From classic ports to procedurally generated horrors, there are many unique and exciting games to play this April! Curious about which titles you should pick up this month? Don’t worry – GGA has got you covered! Check out our team’s most anticipated video game picks for April below.
Star Wars: Republic Commando
If Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic helped define the RPG genre in video games, Star Wars: Republic Commando defined the tactical first-person shooter. The mid-2000s cult classic was initially released on the Xbox and PC by LucasArts (known today as “Lucasfilm Games”). Set during the infamous Clone Wars, the player leads a squad consisting of four elite clone troopers known as “clone commandos.” As Delta Squad, you and your fellow commandos will travel from Geonosis to Kashyyyk on missions that will decide the fate of entire battles for the Grand Army of the Republic. While the campaign is short and the graphics might not be terribly impressive in the era of the Xbox Series X/S, the modernized tactical controls and the sheer combat adrenaline cannot be overstated. If nothing else, the game is worth it for the epic soundtrack alone, filled with chest-thumping Mandalorian war chants like “Vode An” (“Brothers All”) and “Dha Werda Verda” (“Rage of the Shadow Warriors”).
Star Wars: Republic Commando was released on April 6, 2021, and is now available on the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
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Pac-Man 99
Everyone’s arcade favorite is back and on the Nintendo Switch! In Pac-Man 99, prepare to go head to head in an intense Pac-Man battle royale! As players take on the grid and escape the clutches of Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde, they’ll also have to outplay each other. Pac-Man 99 introduces new elements like Jammer Pac-Man and Ghost Trains. These features allow you to jam an opponent’s game or quickly gain ranks by chomping on multiple ghosts! Likewise, the game includes eight different preset strategies to pick from. If you are a fan of Tetris 99 like I am, then you’ll definitely want to pick up this title. I cannot wait to chase some ghosts, eat some power pellets, and take 1st place!
Pac-Man 99 was released on April 7, 20201 and is now available on the Nintendo Switch.
Before Your Eyes
I love games that really think outside the box, and GoodbyeWorld Games and Skybound Games’ Before Your Eyes is doing just that! It is an emotional first-person narrative adventure where you control the whole story and affect its outcome with just a blink of your eyes. The story begins after your death aboard the ship of a mythical Ferryman. To help you pass on, he needs to understand your life and sends you back to relive your most important memories. What really draws me into Before Your Eyes is that it uses your webcam to immerse you in the story by having you actually blink in real life to control the narrative’s flow. It will be fun to experience a game that incorporates more than just a mouse, keyboard, or controller. We couldn’t not put this on our most anticipated video games list for this month!
Before Your Eyes released on April 8, 2021, and is now available on PC through Steam.
SaGa Frontier Remaster
Everyone has that one game that puts them into a nostalgia coma. My game? SaGa Frontier, of course. The JRPG (Japanese role-playing game) was initially released in North America in 1998, and it owned my life for years. And just when I was thinking about dusting off my old copy, Square Enix announced that a remaster is on the way! This game will allow players to experience the seven original storylines plus a brand new one via the Free-Form Scenario System. Each of the eight characters has their own stories and goals while exploring the sci-fi fantasy universe known as “The Regions.” Players will delight in discovering unique worlds, technology, and magic. Reliving this game through new graphics and fully completed storylines puts SaGa Frontier Remastered not only one of my most anticipated video games for April but on the top of the list for my favorite game of the year!
SaGa Frontier Remastered releases on April 15, 2021, for PC through Steam, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android mobile devices.
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New Pokémon Snap
It’s time to grab your camera and get snappin’! If you grew up in the Nintendo 64 era (like myself), then New Pokémon Snap is a title you cannot miss this month! From what we’ve seen in the trailers, this title builds off of the gameplay of the classic Pokémon Snap – allowing gamers to photograph various Pokémon biomes and engage with wild Pokémon via food and music. With over 800+ official Pokémon out there, I cannot wait to discover which ones made it into this title. In addition to these elements, New Pokémon Snap introduces a few new features as well! Re-Snap allows players to edit and customize their favorite photos. And in Online mode, you can share your favorite snaps with Pokémon fans worldwide! If you are looking for a fun yet chill game to dive into this April, then be sure to pick up New Pokémon Snap!
New Pokémon Snap debuts on April 30, 2021, for the Nintendo Switch.
Returnal
Out of all PlayStation 5-exclusive launch titles, Returnal looks like the most ambitious yet. Returnal, a roguelike third-person shooter, follows an astronaut named Selene (played by Anne Beyer) who crash-lands on a dangerous alien planet known as Atropos. As if that were not frightening enough, Selene can come across locations and objects that appear to be from her memories back on Earth. The player and Selene discover that she is trapped in a time loop. Likewise, combat in Returnal is fast and frantic. If Selene dies, the game resurrects her and uses procedural generation to change the map’s entire configuration. Housemarque has managed to create a game with the spirit of classic arcade shooters, a deep investment in story and replayability, and next-gen graphics that bring Atropos to life in all its beauty and horror.
Returnal releases on April 30, 2021, for the PS5.
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Overall
There are so many fantastic games to pick and play this April! What are your most anticipated video games that you are looking forward to grabbing this month? Did they make it onto our list? Let us know in the comments below or on social media!
Additional Contributors: Julia Roth and Tyler Boyce
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