This Returnal review contains minor spoilers…
Once I finally put my controller down after finishing Returnal, it took some time for me to process what I’d just experienced. It was exhaustingly difficult and, at times, frustrating… But, boy, was it fun. I don’t think I’ve ever walked away from a game with the same sense of wonder and achievement that Returnal gave me. I just wish it might’ve shown me a little mercy along the way.
When Housemarque’s Returnal was revealed on June 11, 2020 alongside the new PlayStation 5, few took note of it. As a new IP from a relatively unknown developer, it was facing something of an uphill battle. It certainly caught my attention with its enigmatic concept and beautiful visuals. But I was far from excited.
As time wore on and the PS5 launched with a pretty lacklustre lineup, the appeal of Returnal grew. Once the pre-launch trailers and gameplay previews were shown, I felt it had the potential to be one of the PS5’s first big successes. And it has been. Every aspect of Returnal is something to admire. Not only does it look gorgeous, its story is engaging and its utilisation of the DualSense controller is first class. For PS5 owners, Returnal is can’t miss.
Returnal Review – Story
If you’re a lover of sci-fi that makes you think, Returnal‘s story ought to be right up your street.
Selene Vassos is an ASTRA Corporation space explorer. She comes across a mysterious planet, Atropos, and disobeys orders by attempting to land on its surface to investigate a mysterious signal – the “White Shadow”. Her efforts, however, are futile. And instead of a safe landing, her ship, Helios, suffers heavy damage resulting in a crash.
After awakening inside the wreck of Helios, Selene endeavours to find the source of the “White Shadow” and explore Atropos. However, she soon discovers corpses of herself and realises that every time she dies, she is sent back to the moment of the crash via a time loop. Each time, the planet changes. And every loop is different. Between these loops, Selene experiences vivid visions of her past, a mysterious Apollo-era astronaut, and haunting alien creatures. All she knows is that she needs to escape.
The White Shadow
So much of Returnal‘s story is open to interpretation. It really does make you think – and is a masterclass in “show don’t tell”. Some may find its opaque nature frustrating. But I loved it.
Returnal‘s real accomplishment is in how it blends its aggressively brutal time loop challenge with its story. Often, you might find yourself wishing for the game to be easier. But if it were, Selene and her story wouldn’t resonate so well with you as the player. You are her, and she is you.
There are, in fact, two endings to Returnal. One is only possible in Act 3, which “unlocks” after your first completion. Neither are “good” or “bad”, but they may alter how you interpret the game. Arguably, these ambiguous endings might be underwhelming for some. But, for me, it kept Returnal alive in my mind long after the end credits. And I wouldn’t change it.
Returnal Review – Gameplay
Roguelike
Returnal is a sci-fi psychological horror game featuring “roguelike” gameplay elements. For those who don’t know, “roguelike” (named after 1980’s Rogue) is a style of game characterised by dungeon crawl, procedural generation and permanent death of the player character. Roguelikes have become a firm favourite among indie developers due to them allowing for many hours of gameplay content with comparatively little effort. But Returnal is the first I can recall to be delivered to a AAA standard. Even if it does retain a certain indie-like charm.
Return Eternally
You can’t save in Returnal. Every time you die, you start from the beginning. Every time you quit and restart the game, you start from the beginning. There are, however, a few slight exceptions. “Reconstructors” give you a second life on the same run, as does the “Astronaut Figurine”. After the end of Act 1 (biomes 1-3), there is a checkpoint. Once passed, you never restart prior to it. And finally, your PS5’s rest mode. Just make sure you have automatic updates turned off, because if the game updates, the loop restarts.
While the lack of ability to save certainly adds to the challenge, it is unnecessary. Where the game’s live, die, repeat cycle presents a challenge and compliments its story, the forced restart after turning off your console doesn’t. It just makes the game awkward for those who can’t spend hours at a time devoted to a game.
And that’s probably my biggest gripe with Returnal. You better be prepared to start a run and not play anything else until it’s finished. Your buddies want to play some Warzone? Not you. Unless you want to lose all that progress.
Immediately on release, fans were asking for a save feature that can be used in the middle of runs. And it would undoubtedly improve the game from a playability standpoint. Thankfully, Housemarque responded by saying it is “something that we’re actively, very actively trying to get out as soon as we can.” But, at present, it remains as Returnal‘s biggest issue.
Ever Changing Planet
Minus the crash site, Atropos changes with every loop. I never experienced the same layout twice. I found it to be bewildering (in a good way) and one of the main reasons behind Returnal‘s intense difficulty. It makes it nigh on impossible to develop a strategy through trial and error. Similarly, you can’t expect to find the same things on every run. So what worked for you on one loop might not even be possible on the next.
It really is such a cool concept.
Enemies
Your main foes in Returnal are a vast array of mysterious alien creatures. They aren’t Atropos’ original inhabitants, and how they came to be there is one of the game’s many mysteries. But one thing’s for sure – they shouldn’t be underestimated. Some are easier than others and you will learn their attacks and tells, but dealing with them in numbers is always a challenge.
Overall, there are five bosses in Returnal. I found Phrike, the first boss, to be the hardest. But each are unique and require a different approach to defeat. Luckily, once beaten, you don’t have to fight them again on every run. It would make the game impossible to beat otherwise.
Weapons
There is a fairly big arsenal of weapons available in Returnal. The only problem is that some are decidedly better than others. Of course, there is no guarantee of getting any given weapon on a run, so you have to make do with the best you find. But there are clear favourites (e.g. Tachyomatic Carbine and Hollowseeker), and there are some that I cannot image anyone using unless forced to (e.g. Dreadbound).
Overall, though, there is good variety. Something that is further complimented by the addition of a range of alt-fire options, weapon ability combinations, and the amazingly fun Atropian Blade.
Returnal Review – DualSense Controller
So, I touched on it briefly at the top of this review. But I cannot understate how well Housemarque have utilised the DualSense’s features in Returnal.
From the very first cutscene where Selene crashes on Atropos to the rain pattering down on her helmet at the crash site, the technical achievement is immediately apparent. If you thought adaptive triggers in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was as good as it got, you will be happily mistaken. The intensity of every fight, gunshot and swing of the Atropian Blade is intensified thanks to the new controller. You really do feel it.
Not only does it succeed from an immersion perspective, but it adds to the gameplay mechanics, too. L2, for example, has two functions. “How?”, you might ask. Well, press it half way and you activate your guns alt-fire. Press it all the way to aim down the site. It might not sound like much, but that use of the adaptive triggers is perfect alongside Returnal‘s fast-paced firefights. It really is something special.
Returnal Review – Verdict
Returnal is the game the PlayStation 5 needed. It demonstrates every aspect of the new console’s technical prowess and sets the standard for future games. On top of that, it packs in a thoroughly enticing story with fantastically fluid gameplay.
Undoubtedly, its brutal challenge might be too much for some. If you like to pick up, play, and have the game direct you every step of the way, Returnal probably isn’t for you. It’s much closer to a sci-fi Demon’s Souls or Bloodborne. But even if you aren’t used to that level of difficulty, it’s still worth a shot. I thoroughly enjoyed it and, despite the save issue, will undoubtedly return to it in the future.
Overall Score: 9.5/10
Version played: PS5
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