Returnal: new details for the title ready to debut on PlayStation 5

Among the official pages of the PlayStation Blog, Gillen McAllister, Senior Specialist Contento Communications di SIE (Sony Interactive Entertainment) has unveiled new details on Returnal, the explosive action-platform in horror sauce scheduled for release on date April 30 2021 exclusive PlayStation 5 and currently in development at the studios of the Finnish developer Housemarque.

An ignored source signal draws the astronaut to a mysterious planet Selene of the agency ASTRA. The spaceship Helios on which the protagonist travels, however, crashes on the surface of the planet, and this is an opportunity for the developers to immediately show the potential of the haptic feedback of the PlayStation 5 DualSense: the controller is able to transmit all the power of the ground impact of the spaceship. Different biomes they will welcome Selene to the new planet, amidst the ruins of extinct civilizations and a fierce struggle for survival against the local fauna.

Among the new details related to Returnal, it still focuses on the potential of the new PlayStation 5 controller, the DualSense: an example of how adaptive triggers will be exploited is shown by a short animated gif (which you can view by clicking here). The L2 key locks halfway when pressed to zoom in on Focus Aim (which is capable of highlighting enemies' weak spots as well). By fully pressing L2 it is possible to activate the alt-fire mode of your weapon. If the trigger is held down after the discharge is released, players will experience a low-level vibration that will steadily increase in intensity at the weapon's reload cycle.

On the battlefield, Selene is referred to as a bolt of lightning and moves fearlessly within procedurally generated worlds, in perfect roguelike style. However, his approach is thoughtful rather than aggressive, as he is keen to specify in the preview published on the PlayStation Blog. Damage dealt increases the production of adrenalina, whose growth is marked in five different levels (each of which unlocks a specific bonus). However, the increase in adrenaline is canceled immediately: A developer touch that requires a high level of attention from players in combat. Weapons are characterized by their infinite ammo, but they will still have to be loaded continuously. By pressing the trigger with the right timing, the reload will be immediate and you will also receive a bonus to the damage inflicted on enemies. If you make a mistake, the gun will jam.

But Returnal will not be just action and shootings: in the title it is dedicated ample space also for exploration and the platform component. According to McAllister, players shouldn't expect a mundane succession of combat arenas. Each level has a precise and different conformation from the others, with enormous possibilities for exploration. It is emphasized that, for much of the adventure, at least two thirds of the screen will be occupied by the surrounding environment. The minimap indicates the points of interest: in addition to the main path there will be secondary rooms, battles against minor bosses and specific icons that will signal the presence of collectibles. Collecting some of them will be necessary for solving small puzzles.

Returnal will include daily challenges with online leaderboards and will require you to achieve certain objectives with a specific weapon, encouraging experimentation in order to appreciate the complexity and variety of the gameplay. Players will have only one life to aim for the top of the world rankings and Sony is also keen to emphasize that there is no need to subscribe to the PlayStation Plus service to carve your name on the list of the best players in the world.

Returnal will be available starting from April 30, 2021 exclusively for PlayStation 5. For a few hours the game has returned to show itself in action in a new and explosive trailer. The title had officially entered GOLD phase last March 25.