April 2024 will be remembered for many years to come. Not only did a lot of stand-out titles release this month but also Nintendo discontinued the online services for the 3DS and Wii U. On April 16th, Takek-Two Interactive announced that they were planning to reduce their workforce by 5% before the year was over and EVO Japan rounded out the month in Tokyo at the end of the month.
Industry-wise it was a pretty laid-back month all things considered but the end of online for Nintendo consoles is always something no Nintendo fan looks forward to. The Nintendo 3DS was home to plenty of amazing online Nintendo titles and fans of Pokemon X, Y, Sun, and Moon can no longer enjoy multiplayer in those games specifically. On the bright side, the month saw the release of some of the best games to come out in 2024 and luckily, we’re here to showcase some games that either went under everyone’s radar or just were plain forgotten about as the year went on.
These are the best games of April 2024, hands down.
Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide DLC
©Square Enix
- Released On: April 18, 2024
- Available On: Windows and PS5
- Metacritic Score: 78
- Metacritic User Score: 7.4
- All-Time Peak Steam Player Count: 27,313
- Average Steam Player Count: 2,217
Final Fantasy 16 is an Action RPG developed and published by the prolific game developer and publishing company, Square Enix. The Rising Tide was the final DLC to be released for the game and introduced a brand new map along with new quests, bosses, enemies, and new tools for the player to use. It truly feels like an expansion whereas the first DLC, Echoes of the Fallen is just a new super dungeon.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
©Cover Art for Tales of Kenzera: Zau - Original
- Released On: April 23, 2024
- Available On: Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S
- Metacritic Score: 76
- Metacritic User Score: 4.5
- All-Time Peak Steam Player Count: 232
- Average Steam Player Count: 6
When compared to other games on our Best of lists, Tales of Kenzera‘s stats may seem underwhelming. Unfortunately, this game was the victim of a hate raid where a bunch of gamers review-bombed it as some sort of political statement. The game isn’t perfect by any means however it tells a truly fresh feeling story and wasn’t afraid to where its culture and influences on its sleeve. If you’re looking for a truly fresh feeling Metroidvania then look no further than Tales of Kenzera: ZAU.
Another Crab’s Treasure
©Cover Art for Another Crab’s Treasure - Original
- Released On: April 25, 2024
- Available On: Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
- Metacritic Score: 78
- Metacritic User Score: 7.6
- All-Time Peak Steam Player Count: 4,692
- Average Steam Player Count: 210
April was the month of the indie game as it was chock-full of phenomenal independent releases. One of those was Another Crab’s Treasure a fresh take on the very popular Soulslike genre. The Souls genre is a bit oversaturated at this point but it’s games like this one that are actually trying to push the genre forward. The title is a nautical-themed action RPG where players control Kril, a hermit crab who loses his shell. Players can transform random objects found underwater into a new shell and depending on which shell is equipped you gain access to entirely new moves.
Stellar Blade
©SHIFTUP - Original
- Released On: April 26, 2024
- Available On: PlayStation 5
- Metacritic Score: 81
- Metacritic User Score: 9.2
Stellar Blade is one of the most underrated games of the decade. A beautiful game inspired by the works of Yoko Taro, this game deserves every amount of praise it receives. The worst thing about it is that it’s a PlayStation exclusive. In Stellar Blade, you follow the story of Eve as she explores a post-apocalyptic Earth. The game is an action-adventure game that could be classified as Soulslike however it does enough differently where it would make sense if you choose not to associate it with the title. If you own a PlayStation 5 then Stellar Blade is a must-play.
Dave The Diver
©Mint Rocket
- Released On: April 16, 2024
- Available On: PlayStation 4 and 5
- Metacritic Score: 90
- Metacritic User Score: 8.3
- All-Time Peak Steam Player Count: 98,281
- Average Steam Player Count: 4,280
Dave The Diver was released in June of 2023 however it came to modern PlayStation consoles in April 2024. In Dave The Diver, you control Dave and engage with two gameplay styles, diving into the sea or running a sushi restaurant. A simple gameplay loop that hides an extremely deep story underneath it all. This title is not only one of the best indie games of the year but one of the best indie games of all time.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©CheatCC/Jazz Stewart.