Ones to Watch: May 2008 PC Game Releases

By Joe Haygood | May 1, 2008

Another month has gone by and it is now May, where we are suppose to grow May flowers, but in the gaming world, the flowers are barely coming through the dirt. The landscape for most of May looks rather desolate on the PC, with most of the games backloaded to the end of the month. There are a few gems though to keep you playing, but it just looks like this is the start of another bleak summer release schedule for gaming. I really wish that developers would get back to understanding that there are 12 months in the year, not four.

Starting off the month is Iron Man, which is closely tied into the movie that is coming out a couple of hours after this post is up. While the movie has a lot of buzz, and Robert Downey Jr. is perfect casting for the movie, the game looks okay. I am putting it in here, because beyond this, you won’t have much to play until the end of the month. Well that, and the fact that it will most likely cost you about $20-30 less than the console versions of the game. Look for it May 2nd.

After several delays, Age of Conan: Hyborean Adventures finally will see light of day (at least as of this post…it might still get delayed). The game is using the novels of the 1930s to set the tone for this game, which means a ton of violence and most likely sexual elements and themes. The game looks really good, and uses a mesh of single player and MMO gameplay to advance the character you play. The $60 price point, and $15 monthly fee, may keep a fare amount of people away from this title however. You might want to see if the game comes with a month free trial to make sure it is for you. Look for it May 20th, maybe.

After a long rumored migration, Mass Effect finally comes to the PC and is sporting enough new coats of paint, that 360 gamers may want to look at picking it up again for the upgraded graphics, new inventory screens, the ability to control all of the away team members, and the new encryption game. Oh, and did I forget to mention, no more five minute elevator rides. I can only hope that EA goes the good route with this and puts it out on Steam, because I am so all over this when it comes out. It will also have the “Bring Down the Sky” content included. Look for it May 27th.

Lost Planet came out last year on the PC a couple of months after it was released on the 360, and was a stunning game to look at if you had the rig to run it. DirectX10 used to full effect, and a really good multiplayer experience that ran through Steam made it a surprise hit on the PC. Now, it is being repackaged, with new online maps, Games for Windows Live support, including achievements, and lastly, cross-platform play between the console and PC. If you did not pick this up the first time around, or are maybe looking for a way to boost your achievement score, this game is well worth the purchase. It will also be available via Steam. Look for it May 27th.

For anyone that enjoyed games like Grim Fandango, Space Quest, and the Monkey Island series, A Vampyre Story is a game right up your alley. A true graphical adventure game in every way possible, the game has been out there looking for a publisher, and I believe they now have one either via the Internet or Steam. The release date is not firm, but if you want a good old fashioned adventure game, you should do yourself a favor and pick this title up when it becomes available.

Beyond that, there is not much else out there. Slim pickings, but what you got here should tide you over until June, where we hopefully see a few more decent releases, including one that should be a Devil of a good time to play.

One Response to “Ones to Watch: May 2008 PC Game Releases”

1. 

   thekranz on May 2nd, 2008 at 8:20 am Says:
2. 
   

   Any clue when the patched Witcher is coming out?

   PCGamer seems pretty stoked about Age Of Conan. Supposedly it’s gory and campy as hell (a brothel is named “The Bearded Clam”). I’ll be one of those that stay away though due to pricing.