Sony Returnal - Information Thread, update: Digital Foundry PC Port Review - "It's Good, But Could Be Great"

[Brian]

Returnal is coming to PC, but you’ll need 32GB of RAM to play comfortably - The Verge

WWW.THEVERGE.COM

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It looks like Returnal will be a pretty demanding game.

End of an era. 16 had a great run 

[stepee]

Likely how they plan to deal with i/o for people without the latest nvme drives/direct storage. I’m sure it runs fine on 16gb for the most part in reality though. I’ve been on 32gb for about a decade at this point, so I wouldn’t mind some excuses to make me think I need 64gb to start popping up. 

[Mr.Vic20]

1 minute ago, stepee said:

Likely how they plan to deal with i/o for people without the latest nvme drives/direct storage. I’m sure it runs fine on 16gb for the most part in reality though. I’ve been on 32gb for about a decade at this point, so I wouldn’t mind some excuses to make me think I need 64gb to start popping up. 

Its hilarious how consistently high end PC gamers think alike. My first thought upon seeing this:

 

 

"Oh look, a single game is going to finally use 32Gb of RAM. Whelp, time to move to 64 because...shut up!" 

[stepee]

Just now, Mr.Vic20 said:

Its hilarious how consistently high end PC gamers think alike. My first thought upon seeing this:

 

 

"Oh look, a single game is going to finally use 32Gb of RAM. Whelp, time to move to 64 because...shut up!" 

 

The ideal customer, just literally chomping at the bit to be sold anything! What’s funny is how the natural jump from 32gb finally being listed is to add an entire extra 32gb, because reasons!

[Mr.Vic20]

Just now, stepee said:

 

The ideal customer, just literally chomping at the bit to be sold anything! What’s funny is how the natural jump from 32gb finally being listed is to add an entire extra 32gb, because reasons!

Exactly! Its not, Oh good, I have exactly what I need for an optimal experience, its: SHIT, WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF THE RAMS!!!! MORE RAMS STAT!!!! 

[Brian]

[Mr.Vic20]

6 minutes ago, Brian said:

Does JESUS have 64Gb of RAM?! 

[crispy4000]

1 hour ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

Does JESUS have 64Gb of RAM?! 

 

77Gb or 70x7, depending on who you ask.  The number isn't so relevant, he's got plenty to cover development sins.

[skillzdadirecta]

7 hours ago, Brian said:

Returnal is coming to PC, but you’ll need 32GB of RAM to play comfortably - The Verge

WWW.THEVERGE.COM

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It looks like Returnal will be a pretty demanding game.

End of an era. 16 had a great run 

Botj of my PC laptops have 32GB of ram  This is one of the rare games I deem worthy of a potential double dip.

[Brian]

52 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Botj of my PC laptops have 32GB of ram  This is one of the rare games I deem worthy of a potential double dip.

Yea the one I just bought has 32GB. 

[TheLeon]

I started playing this earlier in the week. Making slow but steady progress, just beat the second boss this morning. I’m really digging it. The minute to minute gameplay is thrilling, even early fights make you feel like a god when you come out of them untouched. Love the adrenaline system, even if I spend most of my time at levels 1-2. The multiple layers of risk/reward systems are great, even if I’m a coward who doesn’t touch a lot of the infected chests/items. 

[Brick]

On 12/13/2022 at 11:12 AM, Mr.Vic20 said:

Exactly! Its not, Oh good, I have exactly what I need for an optimal experience, its: SHIT, WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF THE RAMS!!!! MORE RAMS STAT!!!! 

 

I too had the same thought upon hearing it would need 32GB of RAM, because how long until there's a game that uses more? 

 

What??!! No it's not just an excuse to calm my OCD about only 2/4 of my slots being filled, and having an excuse to finally fill the other two, shut up! 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

PC released announced for February 15:

 

 

Returnal launches on PC February 15 

BLOG.PLAYSTATION.COM

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PC features detailed. 

 

Quote

 

So far, not many details have been released on any specific features that will add to the experience and immersion on PC, so let’s get to the good stuff.

 

NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR have been added, allowing you to dial up your framerate without compromising on resolution. NVIDIA NIS has also been added for those players who also want to see an increase in performance, but don’t have the hardware to support DLSS or FSR.*

 

Returnal also supports ray-traced shadows as before, but now our friends at Climax Studios have added the support for RT reflections as well. This will make the contrast of a dark setting and neon bullets pop out even more than before.* All of this can be now seen in two new wide resolution formats, Ultrawide at 21:9 and Super Ultrawide 32:9.** Think of all of that screen real estate that you will be able to take in when you’re not in the middle of a giant boss fight.

 

 

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

Requiring twice as much RAM as what the PS5 has is pretty bold. Tell gamers your hardware is holding back development without telling us. 

[Spork3245]

32 minutes ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

Requiring twice as much RAM as what the PS5 has is pretty bold. Tell gamers your hardware is holding back development without telling us. 

 

I mean, I have 32gb of ram and windows processes take up like 33-40% of it most of the time.

[stepee]

36 minutes ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

Requiring twice as much RAM as what the PS5 has is pretty bold. Tell gamers your hardware is holding back development without telling us. 

 

Tbf ps5’s 16gb ram is also its video ram so it’s probably more like 3-4x as much ram required!

 

But besides needing some of that ram just for system processes, the extra ram is likely to work around ps5 having superior i/o speed compared to most pcs. Storing more in ram so that it doesn’t have to stream it.

[Spork3245]

14 minutes ago, stepee said:

But besides needing some of that ram just for system processes, the extra ram is likely to work around ps5 having superior i/o speed compared to most pcs. Storing more in ram so that it doesn’t have to stream it.

 

Yea, that's likely the case since an m.2 isn't a requirement to play the game on PC.

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

2 hours ago, Spork3245 said:

 

Yea, that's likely the case since an m.2 isn't a requirement to play the game on PC.

I wonder if that means if you have a fast enough m.2 you could get away with 16GB of system RAM and the 8GB+ Vram on the GPU. 
 

I’ve got 32GB of system RAM, so I’m not worried. Just curious. 

[Spork3245]

2 hours ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

I wonder if that means if you have a fast enough m.2 you could get away with 16GB of system RAM and the 8GB+ Vram on the GPU. 
 

I’ve got 32GB of system RAM, so I’m not worried. Just curious. 

I’d imagine that m.2 optimization isn’t programmed into the game. If this supports direct storage then maybe, though!

[stepee]

1 minute ago, Spork3245 said:

I’d imagine that m.2 optimization isn’t programmed into the game. If this supports direct storage then maybe, though!

 

This is my guess as well, that it theoretically means it COULD work that way but they would need to program it so it also works that way depending on configuration and that sounds like a nightmare rather than choosing one or the other.

[Ominous]

On 12/13/2022 at 7:36 AM, Brian said:

Returnal is coming to PC, but you’ll need 32GB of RAM to play comfortably - The Verge

WWW.THEVERGE.COM

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It looks like Returnal will be a pretty demanding game.

End of an era. 16 had a great run 

Is 32 a lot? 

[Ominous]

Just wait for a game to even recommend a nvme for direct storage and it will be end times for some people...here I'll be like which of the three should I install it to?

[thedarkstark]

32 is a lot yes. If you don't use your PC for professional purposes (photo/video editing/encoding etc) there really hasn't been any reason to have that much. 

 

For a lot of people video games are far and away the most resource intensive thing they use their PC for and since games previously never demanded that much RAM, yes it's setting a new precedent as to what a "gaming PC" of the future might require. 

 

I haven't been keeping up with the latest steam hardware surveys but I'd guess less than 10-15% of people have 32 or more gb of ram. 

[Keyser_Soze]

42 minutes ago, thedarkstark said:

I haven't been keeping up with the latest steam hardware surveys but I'd guess less than 10-15% of people have 32 or more gb of ram. 

 

 

[thedarkstark]

48 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

 

So I was pretty close, just a shade over 15% have 32gb+ that's a relatively small percentage.

 

There's nothing wrong with games requiring more and in fact I encourage it if it means they can take some stress off the video card, cpu, or reduce load times, but again until now nothing had existed to necessitate having more than 16gb. 

[stepee]

Ominous is just thinking of it as a proper pc gamer. 32gb has been a requirement ever since 16gb became beneficial to games because you always need twice that amount for posting on the internet.

[Kal-El814]

3 hours ago, stepee said:

Ominous is just thinking of it as a proper pc gamer. 32gb has been a requirement ever since 16gb became beneficial to games because you always need twice that amount for posting on the internet.

 

I can always tell how much RAM someone has based on how dank their memes are

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Jesus Christ, Returnal is incredible with a mouse

WWW.VG247.COM

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Returnal was made to be played with a mouse, and I won’t hear different.

 

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To say that playing Returnal with a mouse is transformative would be an understatement. Anyone who prefers mouse aim in shooters will immediately know how much more precise it can be.

 

That’s not a revelation; it obviously goes for most games – even those designed primarily for controllers. While Returnal does offer aim assist and other options to make things manageable, its encounters demand so much more than what controller-led games typically ask of their players.

 

Someone more adept at playing shooters on a pad will be fine, but I was struggling, and it made an already difficult game much more punishing. It’s only really when I played the PC version at upwards of 90fps and using my preferred control method that it really illustrated just how much better Returnal plays with a mouse.

 

To the point that it almost feels like a transplanted PC game on a console.

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

PC reviews rolling in:

 

Returnal review: an immaculate third-person shooter that may keep you in its loop forever

WWW.ROCKPAPERSHOTGUN.COM

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Returnal is a top-notch conversion of one PlayStation 5’s finest, combining razor-sharp shooting with dense atmosphere and a captivating story.

 

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But what a day it is, as Returnal combines a best-in-class third-person shooter with a deep dive into the psychology of its protagonist. Selene’s journey into Atropos, through a thick jungle, a burning vermilion desert and beyond, sends her circling through a smorgasbord of emotions – from confusion to hope, despair to determination. And so often, her mood dovetails with your own highs and lows of elation and frustration, until every part of Returnal encases you in its loop.

 

Indeed, for the last two years, this Sony published title has been one of the best reasons to own a PlayStation 5. It may not have the glamourous reputation of mega-franchise sequels such as Horizon: Forbidden West or God of War: Ragnarök, but Returnal is as much a showcase for the platform as any of them, and utterly essential as long as you don’t mind its rather punishing challenge. Not to mention that since its release Finnish developer Housemarque has addressed early criticisms and planed away rough edges, until the loop runs smoother than ever.

 

It's gratifying to find, then, that Climax Studios’ PC port is no less essential. At least that is as long as you have a machine with enough grunt to keep up with its luminescent mayhem. I have to admit, I fell a little short in this respect, equipped with a PC that merely matched the recommended settings, and it came as no surprise that I had to tune the graphical bells and whistles down a notch to maintain a solid frame rate. That’s fine, but if you have to venture further down the scale into the ‘Medium’ settings, the drop in quality is steep, and the lively environments lose a lot of their shine. While I’m usually no stickler for performance or fidelity, Returnal’s alien textures and eye-scorching particles deserve to have the dials turned up to max.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Returnal review | PC Gamer

WWW.PCGAMER.COM

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This PS5 port is a blast in the heat of battle, but feels trapped between two genres.

 

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I have to stress—in the moment, when you're bouncing between platforms, blasting aliens and dashing through their attacks, it looks and feels excellent. It's some of the best and most engaging action you'll find on PC. But it feels like that need to present it as something other than a pure test of twitch reflexes has led to it being housed in totally the wrong structure. There's a real sense that, though the developer perfectly understands how to stage a fight, it really doesn't get what makes people love roguelikes—and certainly never figured out how to make that gel with what people love about arcade shooters.

 

The result is a game that, though frequently fun and hugely satisfying to conquer, also demands far more patience than is really fair to ask. Even the story, despite that promising start and some wonderfully thick horror atmosphere, ends up being a frustratingly vague tapestry that feels more aimed at the creators of 20 minute YouTube explainers than the average player. A certain breed of dedicated gaming masochist will revel in Returnal's lengthy and unwavering challenge, but I suspect most will either wish there was more meaningful RPG progression, or that it was simply a series of score-attack levels without all that roguelike padding in between.

 

The irony is that the game's post-release DLC, bundled in free with the PC port, offers a glimpse at what could have been. The Tower of Sisyphus is an endless survival challenge that simply warps you from room to room for brief but frantic fights. Rewards come thick and fast, a high score system gives you a new reason to hone your skills, and runs are quick and satisfying. It gets right to the meat of what the game is good at, and I found myself wishing it had been the template for the whole game, instead of just a sideshow.

 

[best3444]

Did they make it any easier on PS5? I own this and only played loke an hour because it was too difficult. 

[ShreddieMercury]

Any word on performance?  I don't have a super powerful PC but it's still pretty capable.  May bite on this if it's well optimized and performance is good.  Sucks that it's a rogue-ish game, but I can't not play whatever Housemarque makes.

[stepee]

7 minutes ago, ShreddieMercury said:

Any word on performance?  I don't have a super powerful PC but it's still pretty capable.  May bite on this if it's well optimized and performance is good.  Sucks that it's a rogue-ish game, but I can't not play whatever Housemarque makes.

 

Specs? It sounds like it’s an okay port that will need some work but it does precompile shaders at least so you instead get only traversal loading stutters (which exist on ps5 as wel) but the older your cpu/ram the worst those will be. It seems heavy on gpu as well but scalable so you should be able to make things work on that end if it’s something 2080+

[ShreddieMercury]

2 hours ago, stepee said:

 

Specs? It sounds like it’s an okay port that will need some work but it does precompile shaders at least so you instead get only traversal loading stutters (which exist on ps5 as wel) but the older your cpu/ram the worst those will be. It seems heavy on gpu as well but scalable so you should be able to make things work on that end if it’s something 2080+

 

It's a workstation and I almost exclusively emulate older games, though I've tried a few newer games on Steam and they seemed to run fine. 

 

32g RAM

Intel(R) Xeon(R) W-2133 CPU @ 3.60GHz   3.60 GHz

NVIDIA Quadro P4000

 

Not sure how any of this compares to anything else.

[stepee]

1 minute ago, ShreddieMercury said:

 

It's a workstation and I almost exclusively emulate older games, though I've tried a few newer games on Steam and they seemed to run fine. 

 

32g RAM

Intel(R) Xeon(R) W-2133 CPU @ 3.60GHz   3.60 GHz

NVIDIA Quadro P4000

 

Not sure how any of this compares to anything else.

 

ya your guess is as good as mine here :P

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

PC reviews from OpenCritic

 

PlayStation Universe - 9 / 10

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As much as Returnal carved a niche of its own on PS5 as a stunning third-person shooter that had been masterfully blended with roguelike design, so too does it manage to inhabit a similarly unique place for PC gamers in 2023. One of the best PlayStation exclusives of 2021 has ended up being one of the best and most glossy PC shooters of 2023. Long may PlayStation Studios incredible run of PC ports continue.

SomHráč.sk - Slovak - 85%

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Returnal will be extremely frustrating for many, but it's undoubtedly an unique, one of a kind experience. Housemarque's risk has definitely paid off.

GamingBolt - 9 / 10

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Despite two years having passed since its original release, 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. If you're a fan of fast-paced action games or roguelites, Returnal is definitely a title you don't want to miss.

DASHGAMER.com - 10 / 10

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A palpable experience, to which Housemarque have laid an astronomic foundation toward something special. Returnal is a tour de force in roguelikes, making it unmissable and essential in every aspect and definition.

Gamersky - Chinese - 7.9 / 10

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The PC version makes Returnal's controls more flexible, but it's not enough to change the frustration of dying. The rollercoaster ride of a thrilling battle, only to be plunged into a painful cycle of dying and dying again because of a single mishap, can be a real test of the player's mental capacity.

Impulsegamer - 4.3 / 5

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Returnal is a great experience for those who love bullet hell games or sci-fi roguelikes. Though the difficulty spikes and unbalanced weapons sometimes make it hard not to rage quit, sticking with Selene in her mysterious and symbolic journey is truly rewarding. With the co-op and endless modes being available at launch, Returnal's arrival on PC can be celebrated long because of its replay value.

Merlin'in Kazanı - Turkish - 80 / 100

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The bullet hell game Returnal with roguelike elements makes a great debut on the PC platform. If you like RNG-based challenges and old-school arcade games, give Returnal a try.

Press Start - 8.5 / 10

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That’s not to say Returnal doesn’t have a lot to offer players in addition to its addictive ‘one more run’ loop. There’s a rich catalogue of history to fill out for Atropos which tells a fascinating story in its own right, and there’s a daily challenge good for both fun and in-game credits.

CGMagazine - 8 / 10

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Returnal brings all the high-tension, arcade-inspired gameplay from the PS5 to PC while adding a whole new host of bells and whistles, making it the definitive way to experience the game.

COGconnected - 90 / 100

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I’ve been away from Returnal for some time, and coming back for the PC version was a happy reminder that, for a good long while, Returnal was my go-to action game. Two years later, its combination of fluid movement, engaging story, and challenging combat is still excellent. Some will still bounce off its difficulty but there are small ways to mitigate the pain. PC action game fans who missed Returnal when it was a PS5 exclusive are in for a great time.

Chicas Gamers - Spanish - Unscored

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Returnal remains as an immersive experience but frustrating for those who are not used to play with high difficulty. This PC port is as polished and frenetic as the original game and preserves the same pros and cons of the console version. If you possess a high-end PC the experience will become even more spectacular than the console game... but maybe it will be better to wait until a sale is available for a game that it is 2 years old.

Eurogamer.pt - Portuguese - Recommended

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Returnal was a beautiful surprise in 2021 and remains a magnificent experience in 2023. This jump to the PC allows you to reach your full potential, both visually and in performance. Break free from the restraints imposed by the console hardware. Stretch etha and fly at full speed for an experience that few video games can deliver. If you were waiting for his arrival on the PC then you can't even blink, it's an acquisition without reticence. If you're impressed by what Housemarque was able to do on PS5, you'll be left with this new version created with the help of Climax Studios. Returnal is crystalclear and giddy adrenaline.

Forever Classic Games - 7.8 / 10

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Returnal is a solid game that will hit for roguelike fans especially but might set the barrier for entry too high for those just curious. The PC port pushes the graphical boundaries even further and makes Returnal look breathtaking.

Gadgets 360 - 9 / 10

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Returnal is a test of the human capacity to adapt and persevere, fuelled by a relentless stream of Lovecraftian horror. Mixing roguelike mechanics with the wonders of exploration, every biome on planet Atropos offers fresh challenges through randomised gameplay design, plus satisfying gunplay. The cryptic storytelling might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it never failed to keep my attention, making Selene an intriguing protagonist. There were a few performance dips here and there, but that's to be expected with the particle effects that flood the screen. Returnal is (and was) truly an underrated gem, and I hope this PC release gets more eyes on it.

GameByte - 9 / 10

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I’ve raved about how amazing it is that we can play PlayStation exclusives on PC before, and with Returnal I feel that this is the very encapsulation of Sony’s goal. Returnal is a chaotic delight to play, and fits perfectly with the setup and mindset of a PC gamer. I’m already looking forward to trying my next run.

Gameblog - French - 9 / 10

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Returnal was a fantastic game on PS5, the best one so far, and it stills as good as before. A title that can be enjoyed on PC with the keyboard and mouse combo, or with the DualSense controller to take advantage of haptic feedback and adaptive triggers for an immersive journey. A instant buy for all PC players.

GamingTrend - 85 / 100

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Returnal is a great game on console and on PC, and its brilliant fast-paced gameplay will give daring players a highly entertaining experience despite its frustrating elements.

God is a Geek - 9.5 / 10

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Returnal on PC is just as stunning as it ever was, with a high level of detail in its environmental design and layered gameplay.

Hobby Consolas - Spanish - 89 / 100

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The mixture of shooting arcade "bullet hell" with roguelite results in an interesting proposal, which in its jump to PC leaves an even more colorful technical plot. Of course, its difficulty and style may not be to the liking of all players, so if you do not like challenges and loops or repetitions, better think of another game.

Kotaku - Unscored

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In fact, the whole game is a tremendously satisfying experience. From the wonderful alien design, to the slow-burning storyline and its blank-faced staring astronaut, to the satisfying array of weapons, and perhaps most importantly, to the way the statues crumble when you hit them, this is something utterly solid, and eternally compelling. And unless my rig proves a fluke, finally a console-to-PC port to celebrate on day one.

Metro GameCentral - 9 / 10

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One of the best PlayStation exclusives of recent years is an inspired mix of bullet hell shooter and roguelike dungeon crawler, that somehow still feels like nothing else on console or PC.

PC Gamer - 74 / 100

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Demanding but excellent combat and gorgeous visuals sit awkwardly in a half-baked roguelike structure.

PSX Brasil - Portuguese - 80 / 100

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Even with the classic problems of a PC version, Returnal has robust graphics and gameplay options that make it a pleasure to experience it again.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - RPS Bestest Bests

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As long as your PC is up to the job, this is top-notch conversion of one PlayStation 5's finest, combining razor-sharp shooting with dense atmosphere and a captivating story.

SECTOR.sk - Slovak - 7.5 / 10

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Unforgiving roguelike gameplay of Returnal is not for everyone, but this is another good PC port of PlayStation exclusive game with loads of options and visual improvements.

Spaziogames - Italian - Unscored

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In this PC port, the game features all the good things that made it stand out on PS5.