5 Best Games of April 2018, According to Metacritic

5) South Park: The Fractured But Whole (Switch) – Metacritic Score: 81

Best Metacritic Games in April 2018

Ubisoft’s South Park games are among the funniest games ever made, perfectly recreating the tone of the long running TV show. Last fall’s sequel to The Stick of Truth, The Fractured But Whole, finally made its way to Nintendo’s hybrid console in April so you can experience the superhero-focused story on the go. Just maybe hide the screen from the general public during some scenes.

The Fractured But Whole works well as both a turn-based RPG and a longer version of the TV show. The Coon and Friends are hilarious, yet the combat is tactical and well-designed. Mechanically, it’s a huge step forward from The Stick of Truth, and it does well to keep the setting fresh, even if it’s the town you now know well.

4) Yakuza 6: The Song of Life – Metacritic Score: 83

Best Metacritic Games in April 2018

The Yakuza series has been loved by hardcore fans for years, but the series has hit the mainstream since the western launch of Yakuza 0 in early 2017. Following Kazuma Kiryu once again, and his dealings with the Yakuza, The Song of Life is the conclusion to the story that 0 started. Fresh from a three-year prison sentence, Kiryu finds out that his surrogate daughter, Haruka, has gone missing and he returns to Kamurocho to find out what happened.

Much like the games that came before it, Yakuza 6 is a wonderful crime story, full of interesting characters and excellent performances. Kiryu is a character you truly care about and you want to spend as much time with him as possible. The conclusion makes him a more well-rounded character, even if he still spends a lot of his time shopping, or wasting time with all the mini-games that litter the world.

3) Owlboy (PS4/Xbox One) – Average Metacritic Score: 85

Best Metacritic Games in April 2018

Owlboy came to Nintendo Switch in February and, after an already long wait, PS4 and Xbox One owners have had to wait until April to play it. The game’s developer describes it as “a love letter to pixel art for a new audience, Owlboy is an open-world exploration game with a unique mix of flight and platforming.” The journey you go on is charming, and you’ll be able to explore to your heart’s content, and take on bosses in challenging fights.

The pixel art style is stunning throughout, and its story of heroism is compelling. It’s also quite a varied experience – one that introduces many unique gameplay elements, including satisfying platforming mechanics, and uses them well. Now that it’s not just on Switch, you will be able to see that it looks beautiful on a larger screen.

2) Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Xbox One) – Metacritic Score: 86

Best Metacritic Games in April 2018

Fresh from winning a load of awards after its PlayStation 4 launch last year, including many best performance gongs, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice has finally arrived on Xbox One. You play as the titular Senua as she travels into the mysterious viking heartland, but it’s not just the voices around her that cause her trouble. Voices swirl around inside her head, and much of the story is about her struggle to overcome them.

From a design point of view, Hellblade is phenomenal. It looks fantastic and the gameplay is fun and varied, but the sound is its unique selling point. With good pair of headphones, which are almost vital to the experience, it feels like the voices are in your head, pushing and pulling you in every direction. It makes the story of perseverance all the more powerful and any Xbox One owner should try it now that they can.

1) God of War – Metacritic Score: 94

Best Metacritic Games in April 2018

Change isn’t always a bad thing. And that cannot be more true for Sony Santa Monica’s God of War series. From a PlayStation 2 origin of slashing at Greek gods and shouting and anything that’ll listen, Kratos has grown into one of PlayStation’s best characters. The story of the new game follows our favorite god and his son Atreus as they travel to scatter their wife/mother’s ashes. Along the way, they grow closer, learning from each other how to be better and how they fit into the world they now inhabit. That perfectly paced tale is complemented by some memorable side characters and set-pieces any game would be proud of.

It’s the new combat system that’s the star, however. The new Leviathan Axe, which makes you feel like a true god, can rip through enemies and makes one of the most satisfying sounds you’re ever likely to hear. God of War has gone somewhere many never expected, and it may be the best exclusive the PlayStation 4 now has to offer.