Games of April 2020

Can you believe the year is now a quarter gone, the start of April means that three months of gaming have passed us and things can only get better from here on out. April is seeing the return of some major series with Resident Evil, Final Fantasy and Gears, but some lesser known ones are also making an appearance, so without further delay, here are some of the games you can enjoy this month.

At this point there should be very few people who do not know what Resident Evil is all about, Resident Evil 3 though, that is another story. As the last remaining numbered game to not get a release since the GameCube version, this entry in the long running series has oft been overlooked by fans of the series, due to its age.

Jill Valentine is one of the last remaining people in Raccoon City to witness the atrocities Umbrella performed. To stop her, Umbrella unleashes their ultimate secret weapon; Nemesis! Also includes Resident Evil Resistance, a new 1 vs 4 online multiplayer game set in the Resident Evil universe where four survivors face-off against a sinister Mastermind.

Perhaps the most sought after title this month, Final Fantasy VII Remake is the first part of a remake of the classic Final Fantasy VII, originally announced all the way back in 2015, at the PlayStation press conference at E3 2015, as someone who was in that space at the time, let me assure you the crowd loved it. There is a playable demo out, if you can’t want a little longer, but the game is set to blow your mind very soon.

The world is under the control of Shinra, a corporation controlling the planet's life force as mako energy. In the city of Midgar, Cloud Strife, former member of Shinra's elite SOLDIER unit now turned mercenary lends his aid to the Avalanche resistance group, unaware of the epic consequences that await him.

The first of two Aussie made games on this last, AFL Evolution 2 is the next entry in the long running AFL series of games form developer Wicked Witch. The game will take everything you liked about the previous entry, but add so much more to it, from a guernsey creator, to an all new commentator lineup featuring Anthony Hudson and Garry Lyon.

Pursue your goals with greater depth, now with improved draft, free agency and state leagues running simultaneously with the AFL. Plus, play head to head to make it to the top of the online leaderboard, or team up with your mates with connections of up to 8 consoles. This will be the first AFL game on Switch, but that is not coming until May.

With the state of the world right now, MotoGP 20 is your best way to experience the Moto Grand Prix and it has the great benefit of letting you actually sit down and enjoy it yourself. An all new AI system, revamped visuals across the board and more will aim to make this the best game that the developer Milestone has ever created, plus compete with legendary riders like Mick Doohan, Wayne Rainey, Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa

Awaiting you are even more realistic graphics, improved gameplay, a new way to experience the historic content and all the excitement of the 2020 season. Decide whether to join a 2020 season team and race together with the official riders or join a totally brand new team following your manager's advice. A complete entourage is ready to support you on path to the glory.

Trials of Mana is the 3D remake of the hit classic RPG released in 1995 as Seiken Densetsu 3, this daring tale of overcoming the tests of fate has been given new life! Experience the beloved adventure fully modernized with graphic improvements, character voiceover support, a remastered soundtrack and a new episode which you can experience after the ending, in addition to an ability system and a new class that reconstructs the character levelling system plus more active battles.

When the world was shrouded in darkness, the Goddess of Mana drew forth the Sword of Mana to smite the eight Benevodons, monsters of destruction. She sealed the horrors inside the eight Mana Stones, bringing the realm back from the brink. Weakened from rebuilding the world, the Goddess changed herself into a tree and fell into a deep sleep for many years. However, the forces of evil soon sought to free the Benevodons to gain control of the world. They started a terrible war to further their plot and destabilize the kingdoms. Peace was at an end. Mana itself began to disappear from the world and the Mana Tree started to wither...

The Predator’s mission is clear: The Hunt. Study the warriors in the jungle and choose the best of the best to engage. Dispatch your targets and collect trophies to display as tokens of each hunt. Do not let your prey escape. Failure is not an option. As a 4v1 game, if you are not the Predator, working together is critical to survive and hopefully win, but as the Predator, you want to dominate, how it plays out will be fun to see.

Predator: Hunting Grounds is an immersive asymmetrical shooter set in remote areas, where the Predator stalks the most challenging prey. Play as a member of an elite Fireteam and complete paramilitary operations before the Predator finds you. Or, play as the Predator to hunt the most worthy prey, choosing from your vast array of deadly alien tech to collect your trophies, one by one.

The second Aussie made title is all about the perils and pitfalls of moving house, or moving anything really, but as one of the Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technicians, or F.A.R.Ts, you’ll take on moving jobs all across the busy town of Packmore. Smooth Moves may not be the biggest moving company, but there’s no task too dangerous or strange for this busy team of go-getters. Grow your business to brave new heights, recruit colourful customizable characters, and save your town from furniture peril.

Enjoy the story mode solo as an independent contractor or team up with some friends. Up to four players can cozy up on the couch to argue over the best way to move a couch. Test your skills AND your friendship. Every moving company starts small, but as your reputation ranks up, so do your destinations. Move through sleepy suburbs, frenzied farms, haunted houses, virtual reality and lands beyond.

The game takes place in a fictionalised version of the Taishō period in 1940, where the World Luxuriant Opera Federation fights against those who threaten peace around the world. Naval captain Seijuro Kamiyama is transferred to Tokyo, where he must lead the struggling Imperial Combat Revue through a worldwide tournament of Combat Revues and fight the demons once again.

This is the sixth entry in the long running series, which now dates back to the Sega Saturn in 1996, and has seen entries appear on many platforms since then, including PlayStation 2 and Wii, but this is the first entry in 15 years. The game will feature action based combat, a first for the series, but the LIPS system will return, which is designed to allow you to grow your relationships with the characters you meet.

The final big game for the month, is a big one, not only is it the next entry in the popular Gears series, but it marks the debut of Gears in an all new genre, Tactics (I mean it is in the name). Gears Tactics is an XCOM-style turn-based tactical spin-off of the Gears of War franchise. It takes place 12 years before the first game and details the exploits of a squad trying to survive the opening days of the Locust Horde invasion.

Play as Gabe Diaz, recruiting, developing and commanding your squads on a desperate mission to hunt down the relentless and powerful leader of the Locust army: Ukkon, the mastermind monster who makes monsters. Against all odds and fighting for survival, outsmart your enemy in uniquely brutal, turn-based tactical combat.