Upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive Returnal has gotten a new trailer showing off planet Atropos. The PlayStation YouTube channel posted a video showcasing the diverse locations of Housemarque's upcoming roguelike, Returnal.
Players may be familiar with some of the studio's popular, like the positively reviewed Resogun and Alienation. These titles combine visceral and colorful graphics with arcade gameplay at a breakneck speed. While those entries were of a smaller scale, the team is looking to evolve its signature style for the next generation PlayStation. While story details are scarce, Returnal takes players into a constantly changing sci-fi world.
The trailer takes a deep dive into some of the locations found on the main planet, Atropos. After crash landing on the mysterious world, the main character Selene must search for a way to escape. As shown in the video, this will be difficult due to the constantly changing landscapes after every instant respawn on PS5. The first locale shown is the Overgrown Ruins which players will have seen in the promotional material so far. In the dark, twisted forest exists the remains of a civilization, but this quickly changes to swamp with a completely different look. Selene's home even appears here, implying a deeper truth to uncover.
Afterwards, the character makes her way to the next stop which is the Derelict Citadel. As Selene heads towards a tower ahead, players can see the sleek but decaying structures of this abandoned city. While progressing deeper into the world of Atropos, fans will be able to learn about the beings that existed here. Next up is the Crimson Wastes, which is a mountainous desert that can easily flip to snowy, frozen tundra. From the trailer, the game has 6 regions with three of them currently set as unknown biomes.
It certainly seems like Housemarque is trying to up its game for this new entry. While previous titles also had a variety of designs, this will be the first time dealing with a shooter that has an emphasis on narrative. Switching from top down to third person invites a whole different style of combat gameplay in Returnal. The regions shown off in this trailer at least look to be dense and full of secrets, something that should engage players besides the gameplay.
Though, this new reveal may not be enough to convince those on the fence. Most of Housemarque's catalogue involve modest titles, so these ambitious aspects are untested from the developer. While the ever-changing world looks solid, some of the best roguelikes out already take advantage of procedural generation to keep a playthrough interesting. Nevertheless, those looking forward to more classic action from Housemarque should be pumped for Selene's adventure on Atropos.
Returnal will launch as a PlayStation 5 exclusive on April 30.