What to Play This Weekend, May 23–24: TOP 9 VGTimes Editors' Picks

The biggest news of May is that on May 19, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick personally confirmed that GTA 6 will be released on November 19. No more delays. It was also revealed that pre-orders will begin this summer.

While we wait for GTA 6, there is no shortage of games to play: exciting releases continue to arrive regularly. In this article, we have gathered six new and very different titles that should not be missed.

By the way, Steam is currently holding its Oceans Fest through May 25 inclusive: you can buy underwater survival games, maritime simulators, and pirate sandboxes with discounts of up to 90%. It is a good time to upgrade your library.

Early access began on May 14, 2026. One million copies sold in the first 12 hours, a peak concurrent player count nine times higher than the original game's, and 91% positive Steam reviews based on more than 7,300 user reviews. By the numbers, this is the biggest event of the spring in the survival niche.

The developers openly warn that early access will last at least two years, but even now there is enough content for a couple of full evenings, as we wrote in our Subnautica 2 preview. The sequel has added co-op for up to four players at once. A new planet, a new ocean, familiar gameplay: gather resources, build a base, dive into the depths, and scream on Discord when you run into a terrifying leviathan. You can play casually as a pair or bring a full party and divide responsibilities: one person guards the base, another scouts ahead, and a third pilots the submarine.

Playing solo is also possible. But without a friend in your headset shouting, “What is that shadow over there?!” you will lose half the magic. Incidentally, if you need more games for a group, we have a large selection of co-op games, with options both for two players and for a full party.

Best suited for: Friday night, Discord, and a friend who is not afraid of the deep. Or one who is — that makes it more fun.

Czech studio Amanita Design, the team behind Machinarium, Samorost, and Botanicula, has finally released Phonopolis, a game that had been in development since 2014. The result is a point-and-click adventure set in a cardboard dystopia. It received 96% positive Steam reviews in its first 24 hours and is available at a 10% discount until June 3.

The premise is as follows: Felix, a garbage collector, lives in a city where everyone is controlled by the Leader through loudspeakers on every corner. Felix accidentally discovers a pair of headphones that suppress the signal and realizes that the world he has been living in is a performance. What follows are two dozen scenes, drawn and assembled by hand from cardboard, accompanied by voiced narration. For Amanita, this is the first game with voice acting and a more or less straightforward story. Less absurdity, more narrative.

A playthrough takes around four to six hours, enough for a couple of evenings. If you generally enjoy projects like this, also take a look at our list of the best short games.

Best suited for: rain, a floor lamp, and a cup of tea. It will not work as background entertainment while watching a film or TV series — this is a game that demands silence.

ZA/UM has released Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, its first major game since Disco Elysium. It is a spy detective story built around dialogue, non-linear decisions, and plenty of moral gray areas. It currently holds a Metacritic score of 88 based on the first reviews; for comparison, Disco Elysium scored between 89 and 91 on different platforms.

The protagonist is Hershel Wilk, codenamed Cascade. Five years ago, she botched a mission and led her team to their deaths. Now she is pulled out of retirement for a desperate operation. To carry it out, she has to rebuild the very same network whose members still regard Hershel as a traitor. No shooting, no action. The entire game revolves around conversations, choices, and attempts to read the person opposite you.

In terms of length, this is dozens of hours rather than a single evening. It will not work in the background: you will miss half of what matters.

Best suited for: a quiet evening. An alternative to a compelling book.

Playground Games has released Forza Horizon 6, a new installment in the arcade racing series, this time dedicated to Japan. Players begin their journey as tourists, compete in festival events, and gradually become local automotive legends. On Steam, the game holds 86% positive reviews based on 16,741 user reviews.

The main attraction is a large open world featuring Tokyo, mountain roads, rural areas, and more than 550 real cars, including Japanese classics. New activities include mountain pass races, car meets with other players, and a personal estate with customizable garages. The game can be played solo or in co-op.

Best suited for: a relaxing drive along beautiful roads, tuning your favorite cars, and racing with friends without taking things too seriously.

Bulwark Studios has released Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus 2, the sequel to one of the most atmospheric tactical games set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It is a turn-based strategy game in the vein of XCOM, where the cyborgs of the Adeptus Mechanicus clash with the ancient metallic armies of the Necrons. The game was released on May 21, 2026.

This time, there are two full story campaigns: one following the Tech-Priests as they investigate an awakened Necron complex, and another centered on the Necrons themselves as they set out to destroy the invading humans. The factions play differently in battle: the Mechanicus rely on weapons and commander enhancements, while the Necrons depend on durability, the reanimation of fallen machines, and abilities that unlock as they increase pressure on the enemy.

Best suited for: an evening when you want to carefully work through tactical battles, listen to industrial music mixed with organ, and immerse yourself in one of the most unusual Warhammer 40,000 projects.

TT Games has released LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, a new major Batman game that combines the series' signature LEGO humor with the Batman: Arkham formula. It is an open-world action-adventure set in Gotham, where players can fight criminals, stealthily clear out encounters, solve puzzles, collect suits, and travel around the city in the Batmobile. The game holds a Metacritic score of 84 based on 57 reviews, while its Steam reviews are Overwhelmingly Positive, with a 97% approval rating.

The story retells Bruce Wayne's journey from his training with the League of Shadows to becoming Gotham's greatest protector, combining events and imagery from films, TV series, comics, and previous games. The city is home to the Joker, Penguin, Mister Freeze, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Bane, and other villains, while Batman is joined by Jim Gordon, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Catwoman, and Talia al Ghul. Every ally has their own gadgets and techniques, and the campaign can be completed in local two-player co-op.

On Steam, the game costs $69.99. In terms of mood, this is not a grim superhero thriller in the spirit of Arkham Knight, but a lighter, more family-friendly adventure. At the same time, it is clearly aimed at adult Batman fans as well, with plenty of amusing references for them to discover.

Best suited for: a free evening or a full weekend when you want to run around Gotham, remember Batman films and games, and finally play the new Arkham installment we still cannot seem to get.

Toge Productions and Chorus Worldwide have released a sequel to Coffee Talk, the visual novel about a late-night café. This time, the setting has moved to Tokyo. You prepare drinks for humans and fantastical creatures, listen to their stories, create latte art with the mouse, and watch the rain outside. The previous installments in the series have more than 90% positive reviews on Steam.

You do not play Coffee Talk Tokyo in the conventional sense — you experience it. A couple of hours in the evening, lo-fi playing in the background, conversations about lost love, failed careers, and moving to a big city. The third installment is the largest in the series: new characters, new recipes, and a separate progression branch for the barista. It is available on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, and Steam, as well as in Game Pass from day one.

If you generally enjoy warm, low-pressure projects, our list of the best comfort games contains plenty of titles with a similar tone.

Best suited for: a difficult week behind you, a blanket, headphones, and tea. Not for a group — this is a personal story.

Ghost Ship Games has released a Deep Rock Galactic spin-off in early access. It is the same universe and the same co-op for up to four players, but this time it is a roguelite: runs are randomized, last 25–40 minutes, and feature progression between deaths.

The original DRG is about strategy and lengthy missions. Rogue Core is about quick runs. Die? Choose a new build and head back in. It is easy to learn, losing is not frustrating, and matches are short. Drop in for one run or stay for ten — either works. You can return a month later without having forgotten anything important.

It also fits perfectly into our list of the best co-op games, especially for players who find Subnautica 2 too meditative.

Best suited for: four chairs, four mugs, and someone shouting “Rock and Stone!” every two minutes. Mandatory.

If nothing above appeals to you, Helldivers 2 is still continuing its Galactic War. Arrowhead regularly introduces new events, so even after a long break, there is always something to discuss and somewhere to deploy.

This is an online third-person shooter about troopers defending Managed Democracy from alien threats. It supports co-op for up to four players, missions last 25–40 minutes, and its humor is on the level of Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers. No survival mechanics or crafting as in Subnautica 2 or DRG — you arrive, destroy everything, and leave. The game has remained near the top of Steam's concurrent player rankings for more than a year, which says something.

Best suited for: when you do not want any surprises. It will be fun, someone in the group will be accidentally killed by an orbital strike, and everyone will log off by midnight.

Thick As Thieves is a competitive stealth game from Looking Glass veterans, the people behind Thief and System Shock. An online immersive sim. Extremely niche, but a major event for anyone who knows what that means.

Mixtape is a short interactive drama about the final night of high school in the 1990s, set to music by Pixies and R.E.M. It takes around three hours to complete and holds a Metacritic score of 88. It is currently available in Game Pass.

GreedFall: The Dying World — Steam is giving away the soundtrack for free, while the game itself is discounted in the spring sale.

What are you playing this weekend? Tell us in the comments!