Review of the PC version of the game Returnal – uncompromising quality

The Return places a lot of emphasis on MYSTERY, the actual EXPLORATION of the alien planet.

Not only because of this, it is best to experience it COMPLETELY “BLIND”, without any information.

Returnal was the best game of 2021 for me, and in my review of the PS5 version, I mentioned at the time that the only reason it didn’t get the highest rating was the lack of a progress save to pause and return to the game. The creators subsequently added this feature to the game via DLC (along with the ability to play online in co-op with a second player, as well as including a special mode for endless play), which I appreciated. This incredible game comes to PC today with all of these improvements, plus a great test, full support for DualSense controller haptics, support for ultra-wide monitors, DLSS and other amenities that make this absolutely extraordinary game on PC even more colorful. than before she initially succeeded on the console. Whether you like addictive challenging games like Elden Ring, brilliant action games like Doom (2016), or atmospheric alien-inspired horror, Atropos planet will appeal to you too.

• Platform: PC (review), PS5
• Publication date: 02.15.2023
• Manufacturer: Housemark (Finland)
• Genre: Simplified roguelike similar to Dark Souls, Bullet Hell
• Czech localization: No
• Multiplayer: online, co-op, 2 players
• Data to download: 60 GB
• Game time: 30+ hours
• Price: 1420 CZK (couples)

The terrible secret of the planet Atropos

Astronaut Selena Vassos, of the ASTRA space agency, is shipwrecked on the forbidden planet Atropos in search of the source of a mysterious distress signal. The darkened alien jungle is slowly revealing the gigantic ruins of an ancient alien civilization, but it’s also teeming with bloodthirsty monsters straight out of Howard P. Lovecraft’s nightmares. To make matters worse, extraterrestrial technology is building insidious replicas of her home from Earth for Selena. But the planet reveals the most terrible secret after Selena dies during the study – death in this place does not mean the end, but a ruthless return back to the beginning, to the wreckage of her spaceship named Helios. Trapped in this Cycle, Selena has only one option: to try to find the cause of it all before she goes completely insane.

Returnal is a game first and foremost, so no one will blame you if you’re just mindlessly enjoying it as an adrenaline-fuelled shooter in beautifully terrifying environments. It’s by no means one of those “playstation-style” movie games. But if you’re a more thoughtful player and enjoyed the subtext of the original Silent Hill or the compelling story of Elden Ring, then Returnal’s enigmatic storytelling will introduce you to this style of storytelling at the highest level. Every word, every object, every figure is part of one big puzzle that finally comes together with a deafening thud. The icing on the cake is Selena’s performance, which is kept from madness only by an innate craving for scientific analysis (in this case, to analyze the unthinkable alien horror before her eyes). It’s a journey into the heart of darkness that takes video game storytelling to the next level.

Break the killing cycle

One of the great things about this extremely well-designed game is the incorporation of game mechanics right into its lore – and vice versa. The mysterious Cycle that returns Selene back to the wreckage of her ship upon death is, of course, a cover for modern roguelite mechanics (not to be confused with roguelike, where there is no constant progression between lives and deaths). The planet rearranges itself into new combinations each time you die, so you never know what room will be behind the next door, what items, weapons … or monsters you will find in it. The fun of the game is to make your way through this world as far as possible, finding better and better weapons and collecting items that increase your chances of survival. At the end of each of the six biomes of the planet, an unforgettable epic boss battle awaits you.

One of the reasons people don’t like roguelike games is the feeling of wasted time or brutal difficulty. The former is considered here (as are all aspects of the game) in terms of gameplay and story. Even as you die, Selena’s comments on each death add to, deepen and reinforce the narrative context of her pilgrimage. The game’s story is not only non-linear, but stretches in multiple directions in time and meaning, so while you can die ten times in a row, you’ll find ten different notes or alien runes that will take you further into understanding the story. In addition, you will also find permanent items that stay with you throughout the cycle. In addition to the keys to individual teleportation gates to individual biomes, there are basically unlocking perks on weapons that, after reaching 100%, will add that weapon property to your library and thanks to this you have a chance not only to find it again next time, but especially use it right away. Not a minute is wasted in this game, not a single death is wasted. You are always getting closer to your goal.

Not a minute is wasted in this game, not a single death is wasted.

Glory to computer games

The return arrives on the PC in perfect condition, at least from what I can tell from testing on my rig (i7-9700F, 16GB DDR4, RTX 2070 Super). Even before launching the game, it offers you a well-designed benchmark in which the camera flies past various types of effects (particles, physics, reflections, number of enemies, etc.) and at the same time displays the current FPS values. or downloading the individual components of your installation. The benchmark ends with a screen with a detailed report of the results and recommended settings for your machine. If you change some settings and run the test again, the subsequent report will even show you the difference between the two tests. This is a very convenient and straightforward way to work on the ideal environment without spoiling the game experience (many things or dialogue in the game only happen once and cannot be repeated!).

On my machine, the test recommended (at 3840×2160) playing at “medium” graphics settings, which I did and the game ran at a solid 60fps. Out of curiosity, I also tried the highest “epic” graphics settings, including ray tracing. Oddly enough, most of the time the game ran at 50-60 fps, but dropped to 30 fps in places. Given the extremely smooth and fast-paced nature of the action, I highly recommend doing your best to keep the game as fluid as possible. possible. Of course, the PC version is also armed with NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR technologies, as well as support for ultra-wide monitors (21:9 and 32:9), which really brings out the dark beauty of the alien landscape. Do not underestimate the absolutely first-class 3D sound, including support for Dolby Atmos. The icing on the cake is the full support (after a simple USB cable connection) of the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback – this is one of the few games that actually uses this controller to its fullest and non-stop, playing with it greatly deepens the experience.

Gameplay above all else

This is a rare case of a great AAA story game with a strong story and beautiful graphics, where all that modern tinsel fades into the blinding glow of pure gameplay. If you’ve played previous games by the Finnish creators Housemarque, then this certainly won’t surprise you, as diamond-cut arcade gameplay has been their unmistakable calling card for years. However, it’s amazing how they managed to squeeze speed, fluidity, and absurd destruction into a game that feels very mature and “cinematic” at the same time. I know very well that some players have an insurmountable problem to overcome the visual contrast between realistic graphics and a stream of wild shooting special effects (yours and enemy), but this is just a matter of habit, and on the contrary, you will admire over time how wonderful reflections or lighting create these effects in the game, the environment comes to life thanks to this, like in no other game. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it hard to pull yourself away from it, and almost any other game will feel slow, or at least clunky. The satisfaction of this gameplay cannot be described in words.

If you’re still unsure (or if you’ve already played and are having trouble), I’d like to offer a series of streams where I beat the game from start to finish without dying, offering all sorts of tips and ideas about different environments, weapons, enemies and mechanics. The streams are chronologically divided into introduction (prologue), advanced gameplay (first three biomes) and the coolest locations in the game (fourth to sixth biomes). And if you have already gone through all the endings of the game, then it will definitely be useful for you to delve into the explanation of the plot, which, given the complex nature of the work, offers at least one of the possible interpretations of all contexts. . The only reason I have devoted so much time, unique videos and articles to this game is because it is one of the most interesting, smart and fun games I have ever played in my entire life. As for her assessment and the final assessment, everything is clear to me. Take this as the highest possible recommendation.