Why PS5 Exclusive Returnal Is Shaping Up To Be One of the Dark Horses of 2021

IbizaPocholo

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


If Housemarque has shown us anything it's that they know how to make a fun arcade shooter game. So even if they don't totally pull off every single aspect of Returnal, I still think it's a safe bet it's going to be a really fun game and likely one of the greatest Dark Horses of 2021.
 
Yo I've been sayin it from the start: looks like a AAA Risk of Rain 3. I think studios should begin taking more bets like this and embrace the popular trends among indie genres.
 
More like ugly horse

beatdeadhorse.gif
 
The gameplay footage solidified this game for me; they seem to be one of the few Western devs that can bring that flair to their action the way Japanese game devs in the action genre tend to. So I'm hoping the game does well, it should at least do well in terms of critical reception, but also hopefully in sales.

I kinda wish the main character was Vanessa from P.N.03 though because...well....

d9prrm9-ffe42e8a-84f2-4bfe-991c-26d82153993c.gif


...yeaaahhhh :messenger_heart: :messenger_heart:
 
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DunDunDunpachi said:
Yo I've been sayin it from the start: looks like a AAA Risk of Rain 3. I think studios should begin taking more bets like this and embrace the popular trends among indie genres.
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Totally agree. Currently playing risk of rain 2 and that's the vibe I get from this.

Hope they nailed the upgrades and abilities. That kind of makes or breaks these games for me and why I've spent so much time in binding of isaac.
 
DunDunDunpachi said:
Yo I've been sayin it from the start: looks like a AAA Risk of Rain 3. I think studios should begin taking more bets like this and embrace the popular trends among indie genres.
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Seriously. I was thinking the other day that we need to buy more indie games because that's where the brut of the golden age of gaming came from when those smaller studios got the budget to make dream games because it was just a step above what they were already making. Hades attracted enough attention that their next game is definitely going to get some publisher dollars.
 
G-Bus said:
Totally agree. Currently playing risk of rain 2 and that's the vibe I get from this.

Hope they nailed the upgrades and abilities. That kind of makes or breaks these games for me and why I've spent so much time in binding of isaac.
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I think a good roguelite overlays the "roguelike" elements over a skeleton of core mechanics that are good on their own, even with the randomness taken away. To me, that is the Great Sorting Bin in the brewing genre of roguelites. Is it addictive without the randomness, yes or no?

Housemarque knows their shit when it comes to addictive / arcade gameplay loops, informative UI, informative sound-effects, clean visuals, etc so really all they've done is thrown the "rougelike" cloak of level and enemy randomization on top of something they already do quite well.

That's how I see it, at least. Thoughts?

laser_printer said:
Seriously. I was thinking the other day that we need to buy more indie games because that's where the brut of the golden age of gaming came from when those smaller studios got the budget to make dream games because it was just a step above what they were already making. Hades attracted enough attention that their next game is definitely going to get some publisher dollars.
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yeah, there are quite a few indies that've "clawed their way up" from some simpler titles. I think it's a good thing and keeps the lazy AAA studios on their toes. Distribution used to be a major hurdle for most game devs. AAA studios had the advantage of distribution channels, but now that veil is lifted. When the stores opened up on consoles and on smartphones, it made a lotta people realize that sometimes AAA ain't shit and cheap indie games can entertain in ways that AAA can't (or won't) provide.
 
I think there's a good chance the game will surprise when it comes to positive critical opinion, though that's mostly because of how lackluster the marketting/presentation for it has been so far.

That being said I fail to see how the game has any chance at significant commercial success by AAA game metrics
 
BattleScar said:
Woah there, your blood pressure must be stratospheric.
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Some folks can't handle PlayStation games being praised or achieving success. As you obviously know since it happens often their blood boils regularly.

You can't buy that sort of hate, it can only be nurtured and cultivated over years.
 
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IbizaPocholo said:


If Housemarque has shown us anything it's that they know how to make a fun arcade shooter game. So even if they don't totally pull off every single aspect of Returnal, I still think it's a safe bet it's going to be a really fun game and likely one of the greatest Dark Horses of 2021.
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It can be a curious game.
But we need to see how the plot is first.
 
Honestly the game looks like a niche AA game, so I don't really expect it to sell that well. Plus I think the main character doesn't feel interesting enough to really entice folks to buy the game. I'll probably still buy the game if I'm still in the U.S. at the time. I kinda feel this should have been a launch game.
 
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Can't believe they are trying to sell this for £70. This is a new IP from a small studio what the fuck are they smoking up in sony hq.
 
Sometimes the opposite of ree’ing is just as clownish. Dial it back.
Max_Po said:
No moron, its because of Housemarque who have made some of the best modern arcade games in the last 15+ years.
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I thought it was because some PS gamers loved the thunder dyke main character. Looks generic as hell to me like some GamePass filler.
 
NullZ3r0 said:
I thought it was because some PS gamers loved the thunder dyke main character. Looks generic as hell to me like some GamePass filler.
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Well I have yet to see more, give their track record it will be good... but full price good..... C R I N G E
 
From the thumbnail pic of the vid...is it she/her or they/them/xir etc? I don't want to misgender the person before I play it.
 
I may be in the minority, but when I hear "procedurally generated" the game immediately goes into the "no buy" category.
 
Burythelight said:
Enjoy your gold rise. We are talking about good games with good gameplay here.
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What's gold rise?


:edit

ahh you mean Xbox live price hike... oooofff talk about off topic..

wonder who's band alt this fella is
 
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Sony keep delivering the goods and the usual crowd chirps in to tell us how it doesn't matter while still sitting on *checks notes* zero exclusives since launch
 
Kokoloko85 said:
Godfall wasnt made by a proven team like House Marque lol. People need to stop saying this and everyone from the start thought Godfall was gonna be empty and have no substance
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from the developers of Angry Birds Trilogy! Hot dam!
 
I like the concept and the gameplay, i hope it's a good game and reviews well

it will help to reduce the price i doubt this game is even half the budget of God of War
 
RoboFu said:
everyone??......... everyone? ;) lol
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Most people didnt think it looked good until the 3rd or so trailer and when the graphics got an update. Lets try and not pretend people thought it was gonna be a hit and it failed... people thought the combat looked good but nothing else
 
Only interested in this bc it's Housemarque and they have delivered ultra satisfying gameplay loops before I played the shit out of Dead Nation and Alienation, if they capture that spirit again 70 bucks will be cheap.
 
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