Site icon The Avocado

New Game Releases 04/28/26 – 05/04/26

Andy Tuttle

Top Releases:

It’s a kinda/sorta big week for games. I’m not going to come out and say that Saros is the massive game that the entire gaming world has been waiting for with bated breath, but it is certainly one that many are looking forward to. This is the latest game from developer Housemarque, creators of the exceptional title Returnal, one of the first “must buy” PS5 games when it came out back in early 2021. Like Returnal, Saros‘ gameplay features rougelite elements, with players having to start their playthrough over upon death, but will maintain any resource progression they’ve made which should, in theory, allow them to move further in the game as their stats grow stronger. While not a sequel to Returnal, Saros is considered a “spiritual successor”, containing many of the same themes and ideas as its predecessor.

Saros (PS5) – Releases Apr. 30th

Developed by: Housemarque
Published by: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Up next we have Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, the second major expansion for the game, following 2024’s Vessel of Hatred. With the addition of a new region and two new playable classes (Paladin & Warlock), players should have a lot of content to sink their teeth into. Blizzard have also indicated that the end game is getting an overhaul, and that new crafted gear will be available from the Horadric Cube, if that means anything to you.

Developer Don’t Nod have a new action/narrative game this week called Aphelion. In it, players follow the story of two astronauts who have crash landed on a mysterious, frozen planet. There are, of course, many perils to be found here, with stealth mechanics being a large part of Aphelion’s gameplay.

Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred (PC/PS5/Series X|S) – Releases Apr. 28th

Developed by: Blizzard Team 3/Blizzard Albany
Published by: Blizzard Entertainment

Aphelion (PC/PS5/Series X|S) – Releases Apr. 28th

Developed by: Don’t Nod
Published by: Don’t Nod

Rounding things out, we have Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta, an updated version of Ys: Memories of Celceta, which came out on Vita in 2012 and PS4 in 2020. The game received glowing reviews when it was first released and is considered by some critics to be one of the greatest Vita titles of all-time. Lastly, we have Invincible Vs., a hyper-violent fighting game that is based on the hyper-violent animated series which is based on the hyper-violent comic book.

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta (Switch) – Releases Apr. 28th

Developed by: Nihon Falcom
Published by: Xseed Games

Invincible Vs. (PC/PS5/Series X|S) – Releases Apr. 30th

Developed by: Quarter Up
Published by: Skybound Games

Everything else:

Notable Releases from 10, 20, and 30 (and sometimes 40) years ago:

Games:

In notable games, 2016 gave us Battleborn, an always-online, live service hero shooter that also incorporated MOBA elements. Now, you might think that Battleborn was trying to be a rip-off of Blizzard’s massively popular Overwatch. Heck, that’s what I was getting ready to write about the game when I put it on my schedule. However, if you don’t remember, Battleborn came to the market first, it was just a case of a studio having a similar idea at the same time as another studio.

Battleborn came with a decent amount of hype, with developer Gearbox having built some strong goodwill with players after the success of Borderlands. While initial sales and player numbers were good, it did not last. When it came to critics, their reception was pretty quiet, with scores hitting average numbers, at best. With most critics having played Overwatch in its early release stages, along with the rest of the gaming world, their consensus was that players should wait for Overwatch.

While Gearbox would make a strong effort to keep Battleborn alive, releasing free content and eschewing the loot boxes that Overwatch shoved into everyone’s faces, it could not survive against Blizzard’s juggernaut of a title. By July of 2016, the concurrent player count had dwindled to about 1,000 on PC and, after a year, that number was down to about 100. In June of 2017, Gearbox introduced a “Free Trial” option that was, effectively, a free-to-play mode. By October of 2017, Battleborn would cease to receive any new content updates, eventually shutting down permanently on January 31st, 2021.

From 2006, we have the game Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War for PS2. Chronologically set before all of the other Ace Combat games, players would finally get to see the events of “The Belkan War”, a massive world conflict that was briefly mentioned in previous entries of the series. Gameplay did not differ much in Ace Combat Zero, continuing with the more arcade style of flying & combat, but did add a new feature called “Ace Style”, a reputation system that could drastically change the game’s story and how in-game characters respond to you, as well as which FMV sequences play over the course of the game.

Critics were mostly positive towards Ace Combat Zero, praising its graphics and (as always) tight gameplay mechanics. However, there were some complaints about the lack of originality, with very little changing between Zero and the series’ previous entry, Unsung War. Still, that did not stop the game from becoming a financial hit, nor did it slow down the progress of the series, as a PSP title would arrive a few months later, and a next-gen, Xbox 360 exclusive release just over a year later. Ace Combat is still going strong today with the latest entry, Ace Combat 8, set to arrive sometime in 2026. The rumor mill is abuzz, as well, saying that AC8 may contain am in-game port of Ace Combat Zero; so keep an eye out for that.

From 1996, we have the game Guardian Heroes for the Sega Saturn. This 2D beat-em-up was designed by the famed studio Treasure and was, at the time, a bit of a puzzle to some critics and players. With the arrival of 3D graphics, some critics and pundits questioned why Treasure would still release a game using…(GASP) 2D SPRITES…instead of making a sick ass, 3D game. Treasure’s response was, basically, “we make really good 2D games, so that’s what we did”.

Combining beat-em-up gameplay with RPG character progression, Guardian Heroes was, like many of Treasure’s games, a unique experience that played unlike almost any other title on the market. As such, the critical reception was very positive, with some reviews calling the game the next evolution of the beat-em-up genre. It wasn’t just the RPG elements that critics found exciting, but it was the multi-plane levels that got their attention as well, with players able to move between front, middle, and back layers. This added to the “next gen” feel of the game and gave it a higher sense of strategy and difficulty. Most of the negative feedback was for, of course, the “outdated” 2D graphics, while some critics felt that Guardian Heroes could get repetitive and stale after a while.

With the Saturn not being the hit that Sega wanted it to be, the amount of people who actually played Guardian Heroes at launch is likely low. However, word of mouth would help keep the game’s reputation high, long after the Saturn was retired. An Xbox 360 port in 2011, with updated graphics and controls, helped revive interest in the title. Among critics and fans, Guardian Heroes is often regarded as one of the greatest Sega Saturn games of all-time and often ranks amongst the greatest games that Treasure has ever produced.

From 1986, we have the release of Atari’s last entry in it’s VCS series, the Atari 7800. Released in May, the Atari 7800 was supposed to be a competitor to both the NES and Sega Master System. It would, however, fail to reach near the same level of success as those consoles, especially Nintendo’s runaway hit; for reference, the NES sold 61 million units, the Master System sold 18 million units, and the 7800 sold 3.75 million units. The 7800 was marketed with two distinct features, the first being that it had a built-in system to prohibit unlicensed games to play on it (a problem that plagued the 2600), and that it was able to play the entire 2600 library of games, making it the first home console with backwards compatibility.

The Atari 7800 launched with eight titles, all of which were arcade ports; Asteroids, Centipede, Dig Dug, Food Fight, Joust, Ms. Pac-Man, Robotron: 2084, and the pack-in title, Pole Position II. One of the other selling points of the 7800 was that its internal hardware was very similar to those of the arcade, meaning that its games were closer representations of what players would be used to, if they had played these same titles at their local coin-op. However, with Atari still licking its wounds after the video game crash of 1983, both in finances and reputation, the 7800 would fail to get much software support.

By the end of 1986, only two more games would arrive for the system, ports of Galaga and Xevious. Its first original game, Desert Falcon, wouldn’t arrive until 1988 and, even then, it was also available for the 2600 and 5200 VCS machines. The 7800’s only true exclusive titles wouldn’t hit the system until 1990, four years after release, and well beyond any hope of saving the console. On January 1st, 1992, the 7800, along with its VCS predecessors and 8-bit computer cousins, would be discontinued by Atari, who were hoping to find success with their CD based console, the Jaguar. Over the years, the 7800 has not received much love from the gaming community, though it has been re-released in various formats since 2004, typically as a plug & play deal or, as in 2024, when a new, re-worked model would arrive. Forgotten by time, the Atari 7800 was a final effort by Atari to re-engage with the 2D era of gaming, but it was too late.

Movies:

In notable films, 2016 saw the release of The Huntsman: Winter’s War a prequel/sequel to the 2012 film Snow White & the Huntsman. A troubled production from the get go, The Huntsman failed to retain one of its original cast members, Kristin Stewart, and went through multiple screenwriters and directors before it was finalized for filming. The Huntsman was eviscerated by critics, holding a 20% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and was a box office bomb, earning only $165 million on a budget of $115 million, which doesn’t include marketing costs. This was a significant drop in comparison to the first film, which earned nearly $400 million at the box office. Suffice to say, there were no further Huntsman films following Winter’s War.

From 2006, we have the movie United 93, a gripping, tense docudrama that recalls the events of United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11th, 2001. The film unfolds in real-time, in one of the most harrowing 111 minutes you will ever watch. I won’t go into the details of United Airlines Flight 93, you can look those up for yourself. What I’ll say is that, nearly five years after the events of 9/11, it was gut wrenching to watch and, almost 25 years later, it is still gut wrenching to watch.

United 93 was nominated for two Academy Awards, Best Editing and Best Directing (Paul Greengrass), but would lose both. The film, notably, did not cast any major movie stars, it did not try to be a flashy, big budget Hollywood production. It cast unknown actors, character actors and, in some cases, featured some of the real people involved in the day’s events, such as FAA Operations Manager, Ben Silney.

Some people felt like it was too early to start making movies about 9/11, the wounds were still fresh. However, United 93 is a breathtaking work of art that respects the passengers of that fated flight, and shows us just how strong the human will can be when faced with overwhelming adversity.

From 1996, we have the romantic comedy The Truth About Cats & Dogs, a modern retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac from the director of the cult classic Heathers. In the film, a veterinarian/radio host has a connection with a caller on her talk show and, feeling insecure about her looks, tells the caller that she looks like her beautiful next door neighbor. Through circumstances, the radio caller eventually meets the vet/DJ and her beautiful neighbor and, over the course of the film, the three of them will alternate between having feelings for each other both romantically and platonically.

While The Truth About Cats & Dogs may seem cliched and tired, the film resonated with critics and audiences, where it would become a modest hit in 1996. It would help turn comedian Janeane Garofalo into a reluctant star, and she would, in later years, come to loathe the role and the film, calling it corny, with particular ire directed at the film’s soundtrack, which she said made her want to puke. That’s cool.

From 1986, we have the massive blockbuster film, Top Gun. Easily one of the most well known and beloved movies of the 1980’s, Top Gun turned Tom Cruise from a supporting actor into one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. It’s funny, too, because as we discussed with last week’s film, Legend, Cruise’s career was not doing so hot, with Legend tanking at the box office. A few weeks later, however, and Top Gun would turn his fortunes around, earning $8 million on opening weekend on its way to a $176 million take in the US, and a whopping $358 million world wide. Adjusted for inflation, those numbers come out to $24 million, $530 million, and $1 billion. For context, the film’s 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, earned $1.5 billion, worldwide.

For those unaware, Top Gun tells the story of a group of Navy pilot trainees at the Top Gun flight program in San Diego, CA. It follows their trials and tribulations, giving a viewers a peek into their personal lives and the relationships they have with one another. It is, at its core, an All-American crowd pleaser of a film, with a killer soundtrack and one of the most likeable casts you’ll ever lay eyes on.

While the film was a hit with audiences, critics didn’t really care for it, with only 54% of critics giving a positive review. Some critics, and even the film’s two leads, Cruise and Val Kilmer, did not appreciate the celebration of war that the film espoused. To audiences, however, in Ronald Reagan’s America, Top Gun was the “return” to the celebration of “real military might” that was seen as missing since the Vietnam War. The Navy saw a raise in recruitments, following the release of the film, and continued to inspire young people to join the Navy and the Air Force for years to come.

At the Academy Awards, Top Gun would be nominated in four categories, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, and Best Song, where it would win for the hit “Take My Breath Away”. Performed by the new wave band Berlin, and written by Giorgio Moroder, the song was a massive hit, becoming a #1 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 (it would, strangely, not be nominated for a Grammy). While Top Gun’s celebration of American military might can be off putting, if you, like Cruise has suggested, look at the movie as a fairy tale, there is a lot to enjoy there.

Albums:

In notable albums, 2016 gave us the surprise release of Beyoncé’s album Lemonade. Hailed by critics as one of the best of 2016, Lemonade would kick start the trend of “shadow dropping”, in which artists will, without any kind of promotion or lead-up, release an album to the public. Lemonade would be nominated for three Grammy’s, winning Best Urban Contemporary Album, but would lose Album of the Year to Adele’s 25. Lemonade’s companion music videos would be nominated in the Best Music Film category (losing to Ron Howard’s film The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years).

From 2006, we have the album Eyes Open from the British indie rock band Snow Patrol. While it would do moderately well at release, the album’s second single, “Chasing Cars”, would help it build further buzz. However, the real catalyst for the song and the album’s meteoric rise was when it was used in the season finale of the ABC drama Grey’s Anatomy. From there, multiple other songs from the album would feature in later seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, as well as other mid 2000’s TV shows like Cold Case, ER, and Smallville.

While a big hit in the US, where it peaked at #25 on the Billboard Top 200, it would absolutely dominate in the UK, peaking at #1 on their charts and would become one of the country’s best selling albums of all-time. The success of Eyes Open has kept Snow Patrol alive and well these past twenty years, helping them to sustain a fruitful career.

From 1996, we have the album Crash from Dave Matthews Band, the mainstream breakthrough that featured the hit single “Crash Into Me”. While their 1994 debut Under the Table and Dreaming was a success, it was Crash that turned Dave Matthews Band into a household name, turning their front man into a warbly voiced mega star. The album would peak at #2 on the Billboard Top 200, ending the year at #26, and would go on to sell over 7 million copies in the US.

Crash would receive multiple Grammy nominations, three in 1997 for Best Rock Album and Best Rock Song, winning Best Rock Vocal Performance. In 1998, because the Grammy’s are weird, it would get two more nominations, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “Crash Into Me”.

Closing things out, from 1985, we have the album Raising Hell from the rap group Run-D.M.C. Noted by many music critics as one of the most important albums of all-time, Raising Hell is seen as the release that made hip-hop mainstream. While the first single, “My Adidas”, did well on the Billboard Hip-Hop charts, it was the follow-up, “Walk This Way”, that catapulted the album and the group into super stardom territory.

Peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Walk This Way” was Run-D.M.C.’s take on the Aerosmith song of the same name. It was, as some critics would argue, the first “Rap/Rock” song, which took samples from the original song and set it to hip-hop beats. A music video, featuring both Run-D.M.C. and Aerosmith interacting and performing with one another, got heavy airplay on MTV and not only made Run-D.M.C. into stars, but helped restart the career of Aerosmith, who were rapidly seeing their star power decline in the 1980’s.

By having Aerosmith in the video for “Walk This Way”, essentially collaborating with Run-D.M.C. on the track, it gave the rap group immediate credibility with both White audiences and rock fans. The hip-hop beats added to the song helped it sound new and relevant, giving it an appeal to both Black audiences and younger, more progressive listeners. “Walk This Way” was, in the end, a perfectly crafted song that could appeal to just about everyone.

The album’s next two singles, “You Be Illin” and “It’s Tricky”, also hit big on the Billboard Hot 100, helping to solidify Raising Hell as one of 1986’s most critically and financially successful albums. At the Grammy’s, Run-D.M.C. would become the first rap group to ever receive a nomination but, with no rap category available, they would get the nod for Best R&B Performance (losing to Prince & the Revolution).

By 1986, hip-hop was already on the rise and it would have, eventually, broken through to the mainstream. It was Run-D.M.C., though, with their rock & roll crossover that would finally give hip-hop the attention it deserved. Unfortunately, the group wouldn’t be able to mimic the success of “Walk This Way” on future albums and would find themselves pushed to the side as a new breed of hip-hop, angrier, grittier, more “real”, would take over in the 1990’s. The legacy that Run-D.M.C. left, though, is unmistakable. The proliferation of rap beats in rock music was a direct result of “Walk This Way”, and the embracing of hip-hop by White audiences was also a result of their collaboration with Aerosmith. Our world would be a different one without Raising Hell and “Walk This Way”.

Battleborn (PC/PS4/Xbox One) – Released May 3rd, 2016

Notable Film Release: The Huntsman: Winter’s War – Starring Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, Nick Frost, Sam Claflin, Rob Brydon, and Jessica Chastain
Click here to watch the trailer
Notable Album Release: Beyoncé – Lemonade
Click here to listen to the album

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (PS2) – Released Apr. 25th, 2006

Notable Film Release: United 93
Click here to watch the trailer
Notable Album Release: Snow Patrol – Eyes Open
Click here to listen to the album

Guardian Heroes (Saturn) – Released Apr. 24th, 1996

Notable Film Release: The Truth About Cats & Dogs – Starring Uma Thurman, Janeane Garofalo, Ben Chaplin, and Jamie Foxx
Click here to watch the trailer
Notable Album Release: Dave Matthews Band – Crash
Click here to listen to album

Atari 7800 w/Asteroids, Centipede, Dig Dug, Food Fight, Joust, Ms. Pac-Man, Pole Position II, and Robotron: 2084 – Released May 1986

Notable Film Release: Top Gun – Starring Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, and Tom Skerritt
Click here to watch the trailer
Notable Album Release: Run-D.M.C. – Raising Hell
Click here to listen to album

If you like what I’m doing here consider supporting me on Patreon. You can also find me on Blue Sky where I occasionally make jokes and talk about stuff I like. I used to eat a lot of corndogs but then I got Type-2 diabetes.

Exit mobile version