Returnal (PC) Review

Live. Die. Repeat… Astronaut?

 Over the last week, I've been jumping between Metroid Prime Remastered and Returnal. Having never played Metroid before, it's interesting to see how that game has influenced games like Returnal. After PS5 players got Returnal in April of 2021, the arrival of the well-regarded third-person roguelike adds to the growing number of PC ports from PlayStation PC LLC, leaving the question of how Returnal fares as a PC game. Let's find out. 

Light spoilers will be below for some of the abilities and story.

Returnal follows the story of Selene, an astronaut who discovers a mysterious signal coming from the planet Atropos. After succumbing to hostile aliens, she reawakens to find herself back at the crash site of her ship. Returning to the beginning of her journey after every death, Selene quickly concludes that she is stuck in a time loop. Pressing on to find the source of the signal, Selene comes across improbable visions. Specifically, her childhood home. Upon entering, she relives memories of her past with each visit to that house.

When I originally played Returnal on PS5, I never finished it. However, this time, I was determined to see it through to the end. I'm glad I did. The overall journey we see Selena go through, the ever-evolving mystery of Atropos, and its constantly shifting nature are all excellent pieces that create a remarkably engaging experience. That being said, those going in for a story might find it a little bare in that regard, as depending on one’s skill level, hours can go by without a hint of new story elements. At the first sight of a mysterious figure, there is a genuine drive to push yourself further to figure out more. I just hoped these story morsels weren't so few and far between, with most of the story revealing itself in the last third of the game.

Regardless of the story being spread thinner than one might want, Returnal really shines in its gameplay. Part roguelike, part bullet hell, it plays as a third-person shooter, with each attack coming in brilliant waves of colors and lasers in a stimulus overload that somehow remains beautiful despite there being a steady presence of danger. Each time Selena starts a run, she can find new weapons or stick with the same weapon to build up proficiency. As she levels up her mastery with weapons, they have certain perks that unlock to make the player feel like the arsenal is one step closer to helping Selena survive. There is also a tiny glimpse of Metroidvania in Returnal, as there are barriers and high cliffs that can only be reached until the appropriate tools are found.

The major gripe I have with Returnal is in its combat. There seems to be a big fluctuation in the level of difficulty from moment to moment. I'm sure this is a skill issue on my end, but there were areas I would come across that were almost painfully easy which was followed up by the next room where it was punishingly difficult. This was especially prevalent on my third and fourth runs, along with a few runs down the line. Yet, the big issue is that it never gives the player time to learn how to maneuver the terrain and deal with the threat before putting near-impossible tasks in front of them. This is partly due to the randomness of each run, and it just so happens that I had some not-so-lucky seeds early on. That said, things can be made easier by grinding out sub-objectives in encounter rooms, but sometimes those were also a tad too difficult for a new player, resulting in the game's overall difficulty being astounding in some runs. 

Where Returnal truly shines is in its environments and sounds. The way each space oozes terror and mystery is awe-inspiring. Everything Selene comes across in Returnal feels alive, alien, and hostile. Be it the creatures or even the flora, everything has this amazing detail and love given to it giving everything this everlasting effect. The same goes for the audio quality. On the PlayStation 5, Returnal put its best foot forward with its 3D spatial audio, and here it still feels like a step forward. The way each alien sounds adds a whole level to the general terror they give off, and the voice acting is top-notch.

Overall Returnal is a solid game that will hit for roguelike fans especially but might set the barrier for entry too high for those just curious. The PC port pushes the graphical boundaries even further and makes Returnal look breathtaking. Unfortunately, the lack of cross-platform multiplayer is mind-boggling and a big missed opportunity for Sony.

SCORES

GAMEPLAY - 7/10

VISUALS - 9/10

SOUND - 8/10

CONTROLS - 8/10

REPLAY VALUE - 7/10

OVERALL - 7.8/10

Learn more about Returnal on its Steam listing. A code for review purposes was provided by the publisher.