We are at the end of May, and with that comes a slew of hard-hitting news and major game releases – especially if you’re into search action titles with Game Boy Advance-style graphics and roguelites in The Lands Between.
Here’s this week’s gaming round-up.
The big picture
Last week, we highlighted that movie and live-action adaptations of video games (and even animated ones) are thriving in this generation.
But what happens when you adapt a game that’s heavily narrative-driven and cinematic, with most of its script already written and laid out – almost as if it were a film?
As critically acclaimed as HBO Max’s The Last of Us adaptation was, the first season was based on the universally praised first title. The second title, however, was a mixed bag – with debates concluding that it was merely a revenge plot that arguably led nowhere and harmed several of its main characters.
Season 2 adapted part of the second game’s story up to a certain point, but viewership dropped compared to the first season. This isn’t surprising: critics loved it, audiences were divided, non-gamers were confused by the ending, and the resolution to the cliffhanger won’t arrive until 2027.
As much as we appreciated The Last of Us Part II’s gameplay, its narrative left a lot to be desired and didn’t hit the same highs as the first. If the HBO Max version does not make significant changes and merely follows the same beats, the series’ future remains questionable.
Short beats
Two voice actors – Yuri Lowenthal and Erin Fitzgerald – have confirmed the existence of a Persona 4 remake. However, they will not be reprising their roles as Yosuke and Chie respectively.
The Last of Us Season 2’s finale aired on May 26, drawing 3.7 million viewers. Compared to the Season 2 premiere, that’s a 30 per cent drop – and 55 per cent down from Season 1’s finale. Still, Season 2 is averaging 37 million viewers per episode globally.
EA has cancelled its Marvel’s Black Panther game, and the studio behind it has also shut down.
Cyberpunk 2 is officially in preproduction. Previously, the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel was codenamed Project Orion.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has sold 3.3 million copies within 33 days.
Op-eds
We covered Indie Quest 2025, which revealed over 40 upcoming Japanese role-playing games from small, dedicated teams.
We also covered all the games featured in the OTK Games Expo 2025, a showcase hosted by big-name Twitch and YouTube content creators.
Check out the highlight reel from this year’s Combo Breaker 2025 – a fighting game esports tournament featuring titles like Street Fighter 6 and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.
Games out this week
Elden Ring: Nightreign is an action-adventure roguelite co-op game set in the Elden Ring universe. Battle your way through nightmarish invaders plaguing the Lands Between.
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is a 2D pixel art Metroidvania title where you play as a young anthropomorphic bat boy named Pippit. He fights enemies with a yoyo and, together with the spirit of his aunt trapped within it, embarks on a quest through New Jolt City to find the Mega Batteries and help her.
Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 is a tactical role-playing game starring a group of orphans trying to take down the world’s oppressive empire and rescue their friend, Malt. This is the third and final instalment in the Fuga trilogy.
Recommended viewing
Kantan Games CEO and games industry analyst Serkan Toto has published a video detailing the activist investment pursuing Square Enix – and whether it will affect the company’s release pipeline and long-term strategy.
