Returnal Review Thread - Current 86 Metacritic / 86 Open Critic

[Machiavellian]

pitzy272 said:

Runa216 said:

Man, I am not sure if I'm cut out for this game! I love playing it, but it took me a full hour just to get to the first boss after exploring tonnes! (only to die after like 3 hits). I do enjoy it but man I can't fathom a run wherein I go through all the biomes and die and have to start back at 1. Is there any sort of checkpoint system at all? Like, after you beat the first boss can you just skip the first world?

If not, I just don't imagine having the patience to play through the whole game. Again, not that it's not good - the gameplay loop is a tonne of fun and the story so far is compelling and the everything else is good - it's just that...I really don't think roguelikes are for me. I thought that before the game came out, then changed my mind when I saw how polished and fun it looked (And I still feel that way), but I get angry if I lose like 15-20 minutes of progress. I just lost an hour's worth of progress and just put the controller down, defeated. I'll try again tomorrow but holy hell, that's disheartening.

I'll keep playing because it is fun and I'm enjoying it but I am not sure I'll have the patience to see it through. any way to alleviate my concerns?

Yikes, this concerns me. Idk if I’ve ever played a rogue like, but I’ve heard so much praise heaped on this that I figured my concerns were invalid. Do you really have to start from the very beginning every time you die?? Even when you get to the final boss?? I do know that you get permanent upgrades from time to time that make the game easier to a degree, but starting back at the beginning still sounds brutal and discouraging. 

Well there are a few systems in the game to help out.  First if you have enough ether you can save for one death.  Also if you pick up the a certain item (Trying not to spoil) it will also allow you one death.  Once you unlock the room to the first boss, you can sometimes get there very quickly and if you beat the boss you can also not fight it again and go to the next level.  With that said, every death will start you at the beginning and to have any chance of beating the first boss, having enough items on your first run helps alot.  This is were the big risk comes into play.  You can play for hours hit the wrong room die and all your progress pretty much gone.  It is what it is and if such games is frustrating for you then Returnal will not change your mind.  The game is fun but it does comes with a large dose of frustration and any slip in concentration and well you understand.  So far I am still enjoying it but I would say Hades is still my favorite roguelike game