Following a slow couple of months, 2021's video game releases are starting to pick up in April. And, just like other months, Xbox Game Pass is proving why its considered one of the best deals in gaming by adding even more titles to its already impressive library. Last month, Game Pass made it clear what gamers can expect from Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, as a variety of great games joined the service.
This month, Game Pass is starting off strong with one of the biggest releases of the year so far being made available to subscribers from day one. It's also getting one of the biggest games ever made and smaller, compelling indie titles. Here's what you should know about April's Game Pass additions.
Outriders
Available now on Console
After impressing gamers with a promising demo in February, Outriders started April off strong when it launched on various platforms -- and Game Pass subscribers can play People Can Fly and Square Enix's new game without any additional fees. Outriders is set on an alien planet 30 years after an incident known as "The Anomaly." Following decades in cyrostasis, it's up to the Outriders to find any remaining survivors and take on the threats that destroy everything the humans create. With four classes and plenty of abilities, players can create custom characters to that suit their playstyle to take on this third-person shooter RPG.
Grand Theft Auto V
Coming to Console and Cloud on April 8
Widely considered one of the best video games ever made, Grand Theft Auto V needs no introduction. The open-world action-adventure game has become the gold standard for such titles, with most games that followed taking some influence from it. GTA V follows protagonists Trevor, Michael and Franklin, each of whom embodies a different experience and playstyle. While it's story delivers all the thrills and satire fans expect from GTA, perhaps the best part of the game is the amount of freedom it gives players to explore and play around in its world.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War
Coming to Console, Cloud and PC on April 8
This third-person tactical shooter is a spin-off of the the Sniper Elite series. Dead War is set in 1946, a year after Zombie Hitler was defeated and sent to Hell. However, the game sees the return of Hitler and his zombie hordes, meaning one to four players will have to fight through this new campaign to save the world from Armageddon. Zombie Army 4 features the solid gunplay of the Sniper Elite games, as well as various customization systems and weapons you can adjust to suit your playstyle.
Disneyland Adventures & Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure
Coming to Cloud on April 8
Originally released as Kinect games, Disneyland Adventures and Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure were remastered in 2017 to incorporate traditional controls. While these games are already available for Game Pass on Console and PC, they come to Cloud this month. Disneyland Adventures brings the magic of the Anaheim, California park to player's homes, allowing players to explore the park, meet the characters, play mini-games based on iconic attractions and find Hidden Mickeys.
Rush is a more traditional puzzle-platformer featuring worlds based on nine Pixar movies. Players can team up with characters from movies like Toy Story, The Incredibles, Up, Ratatouille and Cars to solve puzzles and complete different challenges.
NHL 21
Coming to Console through EA Play on April 12
The latest game in the long-running ice hockey simulation series, NHL 21 allows players to become a professional hockey players. Not only does the game feature the expected sports simulation gameplay, but the expanded Be a Pro mode allows players to customize a character and give them a career that spans from junior league prospect to star athlete, building a reputation both in and outside of the rink. NHL 21 also includes various multiplayer modes including World of Chel, Ones and Clubs.
Rain on Your Parade
Coming to Console, Cloud and PC on April 15
One great part of Game Pass is how it allows subscribers to access newly launched indie games that may otherwise fly under the radar. Rain of Your Parade is one of these. This colorful, cartoony game gives players control of an adorable cloud who just wants to wreak havoc and ruin peoples' days by appearing at the worst possible times and unleashing rain, thunder and lightning, snow and even explosive materials. This mischievous cloud will travel everywhere from weddings to supermarkets to military bases -- even causing trouble for the dinosaurs. For gamers who enjoy hilarious casual games like Untitled Goose Game and Donut County (which is already on Game Pass), Rain on Your Parade is definitely one to try.
Pathway
Coming to PC on April 15
This is a tactical roguelite that's all about exploring the wilderness in the 1930s, unraveling supernatural mysteries and taking out enemies in turn-based battles. Pathway provides Indiana Jones-style adventures on procedurally-generated maps with five different campaigns with their own events and decisions to make. Players will have to build teams of adventurers from a roster of 16 unlockable characters, each of whom comes with unique abilities and quirks. The game's art style combines classic 16-bit pixel art with modern lighting, creating an aesthetic that's both traditional and modern.
MLB The Show 21
Coming to Console and Cloud on April 20
Not only is MLB The Show 21 the first game in the Sony first-party-developed series to come to Xbox, but it'll also be available on Game Pass at launch, representing a huge shift for the industry as the major platform holders play nice with one another. This entry in baseball simulation game also introduces a ballpark creator for next-gen versions of the game, which allows players to customize the dimensions and scenery of their parks and share their creations online. MLB The Show 21 also features cross-platform compatibility, meaning players can connect with anyone regardless of what system they are playing on.
Phogs!
Coming to PC on April 22
The colorful puzzle adventure game Phogs! gives players control of a double-ended dogs linked by a stretchy belly. The duo must work their way through obstacles through dozens of levels set in worlds themed around food, sleep and play -- every dog's favorite things. Phogs! features single-player as well as local and online co-op, so you and a friend can put your heads together to solve the Phoggyverse's puzzles and uncover its secrets.
Second Extinction (Game Preview)
Coming to Console, Cloud and PC on April 28
After several months in early access on Steam, Second Extinction's preview is coming to Xbox and Game Pass this month. The game has teams of three face off against mutant dinosaurs unlike any that every really existed like electric raptors. Teams must try to reclaim the Earth from hoards of these war-hungry creatures on large-scale maps in different regions, with the threat increasing as the game goes on. Players will have to work together, combining their weapons, abilities and skills to defeat powerful foes.
Destroy All Humans!
Coming to Console, Cloud and PC on April 29
Last year's remake of the cult-classic action-adventure game updates the graphics and audio of the 2005 original while keeping its humor and gameplay intact. Destroy All Humans! follows Crypto-137, an alien who arrives on Earth in the 1950s looking to harvest human DNA and take down the U.S. government. Crypto has plenty of alien technology to use, plus superhuman skills that allow him to trick (and annihilate) any humans standing in his way.
Fable Anniversary & Fable III
Coming to Cloud on April 30
Closing out the month are two entries in this beloved RPG series coming to Cloud, perfect choices for those excited about the Fable revival announced last year. Fable Anniversary is the 2014 HD remaster of the original 2004 game, which updates the visuals and includes content from extended The Lost Chapters version. The game follows a hero living in the land of Albion, which the player's choices determining whether he becomes good or evil.
The most recent main series game, Fable III, will also come to Game Pass for Cloud. This one takes place 50 year after Fable II (which itself is set around 500 after the original) and follows the Royal Hero, the youngest child of the previous game's Hero of Bowerstone. This new hero must fight alongside his people against his own tyrannical brother for control of Albion -- while also defending the kingdom from another threat.
Leaving Soon
As with every month, there are games leaving Game Pass this month. On April 15, Deliver Us the Moon (Console and PC), Gato Roboto (Console and PC) and Wargroove (Console and PC) will leave. Then, on April 16, several EA Play sports games currently available on Console will exit: Madden 15, Madden 16, Madden 17, Madden 18, Madden 25, NHL 18 and NHL 19.
On April 30, Endless Legend (PC), For the King (Cloud, Console and PC), Fractured Minds (Cloud and Console), Levelhead (Cloud, Console and PC), Moving Out (Cloud, Console and PC) and Thumper (PC) will also leave the service. You still have some time to try these games out before they go, and you'll get a 20 percent membership discount (10 percent for EA digital purchases) if you decide to purchase them while they're still part of Game Pass.