After our recent review of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, we reviewed another PlayStation 5 exclusive game called Returnal developed by Housemarque, a third-person shooter with roguelike elements. For those unfamiliar with the term, a roguelike game typically involves procedurally generated levels, randomised loots to enhance your character, and permadeath (more on this later).
At the price of RM299 on the PlayStation Store, is Returnal worth your time and money? One of our writers noted that while it’s surprisingly hard, it is worth it. So with that all being said, let’s have a closer look at Returnal, shall we?
Game Design - Dark, atmospheric, and a lot of particle effects
The graphics look amazing
The game has a very dark atmosphere
Unlike Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which has a more colourful art style, Returnal’s art style feels a lot darker, especially when traversing around in the forest or the swamp biomes. However, the environment is often illuminated by particle effects produced by your weapon or attacks from your enemies.
Not only that, because the game supports ray tracing, light emitted by attacks illuminate and reflect light and cast shadows around objects in the environment in a natural-looking way. With all that being said, Returnal is one of the more visually stunning games we’ve reviewed so far.
Gameplay - Punishing, but very rewarding at the same time
You character's space ship. It also serves as a spawn point.
The reconstructor acts as a checkpoint in case you died during your playthrough. It's not a save point, though.
When it comes to the gameplay, you take on the role of a lone astronaut that crash landed on planet Atropos while trying to locate a mysterious signal. However, during the investigation, something weird causes the main character to return in time whenever she dies.
What makes the game challenging is that you can’t save your progress midway during an attempt. Because of that, when you start a game, you’ll have to commit until you either finish your playthrough or die.
How a level generally looks like
Inventory where you can check out items you picked up as your stats
You can read up more about the monsters you killed in the databank
The levels are procedurally generated, keeping the game fresh as the levels constantly change with each playthrough. Also, there are 6 biomes, each with its own unique boss, which can be quite challenging to fix if you’re not familiar with their attack pattern. Another thing to point out is that some of the boss’ attack patterns are similar to bullet hell games (tons of bullets flying around, basically).
Other than that, the game puts a lot of emphasis on looting because one of the only ways to fight against stronger enemies reliably is to pick up stronger weapons and consumables to help you out. With that in mind, it’s better to fully explore and loot the level you’re at before moving on to the next.
Some of the biomes you will come across during your playthrough
A shop where you can spend your obolites to get better items
Returnal utilises different haptic feedback patterns to let the player know what’s going on, which leads to a more immersive experience. Other than that, the ambient sound effects add to the immersion, and the music often leaves you wanting more.
Game Mechanics - Don’t get hit
While the character is more than capable of withstanding a few hits, the game rewards with adrenaline, giving you perks as long as you don’t get hit. However, because of how tiring it is not to get hit, pause breaks are necessary so as not to tire yourself out.
A video demo of how the game is played
As with any roguelike game, the game can feel very repetitive. However, the game reveals a bit about the lore with each death, like the character’s back story.
Conclusion - One of the more challenging PS5 games out there
Returnal is a fun game if you enjoy playing challenging games but don’t mind being slightly repetitive. Also, the items, abilities, weapon selection, and procedurally generated levels ensure that no 2 playthroughs are the same.
Playing a game where you play a game? Woah.
However, if you want something a little more laid back, it might not be a good idea to pick up this game. Overall, our writer gave it a score of 8.5/10.
Pros - Interesting lore, replayable, good selection of weapons to come across.
Cons - Challenging and not suitable for everyone.
Conclusion - A unique PS5 game for those looking for a challenge.
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