RETURNAL WALLPAPER FULL
From a sprawling desert full of mechanical squids to an icy tundra that’s nearly devoid of organic life, Selene is truly cut off from society. Much of the game’s haunting tone is achieved through Atropos itself, which is an ominous planet laced with danger. The journey isn’t so much about shooting every enemy in sight as it is uncovering a deeply repressed memory. There’s something inescapable eating away at Selene that’s causing her to relive her past over and over. Without giving too much away, it’s a harrowing story that justifies the game’s cyclical roguelite setup. Ominous narrative sequences set inside Selene’s home, which mysteriously appears on Atropos, slowly build out her troubled history before it crescendos to a gripping emotional conclusion. The game has Scott’s same signature brand of ominous science fiction, not unlike Alienor Prometheus. Selene’s story is at once otherworldly and deeply personal. Tonally, Returnal’s closest comparison is to director Ridley Scott’s films. The studio may claim that “arcade is dead,” but it’s alive and well in these high-octane battles. Returnal feels like a top-down shoot-em-up reimagined as a big-budget 3D action game. It’s easy to see where Housemarque’s arcade roots come into play here. All those little systems come together to form an experience that always has its foot on the gas. There’s a lot more complexity to speak of, like an adrenaline system that grants stat boosts every time players get three kills in a row without being hit. It’s an aggressive action game where it’s always fun to simply execute the basics. There’s also a powerful melee sword slash, which offers a solid incentive to charge headfirst into battle. Guns use a short cooldown system instead of limited ammo, so players are encouraged to go wild in encounters. The guns are a blast to fire thanks to perks that permanently unlock over time and make each weapon type feel distinct. The movement itself is satisfyingly quick, allowing for an evasive ballet as giant space squids lob orbs in every direction. It’s an aggressive action game where it’s always fun to simply execute the basics.Įverything is glued together by fast-paced action. That hodgepodge of influences may sound like a “too many cooks” situation, but Housemarque is a master chef when it comes to genre fusion. It’s also a roguelite, a bullet hell game, and a Metroidvania adventure rolled into one (that’s a lot to process, I know). It may look like a standard third-person shooter, but that barely scratches the surface. Live, die, repeatĭescribing how Returnal works is no easy task.
While its punishing roguelite elements can get in the way of its narrative strengths, fast-paced combat and an enthralling atmosphere make it one of the more exciting top-tier PlayStation exclusives to emerge in quite some time. Returnal is a bold sci-fi shooter that successfully breaks down the gaming industry’s long-standing genre barriers. The studio announced it was changing direction in response to lackluster sales, famously declaring “ arcade is dead.” Fans feared that the pivot could squash what made the studio special, but it turns out that Housemarque’s version of a AAA game only amplifies its indie spirit. The PS5 exclusive comes from Housemarque, a Finnish studio known for niche titles like Super Stardust and Nex Machina that draw influence from arcade shooters.
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