Returnal

[DisturbedSwan]

 

 

[DisturbedSwan]

Previews:

 

Game Informer: First 45 Minutes

 

IGN: First 17 Minutes

 

Kinda Funny Impressions

 

 

IGN: The Final Preview

 

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It’s this sort of bullet-hell pedigree and heritage that Housemarque made its name with, combined with the studio bringing story to the forefront like never before that has me so excited to play more Returnal and see where on Atropos it’s going. Early on, it appears to be combining the satisfying loop of action and discovery that Hades offered with every new run married with a striking space-marine aesthetic. The inspirations and influences are clear to see, but Returnal is still very much a Housemarque game at its core, and that’s what has me wanting to play and indeed die, again and again.

 

Kotaku: Returnal Feels like an actual PS5 Game

 

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Since Returnal is among the first PS5-exclusive games, I’d be remiss not to address its next-gen bona fides. Yes, Returnal is gorgeous, certainly better looking than most PS4 games, and boasts the blistering load speeds you’d only find on a machine equipped with a solid-state drive. (Returnal cold boots—the time it takes to go from the game’s dashboard icon to actually playing—in under 20 seconds. In game, even fast-traveling doesn’t trigger a loading screen, at least within the first biome.) It’s all very impressive in terms of internal hardware, but the real draw here is how the game feels—literally.

 

Press Start AU: We played the first few hours of Returnal and it's addictive as hell

 

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All in all, after a few hours with Returnal, I can’t stop thinking about it. The story has me intrigued, the game is absolutely gorgeous and I’m really addicted to the combat. The game has done really well in capturing what has made roguelikes great over the last few years and taking it to the next level. Whether it’ll hold up for the long-haul is yet to be seen, but so far, so good.

 

[Maryokutai]

I hope elsewhere on the planet people don't make such a big deal about the price and just pick it up for it being what seems a very good game. IIRC Housemarque already struggled a lot post Matterfall so I hope this does okay.

 

That said it's a friggin' Roguelike so I need other people to buy this in my place. Not going near that genre in this life or the next.

[DisturbedSwan]

I hope so too but the 'urgh $70/€80/£65!' narrative is already out there, that's the issue with Game Pass (and to a lesser extent PS+) they devalue games and make people expect them for free or included in a Sub. If it's a long game then I have no qualms at all about dropping £60-£65 on it. 

 

I also can't support the game at launch though due to moving house this month but hope it does well, I don't expect it to do Miles Morales type numbers but I want to see Housemarque succeed after their last couple of games hardly moved the needle. 

[one-armed dwarf]

Well it sounds better than 'The Medium'

 

Sony ? ? ? MS

[DisturbedSwan]

I'm still trepidatious due to the nature of it (being a roguelike) but I will give it a go down the line and think it sounds excellent. 

[spatular]

1 hour ago, DisturbedSwan said:

I hope so too but the 'urgh $70/€80/£65!' narrative is already out there, that's the issue with Game Pass (and to a lesser extent PS+) they devalue games and make people expect them for free or included in a Sub. If it's a long game then I have no qualms at all about dropping £60-£65 on it. 

 

i don't agree with that, i think it's just too expensive, although if people are ok to pay then go for it i guess, i hope housemarque do well out of it (although i think they are pretty hit and miss, only 2 of their games are excellent imo). or maybe that's because it doesn't really look like my sort of thing, but i'd still probably have given it a try at a more normal new game price of around £40. i'll also happily pay more than £65 for games that are 30 mins long. so what can we tell from this? i have no idea.

[mfnick]

Yea fuck the £70 price point. 
£50-55 is my max and that’s for MEGA OMG HYPE! Games not this. Around £25 and I’ll give it a go. Possibly. Ew roguelikes. 

[DisturbedSwan]

 

 

[DisturbedSwan]

Super impressive

 

 

[DisturbedSwan]

 

 

[mmmark]

That poor game, sent out to die, and you know Sony wont be helping the devs financially. They'll wash their hands and sing happy birthday twice. Watch MS end up buying Housemarque.

[DisturbedSwan]

RIP Housemarque, they're doomed along with Sony. 

 

Phil our Lord and Saviour is the only one who can save them now.

[Snaggletooth]

Yeah feel a bit sorry for it, but honestly feels like the wrong game to be putting a £70 price tag on.

For me honestly its not my kinda game at any price point, and think given its not a mainstream title and relatively niche genre when it comes to mass audience I cant see it doing well.

 

Really think they needed a couple o fmore big name titles at launch, house marque would have been better at top end of the indies.

Honestly I would love sony to have licensed a PS1/2 back catalouge exclusives for launch

 

Tekken

Wipeout

Destruction Derby

Timesplitters

Ridge racer

 

honestly the type of titles that should be in or around every launch, nostalgia factor, with brand heritage.

 

 

 

 

[DisturbedSwan]

Destruction All Stars was originally pitched as a Destruction Derby spinoff...aside from Tekken I’m not bothered about the others in all honestly. Spidey, Demon’s Souls and Sackboy at launch was already pretty nuts to me.
 

I also think this has earnt its £65 price tag, it looks AAA enough to me to warrant that price. Think the reviews will surprise some people...

[mfnick]

I reckon it’ll sell just because people will be desperate for something new and shiny to show off their PS5 with. A reason why I’m surprised there’s not more SX and PS5 only games instead of all the cross gen stuff. Sure there’s less overall potential sales but you’re guaranteed a good sales number on the new console when they’re just released. 
 

Regardless, I still think £70 is a mistake for this though.

[mmmark]

1 hour ago, DisturbedSwan said:

Think the reviews will surprise some people...

 

Obviously I hope its brilliant but if it is it'll be the biggest step up in games made in the history of game development. Their last one looks like ass.

[mfnick]

8 minutes ago, Nag said:

£70 for first party stuff is bollocks full stop.

+ this. & all games not just 1st party. 

[DisturbedSwan]

1 hour ago, mmmark said:

 

Obviously I hope its brilliant but if it is it'll be the biggest step up in games made in the history of game development. Their last one looks like ass.

Matterfall was a 72%, Nex Machina a 88% so on paper this could go either way. I’ve honestly never liked any of their games and only played Resogun. But then they haven’t really made anything in my wheelhouse when this is (slightly). 

 

Previews have been pretty glowing, I wasn’t confident initially but think it’ll score highly and possibly be a GOTY contender.

[DANGERMAN]

What I've seen of this recently it does look really good, not necessarily something I'd rush out and buy, but without the rouge elements it'd look pretty special. 

 

But yeah, that price is just way too much. It's already something I wouldn't pick up for full price back when that meant £45