It’s not often that a game successfully blends a compelling story, tight combat, and gorgeous environments into one package, but anyone doubting Housemarque’s capability to do so withReturnalcan rest easy. While the roguelike game seems somewhat antithetical toPlayStation’s blockbuster focus, it’s one of the standout experiences of the last five years.
Returnalfollows the space-faring ASTRA scout Selene after she crash-lands on themysterious planet Atropos, which is host to all manner of hostile lifeforms. Each time Selene dies, she’s plopped back at the wreckage of her ship, most of her items and progress reset and the planet’s layout changing. It’s the perfect setup for a roguelike game, and Housemarque absolutely nails the follow-through.
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Laser-focused on creating tight gameplay mechanics,Returnalboasts the same “one more run” appeal that’s commonly found in the upper echelons of video game design. With smashinglywell-received roguelikes likeHadesreleasing last year, fans could be forgiven for wondering ifReturnalfeels derivative, but Housemarque’s creation is as fresh as anyone could ask for.
There’s a heavy emphasis on making players try new things to succeed, whether that’s a change in tactics or testing new gear. While not every weapon in the game is a winner – the rapid firing but low damage Hollowseeker being the most apparent example – most ofReturnal’s arsenal is fun to use. The carbine and shotgun, which players will unlock early on, are standouts, but there are some unique options too, like the Rotgland Lobber,which shoots poison globs at foes and causes damage over time.
As players progress through a run, they’ll build weapon proficiency, which in turn leads to more powerful weapons dropping. Finding powerful weapons is key to making it through the later stages, as lower-powered weapons will start to feel ineffective quickly. However, each gun does have a powerful alt-fire mode, which usually manifests a satisfying blast that whittles away an enemy’s health bar with gusto. Those alt-fire modes are life-savers during runs where good weapons just don’t seem to drop, though those instances are few and far between.
It’d be criminal not to emphasize how stellarReturnal’s use of the DualSense controller is, as it sets the bar for all PlayStation exclusives moving forward. It’s not the constant barrage ofvibration that players experienced inAstro’s Playroom,butReturnalutilizes the controller more practically and compellingly.Returnal’sopening cutscene is as excellent of a showcase as one could ask for, with players feeling every bump and scrape the ship experiences. It’s something that legitimately needs to be felt to fully understand, as words can’t quite do it justice. In fact, one of the only downsides ofReturnalis that there’s no option to replay the full intro.
Cutscenes aside, players will also feel the rain softly tapping against the controller, the burst of their dash move, shots firing off, and a lot more. All of that is coupled with gripping sound design, further highlighted by thePlayStation Pulse Headset’s 3D audio. Those components add up to a game that looks, sounds, and feels amazing to play - a deadly combination for anyone that needs to get to bed at a reasonable hour.
Returnalcan be a brutally difficult experience, with runs often ending in the first biome. That’s in part because itdoesn’t force players forward as much as some other roguelikes do, allowing them to backtrack and explore the map to find more powerful gear. That exploration is often necessary, as items are a key component in making progress. However,Reutrnaldoes make players gamble more than its contemporaries through Malignancy and Parasites, two top-tier gameplay mechanics that can dramatically change how a run progresses, for better or for worse.
Malignancy is a sort of space curse that players pick up from certain items. Each item with Malignancy is clearly marked, with players forced to choose whether or not it’s worth chancing the negative effects by picking the item up. Essentially, Malignancy has a variety of randomized drawbacks, ranging from raising the cooldown timer for alt-fire modes to adding fall damage. To cure Malignancy, players have to complete mini-challenges, which add an interesting layer to each run. Parasites operate similarly but have a much clearer cost-benefit tradeoff when it comes to their use, with their effects being labeled before a player picks them up.
Returnalincorporates elements from far beyond the roguelike genre though. It’s a successful blend of bullet hell, Metroidvania, and even some horror segments. A big chunk of the game’s narrative takes place in a mysterious house that, at times, seems to be partially inspired by theill-fated horror demoPT. The house sequences are some of the game’s shining moments and by far the biggest drive to unravel the game’s other mysteries.
Returnal’s narrative isn’t necessarily the focus, though. That doesn’t make it bad, but much of what players learn is derived from environmental storytelling. Essentially, players are trying to work out what’s causing the planet to loop, what happened to the sentient race that inhabited the planet, and slowly piecing together parts of Selene’s past. Audio logs are scattered around the planet – usually on a past Selene’s corpse – that detail some of what’s happened on Atropos.Returnalalso sees players decipher some of the lost species' language to read obelisks that give insight into the events that transpired there. The entire planet has a vibe similar toAlienorPrometheus,which works well for it.
There are also some interesting online elements forReturnalplayers to take part in. A leaderboard system for special, single-run challenges will show how players stack up globally or against their friends in single-run, score attack challenges – something Housemarque has included in prior titles, though it’s been iterated on and tweaked forReturnal. Players will also happen upon the corpses of other fallen players from time to time, where they can avenge or scavenge them for additional items. Avenging a player will lead to a difficult fight, but it’s a wonderfully gripping challenge.
Returnalis an excellent video game flirting with perfection. It has the most satisfying gameplay loop Housemarque has crafted to date, which says a lot considering the studio’s pedigree. If PlayStation’s otherPS5 exclusivesfeel even half as satisfying asReturnaldoes, fans are in for one hell of a console generation.
Returnalwill launch on April 30 for PS5. Game Rant was provided a PS5 code for this review.
Returnal
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Break the cycle of chaos on an always-changing alien planet. After crash-landing on this shape-shifting world, Selene must search through the barren landscape of an ancient civilization for her escape. Isolated and alone, she finds herself fighting tooth and nail for survival. Again and again, she’s defeated – forced to restart her journey every time she dies.Through relentless roguelike gameplay, you’ll discover that just as the planet changes with every cycle, so do the items at your disposal. Every loop offers new combinations, forcing you to push your boundaries and approach combat with a different strategy each time.Brought to life by stunning visual effects, the dark beauty of the decaying world around you is packed with explosive surprises. From high stakes, bullet hell-fueled combat, to visceral twists and turns through stark and contrasting environments. You’ll explore, discover and fight your way through an unforgiving journey, where mystery stalks your every move.Designed for extreme replayability, the procedural world of Returnal invites you to dust yourself off in the face of defeat and take on new, evolving challenges with every rebirth.
