Returnal is a 3rd person sci-fi rogue-like bullet hell shooter that features increasingly challenging yet satisfying gameplay, however it might not be as accessible as you’d hope. If you’re new to rouge-like progression these tips might give you the insight you need to help Selene break out of the living hell she’s found herself in. Selene has crash landed on an alien planet for what she thought was the first time only to realise that the planet is littered with her own corpses, with this seemingly infinite loop wearing her down mentally it’s your job as the player to help her fight her way through hordes of aliens and discover the secrets of Atrapos.

1: Do you know your enemy?

Atrapos has a wide variety of life forms none of which are friendly, from large flying tentacle monsters to presumably indigenous alien beings it’s important to know which attacks will be most suited to each situation. Some enemies can be knocked down by a melee attack and others fire large blasts of projectiles that cover a wide area while slowly spreading out so it’s smart to keep your distance and exploit the enemies weapon spread. When fighting bosses it’s important to learn their attack animations, use them as a visual queue for dodging and predicting attacks in order to stay one step ahead.

2: Run Forrest run!

Don’t feel like you have to fight every enemy you come across, running is usually your best option if there is nothing in that room you need. This becomes very apparent once you beat the first boss and progress to the next biome. Learning the various symbols on your map will give you a great advantage in knowing what you’ll find beyond the next door and which route you should choose. Occasionally you’ll find yourself trapped in a room that goes into lockdown so you will have to fight your way out of those, life on Atrapos really is like a box of chocolates.

3: Float like a butterfly sting like a bee

Avoiding enemy projectiles will have you moving around a lot so get used to using your dodge to avoid taking damage, there is a slight cool down between each use but it’s hardly noticeable. Selene will be invulnerable while dodging so don’t be afraid to dodge through an attack. With so much focus on the gunplay it’d be easy to overlook the raw power that Selene’s melee attack holds. Not only can it knock certain enemies down it also deals a significant amount of damage, pair it with a dodge and you can perform a quick finishing blow that’ll leave you feeling like a lone Samurai on an alien planet. It’s also the only way to take down enemies with shields and to gain access to various goodies hidden around the environment.

4: Plan your run

In Returnal your main progress will be through unlocking usable items, artefacts and weapon traits. Prioritise what you want to achieve from your next run whether that be collecting ether, weapon proficiency or just exploring. Boss runs will have you running straight to the boss room but if you’re struggling consider picking up items or a new weapon on the way although keep an eye on your health bar, if you collect health while at 100% it’ll add to your suit integrity which will boost your overall health for that run.

5: Don’t forget to challenge yourself, daily.

Although this is a uniquely solo campaign the developers have been nice enough to add daily challenge runs that have you fighting your way through a specific biome with varying conditions and a set weapon that’ll reward you for adding your name to that global leaderboard. This is a great way to earn extra ether to spend on unlocking new items and artefacts.

Conclusion

Take your time and enjoy immersing yourself into the truly unique world set before you, It’s not about the destination but the journey or in this case the infinite journeys you’ll make.

Author: Gabriel Sewell