March was jam packed with AAA I.P. Some of them were breath-taking, others were a major let down. The month of April is also filled with possibly amazing games to get you busy. However, this bunch is far smaller and seemingly more experimental.
The biggest game of the month is the first game of the month. The Persona series has been around for an extremely long time, by its cult following only launched into mainstream appeal within the last couple years. Persona 5, the sequel to 2008’s Persona 4 has finally graced North American and European PlayStation after releasing in Japan, September of last year. Persona 5 looks to bring back the traditional JRPG formula and could possibly be the best in the genre since Ni No Kuni. The game focusses on a group of teens who must use manifestations of their inner selves, known as persona’s, to defeat the dark forces of the adult while. While simultaneously trying to manage social relationships and get your homework done. Within Persona 5 you’ll spend hundreds of hours divided between balanced turn based combat and sim management of a teenagers day to day life. If you want to play possibly one of the most important Japanese games in years, get your hands on Persona 5 on April 4th.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lV-eaEKxjQ[/embedyt]
[gap height=”15″]
On April 11th you can get your hands on another long awaited game. In June of 2015 developer Playtonic Games raised £2.1 million through Kickstarter. These veterans of developer Rare’s N64 days used these funds to create what is unabashedly a spiritual successor to the iconic Banjoo Kazooie. Play as the dynamic duo of chameleon Yooka and his best friend Laylee the bat and traverse the modern day equivalent of traditional third person platforming levels from back in the day. This is the perfect game for fans of the genre to re-experience, while playing with their kids.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrME3Tzbfjo[/embedyt]
[gap height=”15″]
Later in the month we get our first taste of Marvel’s new video game universe, with the first episode of Telltale’s Guardians of the Galaxy. We’ve heard plenty of Marvel news in recent months. Capcom’s making Marvel vs Capcom Infinite, Insomniac is working on a Spiderman title and Crystal Dynamics is handling the reigns on an Avengers franchise. But Telltale are the first ones to get something out the door. Expect the traditional Guardians of the Galaxy humour, Telltale’s nail biting, decision making gameplay and an interesting almost Claymation looking art style. Plus in a recent trailer we learned that Thanos will be the big baddy in this one. Let’s hope the rest of the series releases soon after episode one on April 18th.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8nzuk-nwGY[/embedyt]
[gap height=”15″]
On April 25th hard-core Playstation fans will be getting their hands on an experimental piece from the minds of The Unfinished Swan. There isn’t much to say about What Remains of Edith Finch’s gameplay. Although it’ll be somewhat reminiscent of games like The Unfinished Swan, Firewatch and Gone Home, what truly matters is its story. Edith returns home looking for stories and mysteries, digging deeply into the pasts of her relatives, learning the secrets of the Finch household and discovering why she is the last surviving member of her family. This is a title for the most diehard Playstation fans, and for gamers looking to take a break from the Call of Duties and Assassin’s Creed’s of the world. They’re looking for a story, and they’re looking for art.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mrx1G26GTQ[/embedyt]
[gap height=”15″]
The final game we’re going to talk about this month is another relatively small indie title. Rise and Shine released on January 12th for Xbox One and Steam and during the month of April will also sneak onto the Playstation store. Rise and Shine has somewhat gone under the radar for many Playstation gamers and so I wanted to highlight it here. You play as a little boy named Rise, forced to take on the almighty power of his gun, Shine, in order to protect his once peaceful planet from the space grunts of Nexgen. This 2D shoot-em-up looks violent, hilarious and has a beautifully crafted cartoon art style. The game also seems to make many tongue and cheek references to video game culture, that players like me will surely get a chuckle out of.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6AOqzqjyDg[/embedyt]
[gap height=”15″]
So there you have it guys, the top games releasing in April served to you on a platter. For everything on Guardians of the Galaxy, Persona 5 and Rise and Shine, stay tuned to Thenerdstash.com.
