April was a fairly slow month for games.
In terms of big releases, at least. In terms of indie games and smaller titles, there were still a lot of games out of the door in April. And as such, it’s likely that you might have missed some of the best games from the last month. We’re here to help by rounding up some of the best games that quite possibly slipped under your radar in April. They’ve all been played by us, and so we can confirm first-hand that they’re all worth your time.
Our ‘Games You Might Have Missed’ monthly feature rounds up some of our favourite games released in the last month. But rather than focus on the big titles, we want to bring attention to the games that haven’t quite had the buzz that they deserve.
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Read on to see our picks of the best games you might have missed from April. Wondering what you might have missed last month? Read our March round-up here.
Kombinera
- Release date: 7th April
- Formats: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
We called Kombinera “one of the best puzzle games in years” in our review, and that surely counts for something. This puzzle game may be simple to get the basics of, but it’s actually deviously tricky once you get into it. Your goal is to get a number of balls to meet, but to do so you need to control all of them at the same time. With different obstacles blocking each of them, and traps laying in your way, you’ll need to make use of blocks in the environment to manipulate them all to safety.
With over 250 levels to make your way through, there’s hours upon hours of puzzling fun to be had here. If you enjoy a good head-scratcher, Kombinera isn’t to be missed.
Read our review of Kombinera
Road 96
- Release date: 14th April
- Formats: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
We guarantee that you won’t have played anything quite like Road 96 before. Set in a fictional country in the time of huge political upheaval, you take on the role of a teenager trying to flee the country by illegally crossing the border. But first, you’ve got 1,000-odd miles to travel to get there. And along the way you’ll meet a cast of colourful and varied characters, like the hilariously incompetent bandit duo, Stan and Mitch. Or Sonia, the insufferably patriotic news anchor. Sometimes meeting them may help or hinder you, and with choices to make along the way, the journey is yours to shape.
And once you get to the border… well, how you cross is up to you. Do you sneak into the back of a lorry? Do you run through the woods, hoping you can escape from the guards? Or do you risk your life on a perilous mountain top crossing? Ultimately, you’ll lead several teens to the border. They’re probably not all going to make it, but their success is up to you.
Read our review of Road 96
Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread
- Release date: 13th April
- Formats: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
For fans of metroidvanias, Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread is well worth your time. Playing as members of the titular Blast Brigade, you’ll make your way through a range of gorgeously-animated environments, taking down various enemies and ultimately thwarting Dr. Cread.
Its boss fights are tough as nails, however, so you’ll need a lot of patience to keep retrying and learning their patterns. It’s worth the gruel, though, because the rest of the game has a lot to offer. Unlocking new upgrades and taking control of new characters means being able to go back and explore new areas, and there’s plenty of useful treasure to be found along the way.
Read our review of Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread
Slipstream
- Release date: 7th April
- Formats: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
If you have fond memories of playing Outrun in your youth, then Slipstream is the game for you. Created by a solo developer, Slipstream is an utter delight to play. It really is like playing a game from the early 90s – only with a 60fps frame rate. What’s not to love?
You’ll need to master drifting and the game’s titular slipstream mechanic to truly shine as you make your way through its various game modes. Slipstreaming makes overtaking your competitors feel a little bit like an endless game of tug of war, while drifting around corners is thrilling – providing you get it just right. If you enjoy retro-styled racing games, then Slipstream is undoubtedly one of April’s best games you might have missed.
Read our review of Slipstream
Chinatown Detective Agency
- Release date: 7th April
- Formats: PC, Switch, Xbox One
If you like old-fashioned point and click games laced with mystery, then Chinatown Detective Agency should really be on your radar. You take on the role of Amira Darma, who has just set up her own Private Investigation firm in the heart of a neo-futuristic Chinatown. As the clients roll in, you’ll investigate a range of strange cases for them. The twist? You can’t always find the answers within the game.
What makes Chinatown Detective Agency unique is that it wants you to use your own research skills to solve cases. You might have to use Google to find out the author of a quote, for example. Or to find out about a country or city. It’s not always obvious what you’re supposed to be finding, so the more attention you pay to the small details, and the better your research skills, the more enjoyment you’ll get out of this. It’s truly something different, and one of the highlights of April 2022.
Read more about Chinatown Detective Agency
The Serpent Rogue
- Release date: 26th April
- Formats: PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch, PC
If you enjoy exploration, crafting and carving out your own journey, The Serpent Rogue is definitely one to add to your radar. It’s your job to roam a dangerous land filled with corrupted monsters. By mastering alchemy (and a bit of combat) you can hopefully defeat the danger the threatens the land – but it’s not going to be easy.
The Serpent Rogue encourages you to explore and forage as much as you can. Every item you can pick up may well be useful – but first you’ll need to examine it to learn its properties. Perhaps you can use it to craft a weapon, or as an ingredient in a new potion. You’ll need to be prepared, though, because the beasts roaming the land aren’t very friendly. At least not to start with – word has it, you can tame them. There’s a lot to love here, particularly for those who like to discover as they play. The Serpent Rogue is definitely one of the best games to come out of April 2022 that you might have missed.
Trolley Problem, Inc
- Release date: 21st April
- Formats: PC
How morally corrupt are you? Not very? Great – but Trolley Problem, Inc is going to make even the more virtuous of us feel like the devil incarnate. This thought-provoking game uses real-world philosophical questions to craft an experience like no other. Presented like a job training exercise, you’ll be asked to choose one of two answers for a number of scenarios. There are no right or wrong answers – but whatever you choose is going to leave you feeling rather bad about yourself.
Here’s the first one: There’s a train barrelling down a track. Do nothing, and it’s going to kill five people on the tracks, who can’t move. Do you leave it be, or do you pull a lever, changing the course of the train, but killing one person in the process? One life is better than five, right? But if you do nothing then it’s not your fault, is it? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Trolley Problem, Inc gets very dark – but its upbeat presentation, narration and quirky narrative will have you hooked.
Read our review of Trolley Problem, Inc
