Returnal

Returnal is the game from the authors of the critically acclaimed shoot-em-up game Resogun. This time Housemarque Studio decided to develop an action game with a TPP view, in which the player's task is to discover the secrets of an unexplored planet. The game is a combination of TPS (third-person shooter) and roguelike.

Plot

In the game we play the role of an astronaut, who is forced to relive the same event over and over again - the crash of her ship on a strange planet. Death only makes the woman return to her starting point. In addition, after every rebirth, the world on which he "lands" changes, and she changes with the world. The only way for the heroine to break out of this strange loop is to discover the secrets that this dangerous land hides. With each death, however, Selene sinks deeper and deeper into madness.

Gameplay

Exploration is an important part of the experience. The ever-changing planet has different locations and items to offer each time, which guarantees each approach is unique. In addition, the ancient technology we discover can permanently enhance Selene's abilities. This makes subsequent approaches to the game easier.

The gunplay shows inspiration with bullet-hell games. Nearly every opponent is spitting a hail of bullets with different ballistics. The player's job is to navigate between the projectiles, avoiding hits, and responding with gunfire. In the heat of battle, we can freely switch the firing modes of our weapons, allowing us to adapt to the situation.

The title also draws some solutions from the roguelike genre: death is part of the mechanics. In Returnal, it is not the end, but an element of our adventure that does not disturb the rhythm of the game. After death, we can quickly return to the fight, but be careful – after each resurrection, the game world changes.

Multiplayer

Returnal is an exclusively single-player game.

4K 60 FPS

The game takes full advantage of PS5's capabilities. The loading screen disappears almost instantly after death, so we can try again right away. Thanks to the controller's adaptive triggers, we can intuitively aim or change fire modes with the same trigger: it depends on how hard we press it. The DualSense controller's vibration allows the player to be more immersed when firing the weapon. Using headphones, we can experience 3D sound. There are different sounds coming from every side – enemies coming at us from behind, bullets whizzing past, and enemies flying above us.

Returnal 's visuals are very impressive, offering 4K resolution at 60 frames per second animation and ray tracing. The locations we traverse are stunningly detailed, the character models are almost photorealistic, and each bullet we fire is accompanied by impressive lighting effects.

Last updated on 18 January 2023