Ok, thanks for the tips. I'll keep at it. I'm ok with sucking at a game here and there. Sucks its one I really enjoy playing, though. Hopefully things will just click soon. Maybe I'm just getting too old for quick games like this. Turn 43 next week. Reflexes must be going....

I don't want to keep derailing this dude's thread, but the counterattacks were only far and few moments to punish.  Most of the time, they did NOT flash red when they were cheesing your ass all around the arena lmfao

Okay, this game is freaking brutal. I finally got a good enough build to feel comfortable facing Phrike for the second time. Kicked his ass. I have now managed to make it through the second world and to the second boss on my first try, but this effing game barely gives you any health! And when they do, it’s a small one that gives barely anything. I’m sitting here staring at the second boss with only 1/4 of an integrity bar, knowing facing him will likely be pointless. But I have truly no other freakin option! Enemies don’t respawn, so I can’t spam obolites to get more upgrades at the store. And there’s literally no way of getting more health.

I love Housemarque, but I really don’t remember feeling so helpless in a game, and it only causes anger—not enjoyment. Anyway, rant over. Wish me luck.

I think you just suck. I would too, that's why I'm not into this kind of games. Perhaps take a moment to watch someone on the Youtube play the game? I personally like Christopher Odd.

Yeah, it’s probably that you suck, but don’t worry, me too and millions more. It’s still a beautiful game.

And there are a speed runner who finished the game in just 5 minutes.

Yeah, 5 FRIKIN minutes.

A Five minutes run after having unlocked the path leading to the later part of the game, as well as purposefully selecting certain artifact unlocks while leaving others out to maximize RNG.

Still impressive. For sure. I’m still working my way through the third biome. Getting better the more I play. But my gaming time is split between this, Nier Replicant, and Mass Effect Legendary Edition. 

My advice try other strategies like the gun one suggested even if they don't suit your taste one it may click or at least get you past a certain area, another general tip is and I see this a lot in games and , I Have done this too is gamers trying different weapons armour etc but not changing their play style to suit.

Haha thanks, fellas. I don’t think that’s the case, honestly! Haha. I’ve gotten a lot better and feel I’m pretty decent now. As I said, I made it from start to the boss for biome 2 on my first attempt—with weapon level 5 or 6 most of the time. I think at least part of the issue is that I’ve gotten screwed with the randomization this round. I watched a streamer play through the second boss, and his integrity bar is approx 50% larger than mine, he got more/larger silphium and silphium vials than I did, and his weapon and weapon proficiency are 11 or 12.

I’ve gotten only a handful of silphium throughout the entire level, and all but I think one has been “small.” One was moderate. No large. Even at the store, I had the chance to buy just a small silphium vial, and the streamer I watched got offered a large vial lol.

Even after I faced a xeno for the first time and I naturally got my arse kicked, over the next several rooms, I was only given a single small silphium. I don’t recall ever experiencing a game be that savage haha.

I’m loving this game, but I just feel like it can be too brutal. And the randomization can make such a huge difference run to run, either for or against you.

I find that there are two gears when playing a game that is kicking your hindquarters like there is no tomorrow. There is the good-God-this-game-is-impossible-and-I'll-never-beat-it gear, and then there's the does-this-game-think-it's-really-going-to-be-me gear. The former usually results in me finding something else to play. The latter usually results in me canceling everything in my life (friends, hobbies, family--all of it--), hunkering down, looking the screen right in the metaphorical eye, controller in hand, and showing it who's boss until the damn thing is beaten. If that takes a week, a month or a year... or even multiple years... so be it. It's going down, and it's going down hard.

In other words, if you really want to beat this game--and I mean really want to--I'm sure you will. Just keep it at and stay determined. It'll happen. 

So update on my end: I beat Returnal recently. What a damn game. Most into a game I’ve been probably since GoW in 4/2018. The combat is awesome. Housemarque is just so good at sculpting you into a badass. I struggled so hard in the first two biomes and died around 20-25x and spent around 25h playing. But in Biome 3 I think I only died once and beat the boss my first try. In Biomes 4-6 I also only died a total of once and beat every boss first try. The game does get harder in the latter half, but my skill just increased a lot more than the difficulty. Now for the post-game...

For anyone who’s irritated with the difficulty and wants to stop playing, I can relate. But I recommend sticking with it, bc now it’s one of my fav games in the last five years.