This April, we have fewer major video game titles, but there’s a lot of hype behind the ones we do have. Several of these titles have been in development for years, making many gamers anxious for their releases. Others are remakes, or reimaginings of old, beloved classics.
For the rest? We’ve seen some pretty impressive trailers, but those can often hide a lot about a game. Are we looking at a cut scene or actual gameplay? We need to get our hands on the game itself, to determine if it lives up to expectations. Without that hands-on experience, it’s just hard to gauge if a game will be worth your time and cash.
Here is all your major video game news for April 2021; as per usual, we’ll start with the monthly free games for the major Xbox and PlayStation consoles, and will finish with new titles due to launch later this month.
Xbox Live Gold Free Games for April 2021
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Xbox One
Vikings: Wolves of Midgard (April 1-April 30)
This is a game where you create a Viking and explore an open world, snowy environment. Complete missions, collect your enemies’ blood, and sacrifice it to the gods.
Truck Racing Championship (April 16-May 15)
It’s exactly what it sounds like. Race one of 45 massive big rigs, and deal with the bizarre physics involved in steering, starting, and stopping a mechanical monstrosity.
Xbox 360 (backwards compatible)
Dark Void (April 1-April 15)
You star as a pilot who gets lost in the Bermuda Triangle and ends up in a battle against aliens. A jet pack and an emphasis on mid-air combat stand out.
Hard Corps: Uprising (April 16-April 30)
Run, Gun. Kill. Repeat. This is an entry from the Contra franchise, which exemplifies its brand of challenging gameplay. Play in traditional, Arcade Mode, or try Rising Mode, which allows you to save points and buy new upgrades for your character.
PlayStation Plus Free Games for April 2021
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Days Gone (April 6)
Due to a bumpy launch and an oversaturation of the market, this post-apocalyptic zombie game had a hard time getting off the ground. Now would be a great time to revisit it, since all of the problems have been patched or otherwise fixed in the time since.
Oddworld: Soulstorm (April 6)
This is the sixth Oddworld game in the franchise and the second game in the most recent reboot. It is a platformer with crafting elements, and you play as Abe, attempting to free his fellow Mudokans from slavery.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War (April 6)
Set after WWII during an alternate timeline, you continue your fight against the zombie Nazi soldiers that have infested Europe. Funny, bloody fun.
Google Stadia Free Games for April 2021
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Resident Evil 7 Biohazard Gold Edition (April 1)
If you missed the first-person rejuvenation of the Resident Evil franchise, now’s a great time to start. Explore the Baker house, or play the DLC which places you in the combat boots of Chris Redfield.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated (April 1)
The nostalgic remake of the 2003 Spongebob game is now on Stadia. Play as Spongebob, Patrick, or Sandy in this straightforward platformer.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA (April 1)
This is an action RPG where you shipwreck on Seiren Island, explore, and search for survivors.
PIKUNIKU (April 1)
In this puzzle adventure game, you play as Piku, who is feared by a village as a monster, but subsequently becomes its savior.
'Outriders' (April 1)
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In development for six years, Outriders is a third-person shooter with some distinctive RPG features. Depending on the class of character you choose, you can manipulate time, control fire, shake the earth, or use military tech. It is, broadly speaking, a science fiction story that takes place years into the future after the Earth has been devastated by climate change. But it has a lot of side-conversations and dialogue trees that serve to humanize this struggle.
'Stick Fight: The Game' (April 1)
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In the early days of the internet, there was a series of Flash animations that showed stick figures fighting using a variety of martial arts and Matrix moves. Flash forward, and that early viral video series is now a full-length video game. Released in 2017, it is now available on the Nintendo Switch.
'Star Wars: Republic Commando' (April 6)
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Considered one of the best Stars Wars games ever made, the original Republic Commando game was set during the Clone Wars. You played as an elite clone army commando who ran a special ops team. The newest game is an enhanced port and will be available on Switch and PS4.
'MLB The Show 21: Jackie Robinson Edition' (April 20)
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This will be the 16th entry to the MLB: The Show franchise. There’s a definite thrill to playing with the actual, on-roster talent instead of a bunch of nameless stand-ins. The new installment has a create-a-ballpark feature, and if you buy the Jackie Robinson special edition, $1 will be sent to the philanthropic Jackie Robinson Foundation.
'NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139' (April 23)
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This is an updated, enhanced version of the original NieR from 2010. You fight mysterious monsters called Shades on your way to finding a cure for the Black Scrawl. Considered a cult classic at the time of its release, this rediscovery will hopefully uncover a brand new, younger audience.
'Returnal' (April 30)
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In this sci-fi horror game you play Selene, who is trapped in a time loop. She crashes her ship, fights aliens, dies, and must do it all over again, and again, with her newly equipped knowledge. If you’re still addicted to Hades, this might be an interesting, scarier substitute.
'New Pokémon Snap' (April 30)
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A sequel to the 1999 Nintendo 64 classic, you play as a Pokémon photographer, who must visually document different Pokémon; think an on-the-rails shooter, but with much cuter targets and a lot more positive feedback.
