No Rest For The Gamersome: Metro Last Light & ZenoClash II!

We're gradually heading into the slower part of the year when it comes to the gaming calendar, especially this year, with certain new hardware just around the corner.

However, not all is lost. First off, the indie scene is livelier than ever, with tons of great titles just waiting to release. Plus there's always mech addiction to fall back on.

Then, here are two games I personally am really psyched about. Both are slated for a May release, so there's not much longer to wait. And both have been PC-optimized, so while there will be exiting generation console versions, PC gamers should expect extra stuff, with visuals-as-intended for starters.

Metro: Last Light (May 17)

Is it just me or was it at some point supposed to be called Metro Last Night? Hard to believe it's been three years since Metro 2033, which if I remember correctly (and clearly my memory isn't the best...) was the first ever DX11 game. Metro: Last Light is the sequel, also based on the novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky. And no, it's not Metro 2034 or Metro 2036, just Metro: Last Light. True to form, 4A Games are promising their 4A Engine will pump out incredible DX11.1 graphics on PC, taking advantage of all the updates to the API Windows 8 brought over.

This looks like it will be much more evolved and interesting than Metro 2033, which was a competent shooter and a cool experience, but ultimately didn't make as much of an impact as expected.

We still play as Artyom, the character from 2033, and it's still post-nuke war Moscow, where survivors are making use of the subway system to eke out an existence despite constant attacks by mutated beasts and other hostile forces. This should be good.

Sadly, this game reminds us that publishers THQ are no longer with us. While they released Metro 2033, this time it's Deep Silver doing the publishing honors. We will remember THQ!

Metro Last Light images copyright 4A Games/Deep Silver

Zeno Clash II  (May 1)

The first Zeno Clash definitely takes the cake as one of the most blatantly wacky, weird, surreal, and creatively brazen games in recent years. With a tripped out story and a visual design straight out of someone's nightmare or fantasy world (or both), the 2009 first person brawler/shooter was memorable, to say the least.

Now ACE Team has a sequel for us, and judging by currently available materials, it will up the delicious oddball quotient and basically make everything bigger, bolder, and more perplexing. But rest assured it will be fun, because the first one managed to be extremely playable despite its eccentricities.

The same characters return, and the setting is identical, but we'll get new locations, a revamped game engine that will shine on PC, and multiplayer, which was not included in the first entry. Co-op has also been confirmed, as main character Ghat is still on the road with his sister Rimat.

If you're looking for something different but with the polish of a major release, Zeno Clash II should unarguably be on your pre-order list.

Zeno Clash II images copyright ACE Team/Atlus 

Do either of these games tickle your fancy as a gamer, or have you got your eyes on a different forth coming release? Let us know in the forums.