Platforms
- PCFeb 15, 20238.1playscore8.638 Critics7.63.20K Players
- PlayStation 5Apr 30, 20218.7playscore8.780 Critics8.913.8K Players
114 critic reviews · 24 community reviews across all platforms
Critic Reviews
- Returnal is the first game in a long time to bring back that sense of excitement for gaming for me. When you wake up in the morning, you can't wait to jump into the game for a couple of hours.
Brau3er · Apr 14, 2026 Reviewed on PCRead full review - Overall, Returnal doesn’t exactly follow the standard formulation for a Roguelike game, while it takes it a step further with new twists and turns. You’ll need a keen eye and fast reflexes if you want to survive the dangers of Atropos as it throws you into a Metroidvania-style bullet hell filled to the brim with breathtaking sights and equally dangerous challenges. It’s a refreshing redesign of the Roguelike genre combined with Metroidvania amounts of bullets flying all over.
R3GR3T · Mar 18, 2023 Reviewed on PCRead full review - Returnal is a solid roguelike that does a very good job of encouraging you to play just one more run over and over again. The shooting and traversal are solid, and the fights may be tough but never feel cheap. The inclusion of the DLC and the Suspend mode from the get-go ensures that the game seems more fair, even though death can still come easily.
Cody Medellin · Mar 13, 2023 Reviewed on PCRead full review - It has the looks, the performance, and the best controls, ready to reward those who waited for the PS5’s timed-exclusivity period to end with a compelling, mysterious story and top-tier bullet hell gameplay.
Mack Ashworth · Feb 27, 2023 Reviewed on PCRead full review - Naturally, the combat in Returnal is a huge component of that, even if you start things off with just a pistol. Every creature that stands in your way brings something unique to the table, offering a level of challenge that tests your fast reflexes and aiming, and at the same time, pushing you when it comes to cosmic horror.
Jake Su · Feb 24, 2023 Reviewed on PCRead full review - You won't want to break the cycle because Returnal offers an immersive experience that sucks you in for hours. However, when you finally break the cycle and reach the end of Selene's journey, you will realize just how much of a masterpiece Returnal is.
Matthew Kevin Mitchell · Feb 20, 2023 Reviewed on PCRead full review - Complex systems are made simple, by committing their clutter to muscle memory, and play—good play, at any rate—requires that you, like Selene, ride its enigmatic loop.
Josh Wise · Feb 17, 2023 Reviewed on PS5Read full review - Returnal still feels as good and fresh as ever. Its strong gameplay and art direction are certainly bolstered by the fact that it made the leap from console to PC quite gracefully.
Shunal Doke · Feb 17, 2023 Reviewed on PCRead full review - For better and worse, this is a game defined by Housemarque's struggle with its own identity. On the one hand, it's a frenzied shooter that brings to bear decades of arcade experience into a supremely satisfying and frequently beautiful experience.
Robin Valentine · Feb 15, 2023 Reviewed on PCRead full review - Returnal PC port also includes the quality-of-life features that were introduced to the original game post-launch. Most notably, this includes the option to suspend one's current cycle. Originally, Returnal lacked a proper save system, leading to some inconveniences whenever someone needed to stop playing in the middle of a run. Housemarque eventually listened to fan feedback about the lack of a save option in Returnal and introduced the ability to suspend one's cycle, with that option available to PC gamers out of the box.
Dalton Cooper · Feb 15, 2023 Reviewed on PCRead full review
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Community Reviews
- Reviewed on PS5
- Reviewed on PS5
- Reviewed on PS5
- Reviewed on PS5
- Reviewed on PS5
- Rated on PS5
- Rated on PC
- Rated on PS5
- Rated on PS5
- Rated on PS5
About the game
Trailers & Screenshots:
Returnal combines action with roguelike gameplay into a third-person shooter where players fight to survive a hostile planet that changes with every death. Players can switch instinctively between firing modes by using a single adaptive trigger and can get right back into the action after dying. PS5's immersive 3D audio brings the alien world to life around the player, helping players navigate the intense positional combat.
Developer: Housemarque