April 2025's Freshest Games You Didn't Know You Needed

[Cover Picture - Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree]

April 2025 Game Releases That'll Surprise You (In the Best Way)

Spring Is Here—And So Are These Fresh New Games

April 2025 isn’t exactly bursting with big-budget blockbusters, but what it does bring is a super-stacked indie roster and a few long-awaited releases that more than make up for the lack of AAA. This is the kind of month where you’ll discover your next surprise obsession—whether it's a hand-drawn forest journey, a brutal platforming roguelike, or a JRPG dripping in personality.

From cozy adventures to brutal boss fights, April is all about variety. So if you’re looking to spice up your backlog, discover a hidden gem, or finally play that title you've been waiting on, here’s your list. Let’s dive into the 10 games we think you should absolutely have on your radar this month.

1. Koira – April 1

Platforms: PC, Switch

If Studio Ghibli made a cozy game, it’d probably feel a lot like Koira. This hand-drawn adventure kicks off the month with heart and soul, placing you in the shoes of a gentle forest wanderer who rescues a lost pup. But this isn’t just your average fetch quest—your new furry companion actually helps you solve ancient, musical puzzles and navigate an enchanted forest full of shadowy hunters, crumbling monuments, and snowy mountaintops.

What makes Koira stand out isn’t just the charming art style or whimsical environments—it’s how emotionally grounded the journey is. You’re not saving the world; you’re just trying to get home, and sometimes, that’s the most powerful kind of story. Perfect for fans of Ori, Gris, or Spiritfarer, this quiet gem is set to melt hearts and maybe even make a few eyes leak before the credits roll.

2. The Last of Us Part II: Remastered (PC) – April 3

Platform: PC

For PC players who’ve patiently waited through all the spoilers and discourse, The Last of Us Part II: Remastered is finally arriving—and it’s bringing more than just prettier textures. This version enhances the visuals with modern rendering techniques and integrates full DualSense controller support, so the feel of every bowstring pull and shotgun blast is more immersive than ever.

But this isn’t just a graphical touch-up. The remaster also includes Lost Levels, showcasing cut content from early development—perfect for story sleuths. Plus, there's No Return, a roguelike survival mode that adds brutal, randomized runs, each capped off with a boss fight. Every character has unique traits, offering wildly different playstyles with each attempt.

Even if you’ve played before, the new content—and the performance upgrades—make this remaster worth revisiting. And if this is your first time? Buckle up. You’re in for one of the most emotionally raw rides in gaming history.

3. Sand (Early Access) – April 3

Platform: PC

Imagine if Rust got lost in the desert, drank a gallon of diesel, and then decided it wanted to become a steampunk PvPvE adventure. That’s Sand in a nutshell. Dropping into Early Access on April 3rd, Sand throws you onto a post-apocalyptic desert planet with a twist—it’s pre-WWI alternate history, and the tech is gloriously chunky and industrial.

You and your crew command a Trampler, a massive, mech-style walker you build and customize with weaponry, survival gear, and loot storage. Your goal? Survive long enough to outwit rival crews, steal their resources, and become the kings of the wasteland. With vast dunes, wrecked towns, and mysterious relics to uncover, exploration is half the fun—until bullets start flying.

Think Sea of Thieves meets Mad Max, but with legs instead of sails. It's rough, wild, and full of potential. Definitely one for fans of chaotic team-based survival games who don’t mind getting a little sand in their circuits.

4. South of Midnight – April 8

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Deep in the haunted heart of the American South, something twisted is taking root. South of Midnight is one of April’s most unique titles—blending Southern Gothic storytelling, surreal magic, and action-platforming into one unforgettable experience. You play as Hazel, a young girl who discovers the supernatural after a hurricane decimates her hometown, revealing a world where reality and folklore blur.

Hazel wields a mysterious spellcasting ability called “weaving,” used to battle monstrous creatures and manipulate the environment. Picture Psychonauts meets Darksiders with a soulful, eerie twist. Whether you're solving environmental puzzles or fending off creatures born of myth and memory, the tone is consistently rich and strange in the best way.

Developed by Compulsion Games (We Happy Few), this one promises a narrative-heavy, deeply stylized journey that explores grief, survival, and transformation through magic and metaphor. If you love a game that walks a different path—South of Midnight is your next stop.

5. Descenders Next – April 9

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

Time to shred. Descenders Next is the adrenaline-fueled evolution of downhill sports games, mashing up the tricks and terrain of snowboarding and mountain boarding into one gravity-defying package. Whether you're carving fresh powder or bombing a grassy slope, the real fun lies in how you move—this game gives you total control over your rider’s momentum, tricks, and weight balance through a realistic physics system that rewards finesse over button-mashing.

You can go it solo, party up with friends, or join a massive online crowd for competitive challenges. There’s also a robust editor for crafting your own insane runs and showing off your skills to the community. It’s like SSX, Skate, and Trials had a high-speed baby—with a chill vibe and a killer sense of style.

Oh, and there’s a free demo already out. So if you’re even thinking about sending it off a cliff at 60mph... April 9th is your day to do it.

6. Crashlands 2 – April 10 (PC/Android), April 12 (iOS)

Platforms: PC, Android, iOS

Crashlands 2 is what happens when you blend chaotic survival crafting, quirky humor, and some of the most vibrant alien nonsense imaginable—and we mean that in the best way possible. You’re back as Flux Dabes, an intergalactic delivery trucker who’s now crash-landed (again) on a planet full of bizarre creatures, sassy NPCs, and totally unhinged ecological interactions.

This sequel goes harder than the original, expanding on combat, creature taming, and base building. Want to fight with traps and poison clouds? Go for it. Prefer crafting gadgets to win battles? That’s fair game too. You can build your cozy alien dream home, tame wildlife, and fish, all while fending off whatever cosmic weirdness this planet throws at you.

It’s goofy, creative, and gloriously chaotic—exactly the kind of colorful break from seriousness we all need sometimes. And yes, you can still punch things until they explode. Classic.

7. Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree – April 17

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

Dark, punishing, and beautifully bleak, Mandragora is a 2.5D action RPG that blends the exploration of a Metroidvania with the intensity of a Soulslike. Armed with a cursed witch lantern and a whole lot of attitude, you’ll hack, slash, and dodge your way through the nightmarish realm of Entropy—a decaying world overrun by monstrous forces.

Combat here isn’t button-mashing. You’ll manage stamina, time dodges, and make every attack count. It’s tough but fair, with multiple classes to master, deep progression systems, and environments that reward both skill and curiosity. You can craft weapons, unlock wild upgrades, and dive into New Game+ once you’ve had your ego shattered a few times.

If you like your fantasy games dark, skill-heavy, and just a little creepy, Mandragora is absolutely worth a look. Just don’t expect a casual stroll—this world bites back.

8. Bionic Bay – April 24

Platforms: PC, PS5

Bionic Bay might be the most intriguing platformer you’ll play this spring—if it doesn’t melt your brain first. Set in a weird biomechanical dystopia, you play as a lone scientist trying to escape a strange and deadly world where every piece of tech seems built to destroy you.

The real hook here is the game’s teleportation-swap mechanic. You don’t just jump—you swap places with objects in the environment, using momentum and physics to solve puzzles, evade death traps, or just pull off ridiculously cool platforming moments. The pixel art is stunning, the mood is heavy, and there’s even online speedrun leaderboards if you're the competitive type.

With customization, dark lore, and some truly mind-bending level design, Bionic Bay is shaping up to be a standout for fans of experimental platformers like Inside or Celeste—but weirder. Much weirder.

9. Expedition 33 – April 24

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

A mysterious goddess paints numbers that erase generations. You’re next. Expedition 33 drops you into a bleak, yet beautiful turn-based JRPG where your team must stop the Paintress before humanity disappears forever. If that premise didn’t grab you, the game’s combat system definitely will.

It’s a stylish mix of timing-based attacks and real-time dodges, where the most skilled players might never take a hit. Each character has their own unique playstyle—burst damage, elemental control, stance-switching buffs—it’s deep, layered, and incredibly satisfying. Add in branching skill trees, passive builds (via “Pictos”), and an emotionally weighty narrative backed by voice talent like Charlie Cox and Andy Serkis? Yeah, we’re paying attention.

Expedition 33 looks poised to fill the Lost Odyssey or Legend of Dragoon-shaped hole in your heart, but with fresh mechanics and bold ideas. Definitely one of the month’s biggest sleepers.

10. Tempest Rising – April 24

Platforms: PC

If your strategy heart still beats to the rhythm of Command & Conquer or StarCraft, then Tempest Rising is calling your name. This modern RTS revives classic base-building warfare with high-speed tactical battles and three asymmetric factions that all play wildly different from each other.

The Global Defense Forces bring sleek tech and mobile units, the Tempest Dynasty strike hard with brutal infantry and deploy-on-the-fly defenses, and a third faction is coming post-launch to shake up the meta. You’ll fight through two full campaigns and face off in skirmishes, custom matches, or ranked multiplayer.

It’s gritty, fast, and surprisingly polished—designed for RTS veterans and newcomers alike. And hey, there’s even a free demo on Steam if you want to test your micro-management skills early.

This one’s not just a nostalgia trip—it might be the new gold standard for modern strategy fans who’ve been starved for years.

A Month of Unexpected Gems

So there you have it—ten new games dropping in April 2025 that you should absolutely have on your radar. From pixel-perfect platformers to deep RPGs, from cozy canine adventures to tactical RTS mayhem, this month is shaping up to be a surprise hit for anyone willing to step outside the usual AAA fare.

Which game are you most hyped for? Whether it’s discovering a new indie passion project or diving back into an old favorite, this is the perfect time to game boldly and try something new.

Keep your backlog loaded and your hype levels maxed with more upcoming game breakdowns right here at Land of Geek Magazine!

‍#AprilGames2025 #IndieGameWatchlist #GamingNews #PCAndConsoleReleases #LandOfGeekApproved