Returnal shows off its frantic gameplay at the Future Games Show

News
By published

Get ready for "lots of tentacles coming at you"

The Future Games Show Spring Showcase gave us a chance to see more of the mysterious PS5 shooter Returnal ahead of its April 30 release. 

Returnal is the story of Selene, stranded on the planet of Atropos, and worse, stuck in a time loop that means every time she dies the world and its challenges change. 

"At the focus of the game, we have a very tight gameplay loop where you dash, jump around, shoot at enemies with lots of tentacles coming at you," says Mikael Haveri of Housemarque.

"There are also a lot of bullet hell elements, so fast-paced maneuvering, dodging, and running and gunning is the main focus of the game."

As you'll see from this gameplay look, Returnal's twisting narrative deserves a mention too. "As you make your way through Atropos you find out who your main character is, and what is the deepest secret that she's trying to answers, and also how this planet ties into the bigger picture." 

The game marks a lot of firsts for the studio, weaving together an intricate narrative, roguelike elements and third-person action. The crazy shooting? That's pretty much like breathing for Housemarque. It's also the studio behind Matterfall, Resogun, and the Super Stardust series. 

You can read more about the game in our deep dive and how Returnal aims to "create unlimited replay value" for PS5 gamers

Rachel Weber
Rachel Weber
Contributor

Rachel Weber is the former US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+ and lives in Brooklyn, New York. She joined GamesRadar+ in 2017, revitalizing the news coverage and building new processes and strategies for the US team.