Here are some handy tips for Returnal to get you started as a beginner or someone who is already a few hours in.
That's because Returnal doesn't really tell you much about anything, it doesn't cover permanent weapon traits, the best weapons (it's the Electropylon Driver), what those long tentacles do, how to get past the big eyes or buffs, debuffs and malignancy.
That's because Returnal doesn't really tell you much about anything, it doesn't cover permanent weapon traits, the best weapons (it's the Electropylon Driver), what those long tentacles do, how to get past the big eyes or buffs, debuffs and malignancy.
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00:00 Sure, Returnal has some tutorials, but a huge part of the game is about not telling you
00:05 stuff.
00:06 And we're not talking about the story being vague, which it is, but also it doesn't tell
00:10 you how weapon upgrades work really, or that parts of the environment that seem to be attacking
00:15 you are actually helping you out.
00:17 So those long tentacles can actually be used to reach otherwise inaccessible areas.
00:23 Littered throughout the overgrown ruins are long red tentacles dangling from up above.
00:27 If you walk too close, they'll grab you and you need to dash out to escape.
00:31 And your first instinct will likely be to avoid them at all cost.
00:34 But they're often situated near ledges and platforms that you wouldn't be able to access
00:39 otherwise, you just can't jump that high.
00:41 So when you've cleared an area of hostiles, you can use these tentacles to elevate yourself
00:45 and then dash out in the direction of the platform to get some much needed goodies or
00:49 upgrades.
00:51 Find your favourite and stick to it.
00:54 Not being able to choose your weapon and only hold one weapon at a time leaves you up to
00:58 the RNG gods.
01:00 We all have our own preferred way to play, and you'll quickly find a weapon you prefer.
01:04 When you do find that weapon you like to use, try to pick it up as often as you can if you
01:09 get the choice.
01:10 The more you use it, the more weapon traits for that weapon you will unlock, making it
01:14 more and more powerful.
01:16 These are also permanent unlocks even when you die.
01:19 So yes, you might do a run with a weapon that you hate and cannot use, but when you do have
01:24 a lucky roll and you get your upgraded preference with all the best weapon traits, you'll be
01:29 confident of being able to do a proper run.
01:33 Lots of weapons, but very little choice.
01:36 Every weapon in Returnal fills a specific role or playstyle, but these are some of the
01:41 best and well-rounded weapons that can hold their own in any encounter.
01:45 The Tachy-O-Matic Carbine is brilliant either up close or at distance and is most akin to
01:50 an assault rifle.
01:51 While the Spitmore Blaster is a shotgun that works great if you're mobile and able to get
01:56 in the face of enemies.
01:57 Meanwhile, the Electro-Pylon Driver is best suited to draining enemies of health from
02:02 a safe distance by laying down traps as they get close.
02:05 If you manage to come across the Electric-Pylon Driver in the game, it really can completely
02:10 change your run by turning you into a god of red lightning.
02:15 Get lucky with those rolls and if you don't, prioritise the following.
02:19 The buffs, debuffs and malignancy you randomly get for each run can vary wildly, sometimes
02:24 making you feel like a god and others more like a glass cannon.
02:28 Being aware that all runs are not equal means sometimes you have to instead prioritise other
02:34 things, specifically other things that will carry over when you die like Aether or permanent
02:40 weapon traits.
02:41 So, if you happen to get a debuff or a malignancy that scrambles your map completely and you're
02:46 running around lost, instead just try to focus on grabbing some Aether while only using your
02:50 favourite weapon to level it up and get some of those permanent traits for it so that when
02:54 you get the amazing auto-repair buff on the next run, that could see you all the way through
02:59 to the credits.
03:01 Once you defeat a boss, you don't need to fight it again every time to go back to the
03:05 next world.
03:06 So, unlike other roguelikes, you don't have to keep fighting bosses over and over and
03:10 over in each world every time to progress.
03:13 Once you've beaten the first boss in the Overgrown Ruins, for example, you'll receive
03:17 the Crimson Key, which opens the portal to the Crimson Wastes.
03:21 When you die and have to start over, even though you're back at Helios and starting
03:25 with nothing except a pistol, you do have the key.
03:28 So, all you need to do is find the portal again rather than searching for the boss.
03:33 Get more obolites
03:35 Every now and then, when you enter an area that doesn't have the standard hostile enemies
03:38 in it, you'll stumble upon a small group of golden tentacle creatures.
03:42 These mysterious beings aren't hostile, instead, when they detect you, they'll start
03:46 to flee and burrow underground.
03:48 Killing them will net you a bunch of obolites in return, though, so try to get as many of
03:52 them as you can before they disappear.
03:55 The sword is a one-shot kill machine that can also give you access to new areas.
04:01 In the Overgrown Ruins, you'll find a lot of red glowing vines and walls that look structurally
04:05 weak.
04:06 They can be destroyed, but only once you have unlocked the melee attack and the sword.
04:10 You find this when you reach the portal to the Crimson Waste for the first time, before
04:15 you have the key to activate it.
04:16 Now that you've got your shiny, pointy push-button sword, you can also deal some real damage
04:21 with it.
04:22 When you first pick it up, it one-hit kills most enemies.
04:25 So, instead of using your sidearm, most enemies in the Overgrown Ruins will die from one sword
04:30 slash, so maybe try zipping around a bit with some stabbing thrown in for good measure to
04:34 thin out the crowd a bit.
04:36 Do the eyes in the big Cyclops towers to remove the searchlights temporarily.
04:41 Sometimes you'll stumble upon huge, vast areas with enormous towers shining spotlights
04:45 down searching for you.
04:47 Being spotted by these massively stationary Cyclops results in a shot coming down at you,
04:51 which you can dodge if you're quick enough, but it does do a lot of damage if you don't
04:56 get out of the way.
04:58 Alternatively, you can aim and shoot a single bullet into each eye to temporarily disable
05:02 the spotlights, creating a safe passage to venture through.
05:05 So yeah, there's a lot of stuff that Returnal doesn't really tell you about, and it's kind
05:09 of handy just to know some of these things as you're getting into the game so you don't
05:12 get too frustrated.
05:13 Hopefully, this has helped you, and for more guides and tips and tricks, check back on
05:17 GamesRadar and subscribe to the YouTube channel.
05:25 (upbeat music)