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Returnal (PC cover
Game Box forReturnal (PC)

Returnal

Returnal is an action game from the Housemarque studio, in which we play the role of an astronaut who survives the multiple shipwreck on an unknown planet. The player's task is to discover the secrets of this world and break out of the time loop.

Action | TPP | science fiction | roguelike | TPS | co-op | shooters | Find Your Next Game | PS Plus Premium | PS Plus Extra

Returnal Release Date

30Apr2021

PS5

15Feb2023

PC

Returnal is the game from the authors of the critically acclaimed shoot-em-up game Resogun. This time Housemarque Studio decided to develop an action game with a TPP view, in which the player's task is to discover the secrets of an unexplored planet. The game is a combination of TPS (third-person shooter) and roguelike.

Plot

In the game we play the role of an astronaut, who is forced to relive the same event over and over again - the crash of her ship on a strange planet. Death only makes the woman return to her starting point. In addition, after every rebirth, the world on which he "lands" changes, and she changes with the world. The only way for the heroine to break out of this strange loop is to discover the secrets that this dangerous land hides. With each death, however, Selene sinks deeper and deeper into madness.

Gameplay

Exploration is an important part of the experience. The ever-changing planet has different locations and items to offer each time, which guarantees each approach is unique. In addition, the ancient technology we discover can permanently enhance Selene's abilities. This makes subsequent approaches to the game easier.

The gunplay shows inspiration with bullet-hell games. Nearly every opponent is spitting a hail of bullets with different ballistics. The player's job is to navigate between the projectiles, avoiding hits, and responding with gunfire. In the heat of battle, we can freely switch the firing modes of our weapons, allowing us to adapt to the situation.

The title also draws some solutions from the roguelike genre: death is part of the mechanics. In Returnal, it is not the end, but an element of our adventure that does not disturb the rhythm of the game. After death, we can quickly return to the fight, but be careful – after each resurrection, the game world changes.

Multiplayer

Returnal is an exclusively single-player game.

4K 60 FPS

The game takes full advantage of PS5's capabilities. The loading screen disappears almost instantly after death, so we can try again right away. Thanks to the controller's adaptive triggers, we can intuitively aim or change fire modes with the same trigger: it depends on how hard we press it. The DualSense controller's vibration allows the player to be more immersed when firing the weapon. Using headphones, we can experience 3D sound. There are different sounds coming from every side – enemies coming at us from behind, bullets whizzing past, and enemies flying above us.

Returnal 's visuals are very impressive, offering 4K resolution at 60 frames per second animation and ray tracing. The locations we traverse are stunningly detailed, the character models are almost photorealistic, and each bullet we fire is accompanied by impressive lighting effects.

Last updated on 18 January 2023

Game mode: single / multiplayer   Multiplayer mode: Internet   Player counter: 1-2  

User score: 2.6 / 10 based on 585 votes.

Pre-release expectations: 5.5 / 10 based on 214 votes.

PEGI rating Returnal

Age rating. The PEGI rating considers the age suitability of a game, not the level of difficulty. Game contains depictions of violence.

Returnal System requirements

Sony PlayStation 5

PlayStation 5

  • Uses:
  • 60 fps w 4K with RT
PC / Windows

PC / Windows

  • Minimum:
  • (60 fps / 720p) Intel Core i5-6400 2.7 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X 3.5 GHz
  • 16 GB RAM
  • graphic card 6 GB GeForce GTX 1060 / 8 GB Radeon RX 580 or better
  • 60 GB HDD
  • Windows 10 64-bit
  • Recommended:
  • (60 fps / 1080p) Intel Core i7-8700 3.7 GHz / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 3.7 GHz
  • 16 GB RAM
  • graphic card 8 GB GeForce RTX 2070 / 12 GB Radeon RX 6700 XT or better
  • 60 GB SSD
  • Windows 10 64-bit
  • Ultra:
  • (60 fps / 4K / RT) Intel Core i9-11900K 3.5 GHz / AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 3.7 GHz
  • 32 GB RAM
  • graphic card 12 GB GeForce RTX 3080 Ti / 16 GB Radeon RX 6950 XT or better
  • 60 GB SSD
  • Windows 10 64-bit
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