Returnal Reviews
Returnal is extremely difficult, and that might drive some casual players away, but there’s very little reason to say no to a game with such an intriguing story, beautiful visuals and engaging core gameplay in the first place. Returnal is a blast and, to be quite honest, I can’t wait to get back to it.
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.
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.
Exceptionally hostile creatures are round every corner on a glorious, punishing quest through the perilous landscapes of another planet
Returnal was Housemarque’s first crack at a AAA game and they’ve pretty much nailed the execution on all fronts. The game looks and runs like a dream on the PlayStation 5 and is one of the best reasons to own one yet. The game is tough and because of that it won’t be for everyone but for those who do enjoy these kinds of games you’ll quickly get addicted to the fast-paced and super smooth gameplay.
I loved playing Returnal and I would definitely love a linear-progression version of it, but am perfectly satisfied jumping back in just to play because it feels so good. I hope they make some quality of life changes over time and really bring this game home. As it stands this is a great roguelike experience that can deliver many hours of entertainment if you don’t mind recycling that fun over and over.
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 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
A wonderful and engaging rogue-lite that always has surprises up its sleeve, despite not offering any big innovations or super original ideas.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Housemarque's hotly anticipated roguelite is finally here, with the promise of horror and intrigue, but does it live up to the hype? This Returnal review will explore the high-highs and low-lows of PlayStation's latest hyped exclusive.
Returnal is not a product for everyone. But its clever exploitation of PlayStation 5 capabilities, heavy atmosphere, high detail sounding, and narrative of a thoughtful and profound story does not make us regret giving it a chance even if we fear its considerable difficulty.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Due to it's Rogue-like structure, Returnal is a hard game to get into as it requires a lot of trial and error to get comfortable with. But thanks to its mysterious setting, fun gameplay, fantastic use of DualSense technology and superb audio and visual design, you will be satisfied when you finally tackle all the challenges.
Review in Persian | Read full review
The more you learn about Selene across the game’s gripping campaign, the easier it is to relate to or, at least, agree with her observation that “I deserve to be here.” That line is also more than a little apt, as it perfectly sums up just how simultaneously rewarding and punishing it is to live in the world of Returnal. Each time you make a perfect jump and air-dash to avoid a cluster of bullets, you earn your way forward, and each time you awkwardly fall off a cliff or gawk as an explosive squid flies at you, you earn the right to try it all over again. The terse thrill of all that fragility makes this a timeless adventure well worth returning to.
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 a tightly designed roguelike with some of the best gameplay the genre can provide, and it's the first game since Demon's Souls to provide a reason to own a PS5.
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.