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Don’t Miss May 2021’s Biggest, Must-Play Games You Can Pre-Order Now

Illustration for article titled Don’t Miss May 2021’s Biggest, Must-Play Games You Can Pre-Order Now

Screenshot: Capcom

Featured Game: Resident Evil Village | $60 | Amazon

Warmer weather is on the horizon, but if you’d rather ease into summer from the comfort of your couch, there are some major games launching in May. Capcom’s Resident Evil Village is the month’s biggest debut, but if horror isn’t your cup of tea, then maybe Hood: Outlaws & Legends, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, or Miitopia will fit the bill.

Learn more about all of them below and find links to drop in pre-orders, in case you want to secure launch day delivery. There are also some other compelling, digital-only games coming in May, too, such as Nintendo’s pair of Famicom Detective Club remakes for Switch and EA’s dodgeball-inspired multi-platform online battler, Knockout City. Check ‘em out!

Resident Evil Village (PS5, Xbox, PS4, PC)

Release Date: May 7

The hype cycle around the impending eighth core entry in the legendary survival horror series, Resident Evil Village (there’s a “VIII” in there, sort of), has largely revolved around an unexpected subject: the very, very tall woman seen in a trailer earlier this year (and at the top of this page).

Lady Dimitrescu’s unveiling generated so much lustful pondering that the game’s art director issued a statement… clarifying that she is indeed approximately 9’6” tall. As Kotaku’s Luke Plunkett wrote, “Holy shit. To everyone who tweeted ‘step on me,’ that is not a fetish, that is just a very real possibility.”

Of course, the game itself has drawn quite a bit of attention too, as the narrative sequel to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard keeps the first-person perspective and challenges hero Ethan Winters to take down a quartet of mutant beasties around the titular, snow-covered setting. The game’s online multiplayer component, a standalone experience called RE:Verse, has just been delayed ‘til summer, but at least you’ll have a couple months to savor the campaign until then. There’s a $10 discount on the digital Deluxe Edition for Xbox via Newegg, too, while the promotion lasts.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends (PS5, Xbox, PS4, PC)

Release Date: May 10

It’s been nearly two decades since the well-reviewed Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood hit PC as a stealth tactics game. Can Hood: Outlaws & Legends do justice to the classic Robin Hood tale as a cooperative heist affair? Hood puts a unique spin on team-based battles, dropping a pair of four-player squads into the same heist scenario.

Not only do you need to swipe the key from the sheriff and steal the riches in each scenario, but there will be another online team trying the exact same thing. This tactical and violent approach is sure to generate a whole lot of tense, exciting showdowns and surprising moments. It’s also sure to draw comparisons to heist favorite Payday at its core, but there’s clearly a lot more going on around that basic premise. Also, there will be plenty of post-release content, with all maps and gameplay additions being free for everyone.

This digital game comes with an enticing pre-order offer on all platforms, too, as you can begin playing three days ahead of the official release date, starting May 7. Hit the links below for each store.

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (PS4, Xbox, PC)

Release Date: May 14

BioWare’s original Mass Effect trilogy comprises some of the most beloved modern video games around—but between the drama around Mass Effect 3’s ending and the unfortunate dud that was 2017’s Mass Effect Andromeda, the series’ glory days feel well in the past. Luckily, ahead of a future new series entry, EA and BioWare are giving the trilogy a long-awaited upgrade with Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.

This package brings together all three core games with significant visual enhancements, and it’s well beyond a simple resolution bump. As the trailer shows, there’s much more detail thanks to improved models, textures, lighting, and effects, plus you can play as a woman Commander Shepard across the entire trilogy. The first game sees significant functional enhancements, too, to implement improvements instituted in later entries, and this package includes all add-on campaign content with one exception (source code was corrupted).

The Legendary Edition ought to be a nice walk down memory lane for die-hards and a fresh opportunity to introduce the series to those who missed Mass Effect the first time around. Save $10 on the Xbox digital version when you pre-order from Newegg, while the promotion lasts.

Miitopia (Switch)

Release Date: May 21

The Switch has no shortage of stellar RPGs, with Bravely Default II and Monster Hunter Rise just releasing in the last couple months. But if you’re on the hunt for something a bit goofier and unconventional, maybe Miitopia will fit the bill. It’s actually an enhanced port of a late-era, 2017 Nintendo 3DS game that uses the customizable characters as heroes and enemies.

Remember making your Mii on the original Wii and intricately tweaking its look? Now there’s a role-playing adventure built around those cartoonish avatars. Miitopia received mostly solid reviews on the 3DS, but seemed largely overlooked. Now with expanded customization, a new horse companion, and improved graphics, perhaps it’ll find a wider audience on Switch.

There’s a free demo available on the Switch eShop now if you want to give it a shot. It’s also launching alongside a pretty new blue Switch Lite console, too, but we haven’t seen pre-orders go live just yet.



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