Incoming! Our 8 most anticipated iPhone, iPad, and Android games for May and beyond

As we reach the end of spring and move into summer, thoughts might turn to stepping away from games and out into the pollen-filled air.

Fortunately, with a bunch of fine-looking mobile games on the horizon, you can have your cake and eat it.

These eight games are set to surface over the coming weeks, and should provide a great deal of entertainment regardless of your proclivities.

Of course, thanks to the vagaries of game development, there's no guarantee that all of these games will make their way to the App Store and Google Play Store on the listed dates.

But there's bound to be something good to play next month. There always is.

Bridge Constructor Medieval
By Clockstone Studio - heading to iOS and Android on May 1st

The first Bridge Constructor managed to turn a fairly dry, realistic subject matter into an extremely compelling physics-puzzler.

This follow-up takes a step into slightly more fanciful territory. It's getting medieval on our collective asses.

We haven't seen any screenshots for this sequel yet, but developer Clockstone is promising siege levels that see your bridges being bombarded by enemy catapults. You'll also have to build bridges that collapse under the weight of enemy troops.

Botanicula
By Amanita Design - heading to iPad on May 1st; heading to Android later

The maker of the splendid Machinarium is back with another distinctive slice of point-and-click whimsy. Having debuted on PC and Mac two years ago, Botanicula is making its way to iPad and Android soon.

The game follows five curious botanical creatures on a journey to save the last seed from the tree they call home.

Besides a dark fairy tale art style that fits into the 'drop-dead gorgeous' category, expect yet more charming characterisation and world design from this talented team.

1849
By SomaSim - heading to iPad and Android on May 8th

We went hands-on with 1849 back in February and found it to be a welcome restructuring of the standard city builder genre to which we've all grown used.

Yes, it has that familiar isometric viewpoint and plenty of resources to mine, but it's got a far tighter and more structured approach to expanding your empire than the norm.

Plus, there's the fact that it's set during the California Gold Rush of the 19th century, which makes a change from the usual fantasy or medieval fare.

Kero Blaster
By Studio Pixel - heading to iPhone on May 11th

This is the next effort from Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya, the developer of the hugely influential indie platformer Cave Story. Kero Blaster is another action-platformer, but with an even more retro-tastic style.

From the screenshots, it looks like some long-lost NES or C64 classic. In motion, though, it's a fast-paced and fluid blaster with inventive weapons and screen-filling bosses. Oh, and it looks mighty tricky, too.

You play as a gun-toting anthropomorphic frog, out to save his girlfriend by making hordes of enemies eat electric death. YES.

Hellraid: The Escape
By Techland - heading to iPhone and iPad on May 15th

Well, this all looks very unpleasant... in a technically stunning kind of way.

Hellraid: The Escape has you entering hell through the time-honoured Catholic route of dying in some less-than-kosher way, then having the gall to scarper.

Cue a graphically lush first-person adventure-puzzler that ties in with forthcoming PC and console game Hellraid. It's going to be a premium purchase (remember those?) with no IAPs.

CastleStorm: Free to Siege
By Zen Studios - heading to Android and iOS this spring (Android beta open now)

You might know Zen Studios best for making excellent pinball simulators under the Zen Pinball moniker. Towards the end of last year, the developer turned its mad physics skills to more overtly video gamey matters in the excellent Vita strategy title CastleStorm.

Now, that particular game is heading to iOS and Android. We're stoked, despite the fact that CastleStorm: Free to Siege will be an F2P take on the original.

It's a fine mash-up of Angry Birds 2D bombardment physics and Swords and Soldiers-style strategising as you seek to bring your opponent's castle down around her ears.

Framed
By Loveshack - heading to iPhone and iPad in May or June

Another mention is warranted for Loveshack's intriguing-looking Framed. This ingenious little concoction has you shifting the panels of a stylish '50s noir-style graphic novel in order to change the course of the story.

Starting with the death or detention of the protagonist, you have to rearrange events for a more favourable outcome.

There are multiple solutions to each problem, and matters are complicated with the introduction of panels that you can spin around in 90-degree increments.

Warhammer 40,000: Carnage
By Roadhouse Interactive - heading to iOS and Android in May

Ah, another Warhammer game. Just what the world needs.

But, wait! Be still my beating cynicism. Warhammer 40,000: Carnage is different.

Rather than focus on the predictable strategy of previous games, Carnage puts you in the oversized boots of a solitary space marine, and tasks you with kicking Ork botty with boltguns, chainsaws, thunder hammers, and other unpleasant-sounding tools.

There'll be a crafting and upgrading system, too, so it's not all mindless action.