With March now behind us, the year is already firing on all cylinders. Releases are coming in fast and the LifeIsXbox crew has spent the past few weeks putting together their personal top five picks for April, comparing notes and championing their favourites.
After plenty of lively discussion, we pulled everything together and created our overall top seven most anticipated games of the month. Here they are, listed in order of release:
The Occultist – April 8
The Occultist instantly grabbed our attention, especially since many of the LifeIsXbox crew are big horror fans. You play as Alan Rebels, a paranormal investigator searching for his missing father on the eerie, abandoned island of Godstone. The place is thick with atmosphere, filled with restless spirits and unsettling secrets that grow darker the deeper you explore. Using a mystical pendulum to interact with the supernatural, the game focuses on tension, exploration and slow-burn storytelling over combat. It’s shaping up to be a chilling, story-driven experience that several of us are already eager to dive into.
Samson – April 8
Samson is shaping up to be one of April’s standout releases, and a few of us at LifeIsXbox have had our eyes on it for a while now. He’s a hardened former enforcer and getaway driver, described as a debt-ridden loser returning to Tyndalston to pay off a massive debt from a failed heist. Samson leans into gritty, GTA-style street action with grounded combat, tense jobs and a city that pushes back at every turn. Several of us are excited to see how its mix of crime, consequence and open-city gameplay comes together once we finally get to play it.
REPLACED – April 14
REPLACED is easily our most eagerly anticipated release for April, and a lot of us at LifeIsXbox have been excited about it for a long time. You play as R.E.A.C.H., an AI trapped in a human body, exploring an alternate 1980s America scarred by nuclear catastrophe. The cyberpunk style is incredibly strong, with cinematic 2.5D platforming, fluid movement and fast, responsive combat that blends melee and ranged attacks. The world oozes atmosphere, from neon alleys to crumbling districts and the story digs into identity, control and corruption. Several of us are especially drawn to its stunning pixel art and moody synth soundtrack, and we cannot wait to finally dive in.
Mouse P.I. For Hire – April 16
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire grabs you instantly with its black and white, hand‑drawn rubber hose animation that looks like a 1930s cartoon brought to life. The way that vintage style clashes with fast, boomer‑shooter gunplay gives it a really unique energy. You play as Jack Pepper, a war hero turned private investigator, as a simple case spirals into gangs, corruption and full cartoon chaos. The mix of noir storytelling, big band jazz and over‑the‑top weapons makes this one stand out and we are eager to tear through Mouseburg when it launches.
PRAGMATA – April 17
PRAGMATA is one of the most intriguing April releases, with its cold, lunar sci‑fi setting grabbing our attention right away. You play as Hugh, working alongside the android Diana as the two navigate a frozen research station filled with danger, puzzles and a clever hacking twist. The mix of third‑person action, eerie isolation and high‑tech abilities gives PRAGMATA a distinct feel. Some of us who played the Sketchbook demo were excited to see more, especially after getting a taste of its combat and traversal. We are curious to see how the full experience comes together when it lands later this month.
Vampire Crawlers – April 21
Vampire Crawlers is an upcoming April release that immediately stood out to us. It takes the snowballing chaos of Vampire Survivors and twists it into a fast, turn‑based deckbuilder where every card stacks into bigger and wilder combos. The Turboturn system keeps things snappy, letting you play tactically or blast through turns at full speed and the dungeons are packed with treasures, evolutions and plenty of ways to break the game. We are excited to see how ridiculous those world‑ending combos can get once it finally launches.
SAROS – April 30
SAROS is an upcoming sci‑fi action game where you play as Soltari Enforcer Arjun Devraj, sent to uncover what happened to a missing colony on the planet Carcosa. It mixes third‑person shooting with roguelike progression, letting you upgrade Devraj’s weapons and suit between runs. His Soltari Shield adds a great twist, absorbing enemy fire and turning that energy into powerful arm‑mounted attacks. As you explore, you piece together the colony’s fate through holographic echoes scattered across the planet.
With such varied tastes across the LifeIsXbox crew, narrowing things down was anything but simple. Plenty of other games came up during the selection process, each with strong support behind them. Here are a few titles that didn’t quite make our top seven:
- Narin: The Orange Room – April 7th
- Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss – April 16th
- Tides of Tomorrow – April 22nd
- Little Nightmares VR – April 24th
Avid gamer for over 30 years who lives and breathes Xbox, I enjoy talking video games and can often be found on X.
