There are two kinds of indie games: Those that fly under the radar and those that blow it up. We do our best to give a fair shake to every single title we can find. From coming through Steam to scratching Itch.io, there are plenty of diamonds to find in the roughs of the internet. While we don’t know how bright these diamonds will shine until after they’re polished, it’s still possible to catch glints here and there. The following list covers a number of upcoming indie games in May 2021 that put a sparkle in our eyes. It’s Spring so take time for spring cleaning your backlog to make room for these upcoming games.
Indie Games in May 2021 That We Are Excited About
King of Seas
Just like zombies, pirates are another concept you can slap on something to grab attention. Despite a lot of the dark truths behind piracy, this doesn’t stop people from seeing the positive things. Pirates represent freedom, adventure, and independence which appeals to everyone on some level. However, while the bigger pirate games focus on the pirates themselves, what about the others? With one of the more anticipated May 2021 indie games, King of Seas, players will spend more time on a ship than in a pirate body. An procedurally-generated open-world RPG where you travel around in a customizable pirate ship getting into fights and plundering treasure? Yes, please.
King of Seas will release on May 25, 2021 for Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.
Divisadero
I can’t remember a time where I heard “detective” and “cheerful” in the same sentence. At this point, games about detectives will become synonymous with grit and darkness. These types of stories usually follow a person in a downward spiral as they try to solve a crime that gets worse as they continue. Such is the case for Divisadero, a game about a disgraced police trying to redeem themselves by doing their job well. It starts out with the usual grit and harsh reality but becomes more twisted as you play. Taking place in a dystopic San Francisco, it really makes you wonder what you’re trying to find and if you should even be looking.
Divisadero will release on May 6, 2021 on Steam.
Catsperience
While I’m not the biggest cat person, I can appreciate them. In fact, I have many positive experiences with cats and find myself wondering whether those evil mastermind jokes hold any water. It seems some game developers have been wondering the same thing including the ones behind a new Catsperience. As the title implies, you get to experience life as a cat but not just any cat. You play a pampered cat in a huge gothic mansion whose owner has gone missing. Rather than dare to fend for yourself, you decide to track them down by navigating the mansion and solving any puzzles that get in the way. All together meow.
Catsperience in May 2021 on Steam.
The Wild at Heart
Similar to the ocean, the wilderness still possesses tons of mystery to us. Supposedly humans occupy only 10% of the planet’s surface so there’s a whole 90% of space for secrets to hide. Who knows what’s out there? Well, according to the upcoming May 2021 indie game, The Wild at Heart, one possibility is that there are various nature sprites out there. Following two kids who are on the run or maybe just lost, they have to find a way through mystical woods. With the aid of the various forest creatures and their own wit they will experience a magical journey. It’s Pikmin with a storybook twist.
The Wild at Heart will release on May 20, 2021 on Steam.
Knockout City
Dodgeball is one of those sports where I can’t decide if people think it’s cool or not. On one hand it’s intense, athletic, and fast-paced with plenty opportunity to strike a pose. On the other hand, it’s about throwing a ball really hard at someone. With the latter in mind, some indie developers are taking it to the extreme with Knockout City. The newest upcoming PvP, players join teams in the most radical expansive dodgeball game ever! By having super moves and a whole city to run around, this tournament attempts to dial up this cool-not-cool sport to 11.
Knockout City will release on May 21, 2021 on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
Sacrificial Lighthouse
The reason cute graphics work with horror stories is because they’re so jarring. We see something with a soft and pleasant style and horror is the last thing on our minds. This is why game designers and Tim Burton take advantage of this fact to catch us off guard. With Sacrificial Lighthouse, they’ve hit the nail on the head tunneling it through the Earth’s crust. You play as Maya, a young girl who wakes on a mysterious on the dark shores of darkness. Having nothing better to do, you must explore the island, meet whatever inhabitants you find and figure why you’re here.
Sacrificial Lighthouse will release on May 12, 2021 on Steam.
The LastOnes Left!!
I make it a point never to take game titles with exclamation points seriously. Titles that use it tend to lean towards the comedic if not wackier side of things. This makes it all the more surprising that The LastOnes Left!! uses not only two of them, but isn’t the least bit funny. It’s a zombie game with zombies actually posing quite the menacing threat. You are an unnamed victim who wakes up stranded in an undead town with no rhyme or reason. Using any tools you find to defend and navigate, you must find out the secret behind the town by collecting letters. Good to see that Slenderman’s postman is still making rounds.
The LastOnes Left!! will release on May 7, 2021 on Steam.
Aeris&Zack
Most would argue that the average epic adventure RPG puts the main story second and EVERYTHING else first. You can spend hours in Skyrim and Hyrule running around doing chores while the villain’s plans conveniently take effect once you stop ignoring them. So it’s nice to see a game that actually encourages you to waste and spend time however you want. This is referring to Aeris&Zack, a 3D pixel game with adventure and everything else. Yes, there’s an epic quest and combat to pursue if that’s all that matters. Otherwise, kick back with some fishing, gardening and hiking activities.
Aeries&Zack will release on May 7, 2021 on Steam.
There you have it, eight upcoming indie games in May 2021 that you’ll want to keep an eye out for! Indies are a big part of the gaming community, so be sure to give these games a go! For more, be sure to check out our list of our most anticipated games of 2021.
