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Returnal preview thread

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Loudninja

Loudninja

Member
Oct 27, 2017
42,171
Posted by J 0 E
Join us for a live episode of New Gameplay Today, wherein we play through the first 45 minutes of Returnal on PS5! Returnal is an upcoming third-person shooter psychological horror game developed by Housemarque and features roguelike elements.
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Gameplay


Gamersyde
www.gamersyde.com

Stream and download Preview: Just a sneak peek (PS5/4K) from Returnal in very high quality

Stream and download Preview: Just a sneak peek (PS5/4K) from Returnal in very high quality
www.gamersyde.com www.gamersyde.com

www.youtube.com

Returnal: The First 45 Minutes of PS5 Gameplay - 4K 60fps

Here are the first 45 minutes of Returnal on PlayStation 5! Full game releasing on April 30, 2021.Hands-On Preview DISCUSSION: https://youtu.be/BBZOGHpvwhk⮞ ...
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www.youtube.com

Returnal (PS5) - Gameplay - Primeiros 45 Minutos - Dublado e Legendado PT-BR

Veja um pouco do gameplay de Returnal no PS5.#ReturnalQUEBRE O CICLOApós uma queda forçada em um planeta alienígena que muda de forma, Selene se vê lutando c...
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www.youtube.com

The First 45 Minutes Of Returnal (PS5) - New Gameplay Today Live

Join us for a live episode of New Gameplay Today, wherein we play through the first 45 minutes of Returnal on PS5! Returnal is an upcoming third-person shoot...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

www.youtube.com

Returnal: The First 17 Minutes of PS5 Gameplay - 4K 60fps

Check out the opening moments of the PS5 exclusive Returnal, captured on PlayStation 5 in 4K 60fps. After crash landing on the alien planet Atropos, main pro...
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IGN
It's this sort of bullet-hell pedigree and heritage that Housemarque made its name with, combined with the studio bringing story to the forefront like never before that has me so excited to play more Returnal and see where on Atropos it's going. Early on, it appears to be combining the satisfying loop of action and discovery that Hades offered with every new run married with a striking space-marine aesthetic. The inspirations and influences are clear to see, but Returnal is still very much a Housemarque game at its core, and that's what has me wanting to play and indeed die, again and again.
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https://www.ign.com/articles/returnal-the-final-preview

Press Start AU
All in all, after a few hours with Returnal, I can't stop thinking about it. The story has me intrigued, the game is absolutely gorgeous and I'm really addicted to the combat. The game has done really well in capturing what has made roguelikes great over the last few years and taking it to the next level. Whether it'll hold up for the long-haul is yet to be seen, but so far, so good.
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press-start.com.au

We Played The First Few Hours Of Returnal And It's Addictive As Hell

We Played The First Few Hours Of Returnal And It's Addictive As Hell
press-start.com.au press-start.com.au

Honestly, I couldn't tell you. Don't know. But I absolutely cannot wait to leave this laptop and "returnal" to my PS5 for another marathon session to find out.
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powerup-gaming.com

Returnal (PS5) Preview – Space Ace or Returnal to Sender? - PowerUp!

Putting a true PS5 exclusive through its paces There were runs in Returnal where I'd be unrecognisable to the “previous run” version of myself. Technically I was always Selene, a marooned space explorer, tiptoeing through yet another episode of Groundhog Day meets H.R. Giger. However, I'd...
powerup-gaming.com powerup-gaming.com

Hardcore Gamer
Housemarque's reputation for delivering stellar PlayStation titles means there's a lot of pressure on Returnal. Though we've only gotten to experience two of the game's biomes, both the Overgrown Ruins and the Crimson Wastes provide a good first impression. The gameplay is layered and thoughtful, requiring an understanding of the environment and the enemy's attack patterns. The death loop is both brutal but still fair so far, though options to suspend the game mid-cycle would be nice. DualSense and 3D audio, two key selling points of the PS5, are masterfully used within the biomes to create a unique, immersive experience. It's a strong start for Returnal, and hopefully, the rest of the game can keep up the momentum.
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hardcoregamer.com

Live, Die, Repeat in the Brutal World of Returnal - Hardcore Gamer

Housemarque's reputation for delivering high-quality shoot-em-up titles is sterling. From Super Stadust HD to Matterfall, the studio has managed to produce
hardcoregamer.com hardcoregamer.com

Kotaku
Since Returnal is among the first PS5-exclusive games, I'd be remiss not to address its next-gen bona fides. Yes, Returnal is gorgeous, certainly better looking than most PS4 games, and boasts the blistering load speeds you'd only find on a machine equipped with a solid-state drive. (Returnal cold boots—the time it takes to go from the game's dashboard icon to actually playing—in under 20 seconds. In game, even fast-traveling doesn't trigger a loading screen, at least within the first biome.) It's all very impressive in terms of internal hardware, but the real draw here is how the game feels—literally.
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https://kotaku.com/returnal-feels-like-an-actual-ps5-game-1846735864

Xam3l said:
Here is my written preview in portuguese for those interested:
echoboomer.pt

Antevisão - Returnal: Morte, repetição e ação são as constantes neste novo exclusivo da PlayStation 5

No catálogo dos grandes exclusivos, a PlayStation sai da sua zona de conforto com blockbusters, numa experiência arcade de altas produções com imenso potencial.
echoboomer.pt echoboomer.pt
Feels like a great remix of ideas and concepts (Souls, Control, Hades, Binding of Isaac, even ME: Andromeda, etc...), some much more obvious than others, but in the end it's also very unique, specially how the story moves forward with each cicle.,and so far I'm quite addicted to this loop. Plays great, looks good and, oh it sounds so, but so good...
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Kotaku AU
But I will say this: Returnal is absolutely my shit. Housemarque knows how to make fast, slick, crisp games that look good and handle well. Now, they've made basically a creepy Risk of Rain that looks gorgeous as all hell on the PS5. That's a win in my book.
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https://www.kotaku.com.au/2021/04/returnal-ps5-preview-impressions/

TheSixthAxis
Right from the start of the game you'll take down the more basic enemies with ease, with their slow moving projectiles easily avoided, and the pacing is steady like a Metroidvania, but since failure sends you back to the start, it's taking me a little while to learn how to deal with the tougher, more dangerous enemies that blend together different attacks at once. Is it best to simply try to avoid them by hiding behind cover and popping out? How aggressive can I be with a shotgun and dashing in to close the distance? What does the build up to the homing attack look like? These are things that I'll be figuring out for myself over the hours to come.

There's plenty more to discover here; more biomes to visit, more abilities to unlock and some Metroidvania style broadening of the environment through them. I can't wait to dive deeper.
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www.thesixthaxis.com

Returnal Preview - a AAA roguelike from one of PlayStation's best developers | TheSixthAxis

With a slew of major first party games and exclusives lined up for release through 2021, the PS5's upcoming catalogue is looking particularly strong.
www.thesixthaxis.com

PSU
When it comes to how Returnal performs, the game has been a pretty flawless experience for me. I haven't had one crash or major gameplay disruption in the five hours I have played so far. The only issue I had was that I got trapped in a pool of acid and had to dash out of the way as I respawned to stop myself from getting trapped again.

But, the game looks and performs flawlessly. Running at an eye-watering 4K 60 FPS with ray-tracing enabled, Returnal might be the prettiest game I have seen on PS5, especially as the dark world of Atropos is excellently accented by the bright, neon attacks released by enemies flying and scuttling about.
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www.psu.com

Returnal Hands-On Impressions (PS5) - A Roguelike Of AAA Quality That Isn't Pulling Any Punches - PlayStation Universe

Read our Returnal PS5 hands-on impressions to see why the bold and unique AAA roguelike might end up being a showcase for PS5 and the talent at Housemarque.
www.psu.com

Console Creatures
still have quite a bit to go as I make my way through Returnal but my short time with Housemarque's debut game on PlayStation 5 is exciting and I can't wait to get back to Atropos. Everything Housemarque has done up to this point has left a mark on the gameplay. Returnal offers a satisfying loop strengthened by a sense of discovery that few games like Metroid and Hades offer. Right now, I can't stop thinking about the story and what's to come.
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www.consolecreatures.com

Preview: Returnal | Console Creatures

Everything Housemarque has done up to this point has left a mark on the gameplay. #Returnal offers a satisfying loop strengthened by a sense of discovery that few games like Metroid and Hades offer.
www.consolecreatures.com www.consolecreatures.com

Gamerant
Without diving into spoiler territory, the story we've experienced up until this point has us hungry for more. There are distinct narrative branches – each with their own question marks – to push the player forward, and they've done so compellingly. Most of the storytelling in the early hours is environmental, with players finding data logs and other narrative elements scattered around the world. There's still the occasional cutscene, but they're usually brief.

As fans have seen in Returnal's gameplay trailers, the world changes with each death, sending (or "returning") Selene back to her crash-landed ship with each failed attempt to complete an objective. Other roguelike games use this same method, with Hades being one of the more recent examples, but Housemarque is setting it up as an integral part of the overarching narrative.
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gamerant.com

Returnal First Impressions: Just What the Space Doctor Ordered

Returnal doesn't release for a few more days, but fans have a lot to look forward to if the first two biomes are any indication.
gamerant.com gamerant.com


Well Played AU
For now, know that Returnal has impressed me beyond belief during its opening few hours and I thoroughly look forward to spending more time uncovering its secrets.
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www.well-played.com.au

Returnal Preview – A Cycle Worth Repeating

An atmospheric first impression
www.well-played.com.au www.well-played.com.au

Eurogamer
There's been understandable concern recently about Sony's reported obsession with blockbusters that are too big to fail - the God of Wars, the Horizon: Zero Dawns and the god-forbid-it's-real The Last of Us remake - so it's quite remarkable how Returnal has arrived within mere weeks of the story like some kind of rebuttal. This is one of the most daring, dazzling and straight-up different big ticket games to come from Sony since Death Stranding.

Is it any good? After half a dozen hours scrambling through a game dense with systems and mystery it's hard to say. Is it interesting? Abso-fucking-lutely.
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www.eurogamer.net

Returnal shows that Sony can still be weird and daring

There's been understandable concern recently about Sony's reported obsession with blockbusters that are too big to fail…
www.eurogamer.net www.eurogamer.net

TechRadar
Returnal is understandably a PS5 exclusive. While PS4 players will be wanting to get their hands on Sony's upcoming first-party offering, we feel that returnal simply wouldn't have worked on last-gen hardware.

Given that the game is based around constant death and respawning, the PS5's super-fast SSD makes this ritual much less frustrating than it could have been on PS4. Loading times are extremely fast and transitions are seamless, making you more inclined to come back for more.


In addition, Returnal is a brilliant showcase for PS5 tech. The DualSense haptic feedback is fairly subtle, gently reacting to on-screen events in a way that doesn't break your attention but adds to the experience. Paired with headphones, which allow for PS5 3D spatial audio, Returnal's environment truly comes to life. You can hear the slithering of the world's creatures in the background, the rumble of a storm in the distance, and the raindrops falling on Selene's helmet.

All this immersion made us a bit motion sick at times, but Housemarque offers a selection of accessibility options that include removing motion blur, adjustments for color blindness and more.
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Returnal is the perfect game for those who love a challenge with a bit extra behind it. Our early impressions are that Housemarque has made a PS5 exclusive that meets the standards of what we've been crying out for from the new console, and Returnal is a fantastic showcase for what this new hardware is actually capable of.
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https://www.techradar.com/reviews/returnal

Gamespew
But our initial impressions are extremely high. We needn't have been concerned about Housemarque stepping into new territory; it has brought its trademark quality with it, and in fact turned it up to eleven. There are signs of past Housemarque games here; the alien landscapes and bullet hell-style enemy attacks make you think of Alienation. But to compare this too much to a top-down arcade shooter would be rather reductive; Returnal is so much more.
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Dying doesn't mean completely starting over from scratch, either. While some upgrades are temporary – like consumable items and weapons – others are permanent. And a persistent form of currency – ether – allows you to unlock helpful perks or even a revive point should you die. The narrative strands that run through Returnal stick with you on each death; you won't be repeating the same story beats again and again. It feels as though Selene is just as aware as you of her fragile life statu
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www.gamespew.com

You're Going to Want to Play Returnal – GameSpew

Returnal, the PlayStation 5-exclusive from Housemarque, is out next week. We've been hands on, and love what we've played so far.
www.gamespew.com www.gamespew.com
 
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J 0 E

J 0 E

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,234
I want to see more but I'd rather just read the impressions, I trust Housemarque and what I saw is promising. I can say I'm waiting for it more than RE Village which is crazy coming from a huge RE fan.
 
SuperBoss

SuperBoss

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,511
How long is the overall game? I know it has a shit ton of replayability but any word on how long one run would take?
 
TheRed

TheRed

Member
Oct 31, 2017
2,658
Definitely gonna watch some of this. Will probably convince me to preorder or not
 
cakely

cakely

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,149
Chicago
And I'm ... not going to watch it. I can wait nine days, can't I?

I wonder if he'll beat his first run in 45 minutes.
 
Ze_Shoopuf

Ze_Shoopuf

Member
Jun 12, 2018
3,928
Yeah I don't need to watch more spoilers.

God forbid I start playing a game with no expectations or surprises.
 
Elandyll

Elandyll

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
8,805
I'll wait for impressions, but won't watch.
I want to experience the game (mostly) fresh.
Can't wait!
 
hog

hog

Member
Mar 9, 2021
1,026
Brilliant, this is what I've been waiting for. Everyting we've seen so far has been so chopped up. High hopes!
 
Paquete_PT

Paquete_PT

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
5,313
I won't watch. I'm more than ready to play it for myself. So excited for a new and original IP and I'm hoping for the best! Housemarque deserves it
 
ByWatterson

ByWatterson

▲ Legend ▲
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
2,302
I get the distinct feeling that Housemarque is about to be a really well known name, and that Sony is about to announce a purchase.

They've been really pushing this title. Marriage feels natural and inevitable at this point.
 
Ringten

Ringten

Member
Nov 15, 2017
6,191
Very tempting! Can't wait to play the game, but am afraid it won't be anytime soon unless I find a good deal on it
 
Crayon

Crayon

Member
Oct 26, 2017
15,580
No thanks! I stopped watching a few trailers ago. It comes out on a Friday night and I'm goin in blind and inebriated.
 
Vidpixel

Vidpixel

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,637
I'm really curious what the impressions for this game will be. Seems like it could go both ways, but I'm cautiously optimistic.
 
haveheart

haveheart

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,076
As of today, I'm going dark in this.
they convinced with the reveal so I'm not the target audience but everything they've shown up until now is just amazing.
That'll be a long wait.
 
starfoxxxy

starfoxxxy

Gravity Is Hard
Banned
Mar 13, 2021
6,488
45 minutes jsut seems kinda long, i hope a bunch of spoilers don't start getting posted
 
Jeffram

Jeffram

Member
Oct 29, 2017
3,924
This game really looks like it could benefit from an HDR presentation. GI is almost certainly going to put up a 1080p SDR video right?
 
hey it's that dog

hey it's that dog

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,084
Jeffram said:
This game really looks like it could benefit from an HDR presentation. GI is almost certainly going to put up a 1080p SDR video right?
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I think it would mostly benefit from a very high bitrate encoding because that dark gray area is always showcased in videos and it's always obvious a lot of detail is being lost. Of course I don't expect this from Game Informer.
 
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