Plus, the game’s story is arguably what will keep players coming back to Returnal, as it’s impossible to unearth all of its secrets in a single playthrough. Because of their brief nature, these story-led moments never feel at odds with the rest of the game, instead offering some much-needed respite. But as you explore the house at a slower pace, the secrets of Selene’s past and who this stalker might be reveal themselves. Its best use is when Selene stumbles across an old house in the middle of this alien world, one that obviously shouldn’t be there. In a great twist – and as a means of amplifying the dread – small segments of the game shift into the first-person. There are elements of horror running through both storylines, as Atropos’ history speaks of a race of highly developed beings driven to madness through separation, while Selene finds herself stalked by a mysterious figure in a space suit. Some segments shift into the first-person to amp up the tensionĪll aspects of the story are delivered in breadcrumb format, dropping small details here and there that lead up to a bigger picture for the player to put together. Two concurrent plotlines overlap and drive the game forward.Returnal elevates itself above other roguelike with an overarching narrative There are two facets to Returnal’s narrative: the personal history of Selene herself and the history of the Xeno race that once inhabited the planet Selene now finds herself on. Given Housemarque’s track record of making titles like Super Startdust HD and Resogun, it’s not the biggest surprise that the company has made use of its experience in this genre, but what separates Returnal from those earlier games is its use of story to drive the action forward. There are speedy projectiles, energy waves, homing missiles and more that will all be flying in your direction at the same time, and it’s up to the player to be constantly on the move. While the game’s been described as a ‘roguelike’ ahead of its release, make no mistake that this is actually a bullet hell game in disguise. The creatures that inhabit Atropos are brutally fierce and, getting right up in your face unless you get out of the way. Just like me, you’ll fight for a bit before being overwhelmed by an unbelievably powerful monster, but it’s in death that Returnal truly begins. Upon further inspection, the recently deceased is actually her, and after picking up a nearby pistol, alien creatures start to come out of the woodwork. What Selene actually finds is the corpse of another Scout. It isn’t long until something malfunctions and Selene’s journey is brought to a screeching halt as her ship crash lands in a dense, forest-like plain.Īs Selene walks through the dark, rain-soaked environment, there’s a huge sense of foreboding that some terrifying alien creature could jump out at any moment. Opening up with the vast expanse of space, we are introduced to our heroine, Astra Scout Selene, who after spotting a unique signal coming from a nearby planet called Atropos, pilots her ship in the signal’s direction.
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