New Game Releases to Watch for in April 2021

The Biggest Game Releases and Updates of April 2021

With next-gen consoles and the latest PC builds at the top of their game, there is no question that this is an exceptionally exciting time for video game developers and publishers. Recognizing the excitement of the moment, and the increasing sales of the industry, developers are pumping out high-quality games like never before. April 2021 is set to be yet another exceptionally exciting month, with more fantastic games coming out. Here are ten of the biggest new games releases and updates coming out next month.

Outriders

The Co-Op RPG Shooter Goes From Demo to Full Release.

Release Date: April 1, 2021
Available Platforms: PS4/PS5, XBO/Series X/S, and Windows PC
Developer/Publisher: People Can Fly/Square Enix

Outriders is a third-person shooter game, with some functions of an RPG thrown in for good measure. In Outriders, you play as colonists on the planet Enoch. Having just survived the 83-year journey to the planet as refugees of Earth, your job is to clear a passageway for other settlers and remove the threat to the other colonists. Awakening 31 years after an attempt on your life, you must fight off the evil colonists and the planet's inhabitants in order to save humanity.

The game allows you to create and customize your own character, interact with NPCs, develop skill trees, and explore side quests. You can also play it single-player or co-op.

Star Wars Republic Commando

A Remake of a Classic Star Wars Shooter.

Release Date: April 6, 2021
Available Platforms: PS4 and Nintendo Switch
Developer/Publisher: Aspyr Media

Star Wars Republic Commando is the first remake on the list. The original game came out in 2005 and was a classic Star Wars shooter that took place during the Clone Wars or Episode II of the movie series.

You play as a member of Delta Squad, working for the Republic. The game is a first-person shooter and you play most of it via your HUD interface. As part of the game's new and improved capabilities, Republic Commando promises improved weapons and a vastly improved squad system, as you will have to direct your squad-mates to carry out your orders in order to succeed at missions.

Lost Words: Beyond The Page

A Beautiful Narrative Adventure.

Release Date: April 6, 2021
Available Platforms: PS4, XBO, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC
Developer/Publisher: Sketchbook Games and Fourth State/ Modus Games

Lost Words: Beyond The Page is a unique side-scroller where you play as the female-protagonist, Izzy. Izzy is writing a fantasy novel but also struggling with her own life. As such, you slide between Izzy's real-life struggles and the adventure she creates, exploring various fantasy worlds that mirror Izzy's challenges in the real world. There are obvious parallels between the two worlds, and your job is to navigate both in order to continue Izzy's development as a person and as a writer.

Oddworld: Soulstorm

Abe Returns in a Playstation 5 Exclusive.

Release Date: April 6, 2021
Available Platforms: PS5
Developer/Publisher: Oddworld Inhabitants

The Oddworld franchise is a classic, as is the protagonist, Abe, a strange, fish-like...thing. Anyway, in this game, Abe returns to save other members of his species from slave labor. The game is a side-scrolling shooter with elements of 3D in it, similar to previous iterations of this franchise. A game named Oddworld is basically required to have humor, and this game is no exception, as it is filled with weird content and quirky characters.

Like most platformers, Oddworld: Soulstorm will take a linear track. However, it also improves upon elements of the game that worked well in the past, including crafting and customizing your weapons. It also has a large training hub - a welcome break from the linear gameplay - that will allow you to unlock additional content and other areas.

Cozy Grove

An Animal Crossing-Inspired Camping Life-Sim.

Release Date: April 8, 2021
Available Platforms: PS4, XBO, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, and macOS
Developer/Publisher: Spry Fox

Cozy Grove is a life-simulation game that feels kind of like a haunted version of Animal Crossing. In the game, you settle on an empty island, and your goal is to turn it into a thriving home and village. However, you're not completely alone: Ghosts are also occupying the island. As such, you must not only build a variety of structures but go on what are basically side-quests to care for the spirits of the island and help to put them at peace. Cozy Grove also involves exploration and crafting.

NieR Replicant Ver 1.22474487139...

A Remastered Prequel of NieR:Automata.

Release Date: April 23, 2021
Available Platforms: PS4, XBO, Windows PC
Developer/Publisher: Toylogic/Square Enix

Replicant is the latest version of the story-rich RPG series, NieR, the last of which was the wildly popular NieR:Automata. It is also a remake of the popular Replicant game that came out in 2010. However, this version of the game was only released in Japan, so for fans of NieR in the west, this one is a big deal, as it will allow you to play a game that you may not have previously had access to.

This game is the first in the NieR series, and you play as the game's protagonist, attempting to find a cure for the black scrawl disease that has infected your family and threatens to wipe out humanity.

Secret Neighbor

A Popular Social Horror Game Expanding It's Platforms.

Release Date: April 29, 2021
Available Platforms: PS4 and iOS
Developer/Publisher: Dynamic Pixels/TinyBuild

The Hello Neighbour series proved itself to be wildly popular. In it, you attempt to solve the mystery of your creepy new neighbor. In Secret Neighbour, the premise is largely the same, but it's a multiplayer thriller. Your job is to play with friends and attempt to rescue your friend from the basement of the infamous neighbor. The challenge? One of the players is actually the Neighbour, and your job is to rescue your friend while also surviving the challenge. So, think Among Us meets Hello Neighbour.

Secret Neighbour is currently available on Xbox One and PC but is coming to PS4 and iOS in April (Switch release date TBC).

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids DLC

The First Major Expansion for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla.

Release Date: April 29, 2021 (DELAYED UNTIL MAY 13)
Available Platforms: PS4/PS5, XBO/Series X/S, Windows PC
Developer/Publisher: Ubisoft

This latest entry of the Assassin's Creed series is this DLC that will be available for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. In these adventures, you'll be facing off against an evil druidic cult, wondering the woods of Ireland. Like most DLCs, this version won't offer any new game systems or features. However, it will give you a variety of new content, new missions, and a gorgeous new locale. If you have a Season's Pass, this one will be available to you for free.

Returnal

A Promising Playstation 5 Roguelike Exclusive.

Release Date: April 30, 2021
Available Platforms: PS5
Developer/Publisher: Housemarque/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Returnal is a procedurally-generated, roguelike, psychological thriller. As Selene, you explore an alien world where you must attempt to escape. However, every time you die, you regenerate in a brand new environment. As a result, the landscape, your items, and your ability to survive all evolve. The game is designed for replayability, allowing you to explore different skill sets every time you play. As a PS5 exclusive, it also takes advantage of the haptic feedback of the PS5's DualSense controller.

New Pokemon Snap

A Remake of a Classic '90s Pokemon Hit.

Release Date: April 30, 2021
Available Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Developer/Publisher: BANDAI NAMCO/Nintendo

New Pokemon Snap, a Switch exclusive, allows you to travel the Pokemon islands of the Lental region, taking pictures of the various Pokemon you encounter and investigating the various odd phenomenon of the island as you explore it.

This game is a remake of the 1999 hit. It comes with improved graphics and gameplay, but thanks to vastly increased internet capabilities, it also comes with enhanced sharing and editing software. Indeed, the game bills itself as a full and true realization of the potential of the classic anime-style game from more than twenty years ago.