A fresh wave of indie adventures, horror stories, puzzlers, and action games is hitting Next Week on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Game Pass, with everything from a nostalgic teen road trip in Mixtape to the surreal chaos of Priest Simulator: Vampire Show.
Next Week on Xbox overview
From May 4 to 8, Next Week on Xbox players can look forward to a packed slate of new titles spanning narrative sims, roguelites, platformers, horror, and cozy puzzlers. As usual, Next week on Xbox highlights that release dates are subject to change, but each game already has a live store profile you can wishlist or buy ahead of launch.
Mixtape headlines the week
The biggest spotlight next week is on Mixtape, a narrative adventure from Annapurna Interactive that drops day one into Game Pass on May 7. En route to their final party together, three friends are pulled into dreamlike reenactments of their formative memories, turning the journey into a playable greatest hits compilation of teenage life.
Players move through a series of vignettes that range from skateboarding and flying to sneaking into an abandoned theme park after hours to take photos, hit baseballs, and even set off a fireworks show from the backseat of a car. You can check out Mixtape here.
Life at the record shop in Wax Heads
If you prefer chill vibes, Wax Heads lands on May 5 as a cozy‑punk narrative sim about working at a struggling record store. You’ll chat with quirky customers, explore a handcrafted record collection, get wrapped up in band drama, or just hang out with your coworkers while trying to get everyone’s groove back.
Wax Heads supports Xbox Play Anywhere, letting you jump between Xbox and PC while keeping your progress synced. Grab it from the Microsoft Store.
Chaotic JRPG energy in Axe Cop
Launching May 4, Axe Cop answers the question: what if a professional‑grade JRPG were written by a five‑year‑old? Based on the famously wild webcomic and led narratively by Malachai Nicolle (age 5), Axe Cop pits the titular hero and his crew against villains like Bad Santa Claus, Dr. Stinkyhead, and Dr. Doo doo.
The game mixes goofy, anything‑goes storytelling with a fully featured RPG structure, offering strategy, quests, and a full campaign for both casual and hardcore players. You can buy Axe Cop here.
Roguelites and puzzlers: Dungeonloop, Golem Lights, Magic Sheep
Roguelite fans can dive into Dungeonloop on May 5, a turn‑based roguelite where every run is different. You’ll move and act on a grid, battle unpredictable enemies, collect artifacts, and explore three distinct locations, each with its own atmosphere and boss encounters. Get Dungeonloop.
On the puzzle side, Golem Lights (Xbox Series) launches May 5 with a relaxed but strategic light‑bending experience. You’ll control a Mage Golem, redirect beams of light to awaken other golems, and connect paths across 60 levels spanning three biomes, all without time limits. Pick up Golem Lights here.
Then on May 6, Magic Sheep (Xbox Series) offers a soft, slow‑paced barrel‑pushing puzzle adventure wrapped in cozy vibes and gentle music. You’ll nudge wooden barrels across peaceful gardens so each settles onto a marble pedestal, with no timers, just calm problem‑solving and “aha” moments. You can buy Magic Sheep here.
Action and platforming: MOTORSLICE, Decline’s Drops, Noodlebound, Little Things
Speedrunners and movement‑heads should keep an eye on MOTORSLICE, coming May 5 and optimized for Xbox Series X|S. You play as P, free‑running through the ruins of a megastructure, parkouring up massive bosses, and using wall‑runs, slides, and even a chainsaw to traverse deadly traps with style. Grab MOTORSLICE here.
On May 7, Decline’s Drops brings hand‑drawn 2D action‑platforming where you play as Globule, a wooden puppet seeking revenge against a mysterious force destroying his world. Tight combat and demanding duels emphasize precision and timing as you defend your ravaged garden and uncover the truth behind the Decline. Pre‑order Decline’s Drops.
Noodlebound (Xbox Series), also launching May 7, mixes precise platforming with direct, fast combat in 2D pixel art. As a ramen samurai, you chase down living ingredients across 30 stages filled with traps, enemies, and bosses, all rendered with a playful, food‑themed twist. You can get Noodlebound here.
Rounding out the platformers is Little Things, arriving May 8 as a color‑driven puzzle‑platformer about a tiny creature named Whys searching for its lost love, Kys, deep within dungeons. You’ll harness color‑based abilities, dash, jump, and even manipulate gravity to solve puzzles quickly and chase level‑clear bonuses. Buy Little Things here.
Horror and narrative adventures: The Tag-Along Obsession, Will: Follow The Light, In Trusted Hands
Horror fans can check in to The Tag-Along Obsession on May 6, a cinematic first‑person horror game centered on Hui‑Ting, the sole survivor of a tragic incident at a forgotten resort. Haunted by a vengeful spirit and cursed by a past investigation, she must find a way to lift the curse while navigating relentless nightmares. You can buy The Tag-Along Obsession here.
Story‑driven adventure Will: Follow The Light arrives May 7, following a perilous personal journey across harsh northern seas as Will seeks peace and reunion with his family. Presented as a first‑person adventure puzzle game, it mixes exploration, narrative beats, and environmental challenges across icy waters. Pre‑order Will: Follow The Light here.
On May 8, In Trusted Hands turns a phone repair shop into a narrative minefield, as fixing devices exposes messages, photos, and hidden files that drag you into secrets you were never meant to see. You’ll juggle the ethics of privacy, customer expectations, and your own choices as each repair job unfolds into a branching, story‑driven scenario. Pre‑order In Trusted Hands here.
High‑fantasy and myth: Akuma Rise, Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree, Versebound
JRPG fans get Akuma Rise on May 7, set in the demon realm of Adribune. You play as Kaine, a demon who washes ashore with no memories, just as rival nations clash and heroes from the Radiant Realm invade the Shadow Realm. Joined by three demon princesses and a peculiar mascot, Kaine hunts down fragments of his past while fighting to prevent total collapse of his world. Pre‑order Akuma Rise here.
Underwater adventure Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree (May 7) dives into Ma’een, an ocean realm rooted in Arabian mythology that has been corrupted by mysterious dark entities. In this 2D adventure, you explore a once‑thriving sea now tainted by shadow, working to restore its radiant light. Get Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree here.
Meanwhile, Versebound reimagines Finnish epic themes as an action adventure where you re‑write your legend through verse and combat. You’ll bring respite to the tragic youth of Kalevala by battling mythical creatures, performing rituals, and learning from each failure to grow stronger. Versebound is available here.
Survival, sims, and sandboxes: Froggy Hates Snow, iDigging, Hydroneer, Barbarous: Survivor’s Quest, Priest Simulator: Vampire Show
Froggy Hates Snow, coming May 7, casts you as Froggy surviving in a hostile, snowy desert where warmth is life. You’ll dig paths through snow, scavenge treasure, battle strange obsidian creatures, and brave anomaly zones that offer deadly challenges with big rewards. You can get Froggy Hates Snow here.
Co‑op‑focused iDigging (up to five players) also launches May 7, with a protagonist determined to change his life by illegally digging on his own property despite strict bans on underground resource hunting. Bright, stylized visuals meet a story about breaking unjust rules to find buried treasure and rebuild a ruined life. Get iDigging here.
On May 8, mining sandbox Hydroneer brings its PC hit to Xbox Series X|S, letting you dig for gold and resources to build massive mining machines and a growing base. Using primitive tools and hydro‑powered equipment, you expand your operation in a tycoon‑style progression loop that emphasizes creativity and scale. Buy Hydroneer here.
If you want a survivory horde‑mode experience, Barbarous: Survivor’s Quest hits May 8, dropping you into a land overrun by orcs, skeletons, ghosts, rats, and other monsters. Each run, you’ll fight waves of enemies, face bosses, and choose upgrades that shape your build as you gather treasure and strive to become unstoppable. Barbarous: Survivor’s Quest is available here.
Finally, the brilliantly bizarre Priest Simulator: Vampire Show lands May 7, putting you in the cassock of a vampire priest in a mockumentary‑style sandbox shooter set in a twisted version of modern Poland. You’ll smack shatanistic hordes, renovate your church, buff your character, and chase back your stolen batoon in a fully “unprofessional” English dub that leans into absurd humor. You can get Priest Simulator: Vampire Show here.
Recent Posts You Might Like
Discover more from Microsoft News Now
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
