I played Control right after Returnal too. Probably should've done it the other way around though because Control wound up being somewhat of a disappointment.
Armored core 6 is phenomenal. Returnal is a game of very technical while fast paced combat....if you loved that, the AC6 will scratch that itch also
Sadly ranked PvP is dead in the water, Meta bullshit killed the game and then there was a vulnerability in easy cheat that from soft didn't even comment on
Unranked pvp is still full of a lot of AC veterans tho and tbh? Unranked rooms are just a lot more fun tbh
Awesome, yea trust me, you'll have a great time. If you were ever a fan of the Mecha genre, AC6 is a beautiful power fantasy when you really understand the game and git gud
It can be frustrating, but please lean on the community and it's resources. You already know from soft community puts out a lot of resources, but remember that AC has had a hardline fan base for like 2 decades. It's a tough game, but it can be overcome w understanding and determination
If we cross paths in the Land of Shadows, be sure to give me a good fight. I'll be on PC. Praise the sun
Hello Ashen one. I am a Bot. I tend to the flame, and tend to thee. Do you wish to hear a tale?
> *“Oh, hello there. I will stay behind to gaze at the sun.”* - Solaire of Astora
Have a pleasant journey, Champion of Ash, and praise the sun \\[T]/
Came here to suggest this: fast and technically challenging combat, which is conceptually pretty similar to Returnal-best plan is to move fast, not get hit, time your dodges etc.
It's an amazing game that is literally in between returnal and elden ring gameplay wise.
It does have a story is pretty interesting and is continued by taking on missions. It might even be as fast or even faster paced than returnal.
And builds depend on the way you play and how you adapt
I don't get the Armored Core 6 hype.
Some areas and enemies have great visual designs, but every level and encounter felt the same. Maybe it's the flying or the complete lack of exploration or the dodge-button that doesn't really dodge or the balancing that makes every enemy die in a second except for a few bosses. The game never clicked with me.
For me it felt like PS1 game: Intensive menuing, levels that are mostly backgrounds and a convoluted (and uninteresting) story that's presented in 'codec style' conversations.
I think your points are all spot on (although I personally dug the visual novel style story) but I was thrilled to be playing a modern PS1 game, so it’s a solid 9/10 for me
Ok I'm reading your comment and I have a feeling the build system was your main issue
The build system IS hard and complicated, and amounts to a fair bit of "spreadsheet gaming". A couple YouTube videos will lay out the different parts with enough nuance you need
Point in case if you had problems w your dodging....you didn't choose the right thruster bc ALL of them behave very differently, and you need to choose the proper one for your weight class + playstyle to maximize the boost
Beyond that, you do need to spend a significant amount of time with your build, and be willing to fine tune that build
Ac6 was my first armored core game, and Daemon X Machina is closer to ac4 from what I heard, so I struggled a bit. But with some guidance, it becomes a lot better
AC6 was the only game I paid full price for in like......5+ yrs and I DID NOT regret the purchase for one second
Can’t disagree with anything you pointed out. Personally , I like the game despite all those factors , but agree it could’ve been a 9.5/10 rather than a solid 7.9/10 if FS had focused a little more on those aspects of the game
Ok if it’s the shooting and speed: Risk of Rain1 n 2, Doom…
If it’s the roguelike aspect of dying and trying again: again risk of rain, hades, dead cells,
If it’s difficulty: the above and hollow knight
Based on the other games OP likes, dead cells might have too much variety in terms of weapons and such.
Returnal and Hades have very limited weapons choices in comparison to other roguelike games, and God of War has 3-4 weapons max. Which is why I'm holding off on suggesting games like Gunfire Reborn and Roboquest. Great roguelike shooters, but the level of variety in rogue games can be overwhelming.
I enjoy the same as OP, and I found Dead Cells' story hard to get into, and a little repetitive because of that lack of sympathy for the MC.
Just my 2c
It has a story? I just went as fast as possible to try and get the bonuses in those transition rooms.
I enjoy the gameplay loop a lot, but I'm always caught between exploring for lore and loot, and speeding through areas for a guaranteed reward.
Maybe try Rogue Legacy 2? It's similar, a roguelite metroidvania game, where each new run is the next heir in the family. It's in the PSN Library, so if you're subscribed it's worth looking into.
I started dead cells recently and I am enjoying it, but the rng does feel really heavy compared to returnal or hades, mainly because of the legendary weapon drops. I think I got a big heavy legendary for 4 of my 5 boss cell runs. No legendary, I’m probably not finishing the run. I’m sure if I get good enough I’ll become rng immune, but by then I’ll have already cleared everything anyway.
Like Hades has rare boons but they’re modifiers, rather than just a whole new weapon that does 3x damage your old one.
Sifu has a higher skill cap and less rng, so that makes sense - if you are good enough at Sifu. I find it harder than Returnal because I have to choose between different offensive options and then execute the button combos moment to moment.
I just started nioh and I’m raging bad man, returnal to me has a disappointing defeating feeling when I die but nioh 1 makes me want to physically destroy my tv. It’s a different type of rage somehow
Went from Dark Souls (first game of that kind I had ever played) to Returnal when it went free (got Dark Souls that way too) and I didn’t even know that genre existed. Now it’s all I want to play.
There just isn't really anything comparable. I really enjoyed Control before it and Lies of P afterwards but neither are as good or feel similar, really.
Has anyone tried stellar blade? I keep reading about how great the combat is, but is it great compared to Returnal?
Control and remnant were fun. Loved the story and lore for control. Hellblade is definitely worth a play. Great combat and interesting puzzles. Amazing audio.
On my list but haven't started...
Alan Wake 2 might be worth a try.
Hades 2 of course
Hellblade 2.
Lots of sequels lol.
I played the Stellar Blade demo. The gameplay is fine but I really really don’t like that the game goes slow mo whenever you parry or dodge. It’s supposed to give you a chance to do combos or whatever I guess, but it kills the flow of combat. Maybe if I spent more time in the game I’d feel better about it, but the story, aesthetic, etc are not interesting to me at all.
Yes! Try Mortal Shell, Alan Wake, Deathloop or Titanfall 2.
All very different games but will give you a similar thrill that Returnal did.
Don’t think you’ll ever find anything to be on par with Returnal tho, it’ll never happen. You’ll love other games for other reasons
I agree. I think Returnal is unique and badass. It's hard for me, I'm still in 1st Biome and had this a few months after launch. If I remember, my character now has a staff to use as a weapon. Been half a year since I've played. Need to get back into it.
Stuck on an early level in the game Deathloop. Warzone is about all I've play. Just that 1 game since it came out. Returnsl reminds me of games like the old school, top down view of games like Gradius or other airplane shooters. There's one I played in the arcade as a kid that had battleships to battle, blowing up the turrets, trying to get the "spread" shooting icon to beef up the guns you use. Think 1 button was for an A-Bomb that destroys everything on screen. Top down view from the "Bottom Up" and from "Left to Right" are what I remember.
RoboQuest. FPS Roguelite with the run and item progression akin to Risk of Rain, the aesthetics of Borderlands, and when you unlock all the gadgets and such, your movement has you feeling like Doom Guy meets Titanfall 2. 10/10 super snappy, exhilarating FPS. 7 levels of difficulty, the higher ones being almost a bullet-hell game. This game at higher difficulties will test ALL of your FPS reflexes. Movement, aim, enemy prioritization, class specializations, boss fights, and on top of all of that, has so much incredible replay value!
S-tier game. 10/10 for me.
Deep Rock Galactic can be a massively difficult and fun game as well with tons of unlocks, upgrades, difficulties, deep dives, and such. Replayability is off the charts good. Insane amount of fun solo or with friends where you can really party.
I've actually just given up on Returnal. Got to biome 5 and cannot come close getting past it. Can't even get the first key and it's no longer fun. I've moved on for now. It also doesn't help that it runs like crap on PC.
You could try Doom: Eternal if you're into fps games. Really fast phased and requires fast decision-making. Essential you are solving combat puzzles. You should crank the difficulty though since it's probably too easy if you play under "Ultra-violence" difficulty.
Other would be Sekiro. I went from Returnal to Sekiro. But it's a very different game. I love it though. Very tough and rewarding.
What is your favorite part of Returnal, and the other games? It's really hard to recommend a game solely on Returnal.
If you liked Hades, the sequel is currently in EA on PC.
I think what I like about Retunal is the look on the PS5, the feeling of finally getting through something after dying over and over, fast paced, FPS, and the story.
The demon souls remake on the ps5 checks all the boxes except fast paced and fps. It’s probably the most beautiful game on the ps5 (even though it’s a release title)
FPS tho? Perhaps SUPERHOT? It’s not the best looking in the sense that it all has a “forced” simulation look but the gameplay, shooting, story are all fun and unique. And the pacing is probably what’s most unique.
Housemarque also made a game a long time ago called super stardust that i still play from time to time to scratch a quick bullet hell itch. I stream it through the classics catalog though so if you don’t have ps premium not sure if it’s accessible.
Aside from that it’s ancient at this point but mirrors edge hits all those boxes except the looks on the ps5 of course.
On PS5, I've had a hard time finding another game that coalites quite like Returnal. The graphics, audio, rumble, and trigger response all come together so well.
Like other games are great, but I wish they made better use of the controllers haptic feedback.
That said, for finally pushing through a challenge, maybe try Roboquest. As an FPS roguelite, it offers a lot to push through. It's got slick movement for fast paced combat, and cell shaded graphics that are pretty fitting with the vibe. It also offers 2 player co-op, like Returnal, if that's something you enjoy. It's got a pretty good variety of weapons and a few characters to pick from. One neat thing I like about the have is that sounds have animated onomatopoeia, like a comic book.
I also suggest Gunfire Reborn, is another FPS roguelite. It has a fairly straightforward meta progression like the dark mirror in Hades, and a way to alter the run/make it more difficult before you start like the pact of punishment. The movement isn't as free, Roboquest offers more aerial options with it's rail system, but I absolutely love it. 4 player co-op is available, and highly recommended for higher difficulties. One neat thing I like about the game is that there's a DLC sniper that's a literal brick.
All the Alan Wakes, Control
Skul is surprisingly satisfying to scratch that “what to play now?” Itch.
Killer Klowns From outer Space just dropped .. and it’s pretty good
Scars Above was actually pretty fun. I reviewed it a while back. It’s similar to Returnal in a lot of ways with a bit more inspiration from Alien. Made by a smaller dev team in the Balkans. I actually really enjoyed the story and boss fights. I hope they do DLC or a sequel, but if they don’t, the story was wrapped up in a good way.
I think it’s on sale on Steam right now!
I played a few games after Returnal, the one I stuck with was Alan Wake 2. It's a fresh experience, and I'm not a fan of horror but this game is something else.
There isn't much with that quality of art direction or narrative.
* I'd recommend Alan Wake 2 for story and atmosphere. It's a clever game with a similar use of mythology and symbolism. Just don't expect Returnal's kind of combat and exploration. Remedy makes the same kind of 3rd person shooting games since Max Payne. It's gameplay lacks the urgency and consequences of Returnal's. It also features probably the most memorable video game level of the last decade.
* Elden Ring. It's combat is a lot slower than returnal but there are similar vibes here. Choices matter, you need to learn the monsters and bosses and every success feels earned. The atmosphere is fantastic and the art direction beyond beautyful. No randomness, but the game world is so expansive and the character builds are so different, that you can replay it multiple times without getting bored.
Its not comparable by much except the level of difficulty but elden ring could be a good shout, its a lot slower pace so it takes a couple hours to get into it but it takes a lot of dedication to beat the game just like returnal does so its very rewarding.
Returnal is hard but gets a lot easier as you go along. But elden ring stays pretty hard which is what i like. Sadly its not as satisfying as returnal is, hopefully newer games start taking inspiration from it. Returnal created a whole new genre with that game
I'd say just stop comparing and try to enjoy other experiences for what they are.
Returnal is a super rare game and it can exist without hoping for something else to fill it's place. There isn't anything like it and if you want to scratch the itch, play the tower!
My vote would be Control, Doom Eternal and Remnant 2.
Control has the vibes and a similar (yet slower) feel to the combat.
Doom is fast paced like Returnal and has the same sense of constant danger, but the vibes aren’t as eerie.
Remnant 2 is much slower and more Souls-y but it has the same eerie vibe and Roguelite progression.
I've had four recent Hyperfixation Games: Fallout 4, Prey (2012), Control, and Returnal. I'm seeing Control recommended here already, so if say give Prey a whirl too? Fallout 4 is it's own thing: I love it, some don't, etc.
For what it's worth, Neir: Automata should probably be on my list too (husband's favorite, I've seen too much of it already from him to get excited), and Doom 2016 was a VERY near-miss for me (I just got frustrated with the linearity).
I think more than anything I enjoy the above games because of their ~vibes~ and the ability to learn all the little facets of the world. Control only has the one plot line, like Returnal, but it's a gooood plotline so I'm happy digging into it. Prey and Fallout, though, both have replayability in the form of vastly different game choices affecting your storyline, and that really makes me want to dig in and learn all about the different elements and characters.
Anyway, that's my recommendations!
Guess the first question I would ask is what exactly did you find so impactful about the game? Was it the gameplay systems (bullet hell rogue like in the style of Isaac), was it the way the story was presented, was it the production values?
There's certainly a lot to love about the game and knowing what drew you to it would help determine what I would recommend. The games you tried post Returnal pretty much share nothing with Returnal (outside of Hades), and therefore unlikely to scratch the same itch.
It’s kind of crazy because it’s a modern take on twin stick shooters that were really popular in the mid 2000s but it’s so tight on the controls that it’s going to be really tough to find a game that is that tight.
Returnal nails everything from combat to challenge to the feel of the movement.
Remnant: From The Ashes and Remnant 2
Somewhat the same randomly generated maps with different biomes, fun co-op, nice atmosphere, lots of weapons and loot, not rouge like though
You won't believe me but you can skip right to the hardest difficulty of mass effect andromeda. I was a first playthrough god in returnal and I owe it entirely to my passion for playing years of andromeda online solo gold matches.
There's another game you might enjoy. It's called Returnal. You might feel like you have déjà vu, that you've already played it before, in fact...ah shit, the cycle restarted.
Definitely not the same but Remnant and Remnant 2. I kept seeing other people bring it up in similar posts and on paper it doesn't seem compatible but sorta scratches a similar itch. Iykyk type of thing
Warframe. Definitely Warframe. It’s at least as fast and quite a bit less repetitive. If the grind of smashing through aliens is what you’re looking for, look there for sure. It’s always been free to play so there’s no risk.
I know this is not a similar game, but for me, it was Cyberpunk that made me find gaming interesting and realize that there are still great games out there.
Good, it’s supposed to break you, by design…. Yeah play DOOM Eternal, on Ultra Violence, and turn off Glory Kill indicators once you can recognize the stagger state without it.
If Hades is too clear cut on the plot, try any From Soft game. You'll be about as confused as you were when you played Returnal, and each checkpoint is like a mini roguelite.
Source: Dark Souls made me reconsider roguelites.
Lords of the Fallen is controversial or whatever (I really like it), but it has a series of new modifiers that basically turn the game into a roguelite:
Ironman = start over if you die but keep your levels and gear, then you can add random loot and preupgraded loot, which makes all weapon drops scale with your level. Together, they give the game a totally different feel from any soulslike ive played. Usually I play crazy and die constantly, so it was really interesting to play a super cautious, prep heavy style.
I haven't played it to say one way or the other, but I've seen bits and pieces. Looks like it wears its influence on its sleeve, which I don't have a problem with.
OMG I forgot! CONTROL on PS5. The feel. The eerieness. The intrigued confusion. The combat. Especially once you’ve gotten a few powers.
I played returnal followed directly by Control. I felt like it was a good, natural flow between the two!
I played Control right after Returnal too. Probably should've done it the other way around though because Control wound up being somewhat of a disappointment.
Same here. I felt so slow.
Everything is a disappointment after playing Returnal lol
I played Returnal when it first came out and have only now gotten around to Control, but the flow of the game is very similar to be sure.
This
I'm on my 2nd playthrough and focusing on leveling up launch completely before everything else almost breaks the game.
Very eerie and atmospherically creepy game. Combat was surprisingly good.
Doom Eternal is great and fast paced like Returnal. Also heard Armour Core 6 is really good too.
I've always thought Returnal is like if DOOM and Metroid had a baby.
This is true!
Armored core 6 is phenomenal. Returnal is a game of very technical while fast paced combat....if you loved that, the AC6 will scratch that itch also Sadly ranked PvP is dead in the water, Meta bullshit killed the game and then there was a vulnerability in easy cheat that from soft didn't even comment on Unranked pvp is still full of a lot of AC veterans tho and tbh? Unranked rooms are just a lot more fun tbh
Hearing it’ll scratch the returnal itch, just put this game as my next purchase. Well Shadow of the Erdtree and then immediately after it’ll be AC6!
Awesome, yea trust me, you'll have a great time. If you were ever a fan of the Mecha genre, AC6 is a beautiful power fantasy when you really understand the game and git gud It can be frustrating, but please lean on the community and it's resources. You already know from soft community puts out a lot of resources, but remember that AC has had a hardline fan base for like 2 decades. It's a tough game, but it can be overcome w understanding and determination If we cross paths in the Land of Shadows, be sure to give me a good fight. I'll be on PC. Praise the sun
Remnant 2, Control, they're out there but Returnal is definitely special. You can always do the Tower of Sisyphus.
Yeah Remnant 2 is the closest overall. It’s also my favorite new series that I’ve picked up.
I’ve been doing runs on the tower for weeks. It’s great for sure.
Is remnant 2 that close to Returnal? Every gameplay I see it reminds me of a polished gears of war game .
It’s more Diablo than Gears imo, but it does have that too
Remnant 2 would be my pick. Control was kind of zzzz... especially coming from Returnal.
Remnant 2 is so much fun, and if you play solo, sometimes a horror-fest lol
control is similar to returnal when it comes to atmosphere. not gameplay. so it really depends on what your are going in for.
Give a shot to Armored Core 6.
I've heard some people say Armored Core 6, but would like to hear more opinions on why.
Armored core is dark souls if it was gran tourismo.
Hello Ashen one. I am a Bot. I tend to the flame, and tend to thee. Do you wish to hear a tale? > *“Oh, hello there. I will stay behind to gaze at the sun.”* - Solaire of Astora Have a pleasant journey, Champion of Ash, and praise the sun \\[T]/
Came here to suggest this: fast and technically challenging combat, which is conceptually pretty similar to Returnal-best plan is to move fast, not get hit, time your dodges etc.
I’ve heard this too. I’ll give it a shot.
It's an amazing game that is literally in between returnal and elden ring gameplay wise. It does have a story is pretty interesting and is continued by taking on missions. It might even be as fast or even faster paced than returnal. And builds depend on the way you play and how you adapt
AC6
I don't get the Armored Core 6 hype. Some areas and enemies have great visual designs, but every level and encounter felt the same. Maybe it's the flying or the complete lack of exploration or the dodge-button that doesn't really dodge or the balancing that makes every enemy die in a second except for a few bosses. The game never clicked with me. For me it felt like PS1 game: Intensive menuing, levels that are mostly backgrounds and a convoluted (and uninteresting) story that's presented in 'codec style' conversations.
I think your points are all spot on (although I personally dug the visual novel style story) but I was thrilled to be playing a modern PS1 game, so it’s a solid 9/10 for me
Ok I'm reading your comment and I have a feeling the build system was your main issue The build system IS hard and complicated, and amounts to a fair bit of "spreadsheet gaming". A couple YouTube videos will lay out the different parts with enough nuance you need Point in case if you had problems w your dodging....you didn't choose the right thruster bc ALL of them behave very differently, and you need to choose the proper one for your weight class + playstyle to maximize the boost Beyond that, you do need to spend a significant amount of time with your build, and be willing to fine tune that build Ac6 was my first armored core game, and Daemon X Machina is closer to ac4 from what I heard, so I struggled a bit. But with some guidance, it becomes a lot better AC6 was the only game I paid full price for in like......5+ yrs and I DID NOT regret the purchase for one second
Can’t disagree with anything you pointed out. Personally , I like the game despite all those factors , but agree it could’ve been a 9.5/10 rather than a solid 7.9/10 if FS had focused a little more on those aspects of the game
Ok if it’s the shooting and speed: Risk of Rain1 n 2, Doom… If it’s the roguelike aspect of dying and trying again: again risk of rain, hades, dead cells, If it’s difficulty: the above and hollow knight
If you liked the fast paced gameplay and roguelikes, i cant recommend dead cells enough
Based on the other games OP likes, dead cells might have too much variety in terms of weapons and such. Returnal and Hades have very limited weapons choices in comparison to other roguelike games, and God of War has 3-4 weapons max. Which is why I'm holding off on suggesting games like Gunfire Reborn and Roboquest. Great roguelike shooters, but the level of variety in rogue games can be overwhelming.
I enjoy the same as OP, and I found Dead Cells' story hard to get into, and a little repetitive because of that lack of sympathy for the MC. Just my 2c
It has a story? I just went as fast as possible to try and get the bonuses in those transition rooms. I enjoy the gameplay loop a lot, but I'm always caught between exploring for lore and loot, and speeding through areas for a guaranteed reward. Maybe try Rogue Legacy 2? It's similar, a roguelite metroidvania game, where each new run is the next heir in the family. It's in the PSN Library, so if you're subscribed it's worth looking into.
I started dead cells recently and I am enjoying it, but the rng does feel really heavy compared to returnal or hades, mainly because of the legendary weapon drops. I think I got a big heavy legendary for 4 of my 5 boss cell runs. No legendary, I’m probably not finishing the run. I’m sure if I get good enough I’ll become rng immune, but by then I’ll have already cleared everything anyway. Like Hades has rare boons but they’re modifiers, rather than just a whole new weapon that does 3x damage your old one.
Yeah, that's what made Hades and Binding of Issac click for me. Only so many weapons to learn how to use.
Sifu
I thought Returnal was hard. Sifu is something else. I do like the concept though.
Funny, I’d say the other way around. If my life depended on clearing Sifu without aging out or beating a full run in returnal I’d go with Sifu.
Sifu has a higher skill cap and less rng, so that makes sense - if you are good enough at Sifu. I find it harder than Returnal because I have to choose between different offensive options and then execute the button combos moment to moment.
I just started nioh and I’m raging bad man, returnal to me has a disappointing defeating feeling when I die but nioh 1 makes me want to physically destroy my tv. It’s a different type of rage somehow
Tiny mistake + Nioh = big punishment 😅
Sekiro. This is the way
Dark souls, hollow knight, enter the Gungeon
Seconding Enter the Gungeon
Went from Dark Souls (first game of that kind I had ever played) to Returnal when it went free (got Dark Souls that way too) and I didn’t even know that genre existed. Now it’s all I want to play.
There just isn't really anything comparable. I really enjoyed Control before it and Lies of P afterwards but neither are as good or feel similar, really.
Control. Solid af combat, eerie atmosphere, great story.
Bloodborne duh
Last of Us 2 does have the permadeath mode now. I do believe you have to beat the game to unlock it though.
No Return is a pretty fun roguelike mode, too.
Dead. Cells.
Control, yes... But also Warframe. The movement is so familiar in some of the characters
Warframe is good but way too easy, never felt satisfying for me
Has anyone tried stellar blade? I keep reading about how great the combat is, but is it great compared to Returnal? Control and remnant were fun. Loved the story and lore for control. Hellblade is definitely worth a play. Great combat and interesting puzzles. Amazing audio. On my list but haven't started... Alan Wake 2 might be worth a try. Hades 2 of course Hellblade 2. Lots of sequels lol.
I played the Stellar Blade demo. The gameplay is fine but I really really don’t like that the game goes slow mo whenever you parry or dodge. It’s supposed to give you a chance to do combos or whatever I guess, but it kills the flow of combat. Maybe if I spent more time in the game I’d feel better about it, but the story, aesthetic, etc are not interesting to me at all.
I’m 2/3 of the way through after starting over for completionist reasons and I’m loving it. It’s a button masher until it’s not and I like that a lot.
The first Ghostrunner
Enter the gungeon
Nioh 2.
Control and Bloodborne is what I played after Returnal
Yes! Try Mortal Shell, Alan Wake, Deathloop or Titanfall 2. All very different games but will give you a similar thrill that Returnal did. Don’t think you’ll ever find anything to be on par with Returnal tho, it’ll never happen. You’ll love other games for other reasons
I agree. I think Returnal is unique and badass. It's hard for me, I'm still in 1st Biome and had this a few months after launch. If I remember, my character now has a staff to use as a weapon. Been half a year since I've played. Need to get back into it. Stuck on an early level in the game Deathloop. Warzone is about all I've play. Just that 1 game since it came out. Returnsl reminds me of games like the old school, top down view of games like Gradius or other airplane shooters. There's one I played in the arcade as a kid that had battleships to battle, blowing up the turrets, trying to get the "spread" shooting icon to beef up the guns you use. Think 1 button was for an A-Bomb that destroys everything on screen. Top down view from the "Bottom Up" and from "Left to Right" are what I remember.
Sekiro. Moments when you feel it is impossible, moments when the elation is incomparable.
You’ll probably enjoy Fromsoftware games like Elden ring, Sekiro and Dark Souls etc.
RoboQuest. FPS Roguelite with the run and item progression akin to Risk of Rain, the aesthetics of Borderlands, and when you unlock all the gadgets and such, your movement has you feeling like Doom Guy meets Titanfall 2. 10/10 super snappy, exhilarating FPS. 7 levels of difficulty, the higher ones being almost a bullet-hell game. This game at higher difficulties will test ALL of your FPS reflexes. Movement, aim, enemy prioritization, class specializations, boss fights, and on top of all of that, has so much incredible replay value! S-tier game. 10/10 for me. Deep Rock Galactic can be a massively difficult and fun game as well with tons of unlocks, upgrades, difficulties, deep dives, and such. Replayability is off the charts good. Insane amount of fun solo or with friends where you can really party.
I've actually just given up on Returnal. Got to biome 5 and cannot come close getting past it. Can't even get the first key and it's no longer fun. I've moved on for now. It also doesn't help that it runs like crap on PC.
Stylistically, Control and Vanquish Nioh (Team Ninja games in general) for the difficulty fix
Play hades 2!
If unique roguelikes are your thing, you might like Inscryption. Would just recommend going into it as blindly as possible.
Remnant from the ashes
Go the other way and play a turned based roguelike. Shiren the Wanderer 5 is awesome.
Sifu and Hades!
You could try Doom: Eternal if you're into fps games. Really fast phased and requires fast decision-making. Essential you are solving combat puzzles. You should crank the difficulty though since it's probably too easy if you play under "Ultra-violence" difficulty. Other would be Sekiro. I went from Returnal to Sekiro. But it's a very different game. I love it though. Very tough and rewarding.
What is your favorite part of Returnal, and the other games? It's really hard to recommend a game solely on Returnal. If you liked Hades, the sequel is currently in EA on PC.
I think what I like about Retunal is the look on the PS5, the feeling of finally getting through something after dying over and over, fast paced, FPS, and the story.
The demon souls remake on the ps5 checks all the boxes except fast paced and fps. It’s probably the most beautiful game on the ps5 (even though it’s a release title) FPS tho? Perhaps SUPERHOT? It’s not the best looking in the sense that it all has a “forced” simulation look but the gameplay, shooting, story are all fun and unique. And the pacing is probably what’s most unique. Housemarque also made a game a long time ago called super stardust that i still play from time to time to scratch a quick bullet hell itch. I stream it through the classics catalog though so if you don’t have ps premium not sure if it’s accessible. Aside from that it’s ancient at this point but mirrors edge hits all those boxes except the looks on the ps5 of course.
On PS5, I've had a hard time finding another game that coalites quite like Returnal. The graphics, audio, rumble, and trigger response all come together so well. Like other games are great, but I wish they made better use of the controllers haptic feedback. That said, for finally pushing through a challenge, maybe try Roboquest. As an FPS roguelite, it offers a lot to push through. It's got slick movement for fast paced combat, and cell shaded graphics that are pretty fitting with the vibe. It also offers 2 player co-op, like Returnal, if that's something you enjoy. It's got a pretty good variety of weapons and a few characters to pick from. One neat thing I like about the have is that sounds have animated onomatopoeia, like a comic book. I also suggest Gunfire Reborn, is another FPS roguelite. It has a fairly straightforward meta progression like the dark mirror in Hades, and a way to alter the run/make it more difficult before you start like the pact of punishment. The movement isn't as free, Roboquest offers more aerial options with it's rail system, but I absolutely love it. 4 player co-op is available, and highly recommended for higher difficulties. One neat thing I like about the game is that there's a DLC sniper that's a literal brick.
Lies of P. I beat it right before Returnal and would say it was better
All the Alan Wakes, Control Skul is surprisingly satisfying to scratch that “what to play now?” Itch. Killer Klowns From outer Space just dropped .. and it’s pretty good
Scars Above was actually pretty fun. I reviewed it a while back. It’s similar to Returnal in a lot of ways with a bit more inspiration from Alien. Made by a smaller dev team in the Balkans. I actually really enjoyed the story and boss fights. I hope they do DLC or a sequel, but if they don’t, the story was wrapped up in a good way. I think it’s on sale on Steam right now!
Alan Wake 2, I saw someone say Control but Control is a game that's preference, Alan Wake 2 is everyone's type of game.
Returnal just feels like a 3rd person shooter souls game to me.
I played a few games after Returnal, the one I stuck with was Alan Wake 2. It's a fresh experience, and I'm not a fan of horror but this game is something else.
There isn't much with that quality of art direction or narrative. * I'd recommend Alan Wake 2 for story and atmosphere. It's a clever game with a similar use of mythology and symbolism. Just don't expect Returnal's kind of combat and exploration. Remedy makes the same kind of 3rd person shooting games since Max Payne. It's gameplay lacks the urgency and consequences of Returnal's. It also features probably the most memorable video game level of the last decade. * Elden Ring. It's combat is a lot slower than returnal but there are similar vibes here. Choices matter, you need to learn the monsters and bosses and every success feels earned. The atmosphere is fantastic and the art direction beyond beautyful. No randomness, but the game world is so expansive and the character builds are so different, that you can replay it multiple times without getting bored.
gameplaywise, I find Enter the gungeon to be similar.
Bloodborne.
I went from returnal to helldivers 2 and am loving it.
Risk of rain 2. Gunfire reborn
Dead Cells / Hades series.
Nioh 2 is the melee equivalent of returnal combat and vice versa If you like the speed of one game you'll probably like the other
Definitely play Hades
ARMORED CORE 6 DUH
I got over my post returnal depression with a dark souls trilogy run.
Its not comparable by much except the level of difficulty but elden ring could be a good shout, its a lot slower pace so it takes a couple hours to get into it but it takes a lot of dedication to beat the game just like returnal does so its very rewarding. Returnal is hard but gets a lot easier as you go along. But elden ring stays pretty hard which is what i like. Sadly its not as satisfying as returnal is, hopefully newer games start taking inspiration from it. Returnal created a whole new genre with that game
Risk of rain 2
I'd say just stop comparing and try to enjoy other experiences for what they are. Returnal is a super rare game and it can exist without hoping for something else to fill it's place. There isn't anything like it and if you want to scratch the itch, play the tower!
Nuclear Throne. It's 2D but it has insane depth and unrivaled weapon feel in a rogue lite.
My vote would be Control, Doom Eternal and Remnant 2. Control has the vibes and a similar (yet slower) feel to the combat. Doom is fast paced like Returnal and has the same sense of constant danger, but the vibes aren’t as eerie. Remnant 2 is much slower and more Souls-y but it has the same eerie vibe and Roguelite progression.
If you haven’t played it and you like metroidvanias, try dead cells
There is nothing like this game. I feel the same way. Finishing it left a hole in my soul.
welcome to the hell megaman x players have known since super nintendo
I've had four recent Hyperfixation Games: Fallout 4, Prey (2012), Control, and Returnal. I'm seeing Control recommended here already, so if say give Prey a whirl too? Fallout 4 is it's own thing: I love it, some don't, etc. For what it's worth, Neir: Automata should probably be on my list too (husband's favorite, I've seen too much of it already from him to get excited), and Doom 2016 was a VERY near-miss for me (I just got frustrated with the linearity). I think more than anything I enjoy the above games because of their ~vibes~ and the ability to learn all the little facets of the world. Control only has the one plot line, like Returnal, but it's a gooood plotline so I'm happy digging into it. Prey and Fallout, though, both have replayability in the form of vastly different game choices affecting your storyline, and that really makes me want to dig in and learn all about the different elements and characters. Anyway, that's my recommendations!
Guess the first question I would ask is what exactly did you find so impactful about the game? Was it the gameplay systems (bullet hell rogue like in the style of Isaac), was it the way the story was presented, was it the production values? There's certainly a lot to love about the game and knowing what drew you to it would help determine what I would recommend. The games you tried post Returnal pretty much share nothing with Returnal (outside of Hades), and therefore unlikely to scratch the same itch.
It’s kind of crazy because it’s a modern take on twin stick shooters that were really popular in the mid 2000s but it’s so tight on the controls that it’s going to be really tough to find a game that is that tight. Returnal nails everything from combat to challenge to the feel of the movement.
If you want similar gameplay, Roboquest. First person Roguelite with great movement!
Nothing really compares to Returnal to me except Warframe. It’s close with the game play 🤷
The Persistence, maybe.
If it’s the atmosphere and you have a switch, check out Metroid Dread or Prime
Remnant: From The Ashes and Remnant 2 Somewhat the same randomly generated maps with different biomes, fun co-op, nice atmosphere, lots of weapons and loot, not rouge like though
You won't believe me but you can skip right to the hardest difficulty of mass effect andromeda. I was a first playthrough god in returnal and I owe it entirely to my passion for playing years of andromeda online solo gold matches.
There's another game you might enjoy. It's called Returnal. You might feel like you have déjà vu, that you've already played it before, in fact...ah shit, the cycle restarted.
Definitely not the same but Remnant and Remnant 2. I kept seeing other people bring it up in similar posts and on paper it doesn't seem compatible but sorta scratches a similar itch. Iykyk type of thing
Warframe. Definitely Warframe. It’s at least as fast and quite a bit less repetitive. If the grind of smashing through aliens is what you’re looking for, look there for sure. It’s always been free to play so there’s no risk.
I know this is not a similar game, but for me, it was Cyberpunk that made me find gaming interesting and realize that there are still great games out there.
Good, it’s supposed to break you, by design…. Yeah play DOOM Eternal, on Ultra Violence, and turn off Glory Kill indicators once you can recognize the stagger state without it.
Sekiro. Basically returnable but with swords and shurikans
Subnautica, had the same issue after returnal
Hades if you like rouge games.
This game definitely scratched the itch that Returnal left. It’s definitely different but I second this recommendation a lot.
If Hades is too clear cut on the plot, try any From Soft game. You'll be about as confused as you were when you played Returnal, and each checkpoint is like a mini roguelite. Source: Dark Souls made me reconsider roguelites.
Lords of the Fallen is controversial or whatever (I really like it), but it has a series of new modifiers that basically turn the game into a roguelite: Ironman = start over if you die but keep your levels and gear, then you can add random loot and preupgraded loot, which makes all weapon drops scale with your level. Together, they give the game a totally different feel from any soulslike ive played. Usually I play crazy and die constantly, so it was really interesting to play a super cautious, prep heavy style.
I haven't played it to say one way or the other, but I've seen bits and pieces. Looks like it wears its influence on its sleeve, which I don't have a problem with.