In my returnal review, I take a look at the general dynamics of the game developed specifically for Playstation 5. Before going into the details, I have to underline that the game is the first game developed for PS5. In other words, we have a game that has been developed completely taking into account the architecture and features of the console. Demon's Souls was released exclusively during the console's release period, but if we consider that this game is a Remake, we can at least position Returnal in a more special place in this regard. Because I will give details in a moment, but you feel this situation in every moment of the game, albeit with small details, and this is just a few of the points that make Returnal successful.
Pros
+ Fun and binding gameplay
+ Uninterrupted dynamics
+ A curious story
+ Horror elements
+ Using DualSense and Pulse 3D
+ No load time
Cons
- Totally luck-based loop balance
- Permanent upgrades are insufficient
- Unbalanced pricing
An action game that combines returnal roguelike and metroidvania genres, using horror elements as spice. Combining so many different types, it has managed to keep the aspects that all of them are successful in, despite some of their shortcomings.
In the game, we manage a character named Selene who falls on a planet named Atropos. While Selene embarks on a great journey towards the unknown on this planet, she also enters a personal showdown. As the game progresses, we find our own sound recordings, and even by seeing our own house, we discover that we are in a great uncertainty and loop, and we find ourselves in places that seem to have emerged from Alien movies.
The general functioning of the game is based on a time loop that is fed into the story details very well. When you die, you start the game from the starting point and repeat this cycle over and over again. This cycle tries to keep you alive with the changing map structure, different weapons and enemy types, as well as story pieces. "How can we enjoy dying over and over again?" I can hear you say. At this point, the fact that it has a dynamism that changes every time together with the randomly generated map structure has been an element that increases the bindingness of the game.
It's up to you to break the cycle
So if you have played successful games like Dead Cells or Hades before, I think you have a better understanding of what we mean. Or, if you are familiar with the storytelling of the Children of Morta game, it is possible to say that it has a similar structure. Because as he dies and spends hours over and over, he learns the details of the story and despite all these deaths, this bindingness of the game is the most important factor that pushes you to play again.
Of course, although there are changes every time in matters such as the map system or weapons, you actually encounter similar lines as a theme. In other words, each region of the game has a complex map system in itself. This map system changes every cycle, but in general terms, you encounter a forested area in the first region or a desert theme in the second region. In the later stages, areas such as snowy mountains and a large temple were also included. Despite this changing structure, the map was created so well that the discovery dynamics were kept at a high level. If you cannot search around and make the necessary updates, you will start the next cycle very quickly.
As the game progresses, of course, shortcuts and teleportation portals open. With these short cuts, you can quickly reach the region where you last stayed. But the faster you go, the less powerful your character is for that region. This has emerged as the biggest factor that prolongs the duration of the game. You also sense a little imbalance in this regard, because when you spend minutes and get all the features, it can be a little nervous to go straight back to the head when you die in the last zone. Both your weapons and the features you receive are reset each time, and this situation can bother you at some moments.
Some permanent items are included in the game to balance this situation a little. You get a hook that you can hold onto some points in the area, a sword (such as a lightsaber) with which you can break enemies or areas with a barrier, or permanent features that you can navigate underwater. These features are generally based on you navigating the game field faster. Since there is no permanent item for life bar or damage issues, as I said, no matter how fast you go, you have to repeat the cycle over and over again if you cannot find key items, especially in issues such as damage and health.
When I first played, I directly reached the 3rd zone. Afterwards, I had to repeat the cycle 10-15 times when I wanted to act fast. But again, cautiously and slowly, when I was pacified, I reached the fourth zone in the game. In other words, the game has a structure that requires patience and rewards you at the end of this patience, just like in similar productions.
Of course, do not look at what I say patient, although you need to be patient in progress, there is a completely opposite situation in gameplay dynamics. Because Returnal is a production where you need to stay in motion constantly and adjust the dynamics of conflict accordingly. There are only a few points on the screen where you can escape from enemy shooting in boss fights. Or sometimes there are so many enemies on the playground that you take a moment's hesitation to measure your height. Moreover, you may encounter enemies that will knock you down with a single shot, as well as crunchy snack enemies. I can say that the random processing of this whole structure, like the section designs, keeps you on your bumps.
There are also some dynamics that need to be considered, apart from searching around and finding weapons and items. For example, your adrenaline level allows you to do more damage. In addition to the items you find, there are doors that you can unlock and some special items you can buy. To buy these, you have to collect orb-like spheres that fall from your enemies. The game is so stingy about this that you can only buy a few items per cycle. In other words, it can be a little annoyed that you only collect 60-70 units of orbs after jumping and bouncing on the whole playground and killing dozens of enemies in sweat. But remember, this tilt state is the most important dynamic of this kind of games :)
Among the items, there are items that you can use as well as those that affect your features. You can regenerate your health, reduce the cooldowns or create a shock wave when you jump for a certain period of time. I can say that it is vital to choose these items, which you can only buy in a certain number, and use them at the right time.
Apart from these items, there are some parasites you collect in the game area. The functioning of these parasites is based on the dynamism of return and lump sum. So let's say you found a parasite. This parasite gives you 20% more damage, while at the same time wiping 10% of your health bar. According to him, you collect the parasites you find and enter into a small account book. Apart from this parasite system, small challenge tasks are also included in the game. Some special items you buy have a penalty system. For example, you start to lose your life with every item you buy next. To prevent this, you can face challenges such as kill 6 enemies with a melee weapon, find an artifact or kill 15 enemies.
Speaking of Challenge, there are also special modes where you can compete with other players from your ship against time. In these missions, you try to clear the regions in the fastest way and climb the leaderboards.
Let's talk about weapons because every weapon you buy in the game has a level and you can naturally find higher level weapons in the advancing areas. Apart from pistols, pump and machine guns, they throw bombs and laser guns are also included in the game. Of course, all these weapon types vary depending on the atmosphere of the game. In other words, a technology belonging to the race in the game was used rather than a classic machine gun. In addition, each weapon has a secondary feature other than its primary shot. This second shot has a cooldown for each weapon. Since this secondary shot deals much higher damage, choosing the strongest one is an important strategy, especially in large groups of enemies. Here is a situation where you have to make this shot to the enemies that are difficult as the cooldown of the secondary shot ends while clearing the small ones with normal shots.
Dualsense, what a beautiful detail you are
Let's talk about the DualSense features in the game, along with the secondary firing of the weapon. The production team used the DualSense features in a small but effective way. This makes such a nice contribution to the game that I can't imagine playing Returnal with another controller right now. When you press the left trigger halfway, you switch to the targeting system. When you press it fully, the secondary firing mode of the weapon is activated. This is how the Adaptive Trigger feature in the game works.
Of course, apart from this feature, the Haptic Feedback feature has also been used very sweetly. Every movement of your character vibrates back to you. Or when you enter a portal, you feel the DualSense vibrate accordingly. There are different vibrations according to the weapons and shooting styles. My favorite point about it was the rain effect. Because in the rainy areas in the game, you feel the raindrops coming back, one by one, vibrating. As I said, this was a small situation, but it was a great contribution to the integrity of the game.
Returnal has a visually unique texture. Of course, it has enriched this texture with familiar atmospheric phenomena, as I mentioned at the beginning. As you progress in the game, you encounter regions similar to those in the Alien (Prometheus) movies, and you find yourself examining the remains of the ancient civilization here. The fact that each region has a different theme has contributed greatly to this visuality of the game. While raindrops hit your helmet in the wooded areas, you enter into foggy areas or look carefully at the sandstorms that greet you as you move away from the map in the desert section. The game may not be visually awesome, but it has a rich structure with the lighting games and elements that complement the atmosphere.
Another point I like on the technical side is about loading times. When you open the console from scratch, you are already logging into the game very quickly. In addition, you do not expect any loading time even when teleporting on the map. Only a small teleporting animation kicks in and you instantly find yourself at the target. This situation prevents you from disconnecting from the game, which has a fast and binding structure.
Finally, I want to talk about the sound effects in the game. I had the chance to experience Returnal with both normal headphones and Pulse 3D. Normally, it has a good structure in both combat moments and ambient sounds, but when you use a 3D headset, you feel how successful the sound effects of the game are. Apart from classical features such as hearing from which side the enemies are attacking, you can even hear the sounds that keep you on the edge. The game turns into a horror game, especially if you are using a good headphone at home. These parts are kept short, but I can say that although they are short together with the atmosphere and sound phenomenon, they manage to stretch you.
As a result
As I mentioned at the beginning, Returnal is a game that blends different dynamics very well. It's fun to play and its fast action structure doesn't bore you easily. Even when you die in a ridiculous way and close the game with anger, you want to play again after a certain period of time. It also has a structure that connects the player in this regard. My biggest criticism about the game lies in its price. If only the AAA game price had been kept one click lower than the game price, the players' perspective on Returnal would have been much different. I can say that it is a fun action game that you have to experience even if you have the opportunity to buy it as such or waiting for the discount period.
