Returnal Reviews
Returnal isn’t for everyone, as this is a game that asks you to take a similar leap; it’s asking a lot from you with its never-ending gameplay, deep sci-fi narrative, and difficulty that could lead to frustration on long-winded runs. It’s all so well-done, however, that even though one aspect of this game might be enough to turn you off completely, another could make this a game worth playing from start to finish.
Returnal is a very difficult title to evaluate and, therefore, to recommend. It's not bad — on the contrary, it's addictive, beautifully crafted, has controls bordering on perfection, and sublimely leverages the PS5's next-gen features. But its cruel game design is for few; most players will become discouraged and abandon the game along the way. If you like roguelikes, enjoy a good challenge and have unwavering persistence, I definitely recommend Returnal. But if you're one of those people who doesn't like the mechanics of starting over hundreds of times with little progress between the runs, you better move on.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
For many, Returnal may be a dark horse of this year. It is definitely a great combination of two game genres, and as the icing on the cake, we have a psychological and mysterious story that attracted me more than I could have ever expected. Returnal gets 9 points out of 10. And if you're easily scared, then give it an extra point, because we have a candidate for the game of the year.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Un misil teledirigido a la parte de nuestro cerebro que indica adicción y diversión.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Overall, Returnal is a tour de force of the roguelike genre. Housemarque has created an interesting world that engages your senses and entrances you. Jumping into Selene’s world and discovering more about her and the planet is intense, but fulfilling. With beautiful visuals, gratifying combat, and surprises at every turn, this is what a AAA roguelike experience should feel like.
The £70 price tag may sting, but with close to 30 hours on a single playthrough and some of the most compelling gameplay I’ve experienced in a while, Returnal feels like a premium product worth every penny.
One Thousand and One Deaths. A loop of stories told until you lost your mind. Selene's diaries became Sherazade's tales, the ending delayed until the next day, the next loop.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Returnal’s shooting mechanics are solid, the game is gorgeous, the enemy variety is nice, and the boss fights are stellar. So, it’s a shame that literally everything else kind of falls apart. The rogue-lite aspects are sub-par at best and outright bad at worst.
Returnal is a moody, atmospheric and adrenaline-soaked thrill-ride. Like the most extreme rides at a theme park, this won't be for everyone. Those taken by the challenge though can buckle up safe in the knowledge that they're on-course for a bold, brutal and absolutely brilliant game.
Returnal is a beautiful PlayStation 5 exclusive that mixes a third person shooter with several aspects of the roguelike and bullet hell genres. The Housemarque’s game is an interesting newcomer: it is funny, but at the same time difficult, and it never bores while you start over a run again, and again, and again.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Returnal is a great mix between roguelite and metroidvania. With an exquisite gunplay and some very funny confrontations where mobility will be key, it may penalize you that your levels are excessively high for what games of the genre are used to. Still, a fully recommended title that. In addition, it will be remembered as the first to squeeze the PS5 hardware, specifically speaking of the SSD and the Dual Sense. The new generation is here.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Exploration and combat make Returnal an excellent game that I can't recommend at this moment because of all the technical issues plaguing it.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Returnal is Housemaruqe's best game. They succeeded in their greatest achievement by combining their history as a developer onto a higher budget, and it paid off immensely. If you have PlayStation 5 and you're not playing Returnal, you're not treating your PS5 right.
Returnal is definitely one of the best PlayStation 5 games you can buy right now, and will undoubtedly impress anybody who picks it up with the speed of its gameplay, quality of its detailed presentation and the fun haptics.
Almost everything about Returnal is working towards making it the premier PS5 exclusive. Stellar graphics, a great story, and amazing gameplay make it a joy to play, but a lack of saving and the constant fear of crashes make it hard to recommend at the present moment. At the end of the day, Returnal is a fantastic game, but whether or not you want to risk wasting hours of your life on potential crashes is really up to you.
In an industry overflowing with sequels, copycats, and remakes, Returnal is a beacon of originality.
Returnal is addictive, frenetic and fun game. You must to play it!
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sony's first solo game in 2021 showed high perfection. Battle action, a combination of story-oriented play methods and shooting genres, which are rare in genres such as log, stands out. However, even though it is a log-like genre, the freshness of repetitive play is low and the difficulty of the game is very high, requiring some barriers to entry.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Even though I was excited for Returnal, I wasn't expecting Housemarque's first foray out of the arcade genre in a long time to be this well made. Returnal is an excellent game that will rank among the best PlayStation 5 games even in years to come.
Review in Slovak | Read full review