Returnal Review

It seems like a century has passed since the landing of Dead Space on PlayStation 3. The game, a true forerunner of a genre now explored in every way, had landed in 2008 and then continued with two other chapters. Thirteen years and two generations later, Returnal arrives. Take note that this is a title with the same “vibes” as Visceral Games’ survival, but with a decidedly unique flavor. So today I want to talk to you about this deep space nightmare of Housemarque’s Returnal, which is the latest PS5 exclusive. Here is my Returnal review on PlayStation 5!

CRYPTIC AND MYSTERIOUS

The impressive cutscene that opens Returnal, clearly inspired by the film giants of the genre, sets the basis for a cryptic and mysterious narrative. You will definitely discover the true nature of this narrative during the course of the game. Your protagonist in Housemarque’s title, Selene, is an astronaut who falls on a lost planet named Atropos because of a failure.

Once awakened, Selene finds herself wandering the planet in search of a solution. However, what she actually discovers is a bitter and surprising truth. It is not a deserted planet! When you find the corpse of another astronaut and take the gun of the victim, your terrifying adventure on Atropos will begin.

DARK, CUTSCENE, RESTART!

Armed with your only weapon, you will enter the first area and find yourself facing some of the xenomorphic species that populate the planet. Take note that, fortunately, you will have infinite ammunition available. After a short tutorial, you will arrive at a pilot boss who literally destroys you. Dark, cutscene, restart! These three words describe the game perfectly, because this is the true playful and narrative form of Returnal.

I can definitely say that this is a pure roguelike title. Housemarque’s game, despite taking full hands from the predecessors of the genre and having soulslike mechanics, is a roguelike with very similar bases to another title. I am of course talking about the recent and wonderful Hades from Supergiant Games. The developers based the entire narrative of the game on the basic mechanics of the roguelike.

With each death, in fact, you start again from the point of the crash after having relived the moments before the blackout. Each time you start over, however, the puzzle has a new piece to it. It does this by telling through cutscenes, two stories in parallel with each other. On the one hand, it is about Selene, who, because of amnesia, remembers almost nothing.

On the other hand, it is about the civilization of Atropos, a hostile planet where the machines have rebelled and exterminated all forms of life. Throughout the title’s duration, Returnal almost makes fun of the player with its cryptic and twisted narrative. The game will guide you into an abyss of memories and revelations until the story ends.

HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS

As already mentioned, despite an Oscar-winning narrative, the beating heart of Returnal is that of a naked and raw roguelike. During each run, you will find yourself in hostile environments that are flooded with enemies, mini bosses, resources, and weapons. Although the adventure always starts from scratch after each death, the developers from Housemarque have done an outstanding job in outlining a common thread in Selene’s narrative and playful evolution.

The result is a storyline that is composed piece by piece with each respawn, with parallel development and enhancement of the character based on the progress made in the previous run. The Returnal rooms, randomized at each restart, offer many content as well as an excellent selection of xenomorphs. During each run, which always starts with the same gun but with different fire, you can find better and better weapons, upgrades, and improvements to the suit.

Furthermore, in certain ravines it is possible to find shops that allow you to exchange the Obolites with consumables and upgrades. Take note that Obolites are the currency obtainable by exterminating enemies throughout the game. The result is a fast-paced and fun but merciless game, where even the slightest distraction can make a difference.

NOT SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE

From what I have written above, it is clear that Returnal is not a suitable game for everyone. Its complex interpretation and its gameplay make it a uniquely strange game. Housemarque’s title is not easy to interpret but which certainly satisfies the most refined palates thanks to its many references. In this regard, a superb technical and artistic sector of the game takes care of it.

Atropos is a dark, mysterious, and menacing planet, ruled by alien entities and populated by xenomorphs ready to skin you alive. The mood, which fully recalls the atmosphere of Prometheus, enjoys a breathtaking graphic impact, all enriched by the almost fixed 60 fps at which the game runs. Although the environments are slightly monochromatic, the use of ray-tracing makes everything more beautiful. This returns truly convincing particle effects and light effects.

As if that weren’t enough, the feedback returned by the DualSense controller contributes deeply to the immersion of the title. This is thanks to the integrated speaker, haptic feedback, and adaptive triggers. The developers framed the entire experience with a sound design that is not innovative, but certainly spot on and masterfully orchestrated. Of course, thanks to the 3D audio of PlayStation 5, it has a completely unique flavor.

CONCLUSION

Although Housemarque has fully managed to take the roguelike genre to another level, not all players will enjoy Returnal. Take note that its inherent difficulty links to a cryptic and twisted narrative. This could discourage the average player from delving into the adventure. However, the excellent gameplay, a graphic and technical sector of the highest level, and an experience that exploits the possibilities offered by PlayStation 5 becomes an addiction that you won’t be able to leave!

Do you want to try Housemarque’s Returnal? What do you think of my Returnal review on PlayStation 5? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below. Are you interested in more games? Check out our reviews for Oddworld: Soulstorm, Demon Skin, Lost Words: Beyond the Page, Two Point Hospital: Jumbo Edition, and Harvest Moon One World.