disappointing
Not enough permanent progression for me to complete the game. Incredibly fun to play, but after multiple hour plus runs, only to die and start over, it wasn't rewarding enough.
I've never been much for rogue-likes but gosh this one is good. I think maybe what I like about it as far as map design goes is that each cycle is put together with cookie cutter style pieces that look familiar so it at least feels like you are navigating the same map.
The atmosphere and world of the game is intriguing and the dread that Selene has is very engrossing. I can't say the story pays off very much. But you are into it while the game lasts.
My biggest complaint of the game is that the next objective basically disappears after you get the bad ending. There are a few more tasks you have to do to beat the game proper but the game doesn't tell you where to go outside of a vague voice clip that is easily miss-able. I had to return to the 4th area of the game to get a cutscene before the item hunt could begin, I wasted two play sessions trying to start the item hunt without knowing this. This soured my experience a little, that and the item hunt used to get the secret ending does not pay off at all. It's one of those endings that could be theorized for years and no one really know what happens until the developer adds more content.
Overall though, I really enjoyed my time with the game. The basic game loop is really satisfying. It's punishing though, and I wouldn't recommend it to casual players. It could take a second for you to realize how the game wants you to play it, and until you do you are going to be frustrated. But once you learn the mechanics and it's currency systems, you will be blasting through it quickly. High score mode I could just play forever. Great game Housemarque! Thank you!
The atmosphere and world of the game is intriguing and the dread that Selene has is very engrossing. I can't say the story pays off very much. But you are into it while the game lasts.
My biggest complaint of the game is that the next objective basically disappears after you get the bad ending. There are a few more tasks you have to do to beat the game proper but the game doesn't tell you where to go outside of a vague voice clip that is easily miss-able. I had to return to the 4th area of the game to get a cutscene before the item hunt could begin, I wasted two play sessions trying to start the item hunt without knowing this. This soured my experience a little, that and the item hunt used to get the secret ending does not pay off at all. It's one of those endings that could be theorized for years and no one really know what happens until the developer adds more content.
Overall though, I really enjoyed my time with the game. The basic game loop is really satisfying. It's punishing though, and I wouldn't recommend it to casual players. It could take a second for you to realize how the game wants you to play it, and until you do you are going to be frustrated. But once you learn the mechanics and it's currency systems, you will be blasting through it quickly. High score mode I could just play forever. Great game Housemarque! Thank you!
The boss designs are great, the enemy designs are great, the gameplay is smooth and balanced, it never feels like the game's fault when I die. I like everything about this game except, as you probably can guess, the structure.
To be clear, I haven't even beat the game, I'm on the final boss of the third biome, but the fact I'm doing runs that average over an hour and oftentimes not even getting to the boss I'm stuck on, I've just stopped having fun, and I honestly don't know how long it will be until I do beat the game.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving up, but it'll be a long time until I make any progress at all, let alone beat the game, and it just isn't rewarding.
To be clear, I haven't even beat the game, I'm on the final boss of the third biome, but the fact I'm doing runs that average over an hour and oftentimes not even getting to the boss I'm stuck on, I've just stopped having fun, and I honestly don't know how long it will be until I do beat the game.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving up, but it'll be a long time until I make any progress at all, let alone beat the game, and it just isn't rewarding.
A pretty awesome high-budget roguelike that stumbles on the simple stuff that the little guys figured out a long, long time ago.
Tactile, fast, complex action with genuinely interesting storytelling. Less intimidating than it looks. The best implementation of "dualsense" HD rumble I've felt.
Mi primer candidato a juego del año 2021. Housemarque sale de sus raíces de juegos arcade para inyectar todo su expertise al género roguelike y agregando una pizca de exploración a la formual. El resultado es una difícil pero disfrutable obra maestra que eleva la adrenalina en cada partida, las cuales tienen una duración más prolongadas que las de otros juegos con mecánicas similares, y lo cual puede restar puntos para aquellos que no tengan el tiempo o la paciencia que Returnal pide.
A cambio, como recompensa hay una enorme sensación de logro y avance, sobretodo después de vencer a cada uno de los geniales jefes de cada nivel.
Más allá del gameplay está la ambientación. Un verdadero espectáculo visual y de dirección artística empata con un diseño de audio y un soundtrack impecables (si pueden juéguenlo con audífonos para disfrutar del Audio 3D del PlayStation 5). Para cerrar este review con una recomendación positiva, quizás lo mejor que puedo decir de Returnal es que por momentos se siente como si fuera un Metroid en tercera persona.
A cambio, como recompensa hay una enorme sensación de logro y avance, sobretodo después de vencer a cada uno de los geniales jefes de cada nivel.
Más allá del gameplay está la ambientación. Un verdadero espectáculo visual y de dirección artística empata con un diseño de audio y un soundtrack impecables (si pueden juéguenlo con audífonos para disfrutar del Audio 3D del PlayStation 5). Para cerrar este review con una recomendación positiva, quizás lo mejor que puedo decir de Returnal es que por momentos se siente como si fuera un Metroid en tercera persona.
A genuinely brilliant masterpiece. Mechanically difficult but with lots of ways to make permanent progress and unlock shortcuts in and between levels. Kind of a secret metroid game in a roguelike shell, with kinetic movement and combat that just feels good to go back to again and again, even after crashing and burning on a couple of runs. With a couple months to go, almost definitely my GOTY.
When I started this game I thought it was the best thing ever, but it loses luster as you go.
I beat Returnal in two sittings with 6 deaths. Generally I don't think single player games, especially roguelikes, need to be balanced - that's never as fun and it has a tendency to ruin a game every now and again. So while I agree that Returnal has a variety of fun weapons you can quite easily beat the game if you stick with the assault rifle, shotgun, lmg style guns you get very early on. And with a couple broken power ups you can really power through the game with no problems at all. I wouldn't care except in this game it created two problems; 1. I blew through all the eerie atmospheric event cut scenes almost back to back and they became kind of annoying disruptions rather than an occasional cool discovery, and 2. The game is 70 dollars pretty, but I was inching towards feeling bad about the purchase when I hit the 70 dollars and I got all the way through the game wit 90% of the trophies in about 8 hours. I didn't hate my time with it, but I feel like I had a deeply flawed experience where many things I cam across posed little to no challenge.
Stay humble, champions.
I beat Returnal in two sittings with 6 deaths. Generally I don't think single player games, especially roguelikes, need to be balanced - that's never as fun and it has a tendency to ruin a game every now and again. So while I agree that Returnal has a variety of fun weapons you can quite easily beat the game if you stick with the assault rifle, shotgun, lmg style guns you get very early on. And with a couple broken power ups you can really power through the game with no problems at all. I wouldn't care except in this game it created two problems; 1. I blew through all the eerie atmospheric event cut scenes almost back to back and they became kind of annoying disruptions rather than an occasional cool discovery, and 2. The game is 70 dollars pretty, but I was inching towards feeling bad about the purchase when I hit the 70 dollars and I got all the way through the game wit 90% of the trophies in about 8 hours. I didn't hate my time with it, but I feel like I had a deeply flawed experience where many things I cam across posed little to no challenge.
Stay humble, champions.
I am so shit at roguelikes.
This is pretty gutting because I am extremely into every aspect of this bar the gameplay loop. My brain can't take another 4 hour run goin' down the shitter because I fell into a small pool of water, or dodged backwards into a projectile I didn't know was there. I'm away to google "what's up with that fuckin' house?".
This is pretty gutting because I am extremely into every aspect of this bar the gameplay loop. My brain can't take another 4 hour run goin' down the shitter because I fell into a small pool of water, or dodged backwards into a projectile I didn't know was there. I'm away to google "what's up with that fuckin' house?".
This review contains spoilers
To date, this has to be my favorite PS5 exclusive title. I loved the aesthetic of the “Alien” inspired world Atropos. Creepy tentacle creatures roaming around to kill you and will if you aren’t paying attention. There were times during this game that I was so pissed off at a flying boss encounter because I couldn’t seem to get the movements down. After enough effort and some luck, I was able to progress through the rest of the encounters. Some runs I would die quickly in biome two while other runs I would be on a roll for two-three hours breezing through encounters. Even the story had me feeling, thinking what is even going on. My favorite part of this game had to be when you are fighting the boss known as Nemesis, a creepy skull faced enemy on a bunch of rotating platforms. After beating him, the game gives you an extended cutscene showing your character “Selene” how she gets off the planet, returns home, has a family, grows old, and dies happy. For the next moment to bring you right back to the planet and start you in a new biome saying that you didn’t break the time-loop. I wa a floored by that narratively thinking I had just finished the game and have even more to do. Overall, this game is a must play. The graphics are gorgeous, the game runs smoothly throughout, and the story was captivating!
A game that feels like a blend of Metroid Prime, Vanquish, Ratchet & Clank, P.T., Enter the Gungeon, Super Stardust, Alien, and Edge of Tomorrow, yet somehow manages to be greater than the sum of its parts. Incredible stuff, and a strong GOTY 2k21 contender. 🏆
This is not a knock against the game at all. It is surely a fantastic game for those who are searching for a 3rd person sci-fi rouge-like. This is just not a game for me at all. I had no interest in working at replaying parts that felt similar constantly, only to be stuck grinding for a specific item. I fully respect and understand the love for this game, but for my personal preference, nah, couldn't do anything for me.
pretty good game. cool to see a large scale roguelike project like this. unfortunately i don't see myself playing more of this
Really impressive game! Does lots of interesting things with the controller's new features, and with it's rougelike rules. Very atmospheric; Metroid or Control vibes.
I can't beat the stupid anime boss
Returnal is the first Rogue-Like to genuinely maintain my interest and not burn me out instantly. The game-play is unforgiving and definitely should include a save system during a cycle, the lack of this save system makes the game incredibly tedious and hard to commit to when living with a life outside of the PS5. Visually, the game is not up to scratch in many areas, but it also has its moments. Is the game worth the €80? No. I'd say it is more of a €50 game to be honest. However, it is still a premium experience and one that highlights and utilises the PS5's controller and features perfectly.
This review contains spoilers
if I understood what the fuck just happened, I’d be screaming right now.
I will say, though, I do enjoy a good thinker, and this game has been one throughout. It’s also been incredibly tough, which makes the lack of a good suspend system hurt that much more. It’s a very solid game beyond that, though, and I’m excited to go back to it every once in a while to try and see what else there is to uncover.
Stats after hitting the ending: https://is.gd/LX6x4v
Also of interest: https://is.gd/fqWNN0
I will say, though, I do enjoy a good thinker, and this game has been one throughout. It’s also been incredibly tough, which makes the lack of a good suspend system hurt that much more. It’s a very solid game beyond that, though, and I’m excited to go back to it every once in a while to try and see what else there is to uncover.
Stats after hitting the ending: https://is.gd/LX6x4v
Also of interest: https://is.gd/fqWNN0
Nothing quite like the feeling of losing a 2 hour long run to the game crashing so hard you have to unplug your console from the wall.
If this were a linear 3rd person shooter I would really really love it, but it doesn't benefit from the roguelike elements at all. Feels like an early access game where they have a really good main gameplay loop, but haven't dialed in any of the roguelike mechanics.
Was really hoping this would get a lot of post launch support, but as it's been 3 months with nothing substantial I'm not gonna hold my breath. Really hope whatever Housemarque makes next plays to their strengths more.
If this were a linear 3rd person shooter I would really really love it, but it doesn't benefit from the roguelike elements at all. Feels like an early access game where they have a really good main gameplay loop, but haven't dialed in any of the roguelike mechanics.
Was really hoping this would get a lot of post launch support, but as it's been 3 months with nothing substantial I'm not gonna hold my breath. Really hope whatever Housemarque makes next plays to their strengths more.
A game that I did not expect to like as much as I did
My favorite games are cohesive blends of varying smaller elements that come together to create a unified and diverse whole. Returnal does this beautifully: the art style is dark and bioluminescent, the music is haunting, eclectic and beautiful all at once, the narrative is unique and takes a daring approach to structure, creating an abstract plot as mysterious as its diverse world. Artistically, this game hits every marque. As far as gameplay goes, I thought it was awesome. The Dualsense features help bring that extra level of immersion and the gunplay is remarkably smooth and responsive. At first the difficulty seemed insurmountable but as I kept playing I figured out different strategies to make my runs better, got better with the gunplay, and rehearsed boss fights to nail them down. By the time I finished Returnal I easily ran through half the game and bodied the final boss in one run. I felt a genuine sense of progress; not in terms of items or gear but rather an actual progression of my skill, something I rarely feel in games. My only minor flaw with the game is its pacing: the final boss doesn’t feel particularly climactic, neither does the game’s ending. It didn’t really leave me feeling the excitement I expected, but rather left me feeling a bit confused.
Despite that, if you are wondering if the price tag is worth it, I would say so. Especially if you like rogue-likes or unique sci-fi stories and settings.
Despite that, if you are wondering if the price tag is worth it, I would say so. Especially if you like rogue-likes or unique sci-fi stories and settings.
A truly difficult video game. Incredible graphics and use of DualSense controller, while gameplay loop is satisfying enough to continue after getting beaten down everytime.
Boss fights are difficult but mostly fair, and the storyline makes it worth pushing through the pain.
Only criticism is that some runs seem too reliant on certain change encounters, such as items appearing
Boss fights are difficult but mostly fair, and the storyline makes it worth pushing through the pain.
Only criticism is that some runs seem too reliant on certain change encounters, such as items appearing
kind of daunting to play (in no small part due to lack of suspend save feature) but really cool regardless. need to sit down and actively spend time with this, as there are a lot of things about it that appeal to me that i'm sure i'll love once i sink my teeth into it
Solid action-packed game and I was really digging the story, but I petered out and I don't think I'll be back to it any time soon.
Great but flawed game that's definitely going to give you a run for your money. This game is fucking TOUGH, especially just in the levels themselves with enemies swarming you with tons of projectiles.
It's immensely fun but some of the tougher levels can definitely feel unfair at first. My biggest issue really are the environmental hazards which just get mean towards the end with how quick they are.
Otherwise, learning new enemies or new variations of returning enemies in each of the 6 biomes can be a harrowing but ultimately rewarding experience. By the time I was making my endgame runs to get the secret ending, I was blasting through most enemies no matter what level I was playing in.
Quick shoutout too to the very fun Daily Challenges. These can be super tough, but they're also very fun to complete and compare your skills with others online.
Similar quick gripe, the system for avenging downed players you see throughout the levels is busted. The challenge level is way too high; why am I facing a super hard mini boss for the area I'm in when the player I'm avenging probably just got sniped by a turret? This entire mechanic was a miss for me.
The bosses, while pretty epic with some cool design, are not as difficult past the first two. That first boss stomped me many times but then the second took me 3 tries. That second boss though is probably one of my favorites in gaming, excellent design. The other bosses though? Cakewalks. Beat them all my first try, and I wouldn't be surprised if others had similar experiences. Once you get so used to managing a buttload of enemies in the levels, it's very easy to manage one big boi no matter how powerful they are. Not to mention by the time you get to them, you're probably really good at efficiently building up yourself throughout your run.
To sum up my feelings on the gameplay, while there were some frustrations, I found it overall exhilarating and rewarding. The moment to moment shooting is so much fun, and I loved exploring the shifting levels on each run to find new goodies and upgrades. Some runs definitely screwed me over from a luck perspective, but that didn't bug me much as it's just an inherent part of the rogue-lite subgenre. You're gonna draw a bad hand every now and then.
Presentation-wise the game is gorgeous with a fun soundtrack that set the tone well but didn't particularly stand out. Except for the use of (Don't Fear) the Reaper, that was super cool. My biggest issue with visuals was that while the game aimed to run at 60fps, I rarely found it maintaining that mark once combat really got going. It frequently dips below whenever you're in even a medium sized battle, so it's like you're playing a 30fps game anyway despite the developer's aims. It's a shame, but overall it didn't ruin the gameplay or anything.
To go into further detail, I think there are a few pretty glaring flaws in addition to the ones already mentioned that don't keep the game from being great but do keep it from reaching higher to true Game of the Year level. First the story, while intriguing with an excellent end of Act 1 twist, flounders the ending. The main ending and especially the secret ending are way too vague. I like open-ended narratives, but especially for putting me through so much work to unlock the secret ending, you got to give me a bit more satisfaction. There are some cool theories going around, but it really just doesn't feel like it's worth it by the end narratively.
Final topic I have to mention is the lack of autosave mid-run. Now, I usually set aside enough time when playing this that I really didn't ever have to get off mid-run and hope my PS5 didn't update and reboot. Not everyone has that luxury though, and I did get royally screwed by this once. I was almost done with an endgame objective when the damn game crashed as I entered the room I needed to be in. I was FURIOUS! And of course, because the game has no auto save, I lost all that progress through no fault of my own. In a game like this, I should never ever lose progress if it's not through dying or me voluntarily resetting the cycle. Why the devs are being so stubborn is beyond me. It would be so simple to implement an autosave feature that you can't save scum like what Hades does. It wouldn't make the game easier either, it would just make it so you don't lose progress for stupid reasons.
To wrap this up, Returnal is probably the game this year that has made me think the most about how all of its various components came together for better or worse. It's a harrowing but exciting experience that I think in the end I'll look back on fondly, but it has plenty of issues, mostly from confusing decisions from the devs, that keep it from being a true top tier title. If you like third-person shooters and rogue-lites (and have managed to nab a PS5), I think this is an excellent game for you. Might not be worth it for everyone else, but it never hurts to try.
It's immensely fun but some of the tougher levels can definitely feel unfair at first. My biggest issue really are the environmental hazards which just get mean towards the end with how quick they are.
Otherwise, learning new enemies or new variations of returning enemies in each of the 6 biomes can be a harrowing but ultimately rewarding experience. By the time I was making my endgame runs to get the secret ending, I was blasting through most enemies no matter what level I was playing in.
Quick shoutout too to the very fun Daily Challenges. These can be super tough, but they're also very fun to complete and compare your skills with others online.
Similar quick gripe, the system for avenging downed players you see throughout the levels is busted. The challenge level is way too high; why am I facing a super hard mini boss for the area I'm in when the player I'm avenging probably just got sniped by a turret? This entire mechanic was a miss for me.
The bosses, while pretty epic with some cool design, are not as difficult past the first two. That first boss stomped me many times but then the second took me 3 tries. That second boss though is probably one of my favorites in gaming, excellent design. The other bosses though? Cakewalks. Beat them all my first try, and I wouldn't be surprised if others had similar experiences. Once you get so used to managing a buttload of enemies in the levels, it's very easy to manage one big boi no matter how powerful they are. Not to mention by the time you get to them, you're probably really good at efficiently building up yourself throughout your run.
To sum up my feelings on the gameplay, while there were some frustrations, I found it overall exhilarating and rewarding. The moment to moment shooting is so much fun, and I loved exploring the shifting levels on each run to find new goodies and upgrades. Some runs definitely screwed me over from a luck perspective, but that didn't bug me much as it's just an inherent part of the rogue-lite subgenre. You're gonna draw a bad hand every now and then.
Presentation-wise the game is gorgeous with a fun soundtrack that set the tone well but didn't particularly stand out. Except for the use of (Don't Fear) the Reaper, that was super cool. My biggest issue with visuals was that while the game aimed to run at 60fps, I rarely found it maintaining that mark once combat really got going. It frequently dips below whenever you're in even a medium sized battle, so it's like you're playing a 30fps game anyway despite the developer's aims. It's a shame, but overall it didn't ruin the gameplay or anything.
To go into further detail, I think there are a few pretty glaring flaws in addition to the ones already mentioned that don't keep the game from being great but do keep it from reaching higher to true Game of the Year level. First the story, while intriguing with an excellent end of Act 1 twist, flounders the ending. The main ending and especially the secret ending are way too vague. I like open-ended narratives, but especially for putting me through so much work to unlock the secret ending, you got to give me a bit more satisfaction. There are some cool theories going around, but it really just doesn't feel like it's worth it by the end narratively.
Final topic I have to mention is the lack of autosave mid-run. Now, I usually set aside enough time when playing this that I really didn't ever have to get off mid-run and hope my PS5 didn't update and reboot. Not everyone has that luxury though, and I did get royally screwed by this once. I was almost done with an endgame objective when the damn game crashed as I entered the room I needed to be in. I was FURIOUS! And of course, because the game has no auto save, I lost all that progress through no fault of my own. In a game like this, I should never ever lose progress if it's not through dying or me voluntarily resetting the cycle. Why the devs are being so stubborn is beyond me. It would be so simple to implement an autosave feature that you can't save scum like what Hades does. It wouldn't make the game easier either, it would just make it so you don't lose progress for stupid reasons.
To wrap this up, Returnal is probably the game this year that has made me think the most about how all of its various components came together for better or worse. It's a harrowing but exciting experience that I think in the end I'll look back on fondly, but it has plenty of issues, mostly from confusing decisions from the devs, that keep it from being a true top tier title. If you like third-person shooters and rogue-lites (and have managed to nab a PS5), I think this is an excellent game for you. Might not be worth it for everyone else, but it never hurts to try.
Before you ask no I didn't finish the game and to be honest I don't know when I will. I have a lot of other shit on my plate and spending hours upon hours on the same game doesn't really sound all that fun, I'll finish the game at some point just not right now.
Now with that being said, HOOOWW BOY THIS GAME SLAPS. Imagine the fast-paced gameplay of a roguelike like Binding of Isaac or Hades, but mix it in with a bullet-hell and Lovecraftian imagery you have one of the most challenging games for next-gen systems, and the best part is I don't even feel remorse for spending 70 dollars on it.
Now with that being said, HOOOWW BOY THIS GAME SLAPS. Imagine the fast-paced gameplay of a roguelike like Binding of Isaac or Hades, but mix it in with a bullet-hell and Lovecraftian imagery you have one of the most challenging games for next-gen systems, and the best part is I don't even feel remorse for spending 70 dollars on it.
This game absolutely slaps but I've shelved it because I am TERRIBLE at it and I cannot beat a boss, so :L
Returnal is simply fantastic, the loop is engaging, the visuals are mind blowing, the audio design is flawless, the gameplay and the speed feel great specially when coupled with Dualsense's Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers, the story is also weird and inviting, all of this was thrown at a hardcore and dedicated sci-fi and action fan and I had the time of my life.
Audiovisually this game nails it. I love the H. R. Giger influenced world design and also the audio design is phenomenal. And not only does the audiovisual side slap, but the fast-paced bullet-hell gameplay is unique and feels great to play.
Only weak side of the game is the ending, which did not work for me.
Died 3 times and finished the game on my 4th run.
Only weak side of the game is the ending, which did not work for me.
Died 3 times and finished the game on my 4th run.
Leading the sudden new trend of timeloop games, ahead of Deathloop and Twelve Minutes, Returnal is not exactly breaking new ground but has plenty going for it.
One of the better showcases of the PS5's versatile haptic feedback, the game's inventive variation of weapons, gadgets, monsters and ever changing level structures almost keep the gameplay from feeling too repetitive. A lot of attention has clearly been given to the pacing, particularly speed and movement of your laser-gun tooting heroine, who can usually outrun any big fight in order to get to that bit you died on hours ago!
It's also nice to see borrowings from horror games in its mystery narrative structure and spooky first person segments.
But, after the hours of gamplay, I did find the ending to be underwhelming: without spoiling anything, the final 'revelation' occurs and the game just comes to an end, it's pretty cinematic but game-wise unrewarding. I always mention this goddamn game but Silent Hill 2 nails that kind of an ending with the gut punch reveal followed by a whole final level in which you come to terms with what happened and, as a result, face that final inner demon as a boss.
In summary, as smooth as it is to play, Returnal probably works best in short bursts, otherwise starting again can be tiresome.
One of the better showcases of the PS5's versatile haptic feedback, the game's inventive variation of weapons, gadgets, monsters and ever changing level structures almost keep the gameplay from feeling too repetitive. A lot of attention has clearly been given to the pacing, particularly speed and movement of your laser-gun tooting heroine, who can usually outrun any big fight in order to get to that bit you died on hours ago!
It's also nice to see borrowings from horror games in its mystery narrative structure and spooky first person segments.
But, after the hours of gamplay, I did find the ending to be underwhelming: without spoiling anything, the final 'revelation' occurs and the game just comes to an end, it's pretty cinematic but game-wise unrewarding. I always mention this goddamn game but Silent Hill 2 nails that kind of an ending with the gut punch reveal followed by a whole final level in which you come to terms with what happened and, as a result, face that final inner demon as a boss.
In summary, as smooth as it is to play, Returnal probably works best in short bursts, otherwise starting again can be tiresome.