The PlayStation 5 is officially revealed, and as are a slew of new titles. From classics like Demon Souls to sequels such as Horizon: Forbidden West, the PS5’s lineup of games is already looking astounding. However, perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch comes in the form of a brand new IP. From the makers of Super Stardust comes Returnal, a third-person shooter with a modern twist.
What is Returnal?
Developed by Housemarque, Returnal is a third-person shooter set on a desolate alien planet. From the trailer, Returnal looks to be a mix of dark, slow-moving gameplay to action-packed combat. You can watch the trailer released at the PS5 Reveal Event below.
As the trailer shows, the story follows a single astronaut who seems to crash-land on a foreign planet. We’re not sure what circumstances led to this arrival, but we do know that this crash-landing happens more than once.
Like in the hit-film Edge of Tomorrow, our main character looks to relive the same sequence repeatedly. After the crash occurs, it seems like she has a set time to figure out a way off the planet before she dies and relives the scenario over again.Â
In terms of gameplay, Returnal looks dark and mysterious, almost resembling Death Stranding at times. Our main character walks the world, taking in the atmosphere, secrets of the planet, and her own past along the way. However, when strange, plant-like aliens come looking for a fight, the action takes center stage.
We see a variety of weapons used, though they all have some sci-fi elements involved. The trailer didn’t show many hordes of enemies, which could mean Returnal is utilizing a boss-fight system. From what we did see of the combat, it looks to be standard third-person shooting.
Sony did not announce a release date for Returnal, which likely means the game won’t be ready until 2021. However, when it does arrive, it could be a title to keep an eye. The story provides a twist yet to be majorly explored in a video game, and the gameplay looks promising.
