A Stellar Blade demo on PlayStation 5 and a kaiju movie in theatres, what’s not to like?
Happy April Fools’ Day! April is kicking off with new game releases few and far between, making this a good time to get your entertainment elsewhere. A new demo for the highly-anticipated action game Stellar Blade is out on PlayStation 5, and Diablo 4 Season 4 hits the all-new PTR this week too. With a new season of anime on the horizon and a kaiju wrestling match in theatres, there’s plenty to watch as well.
Here’s what we’re watching and playing this week.
What are we playing?
In the absence of new game releases, this week is mostly about live-service updates and game demos. First, we’re checking out the Stellar Blade demo on PlayStation 5 - the most wish-listed game on the platform as of right now. In the demo, you’ll play as a member of the 7th Airborne Squad named Eve, who is tasked with reclaiming planet Earth from the Naytiba. There’s a lot of buzz around this game - mostly due to its Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice-like combat and conspicuously sexualised protagonist.
On the live-service side of things, Diablo 4’s game-changing Season 4 update will hit its first Public Test Realm (PTR) on April 2 and leave on April 9. This season boasts big changes to itemisation and progression (read more here), and will only fully launch on May 14. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Season 3 also launches on April 3 with six 6v6 Multiplayer maps, a new Zombies mission, more weapons and modes and the usual array of Operators.
If you’re looking for a slightly less intense multiplayer experience, The Elder Scrolls Online: Scions of Ithelia DLC pack launched with a new update this week, adding new PvE dungeons and items sets for players in preparation for June’s upcoming Gold Road Chapter.
What are we watching?
If you haven’t seen Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, there’s a high chance that you already know this movie is not for you. After all, watching Godzilla take a cat nap in the Roman Colosseum isn’t the sort of thing everyone enjoys - but anyone who does love a fun, gigantic kaiju movie is likely to love this one too. I love this franchise to bits, so I’m incredibly biased, but I think this is the most accessible movie to come out of the MonsterVerse franchise thus far.
Also hitting theatres in most regions this week is Monkey Man, an action movie directed by and starring Dev Patel. If the actual movie is as entertaining as its behind-the-scenes stories, which include Patel breaking his hand and having to medically insert a screw into it to keep filming, it’s bound to be worth a watch. For another breed of thriller, Netflix’s Ripley debuts on April 4, starring Andrew Scott as a psychopath who builds a web of lies in Italy to seize the life he wants.