Returnal – PS5 Version, Reviewed on PS5 – Action, Sci-Fi, Shooter
Returnal is a wonderful blend of frenetic fast paced shooting through an insane alien world, with a mysterious background plot. It is a challenging experience both via tough gameplay as well as mentally, as it doles out bits of its story in ways that will challenge what you think you know. It provides a relatively unique experience, with a mind-bending setting and alien foes.
Story:
I am not going to go too deep into the game’s story, as discovering what is going on as you play through the levels is a huge part of the experience. Within the first few minutes, the set-up is that you are an ASTRA Corporation space pilot named Selene Vassos, and are drawn to a prohibited planet named Atropos. Immediately your ship takes damage, and you watch as Selene crash lands in an extreme alien biome.
As you begin to explore, you uncover the planet’s deadly secrets, as well as your own haunted past. The ferocious creatures you encounter eventually strike you down. However… that is not the end. Selene returns to life, unsure of what is happening, or her surroundings. As you are caught in a loop of exploration and death, the mysterious story reveals itself slowly.
Gameplay:
Third-person action has never felt better than it does in Returnal. Fluid gunplay and a plethora of insane power-ups and weapon types allow for unique “runs” through the alien landscapes. The term run seems to fit best for me, as death is almost certain most every time you pick up the controller, resetting all your progress. While that may seem like it would get tedious and/or boring, this is not the case, as death is a feature of progress.
The game has an element of procedural generation, as well as mixing up its order or operations on every single playthrough/run. Death resets you back to your ship, however the next time you leave the first arena to explore, you will notice that everything has changed, from weapons to power-ups, to the beings you encounter. While there is not an unlimited amount of room/weapon/fight variation, it certainly feels that way for a very long time.
You take what you learn about enemy tactics, and feel stronger the next time you face alien beings, as you have your own experience to lean on. When you discover weaknesses, you will know that for next time. Additionally, SOME power-ups and bonuses are permanent, allowing you to incrementally improve your character, as long as you can survive for a while. Additionally, gun “experience” with the different weapon types is also retained, allowing more and more power to come blasting out of your arsenal.
As you get new permanent tools and upgrades, you start to see how you can make real progress. While the beginning of the game will see you dying left and right, by the end stages, you will feel like an absolute powerhouse, able to navigate multiple full biomes and take on numerous bosses without dying even once.
There are multiple alien biomes, all full of their own enemy types and death traps. Despite the variation, it all feels like a crazy alien planet that could exist out there, full of terrifying beasts and massive creatures. The shifting levels each time you play keeps things fresh most always. Yes, you may get used to seeing a few of the rooms and know what may be lurking around the corner, but the game always throws you a curve ball or two with its setups.
The “haptics” of the controller also makes you feel the biomes, which adds another layer of awesome to the whole presentation. The awesome weapon effects and alien attacks give rumbles in your hands, and you can touch the rain dropping through the controller’s subtle vibrations. The rain was by far the best effect, but there were plenty of other cool things about it.
Enemy types are quite varied, from fast moving beasts to gigantic squid-like attackers in the sky. Attacks are both physical swipes from large arms as well as tentacles blasting their own alien guns at you, almost blotting out the sky. Dodging is your best friend, and choosing to play offensively or defensively may be required based on enemy type. Overall, the variation is extreme and the game is better for it, always keeping you on your toes. When your life gets low, your heart starts to pound like crazy, which very few games can do to me personally.
I believe a co-op multiplayer element has been added, however it was not available when I played the game.
Graphics:
Graphical effects are gorgeous, whether plant-life or alien biome settings and the beings that reside in them. The fluid motion of gameplay allows the player to settle into the alien world presented, and gorge on its amazing creations. The flora moves with the weather, and rain, snow and dust provide incredible visuals.
The gun effects are varied, with multiple sci-fi blasters doing all sorts of attack-types, depending on your gun and power up choices. The same weapons can act quite differently, and the visuals will match the different attacks.
Alien design is excellent, and inflict fear on the player, especially any of the larger creatures, the bosses, or really anything new that you stumble across. The unknown of it all is such a great factor, and keeps the player guessing. I had zero complaints about the wonderful graphical presentation.
Fun-level:
For me, I love a third-person shooter, especially one as creative as this. The gameplay is an absolute blast, and wondering if “this is the run” that you will finally take down that pesky level boss made for an excellent time. Some of the worst starts to my adventures turned out to be the most successful runs.
The story only enhances the gameplay in all ways. It feeds you tidbits of your past, as well as your current situation, in the best of ways. It is all so mysterious and cryptic, yet fully satisfying. Every death made me want to return to the danger just in hopes that I would hit the next story hint or answer. The story is absolutely haunting, in an addicting fashion. It all makes the player absolutely need to know more, and try to figure out what the reality is of the situation, however finding out more may not provide the answer you are looking for, and just further expand on the overall mystery.
It almost feels like “LOST” meets “Twin Peaks” meets “Aliens” meets “Jacob’s Ladder.” Yeah, there is a lot to take in with that description, but it is both alike those properties and nothing at all like them also, somehow.
Lastly, on a personal level, the final biome accessible is fully one of my life’s biggest fears, so getting myself to play in that murky horrible biome was a challenge, and put me on edge like no other game ever has.
Downloadable Content (DLC) Review:
A free DLC was offered well-after release, which I have heard nothing but good things about. It is on my list of things to get back to, and I will give an update when I have cleared it. My backlog is thinning, so that may be sooner rather than later.
Final Score: 9.0
DLC Score: N/A - To be added when I get to it