Live. Die. Repeat.
Returnal is a game that has a lot of people excited. Sure, it’s not anticipated on the same level of Final Fantasy XVI or Resident Evil: VIllage, but what do you want from a new IP? Set on an unexplored planet the game puts players in the shoes of Selene, an astronaut trapped on a mysterious planet – and a time loop. Given that 2020 already feels like a time loop, it’s probably a good thing the game doesn’t launch until next year.
Every time Selene dies she’s resurrected and forced to traverse the planet again, which is where the game’s roguelike elements come in. Every new life sees the planet itself change, meaning that you’ll have to face new horrors as you try to survive – and escape.
The footage showcases some of the combat from the game, and it’s nothing that we haven’t seen before. Selene comes outfitted with a variety of futuristic weapons which she can use to fight for her life, as well as a grappling hook she can use to traverse the environment, either for exploration or to give herself a situational advantage against the horrific creatures she’ll come across as she makes her way across the ever-changing world.
The game takes full advantage of the PS5’s hardware to make a world that… well, beautiful isn’t the right word, but graphically? The visuals are sharp and coherent, filled with diseased looking enemies that look fantastic. The enemies themselves are horrific, tumorous creatures, and Selene really does feel like an intruder in a whole ecosystem, and will need to take full advantage of her heightened agility and weapons if she hopes to survive what the planet has to throw at her.
Will you be checking out Returnal? Let us know in the comments, on Twitter, or on Facebook.
