PS5 Exclusive Returnal talks combat, Glorious Sci-Fi frenzy ensues

Roguelike with persistent progression

Housemarque shared lots of new details about their upcoming PS5 game Returnal. Today, we learn more about the game’s combat and progression. Thankfully, we also get a nice new trailer as well. You can enjoy it here!

Despite being a PlayStation 5 exclusive, there is simply not enough talk about Returnal. A real shame, since with Housemarque, true legends of the action genre are at the helm.

The Finnish studio is well-known for awesome arcade action with titles like Resogun, Super Stardust Delta, and many more. But Returnal looks to be the studio’s most ambitious project to date. After years of spending time in the 2D and 2.5D space, Housemarque finally goes full 3D.

The matter of fact is that this shift makes Returnal instantly is more appealing to many more gamers. That doesn’t mean it lacks in action or beautiful effects. On top of that, the game also features an interesting science-fiction story that seamlessly combines roguelike elements into its story.

Each death restarts a time loop. But Returnal features a clever progression system that lets you keep some upgrades across runs. The more you play, the better upgrades you receive.

But none of that matters if the actual gameplay is any good. And Returnal promises the entire package here. You can get a nice overview of the types of weapons both in the new trailer and detailed PlayStation Blog post.

As expected, a range of futuristic weapons is available. But the brilliant part here is that combat doesn’t revolve entirely around projectiles. Many weapons also have unique mechanics and secondary modes. Combined, they add an extra layer of depth to the combat.

Rounding the package are alien artifacts and items that give the player additional bonuses. Both active and passive. Overall, Returnal is a highly promising title that should be on every PS5 owner’s radar when it launches this May 19th.