Housemarque details rogue-like sci-fi shooter Returnal’s loop mechanics and combat • Eurogamer.net

Developer Housemarque, known for the famous Resogun and Nex Machina, has shared new details about their upcoming PS5-exclusive sci-fi shooter Returnal, this time focusing on the loop structure and combat driving the sluggish and rogue action of the game.

Returnal sees Housemarque moving away from the small but perfectly formed arcade experiences that have earned the studio huge success over the years, and instead opts for something a little more blockbuster in perspective. The end result, which follows space scout protagonist Selene as she attempts to escape an endless hellish loop of resurrection as she is stranded on a deadly planet on the edge of the galaxy, combines action with the third person and platform elements with a strong emphasis on storytelling.

It’s not entirely clear how Returnal’s rogue-type loop premise would work in practice based on the game’s previous projections, but now writing in a PlayStation blog post, Housemarque explained that Selene will be sent back to the start of the Time Loop with each death – moments before crashing onto the planet – at which point she will lose most of the abilities and items collected in the previous cycle.

Return combat trailer.

Some elements will persist, however, ensuring that there will always be a sense of progress, including a strange alien device known as Cthonos. This mysterious artifact constantly tracks your progress and permanently adds a new item to your loot pool every time you cross a specific threshold. Items revealed so far include the smartbomb-type Dismantler and the Kinetic Siphon, which restores health through melee kills.

As for the fight, Housemarque had previously promised that Returnal’s firing action would feature “volleys of projectiles from hell along the way,” and he’s now more detailed on what he calls “combat. fast and frantic and intense “shooting game.

Selene has access to a mix of her own weapons and others she’s found along the way – although she can only hold one at a time – and these all start out as archetypes of familiar weapons that are slowly increased by unlocking and applying various type-specific weapons. Line modifiers.

The Living Spitmaw Blaster, for example, is a shotgun-style weapon that can be extended to use HE shells or shots that generate pools of acid on impact. The Electropylon Pilot, on the other hand, can be upgraded to extract additional loot from enemies or generate shields. Housemarque notes that the traits are stackable, leading to “many surprising results that may have unique advantages and playstyles to explore.”

Housemarque says Returnal delivers “fast and frenzied fights and intense shootouts.”

To give you an idea of ​​the variety promised, Returnal is said to have 10 base weapon variations, over 90 tri-level weapon traits, and 10 alternate fire. These are randomly assigned to a weapon from a diverse pool “ranging from the electrical impulses of the Shockstream to the tentacles of the Tendrilpod”.

Housemarque also teased a particularly risky object, known as Parasites, which can be found while exploring the planet of Atropos. These have both positive and negative effects on players, which means you’ll want to think carefully before adding them to your arsenal. You might, for example, find a parasite that will regenerate your health when it’s low, but it will also cause enemies to leave behind a pool of acid upon death.

You can see a range of Returnal items and weapons in action as part of Housemarque’s new trailer, and the developer says it expects more news, including details on the game’s various modes, as it nears its March 19 release for PlayStation 5.