An amazing experience but not for everyone. Best in class sound design, shooting, graphics and overall game feel paired with a brutal gameplay loop that will punish you unfairly in a way I could only compare to something like Void Stranger where you can "lose" hours. It's a very satisfying game. As much as I say ♥♥♥♥ Sony for locking all their games back to being PS exclusive which means I will likely never buy sony titles again as I'm not a console person, I have to say that this is one you should not sleep on if you are watching the trailers and vibing with them as long as you are a determined player.

Been waiting on this to go on sale for a while, always miss, unlike my dad who always hit me.


Pros: Roguelite with big budget, runs well (i have good hardware), xbox controller on a sony game, hell has froze over

Cons: DLSS missing??

*Edit, I'm an idiot, change resolution settings and it'll appear

~ DIFFICULTY ~
🔲 My 90 year old grandma could play it
🔲 Easy
🔲 Normal
✅ Hard
🔲 Dark Souls

~ GRAPHICS ~
🔲 MS Paint
🔲 Bad
🔲 Meh
🔲 Graphics dont matter in this game
🔲 Good
✅ Beautiful

~ MUSIC ~
🔲 Bad
🔲 Not special
🔲 Good
✅ Eargasm

~ STORY ~
🔲 This game has no story
🔲 Like playing Temple Runners for the story
🔲 It's there for the people who want it
✅ Well written
🔲 Epic story

~ PRICE ~
🔲 Free
🔲 Underpriced
🔲 Perfect Price
✅ Could be cheaper
🔲 Overpriced
🔲 Complete waste of money

~ REQUIREMENTS ~
🔲 You can run it on a microwave
✅ Average
🔲 High end
🔲 NASA computer

~ LENGTH ~
🔲 Very Short (0 - 3 hours)
🔲 Short (3 - 15 hours)
✅ Average (15-50 hours)
🔲 Long (50-90 hours)
🔲 Extremely long (90-110 hours)
🔲 No ending

~ FUN ~
🔲 I'd rather watch paint dry
🔲 Hard to enjoy
🔲 Repetitive
✅ Actually pretty amusing
🔲 Ride of your life

~ REPLAYABILITY~
🔲 It's a one-time experience
🔲 Only for achievements
🔲 If you wait a few months/years
✅ Definitely
🔲 Infinitely replayable

~ WORTH BUYING ~
🔲 No
✅ Wait for sale
🔲 Yes

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Returnal is a compelling roguelike shooter that blends fast-paced action with psychological science-fiction themes. Developed with a strong focus on atmosphere and challenge, it delivers an experience that feels both intense and rewarding. The combination of unpredictable encounters and persistent progression keeps each run engaging. While its difficulty may not appeal to every player, it remains a memorable adventure throughout.
The story follows Selene, a space explorer trapped in a mysterious time loop on the hostile planet Atropos. As she repeatedly relives her crash and uncovers strange visions, the narrative gradually reveals deeper layers of mystery and personal trauma. The plot is presented in a fragmented manner that encourages exploration and interpretation. This approach creates a sense of intrigue that remains compelling from beginning to end.
Gameplay is where Returnal truly shines, offering responsive movement and satisfying combat encounters. Players must constantly adapt to changing environments, enemy patterns, and weapon combinations during each run. The roguelike structure ensures that no two attempts feel exactly the same, adding significant replay value. Although some sections can be unforgiving, the sense of accomplishment after overcoming difficult challenges is substantial.
Visually, Returnal is an impressive showcase of atmosphere and environmental design. The alien landscapes are packed with detail, ranging from eerie ruins to haunting biomes that reinforce the game's unsettling tone. Particle effects, lighting, and enemy designs contribute to spectacular combat sequences. The audio design complements the visuals exceptionally well, creating a consistently immersive experience.
Overall, Returnal successfully combines challenging gameplay, an intriguing narrative, and stunning presentation into a cohesive package. Its demanding difficulty may occasionally frustrate, but the rewarding progression and expertly crafted combat make the effort worthwhile. The mysterious story and excellent audiovisual design further elevate the experience. For players seeking an intense and distinctive action game, it stands as a strong recommendation.
Returnal gets a 7/10.

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Hope you enjoyed my review, god bless you