Returnal: The exclusive PlayStation 5 shows itself in a new gameplay footage

The Finnish development team Housemarque has published its latest development diary on its official Youtube profile HouseCast, where in addition to seeing two team members discussing Returnal, you can also check out new gameplay footage. The game director Harry Krueger discussed the team's willingness to bring Housemarque's signature gameplay from 2D or top-down perspectives to a third person view, mentioning the challenges of adding verticality and threats from multiple angles. As for the controls, Krueger talks about the desire for responsive, tight and intuitive gameplay.

It was also reiterated that the game will use the controller's adaptive triggers Dualense. The team is using the L2 key to give the player two functions instead of just one; pressing the trigger halfway will aim downward, and pressing it fully will cause the weapon to switch to alternate firing mode. Everything has been designed to be “intuitive and seamless,” and you can also fully customize the controls if you want a more traditional experience.

Looking forward to discovering new details on Returnal we remind you that the title will debut on Sony's next generation console March 19. According to Mikael Haveri, marketing director of the Finnish software house, it will be the most ambitious project ever carried out by the team. The official synopsis of the title reads as follows:

After an emergency landing on a changing world, Selene must find an escape route by exploring the wastelands of an ancient civilization. Alone and lost, she is forced to fight tooth and nail to survive. But each time she is defeated, and each time the journey has to start over ...

Relentless roguelike gameplay will soon show you that it's not just the planet that changes with each cycle, but the items at your disposal as well. Each cycle offers new combinations that force you to get out of your schemes and face the fight with always different strategies.

The dark beauty of this ruined world, brought to life by stunning visuals, is filled with shattering surprises, from the bullet-hell hell of deadly combat to the cruel twists and turns of extreme and contrasting environments. Explore, discover and fight on a merciless journey where mystery hunts you.

Designed to maximize replayability, Returnal's procedural world invites you to get up after each defeat and take on a new challenge with each rebirth.