After a surprisingly busy March with large-scale releases, April decided to treat players with understanding and slow down the gaming industry’s pipeline a bit. However, this does not mean that there are no releases this month that are definitely worth paying attention to. April is a time for new projects that promise interesting mechanics and original approaches to familiar genres — including the strange South of Midnight — as well as for updated versions of familiar hits — including the PC version of The Last of Us Part II Remastered and Days Gone: Remastered. The month of April is also rich thanks to Microsoft’s generosity, as previously exclusive for PC and Xbox Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Forza Horizon 5 will be coming to Sony’s platform.
Content
Genre: Adventure, Casual, Indi
Date: April 1
Platforms: PC, PS5
This indie game is not trying to be a big blockbuster, but it has every chance of falling into the «memorable» category. The project is being developed by a small Belgian studio Tolima, and one of its key features is the use of a watercolor visualization style. This is a warm story about friendship, in which you and a poor puppy you find travel through a musical forest, solve ancient riddles, find friends among the forest inhabitants and try to find your way home.
The game will offer smooth and unhurried gameplay reminiscent of classic platformers, but with elements of stealth, where not only speed but also attentiveness are important. For all its cute stylization, Koira has prepared dark and dangerous moments that will make the emotional bond between the protagonist and the little puppy even stronger.
Genre: Action-adventure, Survival horror
Date: April 3
Platforms: PC
Despite all the criticism of recent PlayStation-exclusive PC releases, this remaster is a big deal for PC players who have yet to experience the second chapter of this emotional post-apocalyptic story from Neil Druckman. The remaster will offer graphical improvements as well as new challenges for players, such as the «No Return» mode, where gamers will have to prove their gaming skills in a series of intense challenges. The updated version also includes a number of new additions and comments from the developers, which give a better understanding of the complexity of the game creation process.
Although The Last of Us Part II Remastered is primarily aimed at those who have not yet had the opportunity to experience the story of Ellie and Abby, the project may be an interesting opportunity for veterans of the series. They can get the highest quality technical recreation of the game’s world on PC.
Genre: Action-adventure
Date: April 8
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S
South of Midnight is an action-adventure game from Compulsion Games, known for such titles as Contrast and We Happy Few. The game features a unique combination of gameplay and atmosphere based on the folklore of the southern states of the United States.
The gameplay is focused on exploration, puzzle solving, and dynamic battles with mysterious creatures. The visual style of the game stands out from other representatives of the genre, and the technique of frame-by-frame animation is used to create cutscenes. The soundtrack, recorded in collaboration with musicians from the Southern states and a choir, promises to add even more authenticity to the atmosphere.
Preliminary reviews praise the unique world and depth of the story, although some mechanics need to be improved.
Genre: Action, Massively Multiplayer, Racing, Sports
Date: April 9
Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Closer to the middle of the month, we will see the sequel to the popular mountain bike travel simulator that has gained fame for its realistic physics and dynamic gameplay. In the sequel, subtitled Next, the focus will shift from motorcycles to snowboarding and mountain boarding.
When creating Descenders Next, the studio actively consulted with professional athletes in order to convey the physics of movements and features of traveling on different surfaces as accurately as possible. A special feature is a new track generation system that creates unique races every time. For fans of multiplayer, the developers have added the function of global competitions so that players can measure their strength not only at the local level but also in global rankings.
Genre: Adventure, Indie, Strategy
Date: April 10
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
An atmospheric indie game that combines puzzles and interactive narrative will invite players to a mysterious gloomy mansion that hides many secrets and riddles that need to be solved before the building changes its shape. The project features the concept of dynamic architecture: rooms change, passages disappear, and the space itself becomes part of the puzzle.
For the Dogubomb development studio, the Blue Prince — adventure will be their debut project. The sense of exploration here is similar to Return of the Obra Dinn, which is recognized in indie circles, but with a surrealist and reality-altering twist. The player gets a limited time to explore the mansion, and each new passage changes the location of rooms and interactive elements. This creates a «living house» effect that dictates the rules of the game.
Genre: Adventure
Date: April 15
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
The second episode of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will complete the story of four friends who, years later, are forced to return to the events of their youth, revealing old secrets. The game is a kind of ideological successor to Life is Strange and was created by the same Don’t Nod studio, known for its ability to work with emotional, cinematic plots.
In Tape 2, players will find new storylines and complex moral choices that affect the relationships between characters. The first episode was praised for its deep characterization and authentic recreation of the atmosphere of the 1990s. In the second episode, the developers promise more dynamic gameplay while maintaining the presence of interactive flashbacks and a mechanic that allows you to «rewind» memories for an alternative view of events.
If you have already had a chance to play the first episode, please share your impressions of the project in the comments.
Genre: Action-adventure, Stealth
Date: April 17
Platforms: PS5
The announcement of the release date of the PS5 version of the latest Indiana Jones adventures has caused a real stir among fans of the Japanese gaming platform. The game immediately topped the PlayStation Store charts, which only confirmed the fact that the rejection of permanent exclusivity of Microsoft projects is a positive change for players.
The developers from MachineGames actively consulted with archaeologists and historians to create the most believable world of 1937, full of ancient mysteries and real historical figures. During the development process, motion-capture technology was actively used to create realistic character movements that will allow players to feel like a part of their favorite franchise.
The Xbox and PC versions of the game have an average score of 86 out of 100 on Metacritic and OpenCritic review aggregators. Critics note that the game successfully captures the spirit of the original Indiana Jones movies, offering an exciting gameplay that combines exploration, puzzle solving, and dynamic action scenes.
The Premium Edition adds several exclusive bonuses, including The Order of Giants story expansion pack, which will be available after release, and early access to the game on April 15.
Genre: Action, RPG
Date: April 24
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
This turn-based RPG is set in a world where a sinister figure known as the «Artist» wipes out an entire generation of people every year, leaving only legends and fear behind. The player will take on the role of the leader of the last expedition to unravel the mystery of the Artist and put an end to this horrific cycle.
The visuals of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — is promising: Gothic style, gloomy Paris of an alternative reality and a high level of technical performance. The movie will also offer a unique «final disappearance» mechanic, when allies and enemies can be erased from reality, which makes you weigh every decision even more carefully.
The development is being done by Sandfall Interactive, for whom this project is their debut, but the team consists of industry veterans who have previously worked on Assassin’s Creed and Dragon Age. The game has already aroused interest among RPG fans, and if it fulfills its ambitious promises, it could become one of the biggest surprises of the year.
Genre: Action-adventure
Date: April 25
Platforms: PS5, PC
Although the remaster is far from what fans of the franchise expected, it is still a good opportunity to return to the atmospheric post-apocalyptic world of Oregon. In Days Gone Remastered, the developers focused not only on graphical improvements, but also on improving game mechanics. One of the main innovations is improved motorcycle control.
Attention was paid to the optimization and improvement of animation. The developers promised that thanks to new technologies involving the use of artificial intelligence, the enemies in the game will become even smarter and the battles will be more intense. In addition, the remaster will feature permanent death and Speedrun modes.
Who knows, perhaps good sales and positive reviews of the remaster will make Sony think about the prospect of creating a long-awaited full-fledged sequel to Deacon’s story.
Genre: Racing
Date: April 29
Platforms: PS5
At the end of the month, another large-scale Microsoft project — Forza Horizon 5 will continue the tradition of losing its exclusivity status. The PS5 version will have cross-platform multiplayer support at launch, and the premium edition will include all the content available on other platforms, including over 900 cars, more than 40 thematic updates, and two major add-ons — Rally Adventure and Hot Wheels. Along with the release, PS5 will also receive the free Horizon Realms update, which will offer players a selection of community-favorite Evolving Worlds and other surprises to enrich their gaming experience.
Not only does the release of Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation extend the reach of this popular game, but it also demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to a more open ecosystem where quality content is available to a wider audience regardless of platform. Forza Horizon 5 — is one of the best racing titles, offering a huge open world, realistic car physics, and dynamic weather changes that make every race unique and exciting.