This Game Isn't Overrated, Shouldn't Go Overlooked | Returnal Review 

Thank you, man. I’m baffled by the number of people I know that own a PS5 but never bothered with the game and how the ones that have, like me, come alive when it's mentioned. The same could be said of Bloodborne, giving you the air of a hidden gem in plain sight.

It drives me mad when people say there isn't a reason to get a PS5. I'm sorry if a person believes that then they don't deserve to play this wonderful game. These will be the same people in 5 years talking about "where is Returnal 2?"

I kinda love when I stumble across another person elsewhere who knows how special Returnal is. It's almost like this hidden gem so I have instant respect for someone's taste if they actually played and enjoyed it. So many weirdos who didn't even try it calling it trash

And yes you're right the platinum was intimidating but I had to get it I couldn't stop. Was in the first 1% felt so good to do everything in the game like the Dev intended.

@@asundelgun3487 yes my comeback is always returnal and demon souls. People always respond with lol 2009 game and Returnal is trash. Either they didn't play it or they couldn't get to the first boss.

I appreciate the comment, man, thank you. Trust me, you always wonder if you did a game justice or how your end result will be perceived. Reading someone enjoyed something you made, the news has you eager to start on the next project.

There’s a definite adaptation period. I know it took me a while to get into the groove of things, being left incredulous when some people would discuss getting as far as they did on their first couple of runs. I have friends that have dropped Returnal because of the barrier or not having the time to get past it. It sucks since that friction is part of what makes the game so rewarding.

Completely disagree the balancing is not the issue it's a skill issue of the player. Your persistence and practice pays off in this game and when you progress it feels amazing.

Definitely, I feel that way about it already :)

@@solojonathan its almost on the level of bloodborne and thats really saying something...

Bloodborne makes me smile just thinking about it: to me, it's the PS4 game like Returnal is for the PS5. They both capture magic, but I agree Yharnam does have something extra.

@@solojonathan same feelings here ... its sad that these kind of games dont get the attention and coverage that they deserve

Yep my cousin was shocked it became top 5 of all time for me (I wasn't expecting it either). It's such a special game that I hope finds more success on PC

Frfr

I've played a lot of games so it instantly hit my top 5 which is amazing and it's a platinum I'll never forget. I can see how one could see it as their favourite game it's very special.

You captured it perfectly; I like how you summed it up. There is a sense of growth, of purpose that makes the game feel like a journey to me. Your actions and choices matter. You can easily be killed, so going back and conquering biomes that used to give you trouble feels humbling. It doesn’t feel like it's the result of unlocks or upgrades either, but more understanding. There have been great experiences since Returnal, for sure, but the way in which it melds everything together makes it feel elevated. Your comment got me thinking, I really enjoyed it .

Wow I thought I was the only one it helped? My beloved cat who was 3 was killed shortly before it's release. I had no interest in anything and enjoyed nothing but Returnal really helped me find a passion in gaming again.

@@malazan6004 I know bro I was recovering from serious drug addiction and found no joy in life as well. I thought one day, hey let me just pick this up and see what its about idgaf anyway and omg 140 hours later it was like of those games that made it easy to forget about drugs because of how enjoyable it was and the requirements for laser point precision. By the time I was done with it I no longer had cravings and here I am a year and a half later still clean!!

@@cluclap damn I've been there too 5 years ago with pain killers. Glad the game helped you though! Clean life is the only way for me

I’m happy for you that the game cured your depression. I loved the game as well. It was a great distraction for me and raised my mood whenever I beat a boss and moved on to the next biome but it would take more than a game to cure my depression. Only time or the thing that caused it, reversing it by doing the opposite of what caused it in the first place. The latter far less likely so I will have to settle for time.🤷‍♂️ Great game though definitely overlooked by many.It’s the first ps5 game I owned that I knew I would keep on my SSD. I will keep Kena as well.The other games I have installed will be moved to a PlayStation external drive when I’m no longer playing them. Other games I’ll keep on my SSD when I get them will be Sifu,Stray,Ratchet and clank rift apart, Horizon forbidden west. Returnal,Ratchet and clank and Horizon forbidden west will be 3 of the 5 games I pin to my ps5 Home Screen. The other 2 spaces being for whatever games I am mostly playing at the time.

My mindset was the same, haha. I was surprised by the number of things I was still discovering, making the game even cooler than I already thought. Working toward the alternate ending feels awesome, too, since at that point you feel unstoppable-you’re ready for whatever comes. I don’t think the combat could get anymore satisfying than the Tower. When I fired my first disgorger, the consumable weapons, it was hard to stop smiling from just how overkill it was. And getting to the point where maxed out weapons are common, man, I love Returnal. I like that you have things to look forward to :)

Man, this comment made me laugh. There is a definite difference between the two, lol.

@@solojonathan Imagine if Lara Croft looked like a lesbian math teacher. Sale numbers wouldn't be the same.

I did the same: The combat was engaging, but dying repeatedly, especially in trying to reach the bosses, made the game feel like a grind, so I shelved it. When I came back, damn, I couldn’t believe I ever put it down. Of all the games so far on PS5, it’s the one that I keep installed. It’s my favorite, too.

​@Solo Jonathan I think u nailed it with this video excellent 👍

I appreciate it, man, thank you 🤘 I recall at the time wanting to capture the passion I felt for the game and hoping people didn’t mistake my tone for being angry. Reading comments like yours always puts me in the moods to create something, to do better. Again, thanks!

@Solo Jonathan no worries 👍 subbed look forward to more of your excellent videos

Boredom is a hard one to contend with: while the game definitely gets more intense, if the core gameplay loop doesn’t cut it, why would you persist? When I first reached the second biome, after a couple runs, I dropped Returnal since I wasn’t enjoying the rhythm either. My backlog was/is massive and every other day something new releases. There was quality to the experience that kept nagging at me, though, and when I got around to giving it another chance, Returnal clicked. It became I game I kept thinking about all day. I’ve played a few titles like that-that I needed to come back to later- and perhaps it could be the case for you, too. If not, at least you gave it a shot, man, some people don’t even bother to do that. I think it’s cool, and, again, why play something if you aren’t having fun?

I definitely understand where your coming from: I’ve had great builds have been lost to one or two mistakes-being hit into a critical state and into a pit to die coming to mind. It’s beyond suspending a session if you had to go out, for instance, it’s saving your time investment. Personally, I think the process of gathering the sun fragments for the true ending is more rewarding than it itself. The sense of growth and dominance over the environment is incredible, where biomes that once gave you trouble are far easier. I’ll admit though, I was happy with story I got from beating the game once and set the game aside. I itched for the gameplay after a while, so jumped straight to the Tower of Sisyphus. I became addicted to the game all over again; it’s hard not to when with an OP Selene that uses maxed out leveled weapons that are still gaining skills. It kindled my interest to get the ending there, followed by the games main one.

Man, I feel the same way. I have the entire game of Ragnarok recorded, attempting everything from the sheer fun of the gameplay. Still, when I think of the PS5, my mind immediately goes to Returnal. There is something that hits differently about it, that feels timeless.

The most memorable wins are when you doubt you'll make it through and pull a miracle, where it feels like effort has finally taken form. It was the second biome that did that for me: I was stuck on it for a while, mainly surviving long enough to reach the boss. I set the game aside for some time, but I kept thinking about it and when I returned everything began to click. The want to keep going is one of the Returnal's strengths: you get further each time, bettering your approach and deepening the mystery and purpose behind everything. Also, it just feels too rewarding to overcome the odds. That's it's the first game of its type your playing is awesome, honestly: it may not be one of the easiest but I would say it's among my favorites next to Dead Cells. I want to say I'm confident you'll beat Returnal if you persist, since I felt that when Selene was improving so was I 🤘

@solojonathan yeah the amount of happiness I felt when I beat the first boss was insane it's almost addicting lol. But I have been playing some spiderman 2 for awhile and can't stop thinking about playing returnal more

Haha, I'll say this much, I've had Returnal since launch and I've never un-installed it. In the endless mode of Returnal, you can weild maxed out weapons with 4 weapon traits and your health bar can be extended past double. It's a rush to feel so powerful, especially when enemies can hit just as hard--ending your run in 1-hit at that point. When it comes to the story, the only other games that have given me it's vibe are Alan Wake and Control so it definitely stands apart. I'd have a hard time deciding what to play between it and Spiderman 2, though. They are both the sort experiences I was hoping from the PS5.

@solojonathan I finally beat it today! I was so pumped definitely gonna do some more playthroughs now and the tower

@@Kasha0211 Hell yeah, congrats. I know it was a rush to get through; I vividly remember how my heart raced getting to the final boss. I love how the biome drives the feeling that this is it, a test of all you’ve been through, with its bullet patterns and music. That’s even despite fending off against annoying squid-things, lol. It’s funny how different things are once you clear the game, how much easier it feels. There is a true ending you can get by collecting something called sunface fragments in each biome and beating the game again. The ending will still have you asking questions, but I think that ambiguity is what makes Returnal more intriguing. You give things meaning. The tower has its own ending, too, along with first-person sequences. I can see you spending most of your time there, since it’s where the gameplay shines most. Again, congrats, the news is awesome.

Yeah, it really is :) The first game I played from the developer actually was a shump, called Resogun. It’s inspired by Defender, and has amazing explosions. I should play it again. Man, the drought of PS5s--and most things tech--has been terrible. The only positive I conceive is that it at least allows for the library to grow and game prices to drop. I’ve enjoyed the console exclusives so far, but have mostly used the PS5 to play older stuff I can’t officially on PC like Battle Garegga, Ketsui, Gunlord X, and Gleylancer.

You will never forget Returnal. Intact it's become my character name I often name myself in games I did in my recent dark souls 3 play through.

You’re right. When I made the video, the pistol gained a bad name through the free one given before a boss. Even if the level was higher or damage better, it would feel underpowered to the one I had before-drawing out fights. After I published it, many people commented about how good it was, which encouraged me to give it another chance and watch videos on it. Seeing biomes cleared like nothing with it, it's a beast.

I recall struggling there, becoming ecstatic to beat it into the next area-a place more brutal, lol. That’s one thing I loved about it, though: you adapt, feeling the effects in subsequent runs. Your reactions, your strategies, everything gets sharpened. When you die, you're eager to make up for it-and you do 👍

@@solojonathan Exactly. I finally realized you have to use everything you have. Until the snow biome I had never used ground surge. That's how I finally got past that last room though. 2 ground surges at the end for the win. I should go back and play that game some more.

Me neither, man. I've been looking forward to this day since the Nvidia leaks. I've always wondered how different the experience would be with M&K; I had the keys mapped in my head for 2 years. Not just that, but since the PS5 version used 1080p as the base for its 4K, how a true image would look like in high frame rates. Tonight, I'm finding out.

I still recall when it launched, it seemed no one I knew was interested--even with the praise from critics. It blew my mind because there were few PS5 games then. It's a crazy contrast with how now, if you bring up Returnal to some who has beaten it, you'll see them come alive. It's definitely a hidden gem in plain sight.

@@solojonathan I never even heard of it. I had mistakenly thought this was the dark souls shooter...it's not but damn is it awesome. That one is rebirth I believe

@@Johneyap Discovering Returnal blind like that is even more awesome. You have all the benifits of updates and additions. The game is considered by many of us as the PS5's Bloodborne in how great it is. There is only one game I've played that felt like a Souls inspired shooter-Remnant: from the Ashes. Its a third-person. I haven't heard of rebirth, but it has me curious.

@@solojonathan that's the one I was mistaking this with. It's a dark souls shooter. The story in returnal was awesome too

Me, too, day 1. I’m glad it’s finally official. The game is going to look and play phenomenal. I’m just surprised by the recommended RAM requirement of 32GB.

I mean the next cod I mean they are known to steal all thr best ideas

When I think about it, my aversion for the pistol stems from the free one you can get before a boss: I had instances where I would ditch a gun for it and end up in a protracted fight. But, honestly, it probably was my RNG as I’ve seen videos of amazing runs with it. I really should give it more of a chance. Returnal really is :) I’ve put countless hours into it, likely the most out of any game on the PS5 so far, and keep coming back. With the rumors of it coming to PC, I can only wonder what my final overall play time will be.

@@solojonathan he's right about not sleeping on the pistol. Homing missile, serrated rounds, and hit reload are some pretty life changing traits. Having said that, give me a pyrocaster with seeking flares, enlarged chamber, streamlined chamber, and auxiliary projectiles and I'll conquer all of Atropos for you!

@@artvandalleigh7894 Haha, I intend on making my next runs pistol-only. When you watch others decimate with it in the late game, it definitely casts things in a new light. I believe you on the pyrocaster :)

@@solojonathan honestly, I think each weapon is great in the right situation. I've put a LOT of time into unlocking every weapon trait and I really do believe that there exists the right combination of traits on each weapon that lets it clean house. So go for the pistol only run, but don't let yourself stop there.

It was actually the gun I first beat Returnal with :) When you have the active reload down, it feels like nothing stands a chance; as soon as enemies begin to retaliate, they end up dying from its chip damage. It's amazing. I can’t say I have, but I'm in the process of rectifying that. After the review, I started replaying Resogun and was surprised that Housemarque had a few games between it and Returnal. Not only am I a fan of twin-stick, but Nex Machina shows all the signs I like the developer for. I’m just waiting on the free time to get started.

I bought nex machina after returnal and you're right it's a fantastic game in its own right but I don't play it hours on end. Returnal feels like a perfect evolution of nex but man nex machina music is god tier

Of the PS5 exclusives, it’s the game that has made the strongest impression. It really set my expectations high for the sort of experiences I could look forward to on PS5. It’s awesome to read of your platinum; the fact the experience was so rewarding, that you were motivated to do everything is🤘Especially since I know how Returnal is like. It’s an example of how the journey is greater than the end. If Sony struck that partnership with Microsoft, imagine? There are always games I’ve been surprised people haven’t heard of or played, gems in plain sight. There are circumstances like not having a PS5 or PC to play it on, but the biggest one that strikes me is awareness. With how big Game Pass has gotten, not only would it broaden the reach but perhaps spur development of a sequel. I hope Sony drops it on Game Pass, too.

100%, man. It's rare to encounter anyone that after having beaten it doesn't feel the journey meant something. With just the name, it conjures so many satisfying memories. I find it interesting how many of us share your experience of setting it aside, but coming absorbed. When I did, it was as if the last bullet was placed in the cylinder: everything clicked, firing off.

I love the commitment of having seen everything the game has to offer. The platinum says everything 👍

@@solojonathan my next goal is to make it past phase 6 of the tower of Sisyphus I was so close but died at floor 19 of phase 6.

@@thedivinityman With every hit being lethal at that point, that’s a feat in itself 🤘 I can imagine how cool the gameplay must’ve looked, the aggression in taking things out. After getting so close, you must be driven to conquer the phase.

@@solojonathan my favorite weapon in the game is also the hollowseeker with the portal beam and portal turret and the serrated projectiles, second favorite is the electropylon driver with the siliphum extractor, and ooblite extractor, and protective pylons, third is the carbine with the leech rounds and the payload round, don't care what the third addon is

@@thedivinityman Those 3 got me through my first playthrough :) Each of them gets so powerful that you look forward to arenas to farm obolites. When you enter a challenge room, the warning that the area is under lockdown isn’t issued for you. With leech rounds or the adrenaline leech artifact, you become fearless. You have a good list. I’ve been plaything through the PC release, and I think the pistol may have become my absolute for it. Since the standard variant fires as fast you can tap, hits what was clicked, along with an inherently low reload time, it makes it OP. It's ironic since I would ignore the gun before.

The same, man. It's almost a rite of passage to put it down and be pulled back in. At which point, damn, does Returnal click. I'm not sure if you tried the tower of sisyphus yet, but I go back to it all the time. When your weapons are completely maxed out, your health bar as long as a fighting games, and you're just trying to see how far you can get, it's addictive.

Man, I can imagine the chaotic fun of two people unleashing disgorgers. Co-op would take things to another level.

Thanks, man and congrats on the console. Returnal feels one of a kind, and will show what the PS5 can do. Your experience will start off strong.

Be persistent and the game will reward you with some of the best gaming moments of your life

Control is among my games of the year of 2019, next to Sekiro and Resident Evil 2. It feels so mechanically good, with so much thought given to make it feel fluid. It sets a standard for fast-paced third-person shooters. It’s just so cool. Even with it making online GOTY lists, it feels underrated as hell when few people I know have played it. I just realized I didn’t feature footage of the Dreadbound, but few things beat insta-killing with connecting shards. The gun is a monster, but, man, the tension on waiting on shards to return when shots miss. The developers definitely balanced everything out.

Two games I got the platinum for and I don't have that many plats. It's a bit different but seems we have similar taste you should try Prey 2017. Prey makes deathloop look like child's play

That’s awesome, man. The fun factor is only going to go up, too: you're going to unlock skills and weapons that’ll make the experience that much smoother, you more powerful. It’s a game that made me laugh from just how cool things kept getting. I know what you mean, the talk on difficulty had me wondering on how it actually played. Some people speak of Returnal as if it's one of the hardest experiences you’ll have, while others say they’ve beaten it after a couple attempts. While skill and RNG are always going to be factors, I think Returnal comes down to preparation; take your time and you can feel the difference.

@@solojonathan I just faced the like the first boss with 3 stages. Can’t remember the name cause it’s been a few hours. Got to the last stage with half a health bar left and died lol

Haha, that mirrors my first experience. It was such a relief when I realized I could just make a beeline for the boss, especially after you know its attacks. What I found surprising was just how different the next run went:I couldn’t find the boss door, so I essentially went through the whole level anyway, and when I finally did reach it he stood no chance.

Oh, man, I definitely had my moments, but always by my poor judgment. One that’s vivid to me is from a challenge room I entered with 3 silphium vials, hoping I could get a better gun out of it. In a period of about 10 seconds I heal from critical damage and get hit again for critical damage. What was the cherry on top was that the gun I got from it was worse than what I had, lmao.

@@solojonathan lol yea those challenge rooms can get hectic, had my fair share of close calls in them

What are you even talking about? It literally has a “restart cycle” option in the pause menu lmao

I'm curious what other games you play and how far you got? Returnal is a truly special game that is pretty much perfect in every single way for its genre. Maybe it's not your kinda game? That's fine but ever considered it's maybe too hard for you?

That's amazing! I can imagine the rush you got in the moment. When I had luck like that, I found it hard to keep cool 😎