Returnal Reviews
A truly AAA sci-fi roguelike masterpiece full of intense moments and inviting mysteries, Returnal continually reminds us of why we love Housemarque so much in the first place.
Housemarque has delivered its finest title to date and while it may not be for everyone, when the clicks, it is impossible to put down. Returnal offers a satisfying loop strengthened by a sense of discovery that few games offer.
Returnal is a masterclass in how to create gripping, exhilarating arcade action and feels like the first game to truly realise the PS5's potential. It uses everything the system offers to craft an experience completely unlike anything else available today at this budget. Apart from narrative missteps, Housemarque's latest is flawless and a game that everyone who owns a PS5 and every gamer should experience at some point. I hope this is the start of a new, prosperous franchise for PlayStation and Housemaque.
Returnal stands as Housemarque's most ambitious title yet, taking the studio away from the arcade genre and into uncharted territory.
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.
Returnal brilliantly meshes roguelike mechanics with precise combat and enigmatic exploration, making for an excellent game
Returnal is an astounding game, one that easily and instantly claims the proud title of being Housemarque's best game to date, and is an unmissable killer app very early in the PS5's life.
Returnal is a shining technical achievement, possibly the best looking game on PlayStation 5. With addictive gunplay, a brutal learning curve, and a focus on exploration and temporary buffs, roguelike fans will be in heaven. Be warned though, the difficulty level is not for everyone. Though I learned to love Returnal with time, many players may walk away frustrated.
If there's a sticking point to Returnal, it's that it's a big PS5 exclusive that is most definitely not for everyone. It's next-gen beautiful all the way, but if you've never played a game like this before, even all that beauty and amazing design might not be worth the sense of dejection you might feel as the body count starts mounting. Returnal and other games like it will force newer players to ask questions about what kind of games they want to experience. It takes a little bit of weird thinking to relish the prospect of repeated punishment. I recommend it, just for the experience of it. If you're part of that wider audience who wants to give a next-gen roguelike a shot, then be prepared for an awakening. And another one. And … another one.
Returnal can be messy, tough, and perhaps a little too uncompromising for a $70 game. And yet, despite the moments of pad-clenching exasperation, it remains a moreish experience even after you've plummeted its depths.
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.
I won't mince words. If you're expecting to play through Returnal just for the story or expecting it to be like any other AAA PlayStation exclusive before it, then you should probably skip it altogether. Returnal is for those who are ready to grit their teeth for some truly unforgiving and punishing combat. Consider that a genuine warning.
Scratch beneath that surface and the game doesn’t say much to justify its existence, and it is going to be far too challenging for a lot of players, but within its fairly narrow scope, for the audience that it was made for, Returnal is going to be a vividly entertaining ride.
Returnal clearly heralds a new era for Housemarque, in terms of turning the focused arcade-blasting likes of Super Stardust HD into quest-worthy 3D action. Keep it coming, Sony and Housemarque.
Returnal is an essential PS5 title, now and throughout the console's life. Housemarque took the rogue-like bullet-hell formula and applied it to a AAA experience in a way that creates something exceptionally unique yet wholly familiar. Returnal is an engaging experience in narrative, gameplay, and player discovery, consistently surprising on every level. Utilizing the PS5 technology in a way that most other developers are barely tapping into, Returnal feels like one of the first truly next-gen experiences, letting Housemarque set the stage for the new console. And like Housemarque games before it, it's the kind of game that will withstand the test of time, begging for additional cycles well into the future.
By remixing ideas and concepts from other high profile games, the bits of originality stand out. While its refreshing, Returnal is also very intimidating in the long run with risk reward decision starting with time to play confortable.
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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.
I'm cynical because the assumption that Housemarque has made here is that AAA games are a genre unto themselves, one whose form is based on cinematic regurgitation, excess, and the speed of disposability. And what sucks is they're slowly being proven right. Prestige television came early to this console generation, and I'm sure for many it will happily pass the time and then it will pass away into memory because memories are short, and there's always a next big thing, and then a bigger next big thing.
Returnal feels like a next-gen game.