With the turning of the calendar page, we can finally - hopefully - say goodbye to winter. Sure, it's warmer in Antarctica than in New York right about now, but April is filled with a lot of great games, both big and small. They are certain to keep your mind off the miserable April showers.
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Blackrock Mountain: A Hearthstone Adventure (PC, iOS) - April 2 - the five wing, single player adventure for Blizzard's smash hit CCG finally arrives with 31 new fiery cards for you to unlock and add to your decks. Read up on what you can expect to find when you descend deep into World of Warcraft's most legendary quest hub.
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Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC) - April 2 - to the patient goes the spoils. The new version of From Software's punishingly hard action title comes with all three episodes of the Lost Crown DLC plus improved graphics. You've had a week and have already beaten Bloodborne, why not relive one of the new classics that made such a game happen?
Etrian Mystery Dungeon (3DS) - April 7 - the mashup roguelike RPG arrives featuring the best of each franchise: procedurally generated dungeons, a deep character customization system, wonderful combat and punishing (but always fair) difficulty. Full trailer here.
Bastion (PS4) - April 7 - one of the new classics (and the predecessor to the fabulous Transistor), the top down adventure game plays like Secret of Mana mashed with a Dante-esque amount of epic monologue. Defeating foes in the game is great, especially in the game's challenge stages, but the real joy of this game is listening to the game narrate almost everything you do.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3D (New Nintendo 3DS) - April 10 - the first exclusive for Nintendo's latest 'New Nintendo 3DS' system, the handheld port of the acclaimed Xenoblade Chronicles finally answers a question you've had on your mind since last November: who the heck is this Shulk guy? Find out in this epic sci-fi fueled RPG title.
Mortal Kombat X (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3) - April 14 - the greatest tournament in the history of history returns with what looks like its most bonecrunching, over the top entry ever. Nearly 30 characters - each with three separate move-sets - return to Outworld 25 years after the climactic events of Mortal Kombat 9. Oh, and they're bringing along both Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger, and a kick ass new multiplayer ranking system.
Grand Theft Auto V (PC) - April 14 - oft delayed, but if there is any game worth the wait, it has to be this one. Hopefully, not too much will be lost in translation and we'll be able to once again experience all the ridiculousness that made its console version one of the best games ever. Hopefully the load times for Grand Theft Online will be reduced, but either way, we're excited for this one.
Titan Souls (PC, PS4, PS Vita) - April 14 - the long awaited top-down 8 bit Dark Souls spiritual successor - with a little bit of Shadow of the Colossus and Zelda tossed in for good measure - finally launches. Players embark on an epic quest for "truth and glory" against a series of intense boss battles. The kicker? You only have a single arrow to use. We expect players to be finishing this game one handed while blindfolded within the week.
Shovel Knight (PS4, PS3, PS Vita) - April 21 - one of the very best entries in the burgeoning retro platformer genre, Shovel Knight made the list of our must haves for 2014 - no small feat, considering the pedigree last year brought to the table. The PlayStation port comes with the previously announced DLC, and all the many mysteries that the Code of Shovelry possesses.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles (Xbox One, PS4, PC) - April 22 - the first chapter of this just announced trilogy, 'China' parkours its way onto systems. The game may appear to be a step-backward towards its Prince of Persia days, but after the debacle that was Unity, it's actually the best move Ubisoft can make. The first installment takes you to the end of the Ming Dynasty in medieval China, where a female assassin must restore honor to the Brotherhood. Episodes in both India and Russia (right after the October Revolution) are scheduled for release as well. Pre-orders are available today. Check out the announcement trailer.
Forgotten Memories: Alternate Realities (Ios) - April 23 - the long in development horror title, announced when the App store was first introduced arrives with great anticipation. The Silent Hill-esque title has you searching for a missing girl and, as is expected, things start going wrong from almost the beginning. Five bucks nets you everything in the game, no in-app purchases required.
Broken Age, Act II (PC, Ios) - April 28 - we've had to wait over a year for the conclusion to Tim Schafer's latest title, and after that ending, you can be sure it was a long one. But, being Schafer, we're confident the wait will be worth it. The full game also comes to PS4 and PS Vita, with no pesky act breaks. If you haven't tried Broken Age yet, check out our retrospective on it and Schafer's career. It really is a truly great little gem of an adventure.
State of Decay: Year One Survival Edition (Xbox One) - April 28 - the popular last gen survival game finally comes to Xbox One along with all previously released DLC and updates, which should make for a smoother experience all around. However, it is missing the very fun co-op mode that was such a hit. So if playing with friends is your thing, you might want to hold off until the company gets its act together.
To say nothing of those little surprises that can creep up over the course of 30 days. May you find something to love this April, and we'll see you back here in May.
