April is a great month for gamers with at least one major release from each First Party publisher. Xbox fans will be happy to know that Quantum Break will finally release, PlayStation fans will be nostalgic with the remastered Ratchet & Clank whilst Nintendo fans will be happy that they have a reason to turn on their Wii U with Star Fox Zero. Read about what the team is most looking forward to below.[divider] [/divider]
Ratchet and Clank – Join me as I travel back 14 years and introduce you to an 11 year old Jake who oozed cool with that one billabong shirt he’d always wear alongside the silver necklace that left green stains around his neck. Apart from this cool factor, this Jake is worth talking about because he was excited for one particular game, Ratchet & Clank. I may have changed a bit over the last 14 years (thank goodness!), but my excitement for Ratchet & Clank has not.
The remake has me so keen to not only take control of everyone’s favourite Lombax and tin-can side kick, but also to see how they have reimagined this franchise for next-gen. From what I’ve seen from the trailers, the entertaining storyline (with a different take) is still there with the classic humour that had many a gamer chuckling in the original and the gameplay looks not only beautiful, but also comfortably familiar with enough new, shiny things too! The fact that shortly after this game’s release, the Ratchet & Clank movie is also hitting fans right in the face is just another reason to high five your younger self and try harder to convince your parents you have actually grown up.[divider] [/divider]
Alientation – It’s a good month; there’s a lot on offer. One you’d be mistaken to overlook Alienation however, developed by the rather prolific Housemarque. You may remember Resogun, the cyclidrical-shooter (for lack of a better term) that was released for free around the launch of the PS4, or Dead Nation back in 2010. Housemarque are well regarded for their tight gameplay mechanics and addictive arcade formula. Each time they reinvent themselves and take on a slightly different style, making me eager to play their next title.[divider] [/divider]
Dark Souls III – I’m a fan of tight combat systems, deep lore and terrifying and hugely immersive environments, so it makes sense that Dark Souls 3 is not only my pick of April but my second most anticipated game of the year. I cannot wait to see what Miyazaki and co have dug up for this instalment and given the strength of Bloodborne, it can only be spectacular. Expect another few hundred hours of amazing combat, huge worlds and a tonne of backstory to uncover. Praise the sun![divider] [/divider]
Ratchet and Clank – Like any sane PlayStation enthusiast I did have my heart and soul set on Uncharted this month but low and behold another delay. So I will go with my back up Ratchet and Clank. While I am more interested in the movie that is releasing about the same time. I am none the less eager to dive into some intergalactic space action as I rail grind, groovitron blast and beat guys up with a ratchet![divider] [/divider]
Dark Souls III – There’s a fine line between pleasure and pain… and the Souls series has walked this for so long. After kinda missing 2 and Bloodborne, I think I’m ready to jump back into the world of ducking, rolling and swinging – and with improved gameplay and combat mechanics, along with a deep and immersive lore, Dark Souls III is shaping up to be an amazing game set to etch the words “You Died” in my brain all over again.[divider] [/divider]
Quantum Break – Alan Wake was one of the most memorable games of the last generation. It’s inspired and unique gameplay kept me captivated from beginning to end. As soon as Remedy announced Quantum Break I felt extremely excited for the game. Once it again it appeard that Remedy were trying to innovate with both story-telling and gameplay and it appears that it’s not going to disapoint.[divider] [/divider]
Ratchet and Clank – So, this has been a seemingly popular title this month for the staff, but it’s pretty much impossible to deny the amount of excitement behind this reimagining of the original Ratchet & Clank game. Bundled with the fact that we’re getting a movie around the same date, the franchise is getting the attention it deserves from the PlayStation brand.[divider] [/divider]
Quantum Break – Quantum Break piqued my interest back in 2013 when its first trailer was revealed. I mean, who doesn’t want to be able to manipulate time? As a fan of Remedy’s Alan Wake, I have high hopes that Quantum Break will deliver an immersive, story driven experience like its predecessor. It boasts a great cast of actors, and I’m really curious to see how the live-action in-game show ties in with the rest of the story. Honestly, the more details I hear about the game, the more excited I am to play it![divider] [/divider]
Star Fox ZERO – Star Fox Zero has been a weird game. At first I thought it was a weird tech demo for the GamePad. Then it was a game. Then it was being developed by Platinum Games, but it looked kind of average. But now, for some bizarre reason, I have faith that Star Fox Zero is going to be good. But why am I looking forward to it this month? It’s simple – there’s not many other games coming out like this. You’ve got the classic Star Fox gameplay but Platinum, never ones to settle for the standard, seem to be branching it out with what will hopefully be some fun and varied gameplay.[divider] [/divider]