1. From the Night King to a famous nuclear disaster
Turns out HBO makes shows other than Game of Thrones, and its new Chernobyl miniseries looks intense. It's a dramatization of the very real 1986 nuclear disaster in Russia and stars Mad Men's Jared Harris and Thor's Stellan Skarsgård. Now, you probably don't want to tune into this one if you're looking for slapstick shenanigans or hilarious one-liners, but it is shaping up to be Battle of Winterfell levels of tense. The worst part? History already spoiled this one, so you know it's not a happy ending.
What: Chernobyl: Miniseries
Where: HBO
When: May 6
2. Fight for a tabletop kingdom in PC RPG indie hit For the King, heading to consoles this week
Don’t get me wrong; the upcoming slate of RPGS, from Cyberpunk 2077 to The Elder Scrolls 6, looks amazing… but they also look all despairingly far away right now. Truth is, it’s going to be quite some time before we get to sink our teeth into a truly meaty adventure of The Witcher 3 proportions, but For the King - releasing on consoles after a successful PC launch last year - presents all the best elements of the genre distilled in miniature form. Inspired by the classic tabletop RPGs of old, your party of fantasy heroes in For the King must defend the realm in the wake of the king’s death, mainly by hacking and slashing all manner of monsters via the game’s strategically oriented turn-based combat. Delivered in a cutesy, hand-crafted aesthetic, and fully playable with friends in co-op mode, For the King has already received rave reviews on PC, making this a no-brainer for the console owner with an itch for fantasy capers.
What: For the King
Where: PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch
When: May 7
3. Daniel's powers are growing stronger in Life is Strange 2 - Episode 3
Telltale may be out of commission, but Dontnod Entertainment is keeping the dream of episodic adventure games alive with Life is Strange 2. Though we haven't been so thrilled with the setting and story so far, Sean and Daniel Diaz are great central characters, and we're eager to find out what becomes of them during their journey to Mexico. Episode 3, Wastelands, sees the brothers joining up with a collective of friendly hippies in the California wilderness, though they get roped into working at a sketchy compound. Even as Daniel continues to hone his powers, it seems like he could have another psychic outburst at any moment, and Episode 3 looks like it might be the tipping point.
What: Life Is Strange 2 - Episode 3
Where: PS4, Xbox One, PC
When: May 9
4. Endgame? What Endgame?
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D might have referenced the "snap" in Avengers: Infinity War in season 5, but it seems like season 6 is just deciding to skip right over the whole Thanos thing and pretend it - or Avengers: Endgame - never happened. Instead, it deals with the absence of Coulson and introduces some new characters like mercenary Izel and assassin Malachi. If the cancellation of all the Netflix Marvel shows has you nervous don't worry, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D season 7 has already been ordered and production began in February.
What: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 6
Where: ABC
When: May 10
5. Will Detective Pikachu be able to deliver the live-action Pokemon movie we've all craved since childhood?
No matter how long you've wanted to be the very best, the best there ever was, there has never been quite the live-action Pokemon movie that we've always wanted. Okay, okay so technically Detective Pikachu isn't your average Pokemon movie, but it is based on a game and does feature a wide variety of the pockets monsters we've come to know and love. Who knew Pikachu was so fuzzy, right? The trailers so far suggest it's going to be suitably adorable, but whether it'll scratch that live action itch is very much another matter. Thankfully, reviews are saying it's pretty good, and obviously, Ryan Reynolds and Pikachu are a match made in heaven. Us Poké fans are just going to have to see it for ourselves.
What: Detective Pikachu
Where: In a cinema near you
When: May 10
Release Radar picks the best games, movies and shows of the next seven days every Monday at 11am GMT.
