Upcoming Xbox Game Releases: May 12 to May 18

Oh boy, where to even begin with the Xbox madness this week? Games are dropping like confetti at a New Year’s Eve bash. And yes, DOOM: The Dark Ages is the headliner everyone’s been buzzing about. Midweek, I heard someone muttering on the subway about medieval demons, and it stuck with me for some reason. Spooky, right?

Anyway—hang on, here we go. The DOOM team is mixing fantasy with bang-bang action, serving as a prequel to the iconic DOOM (2016). A bit odd, but maybe they’re onto something. Or not. Whatever. If you’re lucky enough to have Game Pass, congrats on grabbing this without opening your wallet again—sneaky savings, huh? Sidebar: if you snagged the Premium Edition, you’re already in, ahead of the curve, before the hoi polloi rush in.

Talking of rushing, did you sweep through last week’s games? Like dipping your toes in the pool and realizing it’s lukewarm? Revenge of the Savage Planet, anyone? Randomly, it makes me think of a cartoon villain shaking his fist at the sky. But focus, we have treasures coming up on May 13, 2025. First up: CyberCorp—the “Brutal, fast-paced” type that has you frantically pressing buttons like they’re hot coals. Real talk though: I’m awful at those isometric games. Why do I torture myself? Perplexing.

Gore Doctor sounds like a horror movie I’d catch half-asleep. Imagine waking up somewhere nightmarish. Given my luck, I’d probably trip over something in the escape. Meanwhile, Labyrinth of the Demon King says hey, bring it on! Minus a map. Because why not add to the confusion in a demon-infested Japan?

Oh, but wait—there’s more. Palia drops in with vibes of peacefulness. A life sim where everything seems like a dream. Like, who wouldn’t want to craft a utopia after slaying cyber demons? Takes all sorts, right?

More chaos unfolds on May 14, with Hidden Kittens and other quirky titles. Purrr, I found cats snoozing in corners! Such joy in fluffy felines, like finding chips in your couch. Kaiju Big Battel, though… It feels like Godzilla and WWE had a hilarious love child. Don’t ask.

As for the buses of City Bus Manager on May 15—running your locale’s transit sounds oddly satisfying. Who knew bus routes could be a sandbox full of unforeseen disasters? Cue existential crisis over missed connections.

Zooming to May 16, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 swings into the fray. Nostalgia overload here, with games we whispered about in playgrounds but never actually saw. And (shudder) Death Park’s killer clown—it’s like facing all your childhood nightmares in HD.

Circle back, and Hannah’s Day is the outlier. Singing, skating, and fighting parental disapproval in one package. No neat bow on that summary, just life buzzing away.

So there we are. Tangents and all. The world’s an Xbox stage this week, it seems. Hope some find gems in the chaos, or maybe just the perfect excuse to dodge reality for a bit. Fair enough.