Upcoming Indie Games Releasing in May 2026
- Narukoopa
- Apr 19
- 8 min read
Welcome to the start of a new monthly series. Fun fact, I have previously tried this before… four years ago. And it was covering May, which is exactly what this article will be doing. Hopefully May isn’t a cursed month and that there will be another article released in June.
I want to start covering interesting, upcoming indie games releasing every month. There are no strict guidelines on what kinds of games make the cut here, only titles that have enough information for me to talk about.
For this article I have five games I would like to talk about, and I think five games every month is a good number to go by. If there are any indie games that you are excited for that I haven’t covered here then be sure to post about them in the comments below! Now, let’s begin with the games.
Wax Heads
Wax Heads is a narrative driven simulation game that sees you looking after Repeater Records, an old record store worked by a passionate team and frequented by a variety of unique and eccentric customers.
You are tasked with serving the local community by making sure the store stays running, providing music recommendations, managing the needs of your staff, all the while experiencing Wax Heads’ comprehensive narrative.
What makes this game stand out is its presentation. It’s important to note that Wax Heads is being developed by two people, which is extremely impressive when you look at how much there is to go through here.
Despite classifying itself as a simulation-type game, its story and characters are the stars of the show here. The landlord of the store is threatening to sell the building and close the business, choosing not to care about the importance it pertains to the local community.
It is up to you to bring life to the store again, and that means helping your staff, your visitors, and the business as a whole succeed and thrive. How this translates to gameplay varies quite a bit. There’s some investigative work involved, especially when it comes to recommending specific albums to your customers. Determining what they might like comes from speaking to them and getting to know them.
There’s a ton of worldbuilding to experience too, as every band you stumble across has its own backstory. Sifting through social media, reading pieces of info and engaging in music debates are all part of the gameplay loop, in a way that is driven to helping people get what they want.
Speaking of the music, the game contains its own soundtrack that encompasses a wide variety of genres from different eras. Not to mention the 80+ hand drawn album covers that give you insight into what kinds of bands these are. There is also a hint of helping local bands by designing gig posters and getting their own shows running.
Everything from the advertising of Wax Heads screams charm and authenticity, so it was impossible not to mention it in this list. There’s a free demo available for you to try right now, and the full game will release on the 5th of May for PC and Xbox.
Duck Side of the Moon
Duck Side of the Moon is the game that has the most iconic name on this list. It’s a cosy adventure game that sees you playing as a duck called Doug. Doug needs a break from work, so he is travelling across the stars in search of a new home.
After crashing his ship on a remote moon, he must explore his surroundings, gather and mine materials to repair his ship, interact with the locals and help them out on their quests, or just fly around and enjoy this new environment you have found yourself in.
From all the marketing that has been shown of this game, it looks and feels like an experience that is akin to games such as A Short Hike. You have an objective, but part of it is enjoying the journey and doing things at your own pace.
It’s not supposed to be taken seriously, and the silliness of it is what gives the game its charm. Regardless, there seems to be quite a bit of content to engage with here. I’ve already mentioned that characters have their own quests and errands they need your help with.
You can also upgrade and customise your ship, making it feel more and more like a home away from home. This is done through the game’s crafting system, and in order to create things you must gather materials by exploring the moon. You can also change your outfits and wear cool hats!
All in all, Duck Side of the Moon is ticking all of the wholesome, good vibes boxes, and I can definitely see it appealing to a lot of people, myself included. It will be released on the 7th of May for Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Saint of Chains
Now to go to the other side of the spectrum, Saint of Chains is a first-person, psychological horror game inspired by the classics of the same genre from the early 2000s. It’s an action packed experience that’s filled with puzzles, intense sequences, terrifying monsters, and a complex narrative that untangles the more you uncover.
You play as a father searching for his missing wife and daughter. What starts as a rescue mission quickly becomes a fight for survival, as you are constantly under threat by all manner of twisted creatures. Combat is tense, and supplies are limited, so how you approach situations is just as important as surviving them.
What’s also limited is how much you are able to carry. You will constantly be making decisions on what to take with you and what to leave behind. You must be resourceful, finding anything that can be used as a weapon. There are firearms, but is it wise to waste your ammo now or save it for something potentially nasty around the corner?
There are puzzles scattered around that need to be solved, but are designed to be purposefully vague and ask you to be observant. Once completed, however, they begin to reveal a greater picture, one that is obscured through symbolism.
Similar to games like Silent Hill, one of the stated influences behind Saint of Chains, everything you see and encounter has meaning, and one of the main driving forces selling this game is figuring out what your surroundings are trying to tell you.
The monsters you fight are horrifying, but is there a reason they look the way they are? The environments are twisty and are designed to mess with you, but is there more to them than meets the eye? The whole game looks and feels not just like a nightmare, but something even more personal.
Saint of Chains is bold with its presentation. Even on its store page, it describes itself as “A love letter to Silent Hill 3, Condemned: Criminal Origins, Cry of Fear and Lost in Vivo.” If you enjoyed any of those, then be sure to check this one out. It releases on the 12th of May on PC.
Helix: Descent N Ascent
Potentially the most visually distinct title in this list, Helix: Descent N Ascent is a top-down, 2D adventure game taking place in a monochrome world that has long been forgotten. You wake up in this world, and you quickly discover that you are not alone. Also trapped in this world is a figure who looks just like you. Whether or not he is a friend or foe is something you will uncover for yourself.
Helix draws a lot of inspiration from a variety of classic, comic-based media ranging from 1990s manga to 1970s Franco-Belgian comics. The art style is an important part of not only the game itself, but also the development around it. It’s what immediately stood out to me when I stumbled across it, and it’s likely what will garner it the most attention.
It does require your eyes to adjust, but once that happens, you can see just how much work has gone into the level design and presentation. It is beautifully detailed, and the fact that all of it is achieved by solely being in black and white is impressive.
In terms of how it all plays, the core gameplay loop revolves around learning new powers, and solving puzzles by utilising said powers. These abilities you acquire can be used in multiple ways that present a variety of different gameplay opportunities.
Mixing and matching seems to be a notable aspect of how these puzzles will play out, as you will need to learn new methods of solving challenges in order to progress. Just how much experimentation is involved is yet to be seen, but from what we can gather from the trailers, it looks like it can get pretty complex. At the same time, it feels like it will be a rewarding experience overall.
As far as the narrative is concerned, again, that has yet to be seen, but the store page promises a story focused on self reflection and identity. One can assume this doppelganger, and how they came to be will play a major part in that. All will be revealed in time, or more specifically, on the 21st of May for PC and Nintendo Switch.
Paralives
For the final game on this list, we have a new take on The Sims, one that looks to demand a lot less money in fact. Paralives is a sandbox game designed in the same vein as The Sims: you create a character and have them live their life, develop relationships and customise their livelihoods to your heart’s content.
When I say Paralives demands less cost investment, what I mean by that is all future content added to the game will be free of charge. No overpriced expansion packs or selling everything as a DLC. Everything new will be added to the game at no additional cost. This alone has put Paralives on my list.
Alas, there is a lot here to be excited about. Character customisation looks to be top notch, with the game granting you the ability to customise every little bit of your character, from little details in their appearance to quirks in their personality. You can even make them vegetarian. Nice.
When you start, you find yourself immediately in debt. Because of that, you will need to find a job, but you can’t just get any job. Most jobs require specific skill levels, so when you begin, you can only acquire entry level employment. Depending on how you want to progress your character, new opportunities will be made available to you later down the line.
The more you work, the more you level up your job, which means better chances of promotion. Outside of work, lifestyle choices and hobbies will grant you new potential pathways. In one of the trailers for example, we can see how levelling up your guitar skill can give you the option to get a job as a music teacher. It looks to be a pretty comprehensive system.
Outside of your character, you can meet new people and develop friendships, leading to potential romances later down the line. You can also settle down, build your own house, have children and grow old. Your experience with Paralives will vary dramatically based on how you want to play.
One thing that stood out to me was the modding tools that will be available for anyone to use, meaning user-created content will be a major part of the game. This includes gameplay mods, custom characters and housing creations.
Needless to say, I am very excited for this game. The cosy atmosphere, beautiful visual style, and the fact that we don’t get many games like this that aren’t The Sims are enough for me to purchase this on day one. It will be released on the 25th of May for PC.
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