Returnal Sony PS5 game review

Gameplay and design

• Evolved Arcade Action:
  • Returnal combines bullet-hell action and roguelike progression in a unique way.
  • The game offers fast-paced, free-roaming, third-person adventure with intense shoot-outs and a captivating narrative.
• Reset, Not Restart:
  • Upon death, the journey resets, but certain items and upgrades persist, becoming permanent enhancements.
  • Embracing classic roguelike mechanics, players continue with accumulated progress, making each cycle more potent.
• More Reasons to Return:
  • The world undergoes radical reshaping with each new attempt, offering a fresh and unpredictable experience.
  • Encounter cunning traps, enemy ambushes, hidden resources, and formidable elite foes that challenge escape attempts.

Enemies, weapons and combat:

• Spectacular Weaponry:
  • Discover a variety of weapons in Atropos, each with distinct strengths.
  • From rapid-fire carbines like the Hollowseeker to the thunderous Spit Maw and the otherworldly Electropylon Driver, a diverse arsenal awaits.
• Hostile Alien Life:
  • Atropos teems with living threats, ranging from chittering, betentacled beasts to red-eyed sentinels.
  • Face mucus-slinging monstrosities and colossal bipedal monoliths, each presenting unique challenges and attack patterns.
• Customizable Load-outs:
  • Install powerful ‘Traits’ that enhance your weapon’s secondary fire modes, adding devastating capabilities.
  • Unlock passive abilities like ‘Explosive Counter’ and find useful consumables such as ‘Shield Vials’ by interacting with mysterious Xeno-tech devices scattered throughout Atropos.
  • Scavenge the world to build your loadout, allowing you to adapt and improve as you progress through the game.

Multiplayer and challenges:

• Make Contact with the Dead:
  • Upon dying, your physical remains stay in other players’ worlds for them to find.
  • Discover rewards from these corpses, but beware, death on Atropos may hold unexpected secrets.
• Daily Challenges:
  • Engage in unique Daily Challenges outside the main campaign.
  • Complete a single biome under specific conditions, limiting weapon and skill access, demanding improvisation.
• Global Leaderboards:
  • Your Daily Challenge scores contribute to global leaderboards.
  • Compete against friends, set high scores for them to beat, and challenge yourself to surpass their achievements.