In this week’s top game rankings, ‘Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred’ has held the No. 1 spot for four consecutive weeks, while several games slated for release this week have made their debut on the charts.
The biggest riser this week is ‘Forza Horizon 6,’ which climbed to 3rd place. It jumped six spots from 9th last week, likely bolstered by its 92-point Metacritic score, which it earned even before its official May 19 release.
Path of Exile 2, which has a new expansion update coming this week, rose one spot to 4th, while the open-world RPG ‘E-Hwan,’ which is preparing for a Porsche collaboration in version 1.1, also moved up one spot to settle at 5th.
New games launching this week took the 7th and 8th spots. Wargaming’s new title, ‘World of Tanks: Hit,’ blends tank warfare with hero shooter elements. It adds agent-specific ultimate abilities and special tank skills to the heavy, signature combat of ‘World of Tanks,’ resulting in fast-paced, high-octane gameplay. The game is set for official release on May 26.
‘Project 007,’ the new title from IO Interactive—the studio famous for the ‘Hitman’ series—features a young James Bond as its protagonist. Anticipation is already building ahead of the release for the story of this Gen Z James Bond, played by rising actor Patrick Gibson.
Dynamis One’s subculture RPG ‘Astraea Oratio’ took 10th place. It seems to be gaining traction following the recent release of its super teaser PV and information on its main characters and world-building.
Notable New Releases, Events, and Updates
The biggest topic of last week was the official release of Xbox Game Studios’ ‘Forza Horizon 6’ on May 19. As the latest installment in the series that has become the gold standard for open-world racing, its most notable feature is that it is set in Japan, a location fans have long been waiting for.
Reviews have been excellent; it holds the highest Metacritic score (92) among 2026 releases, living up to fan expectations. It is quite rare for four consecutive titles in the same series to score 90 or higher on Metacritic.
The indie title ‘Shikhondo: Blue Pieta’ was released on the 18th, while the 20th saw the early access launches of ‘Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core’ and ‘Spacecraft,’ rounding out the week’s release lineup.
Meanwhile, ‘PlayX4 2026’ was held for four days from the 21st to the 24th at KINTEX in Ilsan. In addition to booths from major companies like BANDAI NAMCO and Daewon Media, various domestic indie developers gathered to showcase their new games.
This Week’s Issue: From PoE2 to 007, a Week Packed with Anticipated Titles
Starting with a three-day golden weekend thanks to the Buddha’s Birthday substitute holiday, this week is also ‘packed’ with highly anticipated releases.
First, ‘Paralives,’ an indie life simulation game long dubbed a rival to The Sims—even before KRAFTON’s ‘inZOI’—is entering early access seven years after its reveal. Starting as a one-person project by developer Alex Massé, ‘Paralives’ secured funding through community crowdfunding and has since grown into a 14-person studio. Its official YouTube channel, which has shared development logs throughout the process, has reached 380k subscribers.
On the 26th, Wargaming’s new online game ‘World of Tanks: Hit’ officially launches. It features hero shooter mechanics—such as skills, traits, and ultimate abilities—applied to tank battles of up to 10v10. It allows for bizarre(?) tactics that were unthinkable in previous ‘World of Tanks’ titles. From rapid-fire main guns and airstrike requests to tank drifting! If you love dopamine-fueled tank action, the wait is finally over.
On the 28th, IO Interactive’s new game ‘007 First Light’ arrives. It is time for the developer that honed its ‘assassination’ expertise with the Hitman series to showcase the mechanics of ‘espionage’ with a young Bond. No more mindless killing; a true ‘spy’ game is coming where you use James Bond’s wit and silver tongue to gather intelligence and extract the information you need.
Some fans are calling it the most anticipated 007 game since the legendary Nintendo title ‘GoldenEye 007,’ which holds a 96 on Metacritic. The question is whether ‘First Light’ can break the curse of ‘failed 007 games.’
The 30th is the day many hack-and-slash fans have been waiting for. It is when the 0.5 update for Path of Exile, ‘Return of the Ancients,’ which is being described as a ‘cataclysmic’ level of change, goes live. With major overhauls to systems that users found inconvenient and updates that shake the foundations of the endgame, fan anticipation for ‘Path of Exile 2’ is higher than ever. If you notice more colleagues requesting time off for next Monday, you might want to be suspicious of ‘PoE2.’
What Were Last Week’s Metacritic Scores?
The highest-scoring game released last week is ‘Phonopolis,’ the new title from Amanita Design. It received excellent reviews, with a Metacritic score of 87 based on 5 reviews. As the latest from the Czech indie studio known for its unique visuals and atmosphere, its signature tactile adventure sensibility has once again been well-received.
‘Zero Parade: For Dead Spies,’ the new game from ZA/UM, the studio that left a significant mark on the RPG genre with ‘Disco Elysium,’ has received a score of 83.
Players step into the shoes of Herschel Wilk, an agent who has to rebuild his reputation after a major setback five years ago. His journey involves navigating through informants, loyalists, and agitators to prove himself once more. With 38 reviews currently available, the feedback is a bit mixed, regardless of the studio’s past work. Korean language support is expected to be added in the second half of the year.
In a collaboration between Indonesian indie developer Toge Productions and Chorus Worldwide Games, ‘Coffee Talk Tokyo’ scored an 81. This sequel to the popular indie healing adventure ‘Coffee Talk’ series shifts the setting to Tokyo while maintaining its core concept of listening to customers’ stories and crafting drinks. Despite only having 10 reviews so far, it is receiving positive responses, especially from fans of the series.
Published by Kwalee, ‘Luna Abyss’ received a score of 80. This stable title has gathered 13 reviews. It offers a story-driven first-person action-adventure experience involving platforming and navigating through challenging bullet-hell sequences. The game has also received very positive reviews on Steam, making it a must-try for fans of this genre. A launch discount promotion is currently ongoing.
‘Warhammer 40k: Mechanicus II,’ published by Kasedo Games, holds a rating of 76. Serving as a sequel to the turn-based strategy series set in the Warhammer 40k universe, it has received 5 reviews since its release on May 22. While it enhances the graphics and combat systems of its predecessor, it’s important to note that its Steam store rating remains ‘Mixed’ based on around 900 reviews.
The article also includes a New Game Popularity Poll covering games released or set for release between April 11 and June 11. It excludes titles like ‘Tides of Tomorrow’ released in April, while introducing new additions such as ‘Star Fox’ and ‘Dead or Alive 6: Last Round.’ Could you please rephrase the following statement?