As Spring arrives, the variety of games coming our way is a true feast. From tales exploring grief and humanity, a touch of magic, the final chapter of an epic tale and a trip to the tennis court, April’s selection of games will have a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy.
Freedom Planet 2
The heroines of Avalice are back for another fast-paced adventure coming to consoles. Set three years after the fall of Lord Breton, Freedom Planet 2 begins with our heroines – Sash, Carol, Milla and Neera – enjoying a life of peace in Avalice. A peace which is quickly shattered by the arrival of a robotic army laying waste to the nation. Summoned by the Royal Magister, the group must find out who is behind all these attacks and how it ties to the destruction of the Kingdom Stone and the long-forgotten past of Avalice, as well as to one of your own party.
Players who pre-order will receive a discount on their purchase of the game.
Freedom Planet 2 will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch from April 4*
Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide
A new adventure awaits in this new addition to the world of Final Fantasy XVI. In The Rising Tide, players will follow Clive as he receives a mysterious letter, requesting the rescue of the Dominant of Leviathan – also known as Leviathan the Lost – the Eikon of Water. Setting out to Mysadia, a hidden land under a blue sky that had long passed from memory, Clive and his companions must travel deep into the land. On their way through the untouched lands, they uncover the history of a long-forgotten people who had once called Mysadia home.
Players will be able to purchase The Rising Tide as a stand-alone DLC or as part of the Expansion Pass. Included with the DLC shall also be a reimagined version of the Curtana signature weapon and two new orchestration rolls – “Torn From The Heavens” and “Through The Maelstrom”.
Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide will be available on PlayStation 5 from April 18*
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Discover what it means to be a hero in this new JRPG. Following the story of two people brought together by a twist of fate, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a contemporary take on a classic style. While out on an expedition to find a sought-after artefact, Seign Kesling – a gifted and young Imperial officer – meets and befriends Nowa, a boy from a remote village, on his travels. While their friendship starts well, the two soon find themselves in the throws of war as the leadership of the Galdean Empire grows more desperate to hold onto their power in Allraan.
Players who pre-order will receive an Early Bird pack with a bonus rune & accessory, along with a custom Flag object for their headquarters. The Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game, the Season Pass, a digital soundtrack, a digital artbook, the Early Journey pack – which includes HP recovery, revive and evacuation items – and a custom R&B Statue object for their headquarters. PS Plus members will also receive a 10% discount on their purchases.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC from April 23*
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Explore grief and loss through the eyes of a young shaman in this epic adventure. Inspired by Bantu cultures and director Abubakar Salim’s own experiences, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU follows the story of Zau. Reeling from the loss of his father, Zau strikes a bargain with the God of Death, Kalunga, for the spirits of three monsters in exchange for his father’s resurrection. With his father’s masks – one representing the Sun and one representing the Moon – Zau sets out on this journey to prove himself as a worthy Nganga (a spiritual healer) and a loving son fighting through his grief and trying to press on with his quests in the face of loss.
Players who pre-order will receive a 10% discount on their purchase, the Kalunga’s Blessing visual effect variant, two bonus Shaman points and the Soulshifters digital companion comic.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU will be available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC from April 23*
Stellar Blade
Fight to reclaim Earth in this futuristic hack-and-slash adventure. In the world of Stellar Blade, humanity has lost its home on Earth to the Naytiba – a race of alien invaders – and is now scattered in various Colonies. In one of these Colonies is Eve, a warrior determined to try and join the fight to reclaim Earth. Along with her squad, she lands on Earth and heads to Xion, the last remaining human city. Along the way, she encounters Adam, a survivor of the Naytiba war and her guide to finding Xion. Once there, the real fight begins to save humanity and reclaim the Earth once again.
Players who pre-order will unlock a bonus Planet diving suit, Classic Round glasses and Ear Armour earrings for EVE. The Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game, the Stargazer pack – which includes gear and clothes for Lily, Adam and the Drone and a special suit for EVE, Half-Rim glasses and Quadruple Rectangle earrings for EVE, 2000 SP exp and 5000 Gold to help players get started.
Stellar Blade will be available on PlayStation 5 from April 26*
TopSpin 2K25
Rackets at the ready as you step onto the tennis court for this year’s TopSpin. In TopSpin 2K25, players will be able to travel the world and play against some of the greatest players to ever grace the sport of tennis. Whether as an up-and-coming pro who is new to the circuit or going toe-to-toe with legends including Serena Williama and Roger Federer, the choice is up to you. Players will even have to the chance to pick up a trick or two from John McEnroe, who serves as the guide through the TopSpin Academy, where players can hone their skills before venturing out on their quest for Grand Slam glory.
Players who pre-order will receive the Under the Lights pack, which includes two alternate outfits, the Wilson Nightfall bundle and Night-time Majors. The Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game, the New Wave pack – which includes alt outfits for three players and the New Wave clothing set (glasses, top, bottoms, shoes & wrist bands) – and the Rookie Rise pack, which includes a MyPlayer accelerator and 1700 VC.
The Grand Slam Edition includes the game with three days of Early Access, all of the content in the Deluxe Edition, the Under the Lights pack, the Grand Slam Champions pack (which includes a Championship Racket & Serve) and the All Access Pass – which includes six Premium Centre Court passes and a four t-shirt set featuring the logos of the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, the US Open and Wimbledon.
TopSpin 2K25 will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC from April 26*
Free to Play
On PlayStation, players with any tier of PlayStation Plus subscription will have three titles to download and keep for free this month. From April 2* Skul: The Hero Slayer will be available for PS4, Immortals of Aveum will be available on PS5 and Minecraft Legends will be available on both PS4 and PS5.
Full information on the free games that will be available to Prime Gaming subscribers – including new titles on Amazon’s Luna cloud streaming service – along with drops for games such as Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Overwatch 2 and Madden NFL 24 can be found on the Prime Gaming website.
Also Released This Month
April 2* – Minishoot Adventures (PC)
April 3* – Deceit 2 (Xbox Series X/S, PS5), Planetiles (PC)
April 4* – Turbo Golf Racing (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Switch), The Gap (Switch)
April 5* – Biomorph (PC)
April 8* – Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (PC)
April 9* – Botany Manor (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC), Children of the Sun (PC), Gigantic: Rampage Edition (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC), Final Factory (PC), Pacific Drive: Deluxe Edition (PS5)
April 10* – House Flipper 2 (Xbox Series X/S, PS5), Inkbound (PC), Ereban: Shadow Legacy (PC), Turbo Kid (PC)
April 11* – Let’s Revolution! (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch), Goons: Legends & Mayhem (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Loretta (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch), Sophia the Traveler (Switch), Fallout S.P.E.C.I.A.L Anthology (PC)
April 12* – Mixture (PS VR2), The Talos Principle 2: Devolver Deluxe (PS5)
April 16* – Grounded (PS4, PS5, Switch), Planet of Lana (PS4, PS5, Switch), Harold Halibut (Xbox Series X/S), Europa (PC), BioGun (PC), Life Eater (PC), Whisker Waters (PS5, Switch, PC)
April 17* – Kingsgrave (PC)
April 18* – Sker Ritual (Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC), No Rest for the Wicked (PC – Early Access), Soul Covenant (PS5, PC)
April 19* – World War Z (Switch), Dragon Ball FighterZ (Xbox Series X/S, PS5), MADiSON: Cursed Edition (PS VR2)
April 23* – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Lunar Lander: Beyond (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Phantom Fury (PC)
April 25* – SaGa: Emerald Beyond (PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Another Crab’s Treasure (Switch), Railway Empire 2: Deluxe Edition (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Switch)
April 26* – Sand Land (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC), Manor Lords (PC – Early Access), Demon Slayer – Kimestsu no Yaiba – Sweep The Board! (Switch), Contra Operation Galuga (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Switch), HappyFunland (PS VR2)
April 28* – El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron HD Remaster (Switch)
April 30* – Braid: Anniversary Edition (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC), Sea of Thieves (PS5), The Curse of Grimsey Island (PC), The Lullaby of Life (PC)
*Dates refer to UK release only. International dates may vary. Information correct at the time of writing
Words by Megan Roxburgh
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