC and Nintendo Switch on May 16.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 (May 21)

Recommended if you like: Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

2018’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was the kind of game that felt wholly unique. Few games had attempted to depict psychosis with the care and nuance it did, and the whole adventure had an unsettlingly personal story that served as its backbone. Now, Ninja Theory is making a follow-up with the backing of Microsoft, and I couldn’t be more excited. I can’t wait to see where this story goes next and experience one of the prettiest-looking games on this generation of consoles.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 will come out for PC and Xbox Series X/S on May 21. Like all first-party Microsoft titles, it will be on Xbox Game Pass from day one.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (May 23)

Recommended if you like: Paper Mario

I never played Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on GameCube, but have watched playthroughs of it on YouTube and heard fantastic things about it from others. Considering that the Paper Mario series has been in a rut for the past decade or so, it’s great to see Nintendo return to what’s considered the series’ best game with a straightforward remake that makes it prettier and even more approachable for Nintendo Switch players. Although its impact feels dulled a bit in a year of so many remakes for Nintendo, there’s a very good chance that this is one of the best games Nintendo releases this year because of the solid foundation it is building on.

The remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch on May 23.

MultiVersus (May 28)

Recommended if you like: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

You may be asking, “But wait: didn’t MultiVersus already come out?” Yes, it did. Player First Games and WB Games released a beta for the free-to-play Smash Bros.-like fighting game MultiVersus in July 2022 but delisted it within a year. After taking some time to refine the gameplay further, they’re ready to roll MultiVersus back out in what’ll hopefully be its best form. It doesn’t seem like we’ll be getting a new Super Smash Bros. game anytime soon, so this crossover fighter should successfully fill that void in the meantime.

MultiVersus will be revived and available for free on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on May 28.