Do you think Housemarques next game should be a roguelike?

What do you think they should do?

  • Keep building on Returnals gameplay loop, its almost perfect

  • Keep the roguelike but restructure it to make it more accessible

  • I’d like to see them try something more ambitious

  • Open world returnal

Results are only viewable after voting.
remember_spinal

remember_spinal

Banned
I feel like it 'worked' for Returnal but i also feel like the formula is a bit off putting for a lot of people. Would it serve them better to make it a true metroidvania or do you think they'd be losing some of their arcade-like sensibility?
 
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I would make it like Elden Ring.

Open world Metroid with gated areas by difficulty level. You can still try and go there but it's extremely hard

I don't like the random generated levels or Roguelike elements

The core of Returnal to me is the combat and it doesn't need the death loop gimmick
 
Me when anyone tries to tell me Returnal isn't perfection. And Housemarque don't need to make Returnal 2 ASAP

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James Sawyer Ford said:
I would make it like Elden Ring.

Open world Metroid with gated areas by difficulty level. You can still try and go there but it's extremely hard

I don't like the random generated levels or Roguelike elements

The core of Returnal to me is the combat and it doesn't need the death loop gimmick
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Same. I think the actual mechanics, movement, shooting is where it excels.

I'm not really too off-put by the rogue lite nature i just want to feel more rewards and progression from an hour long run. Either they gotta give you more to do inbetween runs or they gotta find a way to shorten them
 
If it's like Returnal, yes. I want Returnal 2 or a spiritual successor. Now.

Returnal is videogaming in its purest form and at a AAA level. They've found their own formula and we get very few, if any, similar experiences. It would be a shame to have them do something more like everyone else.
 
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remember_spinal said:
Same. I think the actual mechanics, movement, shooting is where it excels.

I'm not really too off-put by the rogue lite nature i just want to feel more rewards and progression from an hour long run. Either they gotta give you more to do inbetween runs or they gotta find a way to shorten them
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I think a cool compromise would be open world with no loop, but you'd have "dungeons" with bosses that required the loop, and you'd be able to get a mid-dungeon checkpoint. Certain perks/loot would be given if you completed the dungeon without the checkpoint
 
I'd like them to make a first person action-rpg set in a fantasy or cyberpunk or sci-fi open world, with branching paths, etc. But that's just me.
 
Honestly, I don't really care what they make -- as long as they keep and build upon the Returnal's core gameplay loop and shooting mechanics. The gameplay in Returnal is freakin' 🔥

I love James Sawyer Ford James Sawyer Ford 's idea. An open-world-ish Returnal/Elden-Ring hybrid could be great. You can encounter random enemies in random places and need to get out of that situation with fantastic combat/gunplay. It can be super fun.

Unpopular opinion, but I believe HM should also do a side-project and make a multiplayer arena shooter with Returnal's mechanics. Because the gameplay is so fun, that game can be a huge hit and fill a gap in PS Studios' title. Sort of like a PvP Halo/Splitgate with fast shooting and grapple. But they should do it as a side-project (with a second team) only because I still want their next big single-player game.

After Returnal, to be honest, they can make a game about watching paint dripping on the wall for all I care, and I'll be there day one. ❤️
 
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Next game needs to have some bright colors and daylight.
I don't want to ever see another Roguelike again from them.
What I really want is another Twin Stick.
 
I believe Returnal will just be a one-game project, for now.

I think they can strive for something even more original next game with it being their 2nd release for the PS5.
 
They need to create a new IP that's like Returnal gameplay wise, except without the roguelike elements.
A true Metroidvania with a massive budget.
 
Well, it's a roguelite, not a roguelike, but it's one of my favorite games ever. So rewarding once you start getting somewhere (which can take a little while). So I wouldn't mind them expanding on that concept, but I'd also be excited if they want to do something very different.
 
Haven't played Elden Ring but a Sekiro style Returnal would be amazing. Rogulites are fine for smaller studios but want more from AAA titles. Housemarque finally has a big backer behind them so want them to shoot for the moon!
 
I'd love to see them mix it up. I'd like to think they'd want the same too, lol. If it was a roguelike with enough new content to make it feel VERY different, I think I'd be okay with it. We just see too many devs do the whole one trick pony thing. Some of them great, some of them meh. But it would be cool to see more variety IMO.
 
I'd like to see a roguelike arcade style game. Wish they had two teams where one could work on a smaller scale Resogun style roguelike, and another make a larger game like Returnal that's not a roguelike.
 
I'd like to see them focusing less in roguelike (in fact in general I try to avoid roguelike games) but instead of evolving more the idea of classic arcade stuff blended with modern AAA game.

I think the arcade part is what make their unique and gives them a personal touch so I'd double down on that. Something arcade games had was that in the middle of your 'campaign' single player match a random player could join your match and be with you in coop for a while and then die and leave. Maybe they could try something with that.

Scores in arcades were also very important. Maybe they could adapt it to modern times -without making it too frustrating- by making stage specific stores and rankings giving you gold/silver/etc medals like in Bayonetta/DMC/etc with offine scores and then add separate online stage based online leaderboards for friends, country specific or global top scores.

And obviously lots of frantic action with big and colorful explosions, bullets and rays, combos, dashes and so on.
 
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They should ease up on the difficulty for one thing, Returnal is just too difficult. I've probably played it for over 4 hours and only seen (and been defeated by) the first boss twice.

It's fantastic, but the challenge is poorly judged IMO.
 
They only get my money if its not a rogue-like. So hopefull they try something new but keep delivering on fantastic gameplay.
 
Sure, I'd like something like Alienation and Dungeon Siege made a baby.

Nice short sessions with roguelite meta progression and themed like classic action RPG.
 
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NinjaBoiX said:
They should ease up on the difficulty for one thing, Returnal is just too difficult. I've probably played it for over 4 hours and only seen (and been defeated by) the first boss twice.

It's fantastic, but the challenge is poorly judged IMO.
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Nah like I said before. The only thing they missed was not explaining the progression properly. Everytime you use a weapon it will leveling up as you use unlocking more power ups making the game easier as you go. A fully unlocked weapons is a sight to behold.
 
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Pelta88 said:
Me when anyone tries to tell me Returnal isn't perfection. And Housemarque don't need to make Returnal 2 ASAP

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Yeah, but how many times did you hookshot across the map to a ledge when you were just trying to pick up silphium but forgot to point the camera directly at it? I love Returnal but I've lost count of all the times that's happened to me. Maybe the Returnal pros are just players that are disciplined enough to point the camera away from all hookshot ledges :pie_thinking:
 
Keep making games like Returnal . They are the masters of bullet hell. Don't want them to turn into another "third person cinematic action adventure with skill trees and light rpg mechanics." Their vision is unique . Keep building on that. Plus with vampire survivor there's even more to pull from in the genre.
 
Returnal is an amazing game in spite of the roguelike characteristics, not because of them. If they ditch the roguelike elements they could make the world's first third person shooter Soulslike, which I think would honestly sell gangbusters.
 
Pelta88 said:
Me when anyone tries to tell me Returnal isn't perfection. And Housemarque don't need to make Returnal 2 ASAP

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Being rogue like inherently knocks it down a couple points, so no not perfect

FalsettoVibe said:
They need to create a new IP that's like Returnal gameplay wise, except without the roguelike elements.
A true Metroidvania with a massive budget.
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Exactly. I would have played the game if it were a typical TPS... but I hate random generated levels, not retaining weapons/etc. Seems like cutting corners in regards to the former, and the latter just pads the game out way more than necessary.
 
I wouldn't mind seeing something similar to Returnal, but I just hope it isn't open world because I think open world is overdone and might even take away from the experience of their style of games.
 
I would keep this studio to take risks. No Returnal 2, new IP. The cost of the studio isn't major all things considered and while Sony lean on more established IP to be the console sellers, the cheaper experimental games could lead to a breakout hit or at worst a new IP that covers its own costs. He who dares...
 
Since Sony is pushing for GAAS, I wouldn't be surprised to find out they're resurrecting their abandoned BR Stormdivers. Much of its DNA is present in Returnal.

But, were it me, I think they'd be a prime candidate to develop a new game on an existing IP. Bloodborne or The Order 1886 are the first that spring to mind, but they're definitely not working on either of those.
 
I don't like bigger budget games with roguelike elements or repeating patterns - I haven't enjoyed Returnal or Deathloop. Make more unique content instead of forcing people to replay the same one hoping they'll learn or discover something new (and in Returnal's case some runs result in absolutely 0 progress).
 
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Build upon the random generated rooms, weapons, power-ups and mini-bosses. Keep the roguelike aspect and make it a live service game, with multiple episodes and a shitload of content.
 
Great programmers, but I want to see them take a risk.
At the moment their gameplay, whilst refined, is too conservative and I find the gameplay loops somewhat unrewarding.
Returnal especially had far too much time spent running around and too little time shooting. I'd prefer it to be bullet hell ALL the time. I don't want to switch my brain to "what do I do now?" mode afterwards. That doesn't work for me.
 
I love Returnal, it's still one of my favorite games. I've Platinum the main game is still play it for fun. With that said, I don't think the game has enough juice story wise to make a part two.


I honestly can't wait to see what Housemarques has cooking up. If their next game is half as fun as Returnal, I'm down.
 
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