Bold and Bizarre Games Bulletin - May 2026
Busy month, May. Lots going on. Many many nice games surfacing this month, which of course we must talk about. As with previous months, we've also done this in video-form for you, too.
Take my hand, let's go.
By the way, we do this Bulletin in video form each month now, too…
#1 Forbidden Solitaire
Out Now Steam | Grey Alien Games, Night Signal Entertainment
As you may well know, we are partial to a bit of ominous solitaire round these parts. Fun fact, actually: the day after we signed Occlude, the Grey Alien folks announced Forbidden Solitaire - but far from being a worry or a stress, it was invigorating to see others pushing the card game into exciting new territory. Forbidden Solitaire combines solitaire with an FMV-inspired hellscape, surrounding something you think you know well with a surreal wrapper and lots of fourth-wall fuckery. Solitaire has always been a somewhat dry affair, so it’s amazing to see Forbidden Solitaire absolutely batter the stereotypes.
#2 A Passing in the Night
Coming Soon, Steam | .iris, PLAYSIM
A Passing in the Night cropped up in our Discord recently - first time I'd heard of it - and is a lovely reminder that we don't need to look very far to find novel games for this newsletter. A Passing in the Night is a walking-sim of sorts but also not really at all. Kai goes for a walk at night, whereupon he's approached by a demon who gives him one hour to decide whether or not to give him his most precious memory in exchange for "freedom from worldly pain" (I sense a juicy backstory here...). What follows is a surreal nightwalk through a neighbourhood where "reality bends and spirits lurk in the shadows". In making his decision, Kai will converse with other lost wanderers and generally expose himself to lots of peculiarities.
#3 Nitro Gen Omega
Out Now, Steam | DESTINYbit, Beep Japan
As far as aesthetics go, Nitro Gen Omega is certainly bold; a shonen anime in interactive disguise, with a wonderful cocktail of cel-shading, striking UI and scene transitions that make it feel like you're directing your own mecha anime. Outside of the visual identity, which is undoubtedly one of the game's strongest suits, the game presents a tactical RPG where you'll assemble a crew, customise your mechs, and engage in stylish turn-based battles. After just shy of a year in Early Access, Nitro Gen Omega hit 1.0 last week. Mechnificent.
#4 My Beautiful Faraway, Please Don't Be Cruel To Me
Out Now , Steam | arch1t3ct
I really like the phrase "immaculate vibes", which is relevant when talking about
My Beautiful Faraway, Please Don't Be Cruel To Me (what a title) because it has them in spades. MBFPDBCTM is a "short, unhurried adventure" (what a lovely bit of language) that definitely places an emphasis on story and atmosphere, but still brings together exploration and puzzles as a vehicle to further the dreamlike narrative. There's a demo, too, so if this has piqued your interest then there you go.
#5 Sticker/Ball
Out Now, Steam | bilge, Future Friends Games
Sticker/Ball is another game that's appeared in the newsletter before, only under a previous name of Balls, Dice and Stickers. Here you fire balls which ricochet about the screen hitting things. Stickers, mostly, which you can place to create a gauntlet of sorts. If you happened to find yourself watching the game in its latter stages, you'd be forgiven for not knowing what the heck is going on. Without going through the earlier stages and progressing properly, the chaos and visual noise is overwhelming - but if you have gone through the sticker-placing process properly, and watched as that number in the top left goes up and up an up, you'll find it makes perfect sense. And is disgustingly addictive.
Reminder! Pantaloon's partnered games for May is Centum
For May we've partnered with Serenity Forge to bring you a game we've featured in this newsletter before; the genre-bending and reality-defying Centum. It is certainly bold, definitely bizarre, and ticks every other box we have going too.
IMPORTANT: If you haven't hit the button below in a previous email to tell us you want a key yet, please do so. Even if you solve the puzzle, if you don't hit this button you won't get a key (this is a security mechanism y'see).
There we are then, done for another month. So long, farewell, and see you on the flip x
pantaloon.