Returnal Reviews
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.
Housemarque delivers an unforgettable experience: Returnal is an intoxicating action game that thrives on its design and aestethic.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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
While Returnal’s marriage of rogue-like loops and serpentine story isn’t perfect, it’s a dark, engaging, and innovative experience which provides plenty of gameplay grunt to match its brain-teasing plot.
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.
Returnal on PC is just as stunning as it ever was, with a high level of detail in its environmental design and layered gameplay.
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.
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.
This lack of variety in the style of play makes every run feel samey, and they begin to blur together. That leads to a roteness that made me want to put down the game when I was struggling with the difficulty. I like challenging games, but roguelites need to walk a fine line between familiarity and routine. Familiarity is the warm embrace of something that feels like home. Routine is boredom, and it is poison for a game like this.
Housemarque's PlayStation 5 exclusive is a punishingly tough roguelike shooter with great action – assuming you don't mind diving into bullet hell.
Returnal is an incredible experience, which combines a replayable rogue-lite structure with heart-pounding bullet-hell gameplay.
As long as your PC is up to the job, this is top-notch conversion of one PlayStation 5's finest, combining razor-sharp shooting with dense atmosphere and a captivating story.
Firsts don't come around very often, but this is one of PlayStation's first PS5 exclusives and Housemarque's first triple A releases, and the combination is a triumphant success. I'm not sure how they've managed everything in play, taking the bullet-hell stylings of old and meshing them with the trappings of a third-person roguelike, but it works to a fantastic degree. On top of that, the action-packed gameplay is some of the best around, additionally being one of the most immersive and next-gen experiences available thanks to an incredible understanding of the DualSense controller. Yes, the story may take a backseat, but that's the nature of the roguelike genre, and doesn't hinder Returnal in the slightest. I may not be much for roguelikes, but I can see myself "returning" to play this one again and again.
Housemarque's Returnal is a shining example of what the studio is capable of, packing tight gameplay together with an interesting world.
Returnal is a great game on console and on PC, and its brilliant fast-paced gameplay will give daring players a highly entertaining experience despite its frustrating elements.
Returnal marks yet another high quality PC port of a PlayStation exclusive game and is a must-buy for anyone that hasn't already played on PS5.
Dazzling next-gen graphics belie a hardcore rogue-like which could test your patience as much as your reflexes
At its core, Returnal is one of the most satisfying third-person shooters I’ve played - it’s Hades via Vanquish. It forces you to meet it at its tempo and doesn’t relent. It makes Doom Eternal seem like Baby’s First Shooter. It’s gorgeous, frenetic, and endlessly replayable. I just wish success wasn’t so tied to luck, which only exacerbates any frustrations you have when repeatedly trekking through areas you’ve already beaten. Even after the credits rolled, I felt satisfied, but that satisfaction was also mixed with relief - the ordeal was finally over and the chiropractor's elbow has been removed from the small of my back.
Exceptionally hostile creatures are round every corner on a glorious, punishing quest through the perilous landscapes of another planet
Housemarque has delivered the PS5 promise with Returnal. All the console's bells and whistles enhance the experience, making this a real showpiece for the hardware. But more than that, the game is a force to be reckoned with; the breathless combat, super slick gameplay, and the subtle but unsettling story combine for an experience of surprising scale. Rogue-lite aspects mean it won't gel with everyone, but for those looking for a challenging, addictive arcade shooter, this comes highly recommended.