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After a blockbuster Q1 period of highly anticipated new releases, April feels like a good time to catch your breath when you look at what’s out this month. That’s not to say that it’s going to be an entirely chill month as there are some intriguing new titles to look forward to, but if you’re wanting to scratch a few games off of your backlog list, now is the time to get cracking. So what is on the horizon for April?
Metroidvania fans will be in their element with several games this month, ranging from a biological journey inside of a faithful pooch to an African odyssey to restore order to a world where the dead deserve to rest in piece. Then there’s Children of the Sun, a slick puzzle game where you have to figure out how to use a single bullet to strategically ventilate cultist heads. The late Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land is also being revived from a decades-long slumber as a fun-looking adventure game, and we’ll see you in court for a few rounds of tennis in TopSpin 2K25.
Lastly, PlayStation owners can look forward to two more games from Microsoft, as Obsidian’s Grounded and Rare’s Sea of Thieves will arrive on PS5 in April. As for May, next month has quite a few high-profile releases on the horizon, including the PC port of Ghost of Tsushima, Homeworld 3, and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.
For more in April, you can see the rest of the highlights below, and for a wider look at what’s still to come this year, you can check out the 2024 upcoming games schedule.
There are a lot of bullets in Minishoot Adventures, and you’ll be responsible for firing most of them! A top-down shooter with a cute aeshetic, you’ll take control of a swift spaceship and blast your way through intense boss battles. Set in a handcrafted world, the game features several difficulty options so you’ll be able to have a chill time or sweat bullets depending on which mode you choose. There’s a demo out now on Steam so you can give it a try before buying.
Metroidvania fans looking for a new entry in the genre and a plunge into squishy biological territory, your highly specific requests are being met this month. The first game embracing this direction is BioMorph, an adventure where you’ll become what you kill. Solve puzzles, conquer challenging platforming sections, and use the skills of vanquished creatures to gain strength in this dark world. But beware, because those same monsters you defeated can come back from the dead to menace you once more, armed with even more dangerous abilities for their rematch.
LoFi Girl the game? Spirit City: Lofi Sessions definitely draws plenty of inspiration from that beloved YouTube stream, but the game offers more than just chill vibes. You’ll be able to sit back, relax, and begin a journey of productivity, all while listening to a soothing lofi soundtrack.
Just how much damage can a single sniper round do? If you’re waging a one-woman war on cultists who murdered your parents and you’re able to magically ricochet that bullet through enemy grey matter, the answer is a lot. A tactical third-person puzzle-shooter, Children of the Sun challenges you to take down The Cult with style, precision, and speed as you unravel the dark truth about this mysterious order and make them pay for the horror they’ve inflicted on the world.
A slick throwback to yesteryear, Slave Zero X slashes its way onto Switch this month. Imagine the smooth animation of classic Guilty Gear titles, deep fighting game mechanics in a biopunk world, and challenging gauntlets of enemies to test your skills against, and you’ll have a good idea of what to expect from this slick action experience.
While Biomorph focuses on biological upgrades, BioGun takes a different approach in the metroidvania space. Join Bek on his journey to save the entire canine species from a virus leading to an extinction and explore a hand-drawn world of germs, cells, and winding passages from inside your faithful pooch. With an impressive arsenal of weapons, modifiable DNA to help you survive, and bosses inspired by real diseases, BioGun looks like a fascinating journey to save humanity’s best friends.
April is a big month for PlayStation gamers, as more of Microsoft’s award-winning games head to that platform. First up this month is Obsidian’s Grounded, where you’ll venture forth across a vast and beautiful world. Also, you’re the size of an ant, so you’ll need to find a way to thrive and survive against hordes of giant insects in your backyard.
A world untouched by technology quickly becomes a battlefield when mechanical monstrosities invade in Planet of Lana. This isn’t a game about war, but rather a story about people, nature, and the harmony between them as you search for a way to keep it that way. Unique companion-based gameplay, clever puzzles, and stealth sections combine to create an awe-inspiring story that stretches across galaxies and centuries in this scenic odyssey.
Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps developer Moon Studios makes its return this month with a new action-RPG experience. As Cerim, a member of a group of mystical holy warriors sworn to fight the scourge of the Pestilence, you’ll need to master your powers in a deadly conflict. But with political skullduggery behind the scenes, things are more complex than they seem. Like its Ori games, No Rest for the Wicked combines a striking painterly world with precision-based combat. Moon Studios has already mapped out what early access players can expect in the upcoming months, including multiplayer, a new area to explore, and more updates along the way.
A massive crowdfunded success on Kickstarter in 2020, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is finally ready to roll out this month. Heavily inspired by JRPG classic Suikoden–the game is directed by Suikoden’s original writer and designer Yoshitaka Murayama–Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes tells the story of three heroes raising an army to help them save a wartorn world. While the turn-based combat doesn’t stray too far from the RPG template, a terrain mechanic adds an interesting twist to the formula and simplified large-scale army battles add some variety to the experience.
Sure, we’ve got two metroidvanias listed above, but April is going for the hat trick with Tales of Kenzera: Zau, the debut game from Surgent Studios. Tales of Kenzera checks the boxes for what looks like a fun metroidvania set in a mystical African world full of folklore, rhythmic combat, and fascinating environments to explore, but the game is also tackling heavy themes of grief and loss as you embark on a journey alongside Kalunga, the god of death.
A post-apocalyptic action-RPG from the mind of late Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, Sand Land revives the classic manga for a new generation on PC and console. Imagine Dune meets Mad Max with Toriyama-style art direction, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect from this colorful tale of survival in a harsh desert world. If you’re interested in a taste of what the game has to offer, a Sand Land demo is currently available.
Is Stellar Blade Sony’s Bayonetta? This new game from developer Shift Up certainly looks the part, as players will take control of Eve as she unleashes a stylish barrage of attacks on monsters that have turned Earth into an inhospitable wasteland. Out exclusively on PS5, Stellar Blade mixes over-the-top action inside of a highly detailed post-apocalyptic world.
After what feels like an eternity, 2K’s professional tennis series is back and with a new name. Now called TopSpin 2K25 and developed by 2K’s Hangar 13 studio, you can expect a serving of single-player and multiplayer modes, 24 professional tennis players, and 15 real-life venues. The game also has all four Grand Slam tournaments–the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open–and a MyPlayer element where you create your own tennis player and guide them from rookie sensation to living legend.
The final big game from Microsoft launching on PS5 this month is Sea of Thieves, Rare’s swashbuckling adventure. With years of tweaks, updates, and new content under its belt, PS5 owners will even be able to sail on stranger cross-play tides when the game launches as a digital-only title. One other unique advantage to Sea of Thieves on a Sony console? Full DualSense controller support, allowing for more nuanced haptic feedback in the game.