Returnal

What is Returnal Ascension and what does it include?

Returnal was released last year exclusively for the PlayStation 5, and it was met with wide critical praise. The challenging gameplay made for a fun and sometimes frustrating experience. Now, almost a year after the game was originally released, it will be getting a free update known as Returnal Ascension. Here is everything we know about it. Returnal Ascension is a…

How to switch weapons in Returnal

Progressing further into the cosmic abyss of Returnal requires an understanding of the weapons scattered across the world. Players can only hold one weapon at a time and it’s best to experiment early on to discover which weapon plays to your preference. First you’ll need to understand how to switch weapons. To switch weapons in Returnal you must approach a…

What happens when you die in Returnal? Here’s what’s Lost and Kept

If you’re booting up Returnal for the first time, expect to die. A lot. This roguelite action-adventure from Housemarque designs death as a replayable game loop, with each run motivating the player to progress further into the cosmic horror. So, what happens when you die? What Happens When You Die? When you die in Returnal, you resurrect as Selene, auto-pistol…

Returnal: When does the Game Save?

Understanding the risk/reward system of Returnal is key to your survival and overall enjoyment. Roguelike mechanics are challenging in general, but Housemarque’s first PS5 title ups the difficulty with lengthier runs. So where are the save points? Simply put, there are no game saves. If you turn off the game (or your PS5) amidst a run, you will lose all…

Returnal | How many Biomes

As you progress through the randomly-generated rooms of Returnal, one thing remains constant: the amount of Biomes required to complete. The more you improve at the game, the more new areas and terrors are waiting to be discovered. There are six biomes total in Returnal, with five bosses to destroy. The further you delve into the mysterious planet Atropos, the…

Returnal | How to get the grappling hook

Much of Returnal is generated at random but players should expect some gameplay elements to remain constant. As you progress deeper into the many challenging biomes, you will unlock permanent upgrades and items. One of these is especially useful for quick traversal: the Icarian Grapnel, aka the grappling hook. You will naturally unlock the grappling hook in the Crimson Wastes,…