Prime Gaming - May 2021 | Phenixx Gaming

Oh well thank you very much Epic and Prime Gaming, you got the worst gifts for me, I couldn’t be happier. For those not in the know, that’s a bit of sarcasm over the fact that I might as well face the truth, I’ve got one foot in the grave. At least according to the kids outside my house “I’m not young anymore, I’m eleven!” Anyway, this month’s games available with Prime Gaming are not lighting fires in my underpants, I think I need pills for that now. Shall we get to some of what is available? I think we shall!

Of course, last month we switched up how we’re doing things, focusing less on the “in-game loot” to redirect that time to the games. With that said, you’ll be able to pick up the last two bundles for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. Those playing GTA Online and Red Dead Online can still pick up bundles for both games, and at the time of writing you can pick up the 10th, 11th, and 12th skin shards for League of Legends. All month you can pick up a spray from VALORANT, along with being able to pick up the World of Warships: Legends, Spellbreak, Paladins, FIFA 21, and SMITE drops.

Those looking to game on mobile, you’ll be able to pick up the latest bundle for Ludo King, Risk: Global Domination, Word Farm Adventure, Last Day On Earth, and Magic Tiles 3. You can also pick up the MLB Tap Sports Baseball 2021 bundle, and loot for AxE: Alliance Vs Empire, V4, and War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. Of course there is more, such as Epic Seven, Darkness Rises, Maplestory M, Agar.IO, Helix Jump, Cube Surfer!, and Aquapark.io.

This month’s games are a little underwhelming from my point of view, so might as well look at the games that became available throughout the month. Until May the 7th, Prime subscribers can pick up Do Not Feed the Monkeys. It is a weird little game I’ve been meaning to play in the interim weeks as it is described as a “voyager simulator” as you watch people through cameras. It looks like a Not For Broadcast type of idea but with the control room of a news station. It is not a one-for-one comparison, of course, but something similarly interesting I’d suggest checking out a little more.

The next game to leave Prime this month, Iris and the Giant is actually something I’ve been meaning to do a review on. It is a Rogue-like RPG deck-builder with a brilliant art direction. You play as Iris fighting her worst nightmares in a beautifully colorful but melancholy world. Take that for what it is, as I was provided a review code, but have yet to properly delve into it with real gusto. Even with the love of how gorgeous it might be, I’m still a bit of a busy man with lots else to review: Maybe one day.

With those out the way, let’s return to what is available throughout this month within other games. Still plowing ahead, Rocket Arena is in its second season and you can pick up a skin. Players of Anno 1800 can also pick up a rather steampunky livery pack, and Apex Legends players too can get a skin or two throughout the month. Those playing UFC 4 can wear a mask (and other bits) that would limit visibility in a dark room, much like listening to Joe Rogan for health advice limits your IQ. Players of Rainbow Six Siege can still pick up the in-game currency, and players of Destiny 2 can get another bundle of things with stupid names.

Might as well wrap up what is left and get on to just the games. So players of Madden NFL 21 can pick up packs for the Ultimate Team, which EA will beg you to pay into. Players of Sea of Thieves can pick up the Night Wulf sails pack, Rogue Company players can also pick up a skin, and Legends of Runeterra players can once again pick up Epic Wildcards that I can talk about for a year and still not understand. World of Tanks and World of Warships players can pick up separate packs, Tanks players get a GI Joe: Cobra theme this month.

Finally, Black Desert Online players can dress a woman like a French maid, get a cat, and for NA and EU server players get a “Game Pass” thing for PC. This has nothing to do with Xbox Game Pass, as far as I understand.

I’ve spoken about it several times, but Figment is a beautiful little puzzle game that fell out of a bad acid trip. You play as Dusty, an odd one, with his at odds side-kick that’s chipper and cheery named Piper. As a short (about 7-hour long) adventure through a strange and wonderful mind, I highly suggest playing it at some point this month. If you haven’t picked up either through Prime or on Epic, it is available until the 21st. A sequel is set to come later this year.

The last of the games of the weekly variety is Edgar – Bokbok in Boulzac, yes I believe I had a stroke midway through that as well. As a short narrative-driven point and click adventure from French developer La Poule Noire, it looks to be one for the kids in particular. Once again, I’m just here to compliment the art direction. It has a gorgeous style that wouldn’t look out of place next to early 2000s cartoons like The Powerpuff Girls. I love that style. It is available until the 28th, you’ll have time to pick it up.

First up this month, available as of today, is Beholder. A very dark dystopian nightmare, as you play as the state-installed landlord of a block of apartments. You listen in and report on everyone while trying to stay alive. Some tenants will be plotting against the state and it is your job to find out which ones and find the evidence to have them arrested. It is an interesting concept, but personally the lack of color or anything visually interesting leaves me dulled by it. There is no contrast (as far as I’ve seen) between the story and the visuals, akin to Sniper Elite 4‘s contrasts.

Yoku’s Island Express, asks the question: what if pin-ball was a platforming Metroidvania adventure that is excellent? Released in 2018, it was a stand out from such a brilliant year of games such as God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Celeste, Far Cry 5, Return of the Obra Dinn, A Way Out, Octopath Traveller, Forza Horizon 4, and Frostpunk. How you can still stand out in the background of all of this is amazing. If you didn’t pick up Yoku’s Island Express the last time it was available with Prime, you need to now.

Moving on, A Blind Legend isn’t just what musicians call Stevie Wonder, but it is also a game from 2016 that seems to have not taken off too well. Based around taking away your vision in an action-adventure, you really have to listen to this one to believe it, it seems. I have skepticism over what it is claiming to be, “Discover the original, innovative sensory experience of binaural 3D sound,” as the Steam description states. I honestly don’t know how well that would work as some headphones (as recommend) are better than others at giving you a fuller surround sound. Your experience might vary.

The Blind Prophet is a small indie game from last year with absolutely no fanfare. All I can go off of this time is a collection of rather dark screenshots and trailers, all giving off this beautiful single explosion of color in comic book style point-and-click adventure featuring an alternate-dimension David Bowie. This isn’t one for the kids. It is a dark mystery that puts you in a club I think I went to in Amsterdam. Something tells me this is one you cough at when your kid asks if they can play it.

Finally, to round up May’s indie-thon, Healer’s Quest is a comedy RPG aimed squarely at younger kids. You, as the title would suggest, play as the healer in a group of adventurers. Your goal is to keep the team alive, as one might assume. Really, I’m not getting anything from this one, not even the art style is that pleasing as everything has a bit of a watercolor painting to it, with very few defined edges. These last five games are available until June the 1st.