Returnal Reviews
Returnal's fluid, graceful movement and satisfying, punchy gunplay combine with a sense of exploration at once both wondrous and morbid, and a drip-fed progression system that makes you feel like you're always discovering or unlocking something new.
Complex systems are made simple, by committing their clutter to muscle memory, and play-good play, at any rate-requires that you, like Selene, ride its enigmatic loop.
Returnal is both a stark departure from Housemarque’s previous stable of games, and also a familiar experience that the studio is well known for. It at least proves that they are capable of producing AAA-games that are able to take strides with the best of PlayStation exclusives, even when they are tackling an entirely new genre. It’s an expert blend of third-person exploration and bullet-hell shooting with many layers of customization that makes every playthrough exciting - even if the current system is skewed towards more of a roll of the dice than pure skill. Returnal is a punishing and a heart-pounding affair that requires precise execution and utmost mastery of the game, neither of those that will be easy to come by.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
A must-play for anyone with a PS5 who isn’t afraid to work through the frustrations of dying over and over again.
Returnal mixes the peculiarities of roguelike with continuous progress that rewards the efforts and dedication of the player, with an enigmatic story that will keep us prisoners of that house that we will visit (or not) in each new attempt. Perhaps it fails in trying to offer an experience like infinite roguelike.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Thanks to a recent patch that fixed the majority of performance issues that I was having, I can happily call Returnal on PC the “definitive version.” It has the looks, the performance, and the best controls, ready to reward those who waited for the PS5’s timed-exclusivity period to end with a compelling, mysterious story and top-tier bullet hell gameplay.
One of the best PlayStation exclusives of recent years is an inspired mix of bullet hell shooter and roguelike dungeon crawler, that somehow still feels like nothing else on console or PC.
The mixture of shooting arcade "bullet hell" with roguelite results in an interesting proposal, which in its jump to PC leaves an even more colorful technical plot. Of course, its difficulty and style may not be to the liking of all players, so if you do not like challenges and loops or repetitions, better think of another game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Housemarque reminds audiences that it’s got the chops to be one of the premier-tier game developers with Returnal. The game is wholly difficult with a roster of powerful enemies and bosses to overcome, but also gives the player everything they need in order to succeed. The game just gets better and better as you go on, as recognizing patterns and learning to adapt is endlessly rewarding. Despite some issues with RNG, it’s hard to knock this creepy sci-fi adventure. Returnal is a must-play PS5 exclusive for any roguelike fan itching for their latest challenge.
We can say many things about Returnal, but in the end it is best to understand that behind the shootouts with next-gen graphics and the roguelike mechanics at half gas hides a Housemarque game: a high-speed arcade game that is happy to play. They may not have caught up with him, but they've come very close to touching the sun.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Returnal was not one of the most anticipated games by PS5 users, and it is because of this that it is a big surprise. Housemarque has carried out its most ambitious project and, although it has slight shortcomings, it is one of the games that until now best takes advantage of the features of dualSense, PS5 and that is a great must for any player fan of shooters or roguelikes.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
But as someone who went out and got a PlayStation 3 just to play “Demon's Souls” (2009), and, moreover, loved Housemarque’s last two games, Returnal makes me rue the influence that Souls games have exerted on the industry. In my view, Returnal’s severe difficulty level does a disservice to its entertainment value.
Returnal takes full advantage of the PS5's features to give players a fast and furious sci-fi spectacle.
Housemarque delivers an unforgettable experience: Returnal is an intoxicating action game that thrives on its design and aestethic.
Review in Italian | Read full review
As it did with the PS3, Vita, and PS4, Housemarque has once again provided Sony with another launch-era hit and in doing so has created a rewarding, replayable, and revolutionary game that’s hopefully the foundation for other future AAA titles that are as clever with the roguelite blueprint.
It feels immensely satisfying to be sat here in 2021, eons after playing Super Stardust HD on PS3, and see just how far Housemarque has come. Offering a visual bullet hell spectacle, a showcase for the DualSense controller and a rewarding sci-fi narrative woven around the roguelike loop, we can say with unflinching confidence that Returnal is the PS5's best game to date.
What should have been a hotchpotch of other people's ideas, made worse by frustratingly high difficulty, is in reality one of the most cleverly designed video games of recent years, with superb action and endless replayability.
Returnal is a mostly thrilling sci-fi action romp that suffers from a lack of scale at times. In the moment, I'm completely fixated on my run, upgrading like a fiend, and dashing around for iFrames like I was playing a Capcom game. But after that run ends and I'm looking at the bigger picture, Returnal can feel a little smaller than it actually is. Keep that in mind before you take the pricey plunge.
You won't want to break the cycle because Returnal offers an immersive experience that sucks you in for hours. However, when you finally break the cycle and reach the end of Selene's journey, you will realize just how much of a masterpiece Returnal is.