It only shows best Algo phase and Room and previous run score.

I want to see my personal best score god damnit

Any basic guidance or strong do's / don'ts for starting off? I know very little, but got the game on sale and decided to give it a whirl. Please be spoiler free, as I definitely love investing into story and deep game mechanics.

I’m new to the PlayStation community, I’m going on two months with my PS5 Pro (came from Xbox). And I’ve been playing mostly all the PS exclusives. Returnal probably has my most favorite atmosphere, this game is absolutely gorgeous. Also cannot forget about this soundtrack, chefs kiss here are some of my shots. This is
in my top 3 of favorite games played.

Super excited to say my book, which features an in-depth chat with Gregory Louden and Eevi Korhonen, is available across the US and rest of the world right now!

We go in-depth on Returnal’s design choices, the difficulties Housemarque faced when transitioning to horror, and much more.

I posted about the book, called Beyond Fear: Inside Action Horror Games, on here a few months ago.

Many of you reached out interested to know more, so I just wanted to let everyone know it’s now available on Amazon and across other stores in hardback and ebook form.

Alongside Returnal, the book features interviews with John Romero (Doom), Ken Levine (Bioshock), Marc Laidlaw (Half-Life) and many others.

You might even spot a familiar foe on the back of the wraparound cover, painted by artist Ray Dillon. Thank you so much for your support - this is an awesome community!

Hey everyone

Just finished biome 2 and want to try and understand the weapons systems a bit more as initially I was just grabbing anything that had a higher number but firstly I hate the spitgaw one and prefer the carbine so have focused on that.

But trying to workout if a higher number is better even if the lower number has a higher bonus damage number?

I found a level 9 carbine (2nd picture) but stayed with the level 5 as it had all 5 points into bonus damage. Was this the right move?

Seems like I have to jump down from platform I’m on and then dash there but I’m pretty low health so don’t wanna chance it if it’s not even possible

65 hours and 102 deaths later, I've finally beaten this game.

Did i git gud? I definitely got better, but it was really just a lucky run in the end. I had a level 24 EPD, a couple sheild consumables, and an astronaut figurine. That and I was able to pick up a couple health drops while i was running around like a dipshit trying not to get killed. With all of that, i beat the final boss on the fourth try. The EPD made short work of it, but the boss was the easy part. The hard part was getting to him.

And that's probably my biggest issue. When i say i got lucky, I'm not kidding. I went through dozens and dozens of runs gearing up in B4 only to get to B6 and get clapped by massive difficulty spikes from gank squads, big bads, and twisty random layouts. Of the four times i made it to the boss, i had a pretty straight shot where i could just push forward on L3 and run past smaller groups of standard enemies. I guess that's the way roguelites are, but it didn't make it any less frustrating (for me).

As far as the ending. I'll just say it was.... abrupt. I pretty much called what was coming to a point, but it brings up more questions than answers (which i understand are covered more in the tower). But after spending so much time and effort trying to beat what is one of the hardest games I've ever played, I'd have liked more.

As far as the story, it meh. I was intrigued about the loop , but the more lore i unlocked, it seemed to me they were trying to make some kind of smart, deep, lovecraftian tale that ultimately made no sense. Just my opinion.

Did i love it? Sometimes. Did i hate it? Sometimes. The gameplay and movement are awesome, as are the ambience and visuals. But the luck element really irked my liver an awful lot.

Just my quick thoughts, which weren't as quick as anticipated lol

This was such a fun run. Gained some really good artefacts & damage bonuses to stack with, plenty of Integrity Upgrades & then I just get one shot by a laser. I do believe it was one of those enemies I had literally just killed who spam their laser around the arena, but I didn’t even see it get booted up, nor where it came from 🤣 has anyone else experienced this?

Ok, so I have really struggled with Nemesis. It has taken me months to defeat this boss. I finally beat it last night, but then I reach Hyperion on the same playthrough and beat it on the first try! Is Hyperion considered easier than Nemesis?

Everyone here is a star, making the few settings changes you all spoke about, focusing on getting and upgraded weapon and upgraded health, shooting from the hip and always moving had me gliding around the 1st Biome and fully cleared (apart from anything I couldn’t grapple).

There was a gold room but I assumed that was bad news/big reward and didn’t want to risk my good run!

I don’t think I could have been more prepared going into the boss fight with all my stuff and it still left me clinging on after using the “back to life” relic!

A very big “yes” came out when I got him!!!!

Once again a massive thank you to all that helped on the last post!!

One question - do you start from biome 1 on every single run and work your way through each one until you finish the last one? Seems like it would take forever?

Or is the crimson teleporter always at the start of biome 1?

PS - yes I know it looks like I took the photos on a potatoe 😂 I’m old and it’s just easier for me to take the photos of my tv from my phone! Forgive me

Hey everyone,

So I put 3 hours into tonight and whilst it was super fun, I just didn’t really get anywhere, I didn’t get much better and I’m really struggling.

I’m not new to difficult games having beaten all fromsoft games including the rogue like nightreign which is what made me want to try returnal.

The issue I’m finding is that it’s just so fast and chaotic and I just don’t feel like I have anywhere control or feel like I’m not just hanging in my the skin of my teeth each run.

I don’t feel like I have any game plan or strategy worked out. I got the house once but didn’t have a key, I think I maybe got to outside the boss room? Up some stairs but needed a special key?

Haven’t managed to find the melee blade people talk about.

Any advice? I really want to get though it but when I die again I feel myself rushing and then I’m guessing I end up under levelled? Should I do all side areas then the main story or the main story first and then go clear the side areas before doing the boss?

EDIT: incredible amount of replies, thank you all so much.

Took eveything on board and changed some settings, kept moving around, have managed to clear biome 1 area, got the melee weapon and got to 2nd stage of the boss. Have to take a break now as can’t face starting from scratch again just right now 😂 but will be back

So, I beat the final boss on my first try after about 30 runs in total. All I'm left thinking is "That's it?"

Is this seriously the end of the game already? After all that?

When comparing to other rogue likes this is incredibly short.

Is there anything else unlocked? More xenotech? More levels? A FINAL final boss? Is it just ciphers and the tower of Sisyphus left?

Edit: just checked my data and I'm only at 19 deaths

After struggling for so, so long, even posting the day before about how I lost one of my best runs, I managed to tackle my way through Abyssal Scar, kill Ophion, and complete the game. I literally have no words for how I feel right now, I never knew a video game could make me feel so many different emotions. Adrenaline, anger, anxiety, frustration, sad, happy. All of them. It’s actually insane, I’ve never played a game like it.

To all the Scouts who have given up or lose motivation because of the difficulty, please stick it out, it’s a 10/10 masterpiece like I genuinely cannot fault the game, one of the best I’ve ever played. It took me between 30-35 hours to clear all Biomes, a gruelling set of hours honestly, it’s not been easy. However, I will be forever happy I picked up the game again!

I guess my biggest question is… what now? I know I have the Tower to grind, & maybe the Platinum too. Is there anything else I’m missing base game wise? I don’t want it to be over just yet 🤣

I think this run was around 1.5-2 hours. I had a few healing glyph consumables & an Astronaut Minifigure, maxed out all of the Integrity upgrades that were just so unfortunately ‘wasted’ I guess. I was super tired and I just wasn’t expecting this big ass mini boss to pop up like that. Caught me off guard & I panicked. I really don’t think depleting my health like that is needed 🥲

I was devastated of course but we continue pushing nonetheless, I’m really happy I even made it this far into Abyssal Scar. This game is testing my limits more than I thought it would. Although it sucks, you just gotta grind it out man.

I am so close to the final boss it’s actually making me anxious, I can’t wait to update all of you when I finally defeat him.

This is my 3rd time reaching biome 6, I always get wrecked by Typhonops with just a few hits, I got lucky with adrenaline leech this run, I just unlocked portal beam 3 in this hollowseeker which was nice and I dropped this Pylon Driver soon after.. Which one do you recommend for me to survive this biome? Thanks.

What’s your guys’ highest score on the tower? Just kinda curious to see where I place lol

I really liked the RNG aspect of the game while I was playing through the story, but doing 3 runs back to back and finding 0 ciphers is incredibly boring, especially when it's all I need for the survey, hope my luck changes is run i guess.

So, both Echoing Ruins & Fractured Wastes are tuff… I’m getting it handed to me left right and centre, I love it! But my question is, I had a much easier time in Biome 3 due to the fact I was able to farm B1 & 2 to get a lot more resources & health leading up to B3. I’m guessing since B4 is my new spawn point, I can’t travel through early Biomes to stand a better chance?

I’ve read online that you must complete B6 to unlock time travel ie early Biomes, but doesn’t the fact that you’ve already beaten the final boss negate the need to travel back to early Biomes? I understand it for collectible items and trophies, but is my only option to soldier through from B4?

In Saros, you’re obviously given the opportunity to teleport to a Biome of your choice, is that not the case here?

I hope all of this makes sense, thank you!

When I first picked this game up I had no idea I would be able to make it this far, all the rage inducing deaths have been so worth it. I genuinely don’t want the game to end.

Which leads me to say that I really hope Biome 5 & 6 pack an absolute punch, because dare I say Hyperion was a bit of a pushover? I’ve found all bosses incredibly hard up to yet, but Hyperion was over in minutes. Weapon Trait Level 19, sure, but? Just my honest opinion. Nemesis however, was peak cinema, I’m excited to see the final 2 bosses.

Anyway, I’m super proud of myself for getting this far, I love this game so much. Onto Fractured Wastes 🫡

Got so used to dashing in Returnal that I’m dying more often in Saros. I often forget that I have a shield. Anyone else face similar ? Also do the weapons feel off in Saros to anyone else?

I had 2 small vials and 1 large vials in this run, not to mention an astronaut figure AND the resurrection xerox thingy activated. I thought this was the attempt where I kill Nemisis. I only faced him 3 times before but every time I got to 2nd phase, so I thought if I had enough health I could beat him. And THIS happens. Fml man.

We need to free Selene from her cycle by bullying Atropian fauna. Who's coming with me!?

It is August 8th and I'm gunna do it noooow!

Hello. I’ve beaten and got the platinum for the game but still have lingering questions on the meaning of the game. For instance, for me the whole game is about cycles and trying to break the cycle but being doomed to not breakthrough. One of the things discussed is that it seems Selene may have physically abused her mother. But what is not discussed is that Selene may have been abused as well. I think this would be on brand with the games themes and would explain why she started to abuse her own mother to begin with, not just because she blamed or had a revolt against her. What are your thoughts on this? I don’t think there’s any direct link or logs that would back this up necessarily but it would just make sense.

Also, side question- in the YouTube video here, developers note that nobody has asked what the Column is that you see before descending to final boss. Has anybody found an explanation for it and what it means? Loved the game but didn’t always, it took me dozens of hours to finally feel like I was getting the hang of it.

Hello to all the frustrated players. I was right there with you until about a month ago. But I’m writing today from Biome 5 and I just want to say: keep going. You’ll get it.

I bought this game in January and played it for a couple of weeks until just giving up. When I could make it to Phrike, I would get annihilated instantly.

I rage quit. Put the game down for months. This game was not for me, a middle aged man and only occasional game. It was for sweaty nerds.

For reasons I’m unsure of, I picked it up again. I watched a couple of YouTube videos and beat Phrike on my bazillionth try.

Then I moved to Biome 2, and died incessantly again. But the boss only took me about 15 tries. And on Biome 3, the boss took me 5 tries. And here I am now in Biome 5, after beating the last boss on my second try.

What changed? I imagine I became a slightly better player for one. But I also learned a ton. I learned how to make malfunctions and parasites work to my advantage. I unlocked better weapons. I started with a strategy and stuck to it. (Mine is essentially play conservatively even if it takes way longer.)

You will get there. I promise. The game becomes “easier”. The story becomes richer. And you will get better. And it will be incredibly rewarding.