Having the right equipment for every situation is the key to surviving in Returnal. Take note that this is the PlayStation 5 exclusive from Housemarque that released at the end of April. Remember that this is a bullet hell shooter title mixed with roguelike elements. You will need to find a firearm that not only fits your style of play, but fits most of the fighting in the game. In this article, I will therefore explain which are the best weapons, how to increase your weapon proficiency, and reveal some tricks to speed up the process. Here is my Returnal best weapons and proficiency guide!
Being an incredibly fast title in which it will also be necessary to avoid an ever-increasing number of enemy bullets, the most suitable weapons are certainly those that have a high volume of fire. Returnal is a procedurally generated game. Every element of the game will change with each of your runs, including weapons and their abilities. Each tool you find may in fact have randomly generated traits. For example, you may encounter weapons capable of causing damage from acid or lightning. It will naturally be up to you to evaluate these traits with your style of play, obviously considering the preferred weapon model.
POWERFUL WEAPONRY
I have identified 5 particularly effective weapons, especially during the final biomes of Returnal. The first is the Tachyomatic Carbine. This is a very balanced assault rifle, similar to an AK model and as such ideal for any situation. If you want to fire even faster, I suggest the Hollowseeker. This is a compact machine gun that fires needle-like bullets in bursts.
A particularly suitable solution for those who never want to stop shooting. If, on the other hand, you want to do damage up close, the ideal solution is the Spitmaw Blaster. This is a classic shotgun and, as such, devastating in close combat. One of the most powerful weapons in Returnal is the Thermogenic Launcher.
However, it is very risky to use since it only has 3 shots. Be very careful not to miss, otherwise the enemies will overwhelm you easily. Finally, the Rotgland Lobber is particularly suitable if you want to inflict continuous damage. It only has one shot, but will inflict acid damage. With these weapons at your disposal, you can overcome even the most difficult levels with no pain, as long as you choose the one most suitable for you.
WEAPON PROFICIENCY
Having the best weapons in Returnal will not always be enough. You will need to make sure that they can do as much damage as possible. For this purpose, there is a particular indicator which reveals the weapon proficiency. This will allow you to make them more powerful. In order to increase the weapon proficiency, you will have to kill as many enemies as possible.
When you defeat the opponents in Returnal, you will continuously gain experience for your weapons. After gaining enough experience, the skill level will increase, allowing you to do much more damage. There are some small tips I can give you to get your skill level up faster. The first of these is definitely to explore the biome you are in. Do this as much as possible!
I do not recommend taking direct routes to the exit, or you will end up getting under leveled. This will make your battles much more difficult than normal. However, if you want to take a shortcut, remember to use the re-calibrator, which can restore the weapon proficiency to the value showed for that biome. There are also consumables that can increase the weapon proficiency.
If you manage to find them, they will be an enormous help to make your weapons even more powerful. An alternative can be to use parasites, some of which can increase the speed with which you can enhance the level of the weapon. However, since it is a very helpful bonus, they will also bring with them some really dangerous penalties. Therefore, I strongly suggest you think carefully if you really should try to take advantage of this opportunity. Everything always has its pros and cons!
Was my Returnal best weapons and proficiency guide useful, or is something missing? Please let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments, or make sure to read my Returnal review. Need more help? There are also guides available for the secret ending, boss fights, trophies & achievements, and how to save!