This week in PC games: Tokyo-drifting in Forza Horizon 6, communist grifting in Disco Elysium follow-up Zero Parades, or dystopia tifting in puzzle game Phonopolis

Have no fear, dear reader. Yes, I am once standing in for Edwin to battle The Maw and bring forth its tidings of upcoming PC games. But the beast has not eaten our news editor. Not this time. Instead, Edwin’s been called away to Krakow where he will be using his creature-wrestling skills to tussle with a dragon.

The Maw is looking particularly swollen this week and, there’s something in its manner that suggests it’s been developing its sleight of h… tentacle. I’m sure whatever’s inspired this sleuthy-ness will reveal itself in due time.

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Monday 18th May

• There may be bigger releases out this week, but no game other than London Train! Features the enthusiasm (and exclamation marks) of its Steam description. Case in point: “This game is packed with the latest information on British railways!”
• I was going to say that there’s a delightful 90s quality to Corsairs – Battle of the Caribbean, before I realised it was a remake of the 1999 strategy game. Trade between islands, build your flotilla, and take the fight to those dastardly English/Spanish/Danish/French/Dutch.
• If you like your shmups Giger-flavoured and horrendously difficult, you should take a look at R-Type Dimensions III. (I’ll try not to get too distracted thinking about what flavour Giger would be? Presumably, fresh latex.)

Tuesday 19th May

• Forza Horizon 6 sees the cars back in town, so long as that town is Tokyo. According to Mark’s Forza Horizon 6 review, Playground have done a cracking job of creating a geographically squashed Japan that’s a joy to drive through.

Wednesday 20th May

• Amanita Design’s latest puzzle game, Phonopolis, sees you trying to break a sound-dominated dystopia out of its leader’s sway.
• A heist ’em up from the creator of Thief, Thick As Thieves was originally pitched as a robbery between rival teams of burglars but it dropped that in favour of solo and co-op play.
• Rangedrifter is giving a good squeeze to the part of my brain forever lost in childhood weekends lost in Angband on my dad’s Acorn computer.
• There are many dwarf-likers around these parts, and Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core has us stroking polishing our pickaxes in anticipation. The main difference between Rogue Core and traditional DRG is that you start each run with only basic equipment and build up your armoury from there.

Thursday 21st May

Friday 22nd

• Word on the street is that Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is a brick-based take on the open-world Arkham games. Word from Jeremy in our morning meeting is that, while charming and fun, don’t get your hopes up: it’s not Rocksteady Studios by another name.
• Halfmoon is an adventure game that explores the bureaucratic side of the recently dead. I’m mainly drawn to it by its stylish use of negative space.

It’s a busy week here in the Treehouse. Edwin is off battling that Dragon, James is fresh back from EVE Fanfest and racing through articles before taking a few days of well-deserved break. Mark is making his way through Zero Parades to chat about it with Edwin, all while the everpresent threat of another big game’s review code landing on his desk. Me? I’ve a few previews to get written up and I’ll be poking The Maw whenever we’re in need of a new news post.

It’s a stacked week for videogames. Is there anything coming out that’s been sat high up on your wishlist?