April 2014 New Video Game Release Dates
By PDG Staff
Welcome to the PunchDrunkGamer.com April 2014 New Video Game Release Guide!
Tuesday – April 1, 2014
MLB 14 The Show (PS3, PS Vita)
Become a part of Major League Baseball’s biggest moments. Welcome to The Show. The highest rated sports franchise over the last 8 years is back with new ways to play, more realistic gameplay physics and the most authentic MLB gameplay experience ever. From the booth to the field, MLB 14 The Show captures the most exciting moments in baseball. Welcome to the Show.
Key Features:
* Year-to-Year Saves – For the first time in franchise history, saves can be carried over from MLB 14 to future releases of The Show, meaning that gamers won’t have to worry about starting their Franchise or Road to the Show seasons over in years to come.
* Player Lock – The new Player Lock feature (a.k.a RTTS anywhere) gives users the ability to lock-on to any single player and enter games using the Road to the Show gameplay mechanic, allowing for faster games and more focused on-field action.
* Quick Counts – Users will now be able to play a full nine-inning game in less than 30 minutes, half the time it takes in previous iterations of The Show. Despite the shortened game durations, realistic stats will not be compromised.
* Universal Profile – A new tendency-tracking system monitors and records gamers’ unique playing styles. Those patterns are stored in the Universal Profile, which can be viewed by anyone looking to get a quick scouting report on the player. The Universal Profile can also be subbed in in place of a CPU opponent in Diamond Dynasty and Online Franchise, making for more realistic head-to-head matchups when schedules prevent synchronous play.
* Community Challenges – Players will be able to freely toy and tinker with game situations and scenarios on the fly, whether that’s the inning, score, who’s on base, or where the ball is hit. These custom situations can be bundled with a creative set of goals and put forth as a challenge to the community, whether it’s to relive the past, change history, or dream of new possibilities.
* Online Franchise – Finally, Franchise mode can be shared with friends online, with most of the features from the offline version making the transition, including Scouting, the Amateur Draft, Free Agency and CPU Trades. The mode will remain highly customizable as scheduling, divisions, postseason spots and more are all commissioner options.
* Stubs – Playing games in MLB 14 The Show rewards players with Stubs. Stubs can be used to purchase additional in-game content – like Road to the Show training points – or used in our new mode, Community Challenges. Stubs can be earned in any mode, and they are not required to progress through a mode. You can still purchase additional in-game content through the PlayStation Store.
* Diamond Dynasty Extra Innings – In this mode, a player’s team is always looking for opportunities to challenge other users in an offline setting, which allows the user to earn bonus rewards the next time they log in. When online, the player has the opportunity to challenge other user-created teams in an offline game where the CPU controls their team. Players can only benefit positively in this mode even if their team does not perform up to their normal standards.
Thursday – April 3, 2014
Call of Duty: Ghosts – Devastation DLC (Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Prepare for Devastation, the second DLC Pack for Call of Duty: Ghosts, featuring four unique multiplayer maps, an all-new tactical 2-in-1 Sub Machine Gun and Assault Rifle, and Episode 2: Mayday – the second installment in Extinction’s four-part episodic narrative.
Key Features:
* Behemoth – Location: Columbia – Situated on a massive excavation vehicle, Behemoth is a narrow multi-level map, giving players flanking opportunities with danger around every corner. Complete the map’s Field Order and take control of an attack helicopter able to rain down destruction from above with devastating grenade launchers.
* Ruins – Location: Mexico – A mountaintop Mayan ruin overrun by the jungle, Ruins’ skyline is dominated by an ominous volcano on the brink of eruption. This map blends the verticality of a dominant temple with tight subterranean sections.
* Unearthed – Location: Classified – Inspired by Dome, the fan-favorite map from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Unearthed drops players in the heart of an alien dig site. This small map asks players to navigate through Cryptid artifacts, a mix of high-tech HAZMAT facilities, scientific equipment and vehicles. Players skilled enough to complete Unearthed’s unique Field Order will be able to unleash three Cryptid alien creatures, delivering an explosive end to their foes.
* Collision – Location: New York, USA – The mangled remains of cargo ship crashed into a New York bridge, ripe with burnt out vehicles and shipping containers strewn across the deck, this map provides the ideal theatre for close-quarters combat. Unlock the map’s unique Killstreak by completing the Field Order, and use the full arsenal of an A-10 Warthog aircraft to strafe the full length of the map.
* Ripper 2-in-1 Sub Machine Gun & Assault Rifle – The Ripper is the ideal weapon companion for DEVASTATION’s mix of multiplayer maps. Providing players with two different configurations: medium to short-range capability as a Sub Machine-Gun (SMG), and medium to long-range as an Assault Rifle (AR). This unique 2-in-1 weapon has the ability to switch from SMG to AR and back again on the fly in the midst of battle, at the touch of a button, giving maximum flexibility to adjust to a variety of map types and tactics.
* Extinction Episode 2: Mayday – In Episode 2: Mayday, the Quick Reaction Force team is sent in to investigate a high-tech ghost ship adrift in the South Pacific. To deal with the insidious wall-crawling “Seeder” and skyscraper-sized monstrosity known as the “Kraken,” your team will need new tactics and new weapons.
Friday – April 4, 2014
The Elder Scrolls Online (PC, Mac)
Experience one connected world and stay up-to-date with everything your friends are doing in one of the most socially enabled games ever. Whether you play with your friends or adventure alone, the game’s innovative mouse-driven combat system allows you to focus on action and tactics, not the user interface. Use any weapon or armor at any time and customize your abilities to play the way you want as you uncover the mysteries of Tamriel and seek heroic quests on your own terms. Explore the far reaches of Skyrim, the mysterious lands of Morrowind, the sprawling metropolis of Daggerfall and beyond. The choices you make, from the alliance you join to the battles you fight, will shape your destiny and the world of Tamriel.
Key Features:
* The Elder Scrolls Online – After 20 years of best-selling, award-winning fantasy role-playing games, the Elder Scrolls series goes online like no massively multiplayer online game before it. Experience this epic adventure on your own or together with your friends, guild mates, and thousands of alliance members. Explore dangerous caves and dungeons, embark upon adventurous quests across Tamriel, and engage in massive player versus player battles, where the victors reap the spoils of war.
* Play the Way You Like – With an enhanced Elder Scrolls mouse-driven combat system, engage in real-time targeting and strategic attacks and blocks. Use any weapon or wear any armor at any time, no matter what type of character you play and develop your own style with deep character customization and abilities.
* A Connected Game World – With ESO’s shardless Megaserver technology you no longer choose a server, but instead play in one connected world. The game seamlessly integrates with the social media sites you already use to automatically place you with friends, guild mates, people you’ve encountered before, and other like-minded players. Simply jump in and begin your adventure.
* Your Quest to Save Tamriel – A stolen soul. An undead army rising. A quest to recover that which is uniquely yours. Explore the hidden secrets of Tamriel at your own pace using the game’s compass to guide you to areas of interest. Save the world from the evil machinations of the Daedric Prince Molag Bal and his henchman, the first necromancer, the Prince of Worms, Mannimarco.
Tuesday – April 8, 2014
Daylight (PS4, PC)
Waking up in an abandoned hospital with only your cell phone for illumination, you explore the institution’s dark criminal past as you attempt to escape. In Daylight no two experiences are the same, and it is best played alone in the dark. Daylight introduces gamers to a procedurally generated world that replicates the horrifying nature of Daylight over and over again, but creates a different environment for each new game. Each time the player begins a new game, they experience a new world with new content and encounters; from the layout of the building and the things they seek to the events they encounter, it is never the same experience twice.
Lego The Hobbit (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, Wii U, 3DS, PS Vita, PC)
From the makers of the immensely popular LEGO The Lord of the Rings, comes LEGO The Hobbit, inspired by the first two films in The Hobbit Trilogy: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and the upcoming The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM) as well as the collection of LEGO The Hobbit constructions sets. The interactive game of LEGO The Hobbit allows gamers to play along their favorite scenes from the films and follows the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins as he is recruited by the Wizard Gandalf to aid Thorin Oakenshield and his Company of Dwarves. Bilbo leaves the comforts of the Shire on a journey through Middle-earth to help the Dwarves reclaim their lost Kingdom of Erebor within the Lonely Mountain. Along the way, he is introduced to ravenous Trolls, dangerous Orcs and, of course, Gollum and his precious Ring. Players will utilize and combine the Dwarves’ unique abilities – often with hilarious results – to solve the most diverse Quests of any LEGO videogame to date.
Key Features:
* Explore Middle-earth and visit key locations from the films, including Bag End, and trek through the treacherous High Pass over The Misty Mountains, or discover the depths of Goblin Town, Mirkwood and Rivendell.
* Partake in Treasure Quests, mine for gems, discover loot from enemies, and craft powerful magical items or build immense new LEGO structures.
* Play as your favorite characters from The Hobbit films, including Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves: Thorin, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori and Ori. Each has his own special – and quite hilarious – ability. For example, Bombur can be used as a trampoline that enables his companions “belly-bounce” out of danger!
* Collect, combine and forge new items in the Blacksmith Shop using Mithril, the most precious metal in Middle-earth.
* Triumph in a game of riddles and learn to wield the power of The One Ring.
* Play with family and friends with easy access drop-in, drop-out gameplay option. (Available on console only.)
* Play with family and friends using wireless play. (3DS and Playstation Vita only and two copies of the game required.)
Monday – April 14, 2014
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PS4)
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) refurbished for PlayStation 4 that invites you to explore the realm of Eorzea with friends from around the world. Form a party and adventure with a multitude of players from across the globe. Forge friendships, mount chocobos, and board airships as you and your companions create your own unique stories in Eorzea. Set out alone or enlist the aid of friends as you undertake epic quests, battle familiar Final Fantasy monsters, and acquire unique abilities and equipment. All the classic elements from the series that you have come to know and love are waiting! Embark on the adventure of a lifetime to help reforge the fate of Eorzea!
Eorzea. A Land embraced by Gods and forged by Heroes. Seeking control of this realm and its abundant crystal resources, the Garlean Empire sends forth a massive host on a campaign to conquer its southern neighbor. Driven by madness, the commander of the invading forces silently plots to tear the moon from the heavens and hurl it down upon the land. The people of the realm soon learn of this foul scheme, and join their hands in prayer in an eleventh-hour attempt to entreat the aid of the gods, only to see their endeavors fail. From within the moon emerges Bahamut, an ancient terror seething with rage fueled by countless generations of imprisonment. Sensing the tug of Fate, a powerful magus channels the last of his strength to send Eorzea’s heroes into a temporal rift. There they wait, untouched by the flames of destruction, until they are needed again. Those heroes are you, and the hour of awakening is now. Come and witness a realm reborn.
Key Features:
* All the hallmarks of the Final Fantasy franchise, including an engaging storyline, genre-leading graphics, and HD real time cut scenes.
* Robust gameplay features such as player-run Free Companies, story-driven player-vs.-player content, and a unique summoning system, all designed to accommodate a dynamic player community.
* Incredible new graphics engine that delivers a high level of detail and quality on the PlayStation 4.
* A flexible class system that allows players to change to any of the eighteen different classes on the fly, simply by swapping their equipped weapon or tool.
* Breathtaking musical score by renowned Final Fantasy series composers.
Tuesday – April 15, 2014
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil (PS3, Xbox 360)
Experience all the Fun, Excitement, and Drama of Football’s Greatest Event. Multiple improvements and innovations to the award-winning gameplay of FIFA 14, plus 100 new animations, make EA SPORTS 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil the most accessible, fun, and exciting EA SPORTS FIFA title on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Bring to life the world’s greatest tournament by choosing from 203 National Teams in the deepest set of modes ever in a tournament title from EA SPORTS. Immerse yourself in the FIFA World Cup as you play in authentic Brazilian stadiums, and recognize the support of newly rendered crowds created to replicate the passion and pageantry of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
Key Features:
* Patriotic Presentation – Feel the support of a Nation with all-new crowd scenes including banners, flags, and seat cards in the stadium, and from Live City events in all corners of the World. Score a goal with England and hear from fans live in Trafalgar Square. Painted faces, patriotic outfits, and all-new crowd renderings bring the World Cup atmosphere to life. Stadium confetti, fireworks, and streamers contribute to the pomp and pageantry of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
* Unprecedented Depth and Authenticity – Bringing to life the world’s greatest sporting event by showcasing the world’s best footballers performing for their country, and delivering the most authentic and exhilarating presentation in the EA SPORTS FIFA series on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Capturing the storylines and drama of the 2014 FIFA World Cup through the deepest set of modes ever in a tournament title from EA SPORTS. In total, more than 10 Game Modes are available. Choose from 203 official national teams and play in all 12 authentic World Cup stadiums plus many more venues during the qualifying stages.
Tuesday – April 29, 2014
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, 3DS, PC)
What started out as the search for a killer very quickly becomes something so much more. In a unique story alongside the events of the second film, Spider-Man discovers he’s not the only one tracking down Manhattan’s criminals. The underworld has been turned upside down with a one man campaign of violence and murder that is has captured the city in an iron grip of fear. Villains from the film as well as fan-favorite, classic Marvel characters are woven together in a twisted web of adrenaline-fueled, freeroaming, web-slinging action that puts players on a collision course with an evil far beyond Spider-Man’s reckoning.
Key Features:
* Play as Peter Parker – Play as Spider-Man’s citizen alter-ego persona as you investigate the motivations of multifaceted villains.
* All-Star Villain Cast – Wide cast of Spider-Man universe and movie villains, each with their own unique boss battle encounters.
* All New Web Arsenal – New web-swing mechanic includes expanded web-shooter capabilities and chemical properties that allow you to freeze and blow up items on impact.
* Expansive NYC – Explore and take on villains in a more expansive Manhattan cityscape than the previous Amazing Spider-Man.
* New Heroism System – “Hero or Menace” system rewards you for acting as Spider-Man by stopping crime and saving citizens, but face the consequences if you don’t keep down crime rates.
* Advanced Combat & Upgrades – New abilities and expanded fast-paced, acrobatic combat moves bring players up close and personal as Spidey takes down foes.
**For a complete list of all April 2014 Video Game Releases – CLICK HERE!
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