New to Xbox Game Pass – May 2022 Wave 1

If you enjoyed how varied the previous wave of games that came to Xbox Game Pass was, then the first wave for May should make you just as excited. Among this diverse set of titles, there are four that are coming as day one releases. Let’s go over what to expect for the first half of May.

Before we even get to May, it’s worth noting that there was a late addition last month. NBA 2K22, the latest in the popular basketball series, was added on April 28th for cloud and console. To find out more you can read Keiran’s review of it here.

Kicking off the month properly is the dungeon crawler Loot River, which is a day one release and is available now on cloud, console, and PC. The hordes of enemies and procedurally generated labyrinths are sure to keep everything fresh. However, it’s the unique spatial block-shifting ability that allows the player to move pieces of the ground beneath them that shakes up every combat scenario.

Two games are set to come out as day one releases on May 5th for cloud, console, and PC. The first is Citizen Sleeper, a narrative RPG that sees you thrown into an unfamiliar space station on the outskirts of society. Tabletop RPG influences such as action dice and clocks provide limitations on what actions the player can take, as well as who they can befriend and help as they try to survive themselves.

Joining it is the highly anticipated Trek to Yomi. The game boasts visuals inspired by classic samurai cinema and combat that is both fast and strategic. Players join the lone samurai Hiroki in his journey to rise again and avenge his failures. I had a chance to play a preview of the game last month and you can read my impressions here.

The next set of games is coming on May 10th for cloud, console, and PC. Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition is the second in the popular murder mystery series. This is the same version of the game that launched last year on the Nintendo Switch. It also pairs nicely with the first game, which came out on Xbox Game Pass back in January.

Another game coming out that day is This War of Mine: Final Cut, which has also been remastered for Xbox Series X|S. The game takes an unapologetic look at a group of civilians stuck inside a war-torn city and struggling to survive. This version also adds a new scenario, new quests and events, and a new character.

Accompanying both of those games is the day one release of Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising, which mixes action RPG elements with town upgrading. It’s meant to serve as a prequel that introduces some of the cast from the JRPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, the top-funded Kickstarter game of 2020. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will also be a day one Xbox Game Pass release set for 2023.

The final addition for this wave will be NHL 22 on May 12th. Available on console and through EA Play, it’s the first entry in the series to utilize the Frostbite engine. This engine move brings along new lighting and visual effects, new animations, and updated physics.

As with every month, just as new games come in there are also some that we have to say goodbye to. The first game to leave is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition on May 10th. The following will then be leaving on May 15th: Enter The Gungeon, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster, Remnant: From the Ashes, Steep, The Catch: Carp and Coarse, and The Wild at Heart.