Keeping track of all the latest video games coming out is an increasingly complex task, what with multiple PC storefronts, Xbox One, PS4, Switch, mobile, and more to keep track of, but don’t worry, I’m here to help. Every month I'll be running down the games you need to be keeping an eye on, from the big triple-A headliners, to the indies you might otherwise overlook.
After a surprisingly-packed February and March, we get a bit of a breather in April, but there’s still some things to look forward to. Sony’s slick actioner Stellar Blade, the Akira-Toriyama-inspired Sand Land, and more are on the way. On the indie front, players can set their sights on Devolver’s latest joint Children of the Sun, the gorgeous stop-motion adventure game Harold Halibut, and more.
Note: While I may have played demos or got early access to some of the games recommended in this article, in most cases I’m simply choosing games that look promising, and can’t vouch for the end product. Do wait for reviews before buying!
That said, here are the games you should be looking out for in April…
The Headliners
Sand Land (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Apr. 26)
The recently-departed Akira Toriyama left behind a very rich gaming legacy with series like Dragon Quest and the many Dragon Ball adaptations, but this is the first time his lesser-known Sand Land series has been made into a game. An open-world action RPG with plenty of unique vehicles to command, Sand Land basically looks like Mad Max with an appealing anime twist. You can check out Wccftech’s hands-on impressions of the game here. You can pre-order Sand Land here.
Stellar Blade (PS5, Apr. 26)
Originally known as Project Eve, the Korean-developed actioner Stellar Blade has garnered attention for its impressive visuals and the fact that Sony is backing and publishing the project. Stellar Blade’s revealing (and uh, not terribly supportive) costumes have raised a few eyebrows, but the game’s combination of high-octane PlatinumGames-style stylish action and impressive tech is undeniably alluring. You can pre-order Stellar Blade here.
TopSpin 2K25 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Apr. 26)
The Top Spin games were a series of well-liked tennis games from the glory era of 2K Sports, but unfortunately, the franchise has laid dormant for more than a decade. Well, we’re hitting the court again this month with TopSpin 2K25. Mafia developer Hangar 13 is in charge, which makes sense as they absorbed 2K Czech, the previous developer of Top Spin. It remains to be seen if this is a successful revival, but tennis fans are hungry for pretty much anything at this point. You can pre-order TopSpin 2K25 here.
Promising Indies
Children of the Sun (PC, Apr. 9)
There are a lot of shooters out there, but when was the last time you played as… a bullet? That’s the high concept Children of the Sun, a stylish indie sniping game. You only have one bullet per level, and once you find the right vantage point to shoot it, you can manipulate its trajectory to take out multiple targets. This is the latest Devolver Digital publishing joint, so you know it will likely hit the mark. Here’s the Steam page for Children of the Sun.
Harold Halibut (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Apr. 16)
For a brief period in the 90s we had a spate of games like The Neverhood that used stop-motion-style visuals to impressive effect, but the trend eventually dried up, probably because stop-motion is such a labor-intensive thing. Well, new indie adventure Harold Halibut looks to bring stop-motion games back, and, in fact, take them to a new level. While older games in the style were simple claymation efforts, Harold Halibut looks more like a complex Henry Selick (Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline) production. Here’s the Steam page for Harold Halibut.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 & Switch, Apr. 23)
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a polished-looking new Metroidvania inspired by both African Bantu culture and the personal life of the game’s creative director Abubakar Salim (who also happens to be the voice of Bayek in the Assassin’s Creed games). This is the latest publishing effort by the EA Originals label, which has a very solid track record, so this ought to be a tale worth listening to. Here’s the Steam page for Tales of Kenzera: Zau.
Full List of Games Worth Watching in April:
- Astra: Knights of Veda (PC & mobile, Apr. 1)
- Saviorless (PC, PS5 & Switch, Apr. 2)
- Planetiles (PC, Apr. 3)
- Beat Slayer (PC, Apr. 4)
- Biomorph (PC, Apr. 5)
- Sons of Valhalla (PC, Apr. 5)
- Children of the Sun (PC, Apr. 9)
- Gigantic: Rampage Edition (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Apr. 9)
- Broken Roads (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Apr. 10)
- Turbo Kid (PC, Apr. 10)
- Anomaly Collapse (PC, Apr. 11)
- Harold Halibut (PC, Xbox Series X/S & PS5, Apr. 16)
- Ready, Steady, Ship! (PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Apr. 19)
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 & Switch, Apr. 23)
- Jawbreaker (PC, Apr. 23)
- Tales of Kenzera: Zau (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 & Switch, Apr. 23)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Apr. 23)
- Megaton Musashi: Wired (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 & Switch, Apr. 25)
- SaGa Emerald Beyond (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch & mobile, Apr. 25)
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Sweep the Board! (Switch, Apr. 26)
- Manor Lords (PC, Apr. 26)
- Sand Land (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Apr. 26)
- Stellar Blade (PS5, Apr. 26)
- TopSpin 2K25 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 & PS5, Apr. 26)
- Braid Anniversary Edition (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch & mobile, Apr. 30)
And those are the games you should be keeping an eye on this coming month. What games are you planning to pick up in April? Did I miss anything you’re looking forward to?
