Another trailer for the PS5 exclusive Returnal has arrived, and once again fans get a glimpse of the alien planet Atropos through the eyes of Selene, a stranded space pilot. Selene must relive her crash on the planet over and over due to a mysterious time loop, but she's not about to give up. Navigating the different biomes on Atropos pits Selene up against some terrifying aliens, and the only way out is to search for answers explaining her predicament and break the cycle. The latest trailer stitches together footage from previous teasers along with some new gameplay shots of the action fans can expect in Returnal.
Returnal is one of the most anticipated horror games for 2021. Several teaser trailers have shown off some gorgeous graphics and a suitably spooky atmosphere, but developer Housemarque intends for the game to have more than just a pretty aesthetic. So far Returnal looks to have an interesting mix of combat inspirations including bullet hell shooter elements and roguelike gameplay packaged into a third-person shooter. Players won't know exactly how this combination feels until the game's release on April 30 but there's a lot for shooter fans to get excited about.
There is an abundance of alien enemies in this trailer with all sorts of deadly attacks. Selene bobs and weaves around projectiles and laser beams but also responds with some special attacks of her own. Housemarque has previously discussed in a narrated gameplay trailer of Returnal how important it will be for players to keep Selene on the move. Enemies can quickly gang up on an immobile Selene and kill her, sending her back to the beginning of the time loop. Although this trailer is intended for Japanese audiences, it is dubbed in English so other fans can understand Selene's narration.
Players will probably be dying a lot in Returnal, but it looks like that will be an integral part of the story. Housemarque is taking advantage of the PS5's SSD to allow for instant respawns so backtracking after death won't be as much of a chore. Death in Returnal also triggers a change in Atropos, so enemies will appear in different locations and in different numbers after every respawn. One of the game's key challenges will be to set a pace that balances frenetic combat and story development so players can experience the best of both worlds.
Returnal is Housemarque's first attempt at adding story elements to support shooter gameplay, but clips from the game's many trailers have already captivated fans. A lonely house hidden on Atropos might hold the answers that Selene seeks, but players will have to wait until Returnal's release to find out for sure.
Returnal releases on April 30 exclusively for PS5.