Returnal PS5 Review: 9 Ups & 3 Downs

3. Gameplay Systems Are Surprisingly Deep

These risk/reward elements are all on top of your regular shooter systems as well. You have plenty of weapons to find and experiment with, fabricators to craft essential buffs, consumables that have both passive and active attributes, keys to unlock secret routes and plenty of enemy drops to steal. There’s even a system where you can avenge the deaths of real-life players by risking a fight against a tough enemy for loot.

Learning these mechanics means no run is wasted. You’re always getting more powerful - whether that’s physically through permanent upgrades, or through your understanding of enemies, locations and how to maximise the efficiency of buffs.

So, while the base gameplay might be able to be boiled down to clearing out rooms and destroying bosses, Returnal’s systems are surprisingly deep and keep things interesting even tens of hours in.

You’re running through the same areas, but rarely in the same way twice. You’re constantly making in-the-moment tactical decisions and thinking a couple rooms ahead.

The trailers might make it look like a brainless shooter, but Returnal requires you to be in the moment, and engage with it in its totality. If you do, you’ll be rewarded with a rich web of interlocking mechanics to master. If you don’t, you’re dead.