Again, and Again...Returnal Review

Intro: The cycle of the soul, the helpless fight, a willful sacrifice. Throughout this 3rd person roguelike horror game Selene's torment in Returnal has created an eternity of unrest and unease for a human mourning the loss of her mind, the loss of her child and corrupted relationship with her mother which is driving most of this. This game dives into the deepest part of the psyche, and the soul where the root of Selene's trauma lies. I will go there now, as will you. The Cycle: Imagine if Hades and Dark Souls had a baby, you’d get Returnal. It has aspects of a rouge-like game, is fair yet completely different from a lot of games I’ve seen and played. Returnal creates an undeniable atmosphere for the player to get lost in and loose themselves as they try to find Selene's sanity in the madness. Returnal pulled me in and gently suffocated me with its beauty, subtle horror and unique writing style of there is no past or future, so I need to deal with the present and how its shown to me. Returnal is a new type of horror that creates a manageable challenge, not spoon feeding their player at ever interval. The game tells the player “you will die, but that’s the point” you need to die in the game to advance the story, much like the souls games and Hades. Every crash of Helios, every twist in each audio log I heard brought Selene closer to the truth and accepting reality rather than hiding from it. The cycle started to act as a comfort zone of sorts for Selene, as she started to get closer to the Abyss.

A Theory Based In Trauma: This is the first time that I’ve seen a game all based in theory, besides the main reason for the loops. The crash is the only thing that is based in reality in this game. the crash between Selene and her mother, and the crash between Selene and her child. Now, to me, other than the crash (the cycles, the alien technology etc) is all a lie. We have glimpses of a woman named Theia, (which I’m guessing is Selene's mother) seeing the mother, Selene's child, bits of notes I find in haunted house are all scattered like puzzle pieces just waiting to be put together. There are dozens of theories surrounding this game, but my theory is that Theia and Selene got into a car crash, then years later Selene and her child got into a car crash. That’s the cycle, that’s the trauma that wouldn't give up its grip of Selene because she, after all these years was trying to break a terrible family cycle, where she didn’t mean much to her mother, but reading the stone slabs that are seen Selene wanted to have a child to almost prove she could be a better mother. Mechanics That Made me Drool: Returnal has some of the best mechanics I’ve seen in a game since Assassins Creed Valhalla. It has fluidity of movement, and as a shooting game is truly magnificent. Returnal has an ease to it that is only made by the choices you make in how each run is approached. For example, for close encounters you can utilize the Spitmaw, but for longer range attacks the Electopylon Driver works wonders and does half the work for you, and if you’re a fan of the Rotgland Lobber you’re going to love this one. During boss battles this game will be as easy or as difficult as you make it for yourself. Since ease is subjective, each boss will vary for each player, for example, I had such a difficult time with Nemesis, but it was incredibly easy for others. It’s the way in which you prepare for the boss battles and the way in which the run is played out that will either work in your benefit or your demise. Some runs will just need to be started over because either there’s a lock down that you don’t want risk dying in, or there weren't the right items you needed. There were plenty of runs that I restarted because I needed a certain gun that was a rarity, or a parasite that helped in my run.

An Unhealthy Attachment: Parasites are some of the most interesting things included in Returnal. They have a catch though, let’s say one attaches to you and you get part of your health rejuvenated at a low integrity, but every enemy you fight leaves a pool of acid after you kill it. There are positives and negatives to all parasites. Part of me even thinks that these parasites represent Selenes unhealthy attachments to the world she’s in. (the alien technology, the attachments that allow her to traverse the land, and upgrades she gets etc.) even Selene said she can’t wait to do certain things over again. Being attached to the world and having almost a masochistic attitude towards how the world is in how it benefits her in her search for the White shadow. White Shadow: The white shadow in Returnal has to be one of the more interesting points in the game. Personally, I think White Shadow is Selene since in one of the audio logs near the Hyperion boss battle references “the shadow you want to see in me every time” many theories point to White Shadow being Selenes mother since Theia was an astronaut sometime in the 1950’s. Other theories suggest that White Shadow is a warning of sorts, but I strongly believe it is Selene. Even in the true ending Selene morphs into what is White Shadow to stand in the way of the car, almost as a way to stop Selene.

As you Will: Returnal created an atmosphere that got me hooked right from the start, from thinking that I just crash landed on Atropos, to understanding with each haunted house that this all might be a delusion of sorts. Returnal does the horror genre justice with its immersive soundscape, breathtaking visuals and thought-provoking storylines that allow the player to choose an ending for themselves essentially. This game exceeded my expectations and brought color and vibrancy to a world of horror.