The PlayStation 5 exclusive Returnal is visually stunning and has excellent polish and production values. However, it is also an incredibly challenging game that may put off less experienced gamers.
Returnal is a showcase for the power of the PS5 – Next-Gen Console Watch
The latest from Housemarque, the Finnish studio behind the arcade-style shooters Dead Nation and Resogun, Returnal combines rewarding combat, immersive storytelling, and spooky environments to deliver one of the best PS5 exclusives since the console launched last fall. But while it may look like a straight-up sci-fi shooter on the surface, it’s actually a “rogue-like,” an increasingly popular genre that strips players of most of their progress upon death.
The formula encourages you to get better and gain more knowledge with each playthrough. It’s a potentially rewarding loop that breeds a desire to dive back in after you die, while also slowly but steadily progressing toward the game’s narrative conclusion. Returnal represents the genre at its finest, but it likely won’t convince those who previously sworn off its steep challenge and repetitive nature.
The first thing you notice in Returnal isn’t a fiery attack from a tentacled enemy, but the stunning presentation. Playing as Selene, an astronaut who has crash-landed her spaceship on a mysterious planet, you’re immediately treated to some of the most immersive sights and sounds ever to grace a console game.
