Seasons don’t fear the reaper…
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Returnal is one of very few first-party exclusive games that understood the PS5 assignment, in my opinion. And that’s coming from a guy who usually dislikes roguelikes. Returnal has it all, from using haptic feedback and trigger resistance cleverly, to a structure that feels narratively relevant, to making something that caters to a PlayStation player base that’s getting a little older. Thanks to Prime Day, you can get this truly exceptional video game for only$29.99 at Amazon(was $69.99).
Put it this way, Returnal is a game so good thatSonypretty much immediately bought the studio that made it after it was released. If you’re yet to sample it, now is a fantastic time. We don’t often see first-party exclusives like this drop in price to this extent, and thisPrime Day PS5 dealmeans its only $3 off its lowest-ever price at Amazon.
Returnal|$69.99$29.99 at AmazonSave $40- This third-person, bullet hell, action-adventure isn’t far off its lowest-ever price at Amazon. Digital sales on the PlayStation store aren’t usually this kind to us - especially when it comes to exclusives. If you’re one of those PS5 owners who’s wondering where all the games are, this is a great opportunity to try something new.
Buy it if:
✅ You enjoy challenging games✅ You like two-player co-op✅ You want a game that’s endlessly replayable✅ You want to enjoy the features of the DualSense
Don’t buy it if:
Price check:Walmart: $42.99|Best Buy: $69.99
UK:£39.85 at Amazon
The only caveat I should add here is that, unless you like owning physical versions of your games, there’s no need to buy this if you’re a paying PlayStation Plus subscriber. Returnal currently features on the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog, so as long as you’re signed up to that tier at least, you’ll be able to download and play Returnal at no extra cost.
If you’ve been waiting for a physical copy to come down in price though,Prime Day gaming dealsare presenting you with a great opportunity.
Should you buy Returnal?
Returnal is a third-person action-adventure game where you play as a futuristic astronaut named Seline. After responding to a distress call, Seline finds herself stranded on an unknown planet, with no hope of being rescued. Exploring the planet, she quickly realizes an alien species once settled there, but realizes she’s caught in a loop of her own mortality. After she dies, she wakes up back at her ship’s crash site, doomed to begin her impossible escape attempt again, and again.
Narratively, that’s all I really want to tell you right now, because although narrative isn’t the central focus of this game like it is a game like The Last of Us, there are some amazing thematic discoveries to uncover - but they aren’t for me to spoil.
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This is a game that will challenge you. It’s known as a bullet-hell game because combat encounters will see you dodging, sprinting, and jumping to avoid the sickening amounts of alien firepower that’s coming at you. It’s also a Roguelike, which means every time you die you’ll be sent back to the beginning to start your run again.
Luckily, it’s not all doom and gloom. The game features 2-player online co-op, which might be one of its best features. You can also save your game-mid loop, which, controversially, you couldn’t do when the game launched.
One of my favorite things about Returnal, as someone who reviews controllers, is its use of the DualSense’s niche features. Haptic feedback is amazing in this game. Every raindrop taps at your palms, and you feel every bit of incoming damage. Trigger Resistance is a similar story because of this game’s ingenious alt-fire weapons.
Clearly, I’m a big fan of this game, and if there’s one PS5 game I recommend above all others at the moment, it’s probably Returnal.
While they’re still here, why not check out some morePrime Day Meta Quest deals,Prime Day PC deals, orPrime Day Kindle Deals?
One of my earliest memories is playing SuperMario64 and wondering why the controller I held had three grips, but I only had two hands. Ever since I’ve been in love with video games and their technology. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship at Expert Reviews. Over the last decade, I’ve been managing my ownYouTube channelabout my love of games too. These days, I’m one of the resident hardware nerds at GamesRadar+, and I take the lead on our coverage of gaming PCs, VR, controllers, gaming chairs, and content creation gear. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension.Location: UK Remote
Everybody loves Jeff the Land Shark, Marvel Rivals' standout star, except the people who have to play against him