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[Fess]

Returnal is amazing but 3rd boss is impossible for me. I have finished every souls, sekiro, Elden ring. All of them much easier than Returnal.

Yeah it's quite easily the hardest game I've played. Those who managed to finish it pre-patch without any save trick or pause cycle mechanic deserve to have their name on some hall of fame plate for having super human abilities.

 

[Holammer]

Returnal is amazing but 3rd boss is impossible for me. I have finished every souls, sekiro, Elden ring. All of them much easier than Returnal.

Really? Unless you try to fight it with a shotgun it should be easy. Just plunk it full of Electropylon Driver shots, the single fire version, not with Pylon Web. It's also great for act 1-3 in general. Then focus on avoiding stuff, it can even damage the boss across the map in the third stage.

Saving silphium vials (normal and large) for boss fights is the key to success in the game.

 

[The artful mincer]

I got stuck with a boss (not sure if 3rd of 2nd), and found that having to repeat a big chunk and collect the stuff again pretty frustrating.

How does it work now? Do you revive at the start of the level but keeping all the key loot? Or did they include checkpoints?

It's split into 2 sections. Levels 1 to 3 and Levels 4 to 6 the only checkpoint in the game is between stage 3 and 4. You have to complete these entire sections without dying.

At first if you turned the console off to go to bed or whatever in the middle of run it would reset to the beginning of the section you were on the next time you played (either level 1 or 4).They later allowed you save your game in the middle of run. Again if you die at any point you reset to the beginning of the section and your save is gone.

Regarding upgrades you permanently unlock key abilities like the sword and grappling hook which make the combat and traversal easier.

Weapons are a bit trickier to explain. You will always start with the pistol however you find other weapons randomly in the game. In stage 1 you will only find the carbine and the shotgun. I think in stage 3 you unlock the rocket launcher. Once you've got further enough to unlock a new weapon it will start appearing in the earlier stages e.g. the rocket launcher will now appear in stage 1. The later weapons are usually more powerful making the earlier sections easier.

BUUUUTTT that's not all. Each weapon has a level, a base ability and a trait you can unlock! The level is standard the higher the better and base ability is what you would expect from each weapon. The traits are what make this game great. Traits are basically sub weapons within each weapon class E.g the standard rocket launcher fires a burst of 3 missiles however traits for it include Mega Rocket (Replace the 3 rockets with 1 really powerful rocket) and full auto (You fire about 10 at once!) and there are many others just for the Rocket Laucher

Some weapons you pick up have traits. You will initially need to kill a certain number of enemies to unlock the trait but once unlocked it too will start appearing in any stage of the game.

So as example the Full Auto Rocket Launcher is very powerful if you get it early in stage 1 you will nuke everything. You initially need to get further enough to unlock the rocket launcher (stage 3). You then need to fid another Rocket Launcher with the weapon trait Full Auto. Kill a certain amount of enemies to unlock Full Auto, Full Auto Rocket Launcher now has the potential to appear anywhere within the game, Win.

Honestly the Full Auto Rocket Launcher is somewhat middle of the road, Some of the late game guns make the BFG look timid.

Hope all that waffle helps. If you need anything clarified or want to know more just fire away.

 

[saintjules]

Meh that's more to do with PC gamers having shit taste. Those idiots are happy playing the same maps in a bland ass miltary shooter for a decade.

 

[The artful mincer]

Returnal is amazing but 3rd boss is impossible for me. I have finished every souls, sekiro, Elden ring. All of them much easier than Returnal.

You just need the right tool for the job!

 

[Calverz]

It's interesting to me that despite the sales of returnal not living up to Sonys expectations. Essentially killing the IP, Sony are allowing housemarque to effectively make the same game again but with different lore and a male protagonist. Which begs the question, "what changed?" Why the change in heart from Sony management?

 

[Holammer]

You just need the right tool for the job!

I love how the player facetanks everything to make a point. Yes, getting a good carbine with leech rounds is the 'I win button' of the game.

 

[yurinka]

It's split into 2 sections. Levels 1 to 3 and Levels 4 to 6 the only checkpoint in the game is between stage 3 and 4. You have to complete these entire sections without dying.

At first if you turned the console off to go to bed or whatever in the middle of run it would reset to the beginning of the section you were on the next time you played (either level 1 or 4).They later allowed you save your game in the middle of run. Again if you die at any point you reset to the beginning of the section and your save is gone.

Regarding upgrades you permanently unlock key abilities like the sword and grappling hook which make the combat and traversal easier.

Weapons are a bit trickier to explain. You will always start with the pistol however you find other weapons randomly in the game. In stage 1 you will only find the carbine and the shotgun. I think in stage 3 you unlock the rocket launcher. Once you've got further enough to unlock a new weapon it will start appearing in the earlier stages e.g. the rocket launcher will now appear in stage 1. The later weapons are usually more powerful making the earlier sections easier.

BUUUUTTT that's not all. Each weapon has a level, a base ability and a trait you can unlock! The level is standard the higher the better and base ability is what you would expect from each weapon. The traits are what make this game great. Traits are basically sub weapons within each weapon class E.g the standard rocket launcher fires a burst of 3 missiles however traits for it include Mega Rocket (Replace the 3 rockets with 1 really powerful rocket) and full auto (You fire about 10 at once!) and there are many others just for the Rocket Laucher

Some weapons you pick up have traits. You will initially need to kill a certain number of enemies to unlock the trait but once unlocked it too will start appearing in any stage of the game.

So as example the Full Auto Rocket Launcher is very powerful if you get it early in stage 1 you will nuke everything. You initially need to get further enough to unlock the rocket launcher (stage 3). You then need to fid another Rocket Launcher with the weapon trait Full Auto. Kill a certain amount of enemies to unlock Full Auto, Full Auto Rocket Launcher now has the potential to appear anywhere within the game, Win.

Honestly the Full Auto Rocket Launcher is somewhat middle of the road, Some of the late game guns make the BFG look timid.

Hope all that waffle helps. If you need anything clarified or want to know more just fire away.

Ok thanks, now I get it.

I didn't know you could save but if you die lose the save, it was confusing to me and didn't get how it did exactly work.

Last time I played was a long time ago, so don't remember which stage reached. I'd bet I passed the checkpoint because in recent plays the stages I played I bet didn't include the stuff of the start.

 

[playbignbox]

Spectacular game

 

[LavitzSlambert]

I tried so many times to like this game. I think their stardust games were more fun. I just couldn't enjoy this one. But maybe because I don't like the genre too much. Hades (and now Hades 2) are the only ones I've enjoyed. Maybe because there always seems to be some kind of progression. Most rogue type games, I feel like my time was wasted.

I normally agree but Hades and Returnal have great progression, mostly in the story but also enough persistent upgrades.

 

[The artful mincer]

Ok thanks, now I get it.

I didn't know you could save but if you die lose the save, it was confusing to me and didn't get how it did exactly work.

Last time I played was a long time ago, so don't remember which stage reached. I'd bet I passed the checkpoint because in recent plays the stages I played I bet didn't include the stuff of the start.

Well to expand a bit more you can skip certain stuff.

After you defeat an end of stage boss a portal will appear early in your next run that allows you to skip 90% of that stage.

But this is highly unrecommeded. You want to complete as much of each stage as possible to make your character as OP possible. You want a really powerful weapon but also to increase your health, damage get a bunch of passive abilties etc. If you skip this you go into the next stage underpowered and will likely struggle.

Did you beat the boss in the video I posted above? That's a very extreme build, you can beat the game with more fun less cheesy builds almost as easily.

That boss is at the end of stage 3

 

[SkylineRKR]

Returnal is the best PS5 exclusive this gen.

Everything clicks at some point, and I couldn't stop playing it. I beat it before those save state patches rolled out and its not really about loot rolls. I've had countless runs with OP weapons but I still fucked it up. For me, its about greed. Those malign statuses get worse the further you get. If you have a good weapon, some defense and health just don't take your chances.

Also you DO get better upon dying. Those weapon perks are permanent and some combinations are game breaking (like the rocket launcher with full auto+Replicating hits+enlarged chamber). Also shield disruptor for life. Its the single best perk in the game, imho. It lets you destroy shielded enemies from accross the map, thus eliminating the need of having to get in melee range.

 

[The artful mincer]

I love how the player facetanks everything to make a point. Yes, getting a good carbine with leech rounds is the 'I win button' of the game.

I think it struggles when you go up against super high damage enemies in the tower.

I think stuff like the Portal Beam, Repeating Rockets, 4th Shard, Pylon Web to name a few are just as OP and more fun!

 

[SkylineRKR]

I think it struggles when you go up against super high damage enemies in the tower.

I think stuff like the Portal Beam, Repeating Rockets, 4th Shard, Pylon Web to name a few are just as OP and more fun!

A carbine with Leech and rising pitch is absolutely good, but ultimately you just don't want to get hit and kill everything fast.

Some weapons like the Hollowseeker seem nothing special at first glance but use them and max out its perks and it becomes OP. When you pick up one that has serrated, retarget, portal and waves you can beat the game. One run I had such a roll at level 18 ish and just didn't drop it at the last stage because everything else I found felt less powerful. The final boss was relatively easy to beat with it. With this weapon you don't have to keep aiming at enemies all the time, I'd choose it over a leech carbine.

 

[GinSama]

Always wanted to try the game, how is in terms of content?
Kinda want a game with a good amount of hours to beat


It looks like a very short game, although it looks like you can do several runs?

 

[Arsic]

Always wanted to try the game, how is in terms of content?
Kinda want a game with a good amount of hours to beat


It looks like a very short game, although it looks like you can do several runs?

I've yet to repeat the final boss but when I do I should be around 30-35 hours. Then with the ascension dlc maybe another 7-10?

It could go amazing your first run lol. On my first run I made it to boss 4 on release. Then It took me for fucking ever to get good rng to get past boss 4-6. Was frustrating.

 

[Hohenheim]

Returnal is my favourite Rouge-like of all time, slightly ahead of The Binding of Isaac.
A perfect game for me.
The atmosphere and sound is fantastic, and the tight and focused gameplay loop is totally perfect. I replayed it when it was released on PC, and playing it with keyboard and mouse was even better.

Really enjoying Hades 2 at the moment, which is pure bliss as well. But Saros is probably my most anticipated game atm (along with Judas).
Just too bad it doesn't come to PC day one, as I would love to be able to use keyboard/mouse, and play it in higher fps.

 

[GinSama]

I've yet to repeat the final boss but when I do I should be around 30-35 hours. Then with the ascension dlc maybe another 7-10?

It could go amazing your first run lol. On my first run I made it to boss 4 on release. Then It took me for fucking ever to get good rng to get past boss 4-6. Was frustrating.

That sound freaking awesome, damn was not expecting so many hours,

How is the storytelling of the game? Something like Souls games?

 

[Arsic]

That sound freaking awesome, damn was not expecting so many hours,

How is the storytelling of the game? Something like Souls games?

Souls and silent hill?

The story is incredible.

 

[GinSama]

Souls and silent hill?

The story is incredible.

Lol you just sold me the game lol

 

[TerribleAtThisGame]

That sound freaking awesome, damn was not expecting so many hours,

How is the storytelling of the game? Something like Souls games?

For me at least, the lore and story of this game was an absolute rabbit hole unlike any other game. I spent hours "investigating" databank entries, rewatching cutscenes etc. and ended up having my theory elements featured on some gaming podcast with the dev commenting on it lol. I had a lot of damn theories.

Imagine Souls style lore archaeology with Silent Hill 2 levels of personal hell.

 

[rsouzadk]

It's split into 2 sections. Levels 1 to 3 and Levels 4 to 6 the only checkpoint in the game is between stage 3 and 4. You have to complete these entire sections without dying.

At first if you turned the console off to go to bed or whatever in the middle of run it would reset to the beginning of the section you were on the next time you played (either level 1 or 4).They later allowed you save your game in the middle of run. Again if you die at any point you reset to the beginning of the section and your save is gone.

Regarding upgrades you permanently unlock key abilities like the sword and grappling hook which make the combat and traversal easier.

Weapons are a bit trickier to explain. You will always start with the pistol however you find other weapons randomly in the game. In stage 1 you will only find the carbine and the shotgun. I think in stage 3 you unlock the rocket launcher. Once you've got further enough to unlock a new weapon it will start appearing in the earlier stages e.g. the rocket launcher will now appear in stage 1. The later weapons are usually more powerful making the earlier sections easier.

BUUUUTTT that's not all. Each weapon has a level, a base ability and a trait you can unlock! The level is standard the higher the better and base ability is what you would expect from each weapon. The traits are what make this game great. Traits are basically sub weapons within each weapon class E.g the standard rocket launcher fires a burst of 3 missiles however traits for it include Mega Rocket (Replace the 3 rockets with 1 really powerful rocket) and full auto (You fire about 10 at once!) and there are many others just for the Rocket Laucher

Some weapons you pick up have traits. You will initially need to kill a certain number of enemies to unlock the trait but once unlocked it too will start appearing in any stage of the game.

So as example the Full Auto Rocket Launcher is very powerful if you get it early in stage 1 you will nuke everything. You initially need to get further enough to unlock the rocket launcher (stage 3). You then need to fid another Rocket Launcher with the weapon trait Full Auto. Kill a certain amount of enemies to unlock Full Auto, Full Auto Rocket Launcher now has the potential to appear anywhere within the game, Win.

Honestly the Full Auto Rocket Launcher is somewhat middle of the road, Some of the late game guns make the BFG look timid.

Hope all that waffle helps. If you need anything clarified or want to know more just fire away.

Intersting. I use electropylon driver and the game is a walk in the park for me.

 

[TerribleAtThisGame]

My personal favorite melter of a weapon is a high level Dreadbound. I think a lot of people didn't catch that the real progression is in weapon ability unlocks. They're permanent and can make even the starting pistol a menace. I loved that system and found unlocking that stuff very addictive.

I shouldn't say "didn't catch" because maybe that just isn't enough for some people and I get that. Just I know several gaming friends who didn't really notice that aspect, or at least didn't purposely unlock, switch weapon, unlock etc.

 

[The artful mincer]

Intersting. I use electropylon driver and the game is a walk in the park for me.

Yeah the electropylon can be incredibly powerful and fun to use.

 

[Chukhopops]

I'm getting peer pressured by the hyperbole in this thread. Did anyone dislike that game? So that I won't have to find out myself (my backlog is already too large).

Good mechanics but as a roguelike it's not great, there is simply not enough variation between runs or mutations that really change the way you play.

So runs can feel very same-ish very fast compared to other roguelike games.

It's not bad but it's wasted potential.

 

[Fafalada]

Returnal is amazing but 3rd boss is impossible for me. I have finished every souls, sekiro, Elden ring. All of them much easier than Returnal.

For me this is complete oposite.
Returnal bosses were by far the easiest part of the game (with exception of 1st - which took me a number of tries).
Every boss past the 1st I beat on first try - and I think I only ever died to the final boss once or twice on subsequent playthroughs - but all in, Returnal I either die mid-level(which happens annoyingly a lot on first and last biomes, not gonna lie), but it's virtually never in a boss fight.

This in contrast to the god damn Chalice dungeons where I took 50+ tries for a certain boss, or even Hades where even after all this time I still have like... 30% success rate at best against Hades himself.

 

[Dalbajobas]

You just need the right tool for the job!

"Hardest game I ever played.......!!!!"

Spoiler

 

[Dalbajobas]

It's interesting to me that despite the sales of returnal not living up to Sonys expectations. Essentially killing the IP, Sony are allowing housemarque to effectively make the same game again but with different lore and a male protagonist. Which begs the question, "what changed?" Why the change in heart from Sony management?

Game them last chance to prove themselves - make a mid game like last time and well.. you know the rest.

 

[Arsic]

Tried the final boss again when I had basically no health. First time since launch fighting it.

Got it down to phase 3 and don't know what hit me. Must've been an orb behind me I thought wasn't near me anymore.

Haven't used any of the new save features so I'm getting the authentic experience. I beat all of act 1&2 at launch so the most difficult stuff I already did raw dog. Running the final boss back isn't that bad since you can farm up level 1 then just focus on main rooms and easy treasure/upgrade blue triangle rooms.

I just need to make it to the boss with decent health and it's over.

 

[Fafalada]

I just need to make it to the boss with decent health and it's over.

Should I tell him - or will someone else?

 

[Arsic]

Should I tell him - or will someone else?

Beat the games 6 main bosses long ago. act 3 I'm on claims I just get the 6 sun medals then go beat final boss again end of chapter 6 to open the car trunk with the key I got from the house.

 

[WX3]

I've never been past Phrike. I am not ashamed. But I do love the premise of the game and it remains installed at all times and every now and then I will fuck with it a little bit but never stick with it for some reason unknown exactly other than I buy a lot and am always looking to be fully invested in my latest purchase. And I know it is dumb as hell, and I find many game have this happen to them in my library. Returnal is one I regret probably the most. Last few days I have been watching speedruns of the game and that was a mistake. Should not have done that! I feel even more inept now.

 

[Yamisan]

Wait, you didn't like the rogue like game play in a rogue like game?

 

[Jesb]

How is this on steamdeck? It's on a decent sale and considering it.

 

[Arsic]

Just got the ending for act 3. I could go for the plat just need to survey 5 places and get to level 30 weapon proficiency on a run. Seems easily doable.

Then I could work on the dlc more.

 

[saintjules]

I've never been past Phrike. I am not ashamed. But I do love the premise of the game and it remains installed at all times and every now and then I will fuck with it a little bit but never stick with it for some reason unknown exactly other than I buy a lot and am always looking to be fully invested in my latest purchase. And I know it is dumb as hell, and I find many game have this happen to them in my library. Returnal is one I regret probably the most. Last few days I have been watching speedruns of the game and that was a mistake. Should not have done that! I feel even more inept now.

I always found it interesting how people never got past Phrike. There's even guides on how to.

I think I was able to beat Phrike within 2 or 3 attempts.

 

[FinalBossWithTheMostPower]

I've had it for several years and never opened it.

And footage from the spiritual sequel or whatever it is, coming up, did little to compel me to do so.

I should probably give it a shot. Maybe after Cronos.

 

[Arsic]

I've had it for several years and never opened it.

And footage from the spiritual sequel or whatever it is, coming up, did little to compel me to do so.

I should probably give it a shot. Maybe after Cronos.

Please do. I can't imagine anyone hating this game unless they can't git gud.

Saros is now high high high on my list of must plays because this game just comes together so damn well the longer you play it.

 

[Jigsaah]

My favorite game from Sony this gen by far. Can't wait to see what Saros has in store.

 

[WX3]

I always found it interesting how people never got past Phrike. There's even guides on how to.

I think I was able to beat Phrike within 2 or 3 attempts.

I am retarded.

 

[yogaflame]

This game is very good. That is why im excited about Saros.

 

[tylrdiablos]

I love a good bullet hell but I burned out on Returnal pretty quickly. I've been meaning to give it another go.

Same boat. I liked the game, the art style etc etc but I felt I was missing something or something hadn't 'clicked' with the mechanics.
I intend to go back to it at some point. Pretty sure the PC version no longer gets any updates. (Which is to be expected, it has been out for a while now.)