PlayStation 5’s Latest Exclusive developed by Finnish Studio ‘Housemarque’ recently went Gold and is set to release by the end of this April
Housemarque’s previous ventures like Resogun and Nex Machina typically involved an arcade-like experience with gripping action, but not a lot of emphasis on narrative. The developer is looking to take a new direction for Returnal without compromising the game’s fast-paced, chaotic gameplay.
Returnal will feature a number of roguelike elements such as procedurally-generated levels, but according to the game’s Narrative Director- Gregory Louden Returnal’s gameplay will complement the narrative experience through environmental storytelling. It will differ from other roguelikes by offering up a unique story focused around a character’s mindset of being knowingly stuck in a cycle.
In the latest HouseCast episode, Returnal’s Narrative Director – Gregory Louden talked about the driving forces behind the game’s story and what players can expect when exploring the hostile planet of Atropos. In the video, Louden revealed a lot about the player character Selene, an Astro deep-space scout who crashes on Atropos after investigating a mysterious signal called White Shadow.
As protagonist Selene explores the expanse of Atropos – discovering alien civilization as she goes – one online mechanic will allow you to relive cycles that don’t belong to your character. Selene discovers the bodies of scouts throughout her journey. Using the game’s online system, your fellow players’ last moments can be witnessed and at the end of the recap, you’ll be able to choose between scavenging the body or avenging their death.
In the wake of Cyberpunk 2077’s failed launch, Returnal has been delayed to 30th April from the pre-announced release date of 19th March, given by Sony at this year’s virtual CES. CD Projekt Red’s shortcomings have made developers and publishers wary of releasing projects too soon, but the fans don’t mind waiting a little longer for better results in the end.