User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3997 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Jun 23, 2023
    8
    Pros:
    + amazing combat
    + great use of dual sense controller
    + great sound effects
    + boss designs

    Cons:
    - roguelite structure
    - water section
    - boring level design
    - maps shifts after death
  2. May 9, 2021
    3
    This game terrible. It’s basically Temple Run but without any purpose, game design or direction. It’s not worth the $70 you’ll spend for feels more like a kitbashed Unreal Engine render demo with bad lighting.
  3. May 12, 2021
    8
    Неожиданно хорошая игра с интригующим сюжетом, заманчивым, хорошим и разнообразным геймплеем.
    Очень доволен игрой. Прошел где-то за 25 часов.
  4. Jul 25, 2021
    10
    mindblowing, atmospheric sci-fi experience! 10 out of 10! a game I've been waiting for many years!
  5. May 23, 2022
    10
    I honestly think this game's a masterpiece. So much fun to overcome the challenges it throws at you.
  6. Jul 4, 2022
    10
    Gameplay perfeito, bem desafiador, os gráficos tão ótimos. Os 60 FPS com ray tracing no PS5 está ótimo de jogar
  7. May 6, 2021
    10
    Это моя первая игра такого жанра, и я без ума от нее. Я не думал что игра мне понравится на столько. Графика, геймплэй, качество звука и адаптация dualsense просто на высоте. Умирал я в этой игре не мало, но все ровно хочется в нее вернуться и поиграть.Это моя первая игра такого жанра, и я без ума от нее. Я не думал что игра мне понравится на столько. Графика, геймплэй, качество звука и адаптация dualsense просто на высоте. Умирал я в этой игре не мало, но все ровно хочется в нее вернуться и поиграть.
  8. May 2, 2021
    5
    I want to make this clear, I have not played the game but I have watched enough of it to know I want to play it. Currently the game suffers from game breaking bugs that will crash the game cause you to start from the beginning as part of the games design where there is no saving. In my mind I will not play this game until that is no longer an issue. It’s all weird seeing other give praiseI want to make this clear, I have not played the game but I have watched enough of it to know I want to play it. Currently the game suffers from game breaking bugs that will crash the game cause you to start from the beginning as part of the games design where there is no saving. In my mind I will not play this game until that is no longer an issue. It’s all weird seeing other give praise for this game despite the game breaking bugs, even as cyberpunk just happened recently. I will change my score to what I think is more appropriate when both; the bugs are patched and I complete the game, in that order. Expand
  9. Feb 17, 2023
    10
    just amazing gameplay and ................................................
  10. Sep 17, 2021
    9
    One of the best Playstation game for years.

    Gameplay and Immersion are outstanding.

    Might be very difficult for non-hardcore gamers who better avoid it.
    For us - it is a pure gem.
  11. Jun 24, 2021
    0
    Juego mediocre este juego es una copia de ReCore y se nota muy bien y eso es decepcionante talvez sea bueno en algunos aspectos pero decepciona por eso dicen que el juego es muy repetitivo, tedioso solo graficos buenos y le doy 0 por no copiar a otro juego
  12. Jun 25, 2021
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. sold as a tps on the psn, this game is actually a rogue-lite adapted in tps and that makes a hell of a difference!
    The difficulty is just badly managed, it's frustrating, when after 15 hours of play you only saw the 1st boss twice, there is a wobbly balance!
    I can understand the vision of the developers, but when you charge a game 80 €, you make it a little more accessible to ordinary people!
    I am crossing 'housemarque' from my memory, I will never buy one of their game again!
    Expand
  13. Dec 12, 2021
    3
    Excellent atmosphere, awesome gameplay, and good storytelling through ganeplay. This game is absolutely disrespectful to your time. They are under the impression you have 24 hours a day to dedicate to this **** The collectibles ARE RNG. Imagine that you clear out an entire biome just to realize your collectible isn't there, you start over. Minus 1 hour of your life. You start again, sameExcellent atmosphere, awesome gameplay, and good storytelling through ganeplay. This game is absolutely disrespectful to your time. They are under the impression you have 24 hours a day to dedicate to this **** The collectibles ARE RNG. Imagine that you clear out an entire biome just to realize your collectible isn't there, you start over. Minus 1 hour of your life. You start again, same result. You start again, same result. Now you're wondering if it was worth it? No, absolutely not. On top of that, you can get cheesed into a death so many ways that it's truly just a spit in the face Expand
  14. Sep 16, 2021
    9
    Returnal is a great game, but it is not for everyone. Negatives are that it can be difficult, which may be off putting to some, and then there is the issue of not being able to save during a run, which can last 2 plus hours sometimes. Having said that, I really enjoyed this game…my first rogue like, and it showed me the thrill that if I die, the run is over. I may play Hades now, anotherReturnal is a great game, but it is not for everyone. Negatives are that it can be difficult, which may be off putting to some, and then there is the issue of not being able to save during a run, which can last 2 plus hours sometimes. Having said that, I really enjoyed this game…my first rogue like, and it showed me the thrill that if I die, the run is over. I may play Hades now, another rogue like, a game I would have never sought out to play if not for the excitement I had in Returnal.

    Returnal has great atmosphere, and in more than one way reminded me of an adult Metroid Prime game (which is good). I found the game challenging at first, but then things clicked and with that new found confidence, saw myself dramatically improve in the game. Leveling weapons and learning as you go really goes a long way towards overcoming the difficulty. I couldn’t wait to reach a little farther in the game for the next permanent upgrade, that would then be there every run.

    I spent around 57 hours playing the game, and was 4 trophies away from platinum. Unfortunately those last 4 trophies I needed are RNG based. That was my only personal negative with this game. I planned around the longer runs, and sometimes put my console to rest, FIRST making sure nothing could be installed during rest mode, that could close the game. If you are on the fence, grab it on a future sale. For many, it’s a game changer, and I’m glad I played a game like this.
    Expand
  15. May 14, 2023
    10
    One of the best games I have ever played. Unreal atmosphere, addictive gameplay, for me this is one of the best shooters ever made. A true masterpiece. Can’t understand how this hasn’t got higher ratings, perhaps it’s too hard for modern gamers. Anyway, now to get the platinum!
  16. May 5, 2021
    10
    Destiny and binding of Isaac is what im getting from this but still stands on its own very well. The rush and the feeling when finally beating a boss or such is also in comparison like the dark souls games. Simply amazing an game!
  17. Aug 14, 2022
    3
    Repetitive, time consuming, trying to complete platinum trophy gave me brain damage. If you want to rush in biome 6, I recommend you a good amount of pain killers.
  18. May 3, 2021
    7
    Honestly Returnal is a strange game, it works a lot like metroid and castlevania but without the magic those games have. The concept is simple, you die and you restart the game with your current gear with changing levels, it's a unique concept but it could have been executed a lot better, the graphics aren't what I would expect from a next gen game and the gunplay feels stale, the storyHonestly Returnal is a strange game, it works a lot like metroid and castlevania but without the magic those games have. The concept is simple, you die and you restart the game with your current gear with changing levels, it's a unique concept but it could have been executed a lot better, the graphics aren't what I would expect from a next gen game and the gunplay feels stale, the story isn't that interesting either, just a generic "I'm stranded on a planet and I have to shoot my way out". The concept and idea is cool but that's about it, the bosses are fun which is honestly the only real reason I'm giving it a 7 instead of a 5 or 6. Expand
  19. May 8, 2021
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not a good game for such price, a lot of bugs and crashes, gameplay is not fun. Expand
  20. Dec 18, 2021
    10
    I Just beat the game. 10/10 from me hands down. Those locations are mind blowing. Oozing atmosphere.
  21. May 4, 2021
    2
    Скучно играть, баги, которые не дают дальше пройти. Локации выглядят скучно
  22. Aug 16, 2023
    0
    Beautiful but so annoying. You feel no progress by dying again and again in randomly generated locations
  23. May 13, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My top PS4/PS5 games
    1. Ghost of Tsushima 9,7/10
    2. God of War 9,5/10 and Spiderman 9,5/10
    3. Other for TOP3
    Expand
  24. May 25, 2021
    10
    This game is amazing and it really takes advantage of all the cool tech inside the PlayStation. It’s a shame that some Xbox fans seem to be reviewbombing this game just like they review bombed the last of us 2.
  25. Jan 31, 2022
    3
    There is a difference between challenging by design and extremely difficult due to POOR design. 90% of players giveup before finishing this and for $70 thats lousy. There are progress ending bugs at the first boss that after a year have not been fixed. They won't be fixed - Returnal sold out to Sony as soon as their initial sales goals were met. This isn't a fun or fair game unless youThere is a difference between challenging by design and extremely difficult due to POOR design. 90% of players giveup before finishing this and for $70 thats lousy. There are progress ending bugs at the first boss that after a year have not been fixed. They won't be fixed - Returnal sold out to Sony as soon as their initial sales goals were met. This isn't a fun or fair game unless you are in a very very small minority of players that love cruel, sweaty, unfair, frustrating games and will play through. i finished several souls games and love a good challenge but do yourself a favor, do NOT buy this seriously you will be very upset and feel cheated. Shame on Housemarque legit Expand
  26. Jan 10, 2022
    10
    Amazing! I finished this game and I really like the new, save game feature. The gameplay for me, makes this the best shooter out there. The bosses are amazing! Sadly not everyone likes rouge like games, so I hope developers make a returnal game but with a more traditional shooter structure, so everyone can experience the returnal world.
  27. May 2, 2021
    5
    Don't buy! This is a rent. It's not fun . It's either very boring or retarded hard and cheap. The pacing is off. Really the story isn't that great either. People are over hyping this because the only other game out for ps5 is...... Nothing. There's a boring times demo for resident evil and there is outriders which is also broken.
  28. May 1, 2021
    10
    The game is beautiful and challenging Great story and how good the sound is with the 3D headset and the PS5 controller.
  29. May 2, 2021
    7
    Really great game! Only negative thing is that it has long runs with the inability to save during the middle of a run. Not fair to have to start a run over if you want to switch content, the game crashes, there is an update, or power outage. It can feel discouraging to want to do back to back runs. They shouldn’t make us feel trapped. The developers have acknowledged this issue andReally great game! Only negative thing is that it has long runs with the inability to save during the middle of a run. Not fair to have to start a run over if you want to switch content, the game crashes, there is an update, or power outage. It can feel discouraging to want to do back to back runs. They shouldn’t make us feel trapped. The developers have acknowledged this issue and hopefully they patch it in a future update. I will update my rating once this issue has been resolved. Expand
  30. May 1, 2021
    10
    What a amazing game it was, I have never played a rogue like before and it was my first experience which was beautiful. HMQ really made a True ps5 exclusive.
  31. May 1, 2021
    10
    A mixture of roguelite with metroidvania dyes for the new generation. I've been fan of Housemarque during several years. This time they have surprised me with Returnal that shows a great evolution for the studio and their way of making games, they have kept me glued to my PS5 since Friday
  32. May 2, 2021
    10
    Great game!! The story and the gameplay is engaging, plus the visual is beautiful. If you are looking for a game where you just relax and follow the story (like Uncharted) this is NOT the game for you.
  33. May 2, 2021
    10
    Al fin un estudio consigue sacar el primer roguelite indie. El rendimiento en ps5 es excepcional. Una banda sonora excelente con el compositor de Midsommar, así como un diseño artístico a la altura de pocos. El gun play se siente fresco e innovador y supone un desafío en una época en la que carecemos de ellos. Uno de los mejores juegos del año
  34. May 2, 2021
    10
    Amazing game, graphics and gameplay are the best I’ve seen and played in awhile
  35. May 2, 2021
    10
    I am in love with this game! I have out in several hours already and I am addicted. The gameplay is fun, fast-paced and challenging. Environment is well designed and the use of the DualSense controller is exceptional. Story is intriguing and makes you want to discover everything you can about it. People complain about the difficulty but if you enjoy the genre of roguelike games then youI am in love with this game! I have out in several hours already and I am addicted. The gameplay is fun, fast-paced and challenging. Environment is well designed and the use of the DualSense controller is exceptional. Story is intriguing and makes you want to discover everything you can about it. People complain about the difficulty but if you enjoy the genre of roguelike games then you will love this one! Expand
  36. May 2, 2021
    10
    Old school game, a game like this hadn't come out for years, It Is Simply awesome!
  37. May 2, 2021
    10
    Loving this game replay value is so worth it and it’s a good challenge wasn’t to sure when I first started but I’m absolutely loving it just got to the fourth biome and I’m loving the fast paced shooter
  38. May 2, 2021
    10
    The best game to ever exist. This game is the Zenith of the medium, a masterpiece in storytelling. Steelers gameplay and so much more.
  39. May 2, 2021
    10
    Einfach ein geiles Spiel! Danke für das Meisterwerk!
    Von Anfang an ist man einfach gefesselt und kann nicht einfach aufhören.

    Suchtgefahr!
  40. May 2, 2021
    6
    Good, but not great:) Graphic ok. Dualsense is amazing:) Gamepaly 25 hours. Price? Toooo much... 6/10
  41. May 2, 2021
    10
    The user score would be much higher if it wasn’t for review bombers, ignore them. This is one of the best games in recent years and definitely a contender for GOTY. Highly recommend.
  42. May 2, 2021
    10
    Wow, amazed at what Housemarque has built in this deep psychological horror that is Returnal. The use of haptic feedback letting me feel ever singular droplet of rain, feeling the gun charging up to release a powerful blast its next to none. The adaptive triggers give you enhanced control of Selene's weapon making you feel like at times like Ripley mowing down xenomorphs, extremely badass.Wow, amazed at what Housemarque has built in this deep psychological horror that is Returnal. The use of haptic feedback letting me feel ever singular droplet of rain, feeling the gun charging up to release a powerful blast its next to none. The adaptive triggers give you enhanced control of Selene's weapon making you feel like at times like Ripley mowing down xenomorphs, extremely badass. The 1 second loading are just icing on the cake tbh. It is just as challenging as Dark Souls or Sekiro some might say even more so but it strikes the right balance to make every time you pick up the controller to play feel fresh and as challenging as the last time. I can't put it down and can't recommend it enough. As far as content goes its brimming with new stuff to find in every single room ranging from items, artifacts, keys, suit enhancements, chests, unique guns, parasites to hidden walls, large variety of enemies, ancient tombs and even swords its **** phenomenal. I felt in love with this game. If you're up for a challenge the price is 100% worth it. If you're more of a chill gamer and can't handle the pressure, wait for a sale, but it is still definitely worth every penny and every gamer out there needs to experience it. Enjoy. Expand
  43. May 2, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. At first I was a bit skeptical about the rogue-like elements of the game because I generally don't like that genre. The whole thing that if you die you restart from the beginning with only key items scared me. But the reality is a bit different. There are 3 acts. In act 1 if you die you go back to the first biome but after defeating the boss it gets easier to go back to the previous point. You must follow the mission point on the map and in a couple of minutes you are back to the point you where before dying. Sometimes there's even a portal that you unlock if you fight (you don't need to defeat it) the boss like in the second biome that puts you near the boss and the portal to the third biome. In the act 2 its the same but you star from the 4 biome until the final biome the six biome. Then there's the act 3 that is like a secret ending after the credits.
    You keep through all the loops the weapon traits from all the weapons and the ether a useful resource that sometimes can allow you to create a "save point" in the recontructor a specific part of the map.

    The story it's really good, from it's introduction it reveals an extraordinary plot with the goal of your own rescue. It keeps you hooked from the beginning. You can also collect recordings from previous loops that open a lot about Selene state of mind through the loops.

    Speaking about graphics and frame rate it's a 4k 60fps almost if not totally locked.
    The gameplay is really addictive and keeps you going for a long time. It's difficult enough to keep you going loop after loop but not impossible to beat you just need to collect items and weapons that makes stronger and the game becomes a lot easier.

    A really good starter for the new generation of PS5 games that really uses the tech of the dualsense controller.
    Well done Housemarque. Congratulations.
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  44. May 2, 2021
    9
    The first truly next-gen experience on the ps5. The graphics, ganeplay, sound, design and haptic feedback easily elevate this game to a 9/10. Not having a save feature does hinder what this game is unecessarily though but I'm sure that will be patched in the future.

    If you don't enjoy difficult or Rogue like games, you won't appreciate what this game is. Overall, the game isn't too
    The first truly next-gen experience on the ps5. The graphics, ganeplay, sound, design and haptic feedback easily elevate this game to a 9/10. Not having a save feature does hinder what this game is unecessarily though but I'm sure that will be patched in the future.

    If you don't enjoy difficult or Rogue like games, you won't appreciate what this game is. Overall, the game isn't too difficult as I was about to beat it in about 10 total deaths and roughly 13 hours. Now that it is done I'm right back starting more runs because this game is addictive and so buttery smooth. The negative reviews are truly from those who don't appreciate the genre, even mainstream reviewers. The risk/reward is well balanced and pretty much all the weapons are fun to shoot. An extremely solid game!
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  45. May 2, 2021
    10
    Es un juego plagado de elementos de inmersión ya que se hace el uso correcto de las capacidades maximas del control solo un poco por debajo de Astro's playroom, tienen una jugabilidad apasionante y frenética, es variado en cuanto a enemigos y escenarios, simplemente un juego que no te puedes perder, ojo es un juego hard con su propia dificultad fija no es para jugadores llorones que seEs un juego plagado de elementos de inmersión ya que se hace el uso correcto de las capacidades maximas del control solo un poco por debajo de Astro's playroom, tienen una jugabilidad apasionante y frenética, es variado en cuanto a enemigos y escenarios, simplemente un juego que no te puedes perder, ojo es un juego hard con su propia dificultad fija no es para jugadores llorones que se rinden al primer obstáculo. Expand
  46. May 2, 2021
    9
    El juego es divertido y frenético, aprender a disparar y esquivar te toma algo de tiempo, tanto que al morir tantas veces encuentras su diseño de niveles algo repetitivo, pero una vez que le tomas el gusto, empiezas a tomar en cuenta cada vez más detalles que quiza no habrías tomado en cuenta antes. Sin embargo su jugabilidad a pesar de ser buena, tiene algo que no termina de gustarme.El juego es divertido y frenético, aprender a disparar y esquivar te toma algo de tiempo, tanto que al morir tantas veces encuentras su diseño de niveles algo repetitivo, pero una vez que le tomas el gusto, empiezas a tomar en cuenta cada vez más detalles que quiza no habrías tomado en cuenta antes. Sin embargo su jugabilidad a pesar de ser buena, tiene algo que no termina de gustarme. Algunos movimientos no terminan de sentirse naturales. Otro aspecto que no me convence es la imposibilidad de reanudar el juego en algún bioma específico y la sensación de que el juego no tiene un guión tan interesante a pesar de tener tanto potencial con sus referencias a películas,. Ciencia, ficción, Metroid etc. Expand
  47. May 2, 2021
    9
    Nice and difficult!!!! Not for the average gamer. Love the sounds the dialogue data entry. Getting stronger and stronger with each boss fight.
  48. May 2, 2021
    9
    Excellent game! Movement is satisfying and I think the difficulty is very well balanced. The game is very similar to doom in that movement is key, while making good use of what tools you have. The weapons are quite satisfying and the environments are interesting and varied. The story is well integrated into the gameplay structure, with repeat runs opening up things like ship logs, andExcellent game! Movement is satisfying and I think the difficulty is very well balanced. The game is very similar to doom in that movement is key, while making good use of what tools you have. The weapons are quite satisfying and the environments are interesting and varied. The story is well integrated into the gameplay structure, with repeat runs opening up things like ship logs, and parts of lore/story being exposed via repeated interactions with enemies in the codex system. There's quite a bit of game here for those interested. The one flaw I've really found thus far is the lack of a way to save progress during runs. I did have it crash on one of my best runs and wound up having to start over as a result. While frustrating, I was still ready to jump back in. Hopefully housemarque will input something to deal with it soon, but until then I would still highly recommend this game to anyone even remotely interested. Expand
  49. May 2, 2021
    10
    Fantastic game. From game mechanics to storytelling its an amazing game. I highly recommend to all the fans of action games
  50. May 2, 2021
    10
    Phenomenal game, ignore the review bombing from Xbox fanboys and others who are playing without thumbs. Immense graphics, tight af gameplay, atmospheric world, super super interesting narative. Just keep playing and git gud.
  51. May 2, 2021
    10
    Excelente juego, lo recomiendo! Su dificultad la principio de hará obstinar pero a medida que vas avanzando y agarrando experiencia (ensayo error) te va enganchando! Cool
  52. May 2, 2021
    9
    This is an excellent game.
    The very concept is to beat the game by trying and trying again.
    You discover the game pieces by pieces as you unlock new pieces of equipment, biomes, enemies, etc... The atmosphere of the game sucks you in very quickly. You are in the game right away. No long cutscenes or dialogue sessions here. It's all about moving forward. Story telling could have been
    This is an excellent game.
    The very concept is to beat the game by trying and trying again.
    You discover the game pieces by pieces as you unlock new pieces of equipment, biomes, enemies, etc...
    The atmosphere of the game sucks you in very quickly. You are in the game right away. No long cutscenes or dialogue sessions here. It's all about moving forward.
    Story telling could have been better, I've detected a few micro stutters... but I guess will be fixed with patches in the future.
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  53. May 2, 2021
    10
    Brutal but in the best way. Feels fairly balanced and rooted in skill.
    Permanent unlocks and faster routes after bosses means the lost progress isn't as bad as you might've thought.
    Probably one of the more interesting games I've played recently and to top it off, the graphics are magnificent!
  54. May 2, 2021
    7
    Returnal is an ambitious game for Sony; considering this is the first real PS5 title that isn't a remake or cross-gen game and with players itching to get a taste of the full capabilities of the console and dualsense, a third-person roguelike is certainly not going to be for everyone.

    Housemarque studio has certainly proven themselves as developers of this genre but the brutality of
    Returnal is an ambitious game for Sony; considering this is the first real PS5 title that isn't a remake or cross-gen game and with players itching to get a taste of the full capabilities of the console and dualsense, a third-person roguelike is certainly not going to be for everyone.

    Housemarque studio has certainly proven themselves as developers of this genre but the brutality of Returnal is far often less rewarding and more frustrating than fun. That's not to say I havent enjoyed my time, the game has a way of sucking you back in and yet, I stopped thinking about it when I finally did finish a session; unlike some other first party Sony titles that I found myself daydreaming about.

    For me, Hades has set the bench mark for all future roguelikes; with it's player friendly weapon system; allowing you to choose your weapon from the start and permanently upgrade it, to the overall sense of progression; Returnal has none of that, instead opting to punish the player over and over again. I can't help but feel this game could've been taken up a notch by allowing the player to choose their weapon from the ship (the $140 digital deluxe edition allows this) and not hope for the best. And the permanent upgrades leave alot to be desired; you're given two upgrades early on and nothing else until you beat the second boss.

    With plenty of cheap deaths and no real sense of progression, Returnal is a battle of patience and luck, with a dash of skill. The game is stunning though and the use of the dualsense fulfills all marketing promises leading up to the PS5's launch.

    One final note: Sony has been pushing plenty of options for disabled players to enjoy games but Housemarque has done of this, even the beforementioned Hades had disability friendly options. It's 2021, every player, no matter who they are, should be able to enjoy games.
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  55. May 3, 2021
    6
    Es divertido al principio, cansa los ojos un poco despues de horas de juego, despues se vuelve un poco repetitivo y empieza a aburrir, la historia no es de mi agrado, saludos
  56. May 3, 2021
    6
    Gameplay is fun but the game needs a save option maybe even let you pick the difficulty because the game can be extremely brutal to the player
  57. May 3, 2021
    6
    God, where to start... I’m in such a love/hate relationship with this game. Visually, it’s very impressive. Especially on a HDR screen. Colours pop. And the contrast of the tonally dark world compared to the vibrant bullet-hell gameplay makes for a fantastic viewing experience.
    Performance can sometimes dip below 60fps, but for the most part it’s solid, making the game more responsive
    God, where to start... I’m in such a love/hate relationship with this game. Visually, it’s very impressive. Especially on a HDR screen. Colours pop. And the contrast of the tonally dark world compared to the vibrant bullet-hell gameplay makes for a fantastic viewing experience.
    Performance can sometimes dip below 60fps, but for the most part it’s solid, making the game more responsive which is important given the genre.

    Gameplay is fast, fun and often frantic.
    However, personally I find the difficulty during mini-bosses/bosses too much.
    I know some will disagree, but I will never understand why difficult games don’t include an easier option. I don’t mind hard games, however some will really struggle here. There will be people who try this game and simply cannot, no matter how hard they try, beat the game. Games with a lack of accessibility will never sit well with me, as I feel there is a major portion of gamers who simply miss out on great gameplay based on difficulty alone. I, along with many others, also dislike the lack of a proper save system. At the time of writing this, the developers have hinted at a possible inclusion of one, yet at the moment there isn’t, so I would recommend holding off from purchasing the game if you don’t have hours to spare playing. I would’ve liked to have seen a more rewarding progression system, as all I have is a few tools to show for 20+ hours of gameplay. Guns do have upgrades when used for a certain amount of time, but these do not feel significant enough to validate the amount of time put in. When this game is flowing, it is extremely addictive, and you won’t want to stop playing. Yet it is marred by the game-breaking bugs, and difficulty. Maybe it is just me, and perhaps I just don’t get along with rogue-likes. But I can’t say in confidence that I’ll finish this game on a positive note, as it feels more of a chore at the moment.
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  58. May 21, 2021
    2
    I cant believe how people could give 10 on this game, full of fog and smoke...
  59. May 3, 2021
    9
    An awesome game that takes the roguelike style to another level. Good effects and replayability!!
  60. May 3, 2021
    5
    So expensive, after 10 hours playing get nothing because I can save my process, black hole and wasting of time
  61. May 3, 2021
    5
    This game has so much potential. In my honest opinion a triple a rogue-like doesnt work as well as sonething like binding of isaac. As a physician who plays games in my very little spare time, beating my head against this wall takes all the fun out of it for me. What a waste of my time and money. Pissed off I soend 70 bucks here.
  62. May 3, 2021
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gioco carino e storia intrigante , ma la mancanza di salvataggi lo rende troppo difficile e non alla portata di tutti diventando alla lunga frustrante Expand
  63. May 3, 2021
    6
    I bought and returned it to play Pokemon Snap. I'm gonna try to be fair about my review on positive and negatives.

    Positive: 1. very nice graphics, 2. cool looking environment I feel like overall, the positives about this game are mainly the graphics and the way the environment looks. Negative 1. When you die you reset from the beginning 2. When you reset the environment changes
    I bought and returned it to play Pokemon Snap. I'm gonna try to be fair about my review on positive and negatives.

    Positive:
    1. very nice graphics,
    2. cool looking environment
    I feel like overall, the positives about this game are mainly the graphics and the way the environment looks.

    Negative
    1. When you die you reset from the beginning
    2. When you reset the environment changes (This threw me off)
    3. I found it difficult understanding how to use all the features on the suit and what I was doing scanning objects in the environment (I didn't know how items worked seemed complex)
    4. Lack of enemy variety and lack of environment diversity (In fairness I didn't play long, but didn't see much)
    5. Finally, the weapons were limited and I didn't like how the guns were shooting (accuracy wise) using PS5 triggers were annoying and the refresh time was slow on the guns (In all fairness I only played a short amount of time)

    That's my review 6/10 Good Graphics, Lack of Content, Bad Shooting Mechanics
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  64. May 3, 2021
    2
    I’m not a good game player. I don’t like games like this, where they make it “challenging” for some definitions of challenging. Those definitions of challenging mean “basically impossible” or “stressful and frustrating as hell” for me. Had I known this was one of those games when I was deciding whether or not to buy it, I certainly wouldn’t have bought it, but I pre-ordered it, thinkingI’m not a good game player. I don’t like games like this, where they make it “challenging” for some definitions of challenging. Those definitions of challenging mean “basically impossible” or “stressful and frustrating as hell” for me. Had I known this was one of those games when I was deciding whether or not to buy it, I certainly wouldn’t have bought it, but I pre-ordered it, thinking it was more like Prey or something with checkpoints and saves. It is absolutely not, almost everything is completely lost when you die, and after 20 hours of play, I’ve fought the first boss 3 times, and haven’t even gotten 2/3 of the way through beating him. Between each of these were hours of repetitive beatings in the randomly generated dungeons, wherein I was beat to death by random monster things and didn’t even make it to the boss fight for which I was trying to prepare. This is in no way enjoyable to me. If there was an easy mode I would turn it on immediately. If I could save the game after preparing sufficiently to have a chance against the boss, I might actually win that fight with the first boss after a few dozen attempts. But as it is, I’m likely to stop playing this game out of frustration before even beating the first boss, and count my $73 as a very bad decision. Expand
  65. May 25, 2023
    10
    Game is not hard don't worry.
    Very satisfying gameplay. Very satisfying visuals. There isn't much of a story but this is obviously not what we expect from this game.
    10/10 for the originality, there is no other game like it. This is a must play.
  66. May 5, 2021
    10
    Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece
  67. May 5, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A very refreshing game, challenging and rewarding.
    Could have a save progress functionality to allow you to close the game, but it would be overwritten upon death, just to allow people to stop playing safely.
    Other than that an excellent game all around, I have experienced only a single bug of lack o synchronicity during the attachment of the grappling hook, where the images overlapped and the sound was clunky.
    Overall, great job on this game, a wonderful journey.
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  68. May 5, 2021
    10
    This is how the modern rogue-like games should look like. We all love the genre for the gameplay and if there is the modern graphics instead of traditional pixel art, I’m the first taker.
    Returnal keeps most of traditional rogue like features and excels in visuals, providing an incredible and immersive experience.
  69. May 5, 2021
    9
    A super COOL game ever played before. I'm not a fan of rogue-like games but when I play this game, I was totally shocked, the haptic feedback, the adaptive trigger of DualSense in Returnal is perfect. The story quite mysterious, with not many clues for beginners. Another thing I don't like is there is no save or checkpoint, While playing Returnal, I can't turn off my ps5 or play otherA super COOL game ever played before. I'm not a fan of rogue-like games but when I play this game, I was totally shocked, the haptic feedback, the adaptive trigger of DualSense in Returnal is perfect. The story quite mysterious, with not many clues for beginners. Another thing I don't like is there is no save or checkpoint, While playing Returnal, I can't turn off my ps5 or play other games because it will recycle my run, it's kinda annoying cuz I can't spend 40hours, I can't spend 2-3 weeks just play only Returnal. I hope Housemarque will add Save feature in upcoming updates. Expand
  70. May 5, 2021
    10
    Un juego q supera todas las espectativas q propuso, frenetico de inicio a fin, hace recordas a los juegos de antaño de 8 y 16 bites dónde uno tenia q demostrar su pericia, un Rogue-like de alto calibre un juego completamente nextGen y un first-party exclusivo de calidad, sin lugar a dudas de los mejores juegos q han salido este año, y si se tiene los cascos con sonido 3D de ps5 mas elUn juego q supera todas las espectativas q propuso, frenetico de inicio a fin, hace recordas a los juegos de antaño de 8 y 16 bites dónde uno tenia q demostrar su pericia, un Rogue-like de alto calibre un juego completamente nextGen y un first-party exclusivo de calidad, sin lugar a dudas de los mejores juegos q han salido este año, y si se tiene los cascos con sonido 3D de ps5 mas el Dualsense la experiencia es inmersiva totalmente, una ip q Housemarque y Sony se sacaron de la galera, gráficos 10, sonido 10, emoción 10, historia 10, si el problema con este juego es por el auto guardado entonces váyanse a jugar niñerias de nintendo o xbox, este es un juego de hombres Expand
  71. May 7, 2021
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is not worth the money paid. Passed 1 time. The game was disgusting. I don't recommend it to anyone. Expand
  72. May 7, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A great game! If you beat biome 2 boss and biome 3 boss there is a shortcut to those biomes in biome 1. If you reach biome 4 it will now be the starting point every time you die. Biome 4 also have shortcut to biome 5 and biome 6. It is not for everyone but it is a game you need to play to understand. It is not that hard and it gets easy every time you try. A piece of advice though don't gamble with the malignant items, treasures :) Expand
  73. May 7, 2021
    6
    There's no content for 70$!The problem of this game is that it's a very niche product for a AAA price ,for people who loves bullet hell games,before baying this game look at old Housemarque projects in indie segment and if you like them then ok because this game is first Housemarque with their mechanics and gameplay and then Sony with their money. There's no some revolution next genThere's no content for 70$!The problem of this game is that it's a very niche product for a AAA price ,for people who loves bullet hell games,before baying this game look at old Housemarque projects in indie segment and if you like them then ok because this game is first Housemarque with their mechanics and gameplay and then Sony with their money. There's no some revolution next gen graphics and story will disappoint you in 95% also exist bugs some critical and no checkpoints if you die you're losing almost everything and start from the beginning could be frustrating especially if you don't have the experience in this genre. So when you finish probably for 12-17 hours you don't want to come back again. Expand
  74. May 7, 2021
    5
    Un jeu incroyable, une pépite parmis tous ces jeux génériques, sans âmes et sans challenge.
  75. May 8, 2021
    4
    So first of all, i love the game and without any issues this game unfortunately has, i would rate it a 9/10.
    But...
    And there is a huge but...this game has a lot of problems and with every patch they release it gets even worse. I dont mind that this game has no saves, its a rogue like game and im totally fine with it, i beat the game like 10 times now and the difficulty is more than ok,
    So first of all, i love the game and without any issues this game unfortunately has, i would rate it a 9/10.
    But...
    And there is a huge but...this game has a lot of problems and with every patch they release it gets even worse.
    I dont mind that this game has no saves, its a rogue like game and im totally fine with it, i beat the game like 10 times now and the difficulty is more than ok, tbh its even too easy x)
    But the fact that this game crashed so often for me or froze is unaccaptable for a game that cant be saved.
    2 hour run and a freeze? Well you ahve to start all over buddy
    Then there are glitched doors where sometimes they wont open, im even using the standard suite as i know the other 2 are still (!!!) bugged
    MAny people already lost their saves because of a bugged patch, many trophies are bugged and wont pop.
    It feels like devs arent testing games anymore and especially patches anymore...same problem was with outriders where a patch just completely destroyed your character and you had, like herem start all over...cyberpunk...its just so sad...i miss the old days where we had no internet and devs actually HAD to release a working title because there was no way to patch them...no players are the testers...i guess i wont buy games day1 anymore and just wait until the beta-testers aka players make the games playable
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  76. May 11, 2021
    10
    Song and PlayStation done it again!! Releasing top notch titles that are no short of being categorized as masterpieces non stop and this one is absolutely part of the list. I really have no words to describe this game. The graphics, gameplay mechanics, features...etc, are all phenomenal. Absolute masterpiece
  77. May 13, 2021
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum. Expand
  78. May 26, 2021
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Malisimo, muchos bug y un juego reiterativo con poco criterio de desarrollo. Debería ser clasificado como un indie y no triple A. Expand
  79. May 26, 2021
    9
    If you like to play hard games and test yourself without hand holding, it’s a home run.

    The immersion of the haptics and 3D audio are truly next level. Never had a glitch or a crash. With all of the patches out, I didn’t have a problem getting the platinum. It got slightly frustrating at the end to look for RNG items. If there were options to make that part more challenging to
    If you like to play hard games and test yourself without hand holding, it’s a home run.

    The immersion of the haptics and 3D audio are truly next level. Never had a glitch or a crash.

    With all of the patches out, I didn’t have a problem getting the platinum. It got slightly frustrating at the end to look for RNG items. If there were options to make that part more challenging to interesting it would have been a 10.
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  80. May 28, 2021
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. La verdad que un juego muy malo, de los peores juegos que me tocó jugar en la Play5, hace que mi Play se recaliente demasiado, y se me crashea cada rato. Lamento haber gastado mi dinero en esta porqueria. Si lees esto, no lo compres no te lo recomiendo. Lastimosamente le pongo un cero porque es lo que se merece, un Precio abusivo para ser un Doble A, encima se me daño mi DualSense jugando este juego. Expand
  81. May 29, 2021
    10
    A save function for when I need to go IRL would be a welcome addition.

    So would 100 expansions. This game rocks.


    Art design is amazing, derivative of Alien Prometheus but that's a good thing. Clever mechanics and progress.

    Healthy variations in guns, enemies and mechanics.

    Probably the best game I've played since Bloodborne, and could even be better.
  82. Sep 16, 2021
    10
    Un gran videojuego. Me ha encantado. Lo juego todos los días. La jugabilidad es sólida, su atmósfera es atrapante, etc.
  83. Jun 26, 2021
    0
    This game is **** awful. I got it on sale and regret it completely. Totally **** rage inducing, luck based ****
    If I could refund this steaming over hyped piece of **** I would.
    Sony has been a complete **** letdown for PS5 so far with these retarded studios with retarded game ideas. Gameplay is ok, graphics are ok, dual sense functionality is ok. Why the **** is this a roguelite, I
    This game is **** awful. I got it on sale and regret it completely. Totally **** rage inducing, luck based ****
    If I could refund this steaming over hyped piece of **** I would.

    Sony has been a complete **** letdown for PS5 so far with these retarded studios with retarded game ideas.

    Gameplay is ok, graphics are ok, dual sense functionality is ok. Why the **** is this a roguelite, I don't see a point to playing this **** zero character progression - why is there even a story?
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  84. Jun 28, 2021
    1
    It seems like a great game. Interesting story, Good graphics. Cool weapons, enemys and scenery,...
    Unfortunately, it gets really frustrating, repeating it endless times without seeing any progress. It all becomes the same, routines are getting boring. (Trying to level up, trying to head for the boss).
    It's a shame. I am writing this in hope of the producers maybe to weaken the enemies a
    It seems like a great game. Interesting story, Good graphics. Cool weapons, enemys and scenery,...
    Unfortunately, it gets really frustrating, repeating it endless times without seeing any progress. It all becomes the same, routines are getting boring. (Trying to level up, trying to head for the boss).
    It's a shame. I am writing this in hope of the producers maybe to weaken the enemies a % everytime one dies. Otherwise, it's just no fun anymore and I could not at all recommend this. Actually, I am regretting very much I bought this at the moment.

    Lukas
    (decent player aprox. 100 cycles, lots of youtube,... without beating the first boss)
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  85. Jun 29, 2021
    1
    Having no progression whatsoever is simply a bad design to make the game feel longer. I love rogue like games but Returnal is simply too much. Frustrating, repetitive and as rigged as an EA Sports game. If Microsoft had made that game for Xbox, this would have been getting one low score after another. Don't waste your hard earned money on this crap.
  86. Jun 30, 2021
    0
    Only frustration because no save option. Its just stupid dont by it. No point in playing for ouhers and than just start over from zero.
  87. Jul 18, 2021
    0
    The biggest problem is the arrogance of Housemarque. Absolutely no respect for the players who bought their game. Forced to put the console on restmode, not able to play any other game and save your actual run, still no way to save any progress if you have a life beside playing this game for hours. Oh, and still buggy as hell which lets you lose all your progress, too.
    This is not the
    The biggest problem is the arrogance of Housemarque. Absolutely no respect for the players who bought their game. Forced to put the console on restmode, not able to play any other game and save your actual run, still no way to save any progress if you have a life beside playing this game for hours. Oh, and still buggy as hell which lets you lose all your progress, too.
    This is not the vision of a roguelike, it is is the vision of an arrogant developer.

    This kills a game which could be really, really good.
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  88. Jul 24, 2021
    2
    Jogo com gráficos bons e jogabilidade mas não tem como salvar o jogo. e Também a travamentos em alguns lugares pelo preço aqui no brasil é um jogo caro.
  89. Aug 3, 2021
    3
    Gráficos lindos, jogabilidade fluida, batalhas incríveis. Porém um jogo difícil, não que seja um problema. Mas não estamos mais nos anis 80 ou 90 que jogos viviam sem save. Necessário que implementem save dentro do jogo.
  90. Aug 11, 2021
    10
    Frustratingly great and adictive game if you give it a fair chance. Buy this one!
  91. Aug 20, 2021
    0
    This could have been one of the best games for the PS5, but without the ability to save your progress, it's just plain annoying. Losing everything again and again and starting from scratch is simply nonsense. Even if you are through once and have the key for a boss you have to play through everything again for important items and if you die in the process you lose everything again. It'sThis could have been one of the best games for the PS5, but without the ability to save your progress, it's just plain annoying. Losing everything again and again and starting from scratch is simply nonsense. Even if you are through once and have the key for a boss you have to play through everything again for important items and if you die in the process you lose everything again. It's just annoying and senseless. It's a shame, that would be a nice game in itself. Expand
  92. Nov 16, 2021
    0
    Wow what a challenge, graphics are beautiful, gameplay is a lesson for industry, a great contender for GOTY!
  93. Aug 29, 2021
    10
    this game deserves 110 for reviews you can play 500 time and getting 501 different results in each time worth even more than 70 $
  94. Aug 30, 2021
    10
    This is truly a masterpiece. The gameplay-loop is super addicting and fun. The game encourages push-forward combat similar to Doom Eternal. The story requires a bit of digging to understand but is deep and makes sense. A lot of metaphores and symbolism in this one!
    Going for the platinum!!
  95. Sep 1, 2021
    10
    Returnal is one of the best games I have played in a long time. It's difficult, but fair, and it is both beautiful and addictive. The story might seem confusing at first, but it allows for many different interpretations that are (for me) part of the fun. Imagine a 3rd person Metroid bullethell and mix this with randomized levels and artifacts, all adding up to great replay value onceReturnal is one of the best games I have played in a long time. It's difficult, but fair, and it is both beautiful and addictive. The story might seem confusing at first, but it allows for many different interpretations that are (for me) part of the fun. Imagine a 3rd person Metroid bullethell and mix this with randomized levels and artifacts, all adding up to great replay value once you've beaten the game. Expand
  96. Sep 2, 2021
    1
    This game has too many crashes and bags. it ruins the entire game experience.
  97. Sep 16, 2021
    10
    An absolutely fantastic experience. The graphics are beautiful, gameplay is amazing, and the duelsense and audio really add a lot to the experience. My GOTY for sure
  98. Sep 28, 2021
    10
    Returnal is a gaming addiction. One of the most intense and adrenaline rush-filled gameplay sessions ever, incredible atmosphere, tight gameplay, great soundtrack, mysterious story, Housemarque really did an incredible job with the first AAA Roguelike game. Returnal is my 2021 GOTY by FAR. I highly recommend it.
  99. Sep 30, 2021
    9
    This game is extremely fun and the visuals are the one of the greatest that I've seen in a game.honestly I struggle with roguelike games but with this, it feels really easy, not saying that there's no challenge in it but with the game having smooth controls and everything is what makes it feel easy so survive against more and more enemies, now I agree that it sucks to not have checkpointsThis game is extremely fun and the visuals are the one of the greatest that I've seen in a game.honestly I struggle with roguelike games but with this, it feels really easy, not saying that there's no challenge in it but with the game having smooth controls and everything is what makes it feel easy so survive against more and more enemies, now I agree that it sucks to not have checkpoints or saves but honestly as soon as you beat the different bosses in the levels, it's like the lack of checkpoints aren't even that bad since you can basically blow passed some levels and the bosses. But to those that keep saying that it's too hard, maybe you shouldn't even think about playing games that are considered "roguelike" because this game isn't even all that hard for everyone to be complaining so much about it. So to everyone that's thinking about buying this game but are having doubts because of everyone else's bull crap complaints, it's not as challenging as everyone says but it does take practice. But if you're still not convinced them try getting it when it's on sale. Expand
  100. Oct 18, 2021
    10
    This game is really a masterpiece. It's challenging you will get no argument from me on that point, I had one or two areas in the game that really had me stuck but after overcoming them my skill level improved, tactics improved and general understanding of the game improved and I was able to complete the game from there without too much trouble.

    The level of challenge throughout means
    This game is really a masterpiece. It's challenging you will get no argument from me on that point, I had one or two areas in the game that really had me stuck but after overcoming them my skill level improved, tactics improved and general understanding of the game improved and I was able to complete the game from there without too much trouble.

    The level of challenge throughout means boss fights and difficult zone and will have your heart pumping and killing a boss and making meaningful progress in the game will leave you feel elated. Every play through is slightly different which will force you to adapt to new weapons and tactics.

    The atmosphere of this world is thick and ominous, you feel isolated alone and afraid but not helpless. The randomness of each room that lies ahead will keep you guessing so you never truly feel comfortable even if you have experience a biome before. I also just want to make a point of the sound design it is a glorious achievement, both the atmospheric sounds, alien sounds and of course the music which is all woven into the fabric of the narrative.

    The game isn't long but there is no fat, it's a focused experience with a compelling story. Upon completion I was glad it was over but in a good way, it felt like the right place for the game to end. There are several good excuses for a player to return to Returnal after completion so replay value is there.
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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 115 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Negative: 0 out of 115
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 15, 2022
    100
    A perfect example of the performance of the PS5 and all its functions. Great gameplay and the music catches and won't let go until you get to the bottom of it all. But in the end, the final may surprise you unpleasantly.
  2. CD-Action
    Dec 7, 2021
    85
    An unobvious reinforcement of PlayStation’s range of exclusives. You can love Returnal, you can hate it, the feelings can even be simultaneous. Even though it’s tough love, there’s something about this game that makes you scream into a pillow and then try again. And again. And again. [07/2021, p.44]
  3. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Sep 3, 2021
    83
    Returnal has everything you’d expect from an exclusive that comes early in a console’s life-cycle. It shows off everything PS5 has to offer, while delivering a solid roguelike experience. [Issue#254, p.54]