Roguelikes and bulletstorms are nothing new to the world of gaming, especially recently - titles such as Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, and Hades have made huge strides, not only in the indie scene, but for mainstream gaming as well. The worst thing you can hear, then, is that I was never really a fan of these types of titles (audible sounds of the world collapsing), and I know what you’re thinking - then why would he be good to review Returnal? Well, I was actually the best person - here is why.

Note: This review is spoiler-free.



Returnal crept under the radar like a covert spy, lurking in the background waiting for the perfect time to execute the Grand Plan. Except, this wasn’t a small scale incursion to subtly bring about regime change, it was a nuclear missile that shook everything as we know to its core. Rather than poison a wine cup, or a silent strike in a dark room, it ripped its trench coats open, dual-wielding Tommy guns, like a scene straight out of The Godfather.

Returnal is a roguelike bulletstorm in a sci-fi wrapper, but with a slight twist that we haven’t really seen before - it's in a third-person perspective rather than top-down or isometric view that we traditionally see, or even as a 2D platformer. This perspective change may not sound like a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it's still a refreshing change of pace to have something familiar displayed in a new way. It brings roguelike bulletstorms into modern day gaming, where traditional viewpoints are first or third-person. This is by no means an attempt to criticize those who like top-down, isometrics, or 2D platforming but rather the opposite; a way for those who don't enjoy those perspectives to embrace roguelike titles.



Returnal, as with other roguelikes, features a repetitive gameplay loop, whereby you have a set spawn point, which is where you start your “run” and each time you die, you return to that spawn point. In the process, you lose all the items you picked up in your run, including weapons, enhancements, and currency, aside from a select few permanent components. From this spawn point, you venture out once again to tackle the world once more, only, it's not what it was before.

The idea is to progress further and further each time, eventually making permanent progress, and retrying when you fail...

Returnal features procedurally generated areas outside of your spawn point, with each time you venture out into the wild a unique experience. However, there are familiar attributes about each randomization so navigating is still recognizable in some areas. The idea is to progress further and further each time, eventually making permanent progress, and retrying when you fail - I say when, because you will fail, it’s kind of a cornerstone of the game.



Returnal manages to balance this element of procedural generation in the environment with the excitement to explore, which pushes you to go through each nook and cranny trying to salvage resources, or look for permanent additions to Selene, our main character. Even familiar combat arenas feature differing sets of enemies to tackle, which all culminate in a roguelike that doesn't feel like a job to get anywhere in. Permanent add-ons make each run easier, but as you progress further, you become far more weary of what could be lurking in the next area, for fear of losing progress - which, of course, only adds to the tension of the world and atmosphere.

If you manage to master [verticality in combat], you will be a wisp of wind leaving nothing but scorched entrails in your wake.

Returnal still focuses on the challenge of it all, emphasizing verticality in combat which not only adds dimension, but also creates something new for you to worry about in a tense encounter. If you manage to master it, you will be a wisp of wind leaving nothing but scorched entrails in your wake. Though, even if you don't, you can still dash and whip your way around, more like a combat marine veteran than a mystical sorcerer - I, of course, was the former, like a large blunt hammer rather than an elegant Samurai sword.



The combat is incredibly-rewarding, especially when you manage to defeat an enemy or boss, that has been showing you your backside for the past hour (definitely not talking from personal experience). Lower-level enemies, or fodder, encounters can also be stressful if you let your guard down and allow the masses to descend upon you. Managing evasion, situational awareness, and your weapons is a skill that gets built as you progress more and more into Returnal, and once you have it mastered, no challenge can keep you down.

The DualSense plays a huge role in this as well, probably the best application of the new controller’s abilities to date - from the tiny vibrations of the rain pattering on screen, to the way you have to use the triggers to activate alternate firing modes, the controller makes combat deeper and more interactive.



As Returnal is set on an alien planet, we see a stunning world and environment that has been beautifully brought to life by the flora. Mesmerizing blue tendrils that gravitate towards you, luscious green moss set across stone monuments, and the remnants of a civilization past that has been brought to cinders by an unknown threat. Housemarque’s ability to make a world that feels both full and immensely devoid of life is just magnificent, juxtaposing sci-fi technology with primal fauna, showcasing a world that is both conquered and liberated. As you delve deeper into what came before, you discover a past that is haunting, yet beautiful, exploring important themes of current human civilization.

Housemarque’s ability to make a world that feels both full and immensely devoid of life is just magnificent...

Roguelike bulletstorms are not typically my cup of tea; I have attempted Dead Cells on numerous occasions, as well as Hollow Knight, and I just could not get the rhythm of them so I abandoned them. However, Returnal has truly given me a new appreciation for the genre, and that is the best thing I can praise it for - and I think I will always be appreciative of Returnal for that. Its blend of current “indie concepts” mixed in with a beautifully 3D-rendered world, and using a non-traditional perspective feels like the roguelike genre has been brought into a whole new dimension (literally), to where I will probably go back and catch up with the titles above, as well as Hades.



As much as I can break down all the great things about Returnal, I think a simpler statement would be that this is the strongest candidate for Game of the Year so far for me. More importantly, is the addictiveness that is repetitive insistence in trying to conquer a challenge that has done nothing but beat you down. The joy and elation when you finally beat a section you have struggled with, or a boss that has given you your backside, is a feeling that is indescribable, and that is what Returnal is: indescribable.

*PS5 Review code provided by PlayStation