8 new games you should know about in April

Every month, dozens of games are released. Who can keep up? Probably not you, what with your new baby kitten and that lucrative homemade candle business. So we're here to help!

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These are the games you should know about that are launching in April.

htc vive final consumer version
HTC
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"Dirt Rally"

Dirt Rally
Codemasters

You'll be totally unsurprised to learn that "Dirt Rally" is a racing game focused on rallycross racing. What that means is you'll be swerving through snow, sleet, sand and, yes, dirt in a kitted-out rally car: the Subaru WRXes and Lancer Evolutions of the world. The "Dirt" franchise is known for quality racing, and by all accounts "Dirt Rally" is one of the finest entries in the series to date.

Release date: April 5

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4 (PC version already available)

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The virtual reality headset from Valve and HTC, The HTC Vive!

HTC Vive Pre
Steven Tweedie / Business Insider

With the launch of the Oculus Rift from Facebook on March 28, the high-end VR race has officially begun. The next contestant for your attention and money is HTC and Valve's Vive headset. The difference between the Vive and Rift is scale: the Rift is intended for seated games and experiences, while the Vive is intended for "room-scale" VR. What that means is you can get up and walk around, all while wearing a VR headset.

Moreover, the Vive comes with two motion controllers that stand-in for your hands. They make all the difference between the Vive and the Rift, and open up a flood of different types of experiences that simply aren't possible with a gamepad. The other difference between the Rift and the Vive? About $200: the Vive costs $800 to the Rift's $600. And that's to say nothing of the powerful computer you'll need to run either of them. But the experience? It's like nothing else.

Release date: April 5

Platforms: Steam VR (PC)

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"Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives"

Job Simulator: The 2015 Archives
Owlchemy Labs

In virtual reality, even the mundane is exciting. Take "Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives" for example: it's a game about doing rote tasks in unexciting environments, from convenience store attendant to short-order cook to office automaton. The game, thankfully, doesn't take itself seriously at all — it's an ultra-silly generalized version of various jobs, as interpreted by AI robots in the far-flung future. Cooking chicken soup might require you to combine a chicken and a grip of vegetables and add salt, but the way you "solve" that might be literally putting all of those things in a pot (salt shaker and all). That you can make fine movements using the HTC Vive's motion controllers is what ties together the madness that is "Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives".

Release date: April 5

Platforms: PC (for the HTC Vive VR headset, on Steam)

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"Quantum Break"

Quantum Break
Remedy Studios

The next major game from the Finnish studio behind critically-acclaimed games like "Alan Wake" and "Max Payne" is called "Quantum Break," and it's not a major departure from the team's past efforts. This one follows two men, Jack Joyce and Paul Serene, from a third-person perspective while they slow (and occasionally outright stop) time, all the while being pursued by a shady corporation known as Monarch.

Release date: April 5

Platforms: Xbox One, Windows 10

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"Dark Souls 3"

Dark Souls 3
From Software

The name of the game when it comes to "Souls" games — whether it's the original "Demon's Souls" or "Dark Souls" or "Bloodborne" — is pain. You will trudge through the same dark, nightmare-inducing dungeons over and over while you learn every nook and cranny from an often-strained third-person perspective. That same level of punishment appears to be headed to the next entry in the series, "Dark Souls 3," in Spring 2016.

Release date: April 12

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC

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"Ratchet & Clank"

Ratchet & Clank (PlayStation 4)
Insomniac Games

If you grew up playing "Super Mario" games but never explored the delightful world of "Ratchet & Clank," you're missing out. Thankfully, you've got another, far prettier opportunity in the re-released, remastered version arriving this April. Like the "Super Mario Galaxy" games, "Ratchet & Clank" is a platforming game set in a 3D world — which is to say that it's basically a game about fighting goofy enemies and proceeding from point A to point B. The original "Ratchet & Clank" is full of charm, has great characters with hilarious dialog, and looks great while pulling all that off. Don't miss the re-release!

Release date: April 12

Platforms: PlayStation 4

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"Bravely Second: End Layer"

Bravely Second: End Layer
Square Enix

Fans of classic Japanese role-playing games will find a familiar experience in "Bravely Second: End Layer." Turn-based combat, characters bursting with emotions to express, and a party to customize as you wish are all features of the "Bravely" franchise that return in this sequel. If you're into the world of JRPGs, "Bravely Second" is one you should have your eye on.

Release date: April 15

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS

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"Gears of War 4" (multiplayer beta)

Gears of War 4
Microsoft

The new "Gears of War" isn't out quite yet, but you can get a taste of its multiplayer early on the Xbox One with a public beta starting later this month. Folks who got last year's "Gears of War: Ultimate Edition" can start playing the beta on April 18, with everyone else getting access starting on April 25. Get your chainsaw guns fueled up and ready to go!

Release date: April 18

Platforms: Xbox One

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"Star Fox Zero"

Star Fox Zero
Nintendo

The "Star Fox" series is making its triumphant return in 2016 on Nintendo's Wii U, the first major entry in years for the series that focuses on anthropomorphized animals flying jets as soldiers. It's adorable and fun, but does it hold up in modern times? We'll find out in a few months.

Release date: April 22

Platforms: Wii U

Virtual reality Gaming Xbox One
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