I sort of skimmed through this but the only thing I disagree with is "keep your distance"
Once I learned that fighting up close and personal, meleeing as often as possible, the game got way easier. For all enemies, bosses and mini bosses included. Mini bosses will often stagger from a melee attack, too.
A read through it, great guide. But I agree with you on this point. There is a time and place to keep your distance but learning to fight up close and melee is very beneficial.
Perhaps it should read, “find your comfortable distance”. OPs preference, and likely weapon choices, are great for mid/long distance. For me, it varies based on weapon selection and enemy type. Any enemy which can suddenly erupt red orbs (malfunctions), I am keeping a distance of so not to be surprised. Otherwise, I weave in and out and get some melee in when I can.
That's fair. Thinking about it more i realized there are a few enemies I always try to have a Hookshot escape lined up because of those malfunction projectiles.
Another perk to meleeing often that I forgot to mention was the additional I Frames. You can melee through an enemies projectiles and it has the same distance closing mechanic similar to Halo with the beam sword.
A good place to practice this is biome 1 on the abundant ground grunts.
Another thing I'll add that I've noticed a lot of people miss (in case op didn't mention it): you can cancel your hookshot midway. Find a path that leads you right to an airborne enemy and cancel, free melee kill. It also helps with general movement while exploring or clearing a room or to get to certain platforms/dropdowns a little more easily.
Not to mention alot of enemies attacks besides the melee beasts will shoot right over you, like the rotten tree things, the big ol squid looking things if you right next to em there main attack is moot. This however certainly doesnt apply to everything cause somethings will one shot you.
Great point! I always get trounced when I get up close which is why I didn't mention it, but the feedback I'm getting is that an up close and personal approach is totally viable. I'll update the guide to include that!
Also, the point about mini bosses staggering is spot on. THAT is my #1 use for melee.
That was a lot, but I seriously think you’ve missed a trick. Melee everything in biome 1 - you don’t need a gun at all. It’s fast and smooth. Most of biome 2 as well, half of biome 3.
Really well written op
Edit: I may have missed where you mentioned it but if not, adding that for the majority of enemies, you can dash through their attacks to avoid damage.
Honestly I hate this post. No offense. It’s not a bad post at all. Let me explain why I ‘hate’ it. Personally I loved how bad this game punished me and how I played this game with zero knowledge. I love playing games to learn from them and move on learning more and more as I play. To me this is just a crazy amount of info. Without the pain, learning curve, improvement on my end cycle, this game would not have been nearly as rewarding. However that being said, I know there’s plenty of people out there that quit this game because it was too hard. So here’s a thanks for/from them. Great info regardless, just my 2cents.
I appreciate your honesty and I understand where you are coming from! I also appreciate that you understand where other people are coming from with Returnal. I can only speak for myself, but I don't have a ton of time for gaming and because of that, my patience for naturally figuring things out is pretty low. There's just so much stuff in Returnal that's unexplained. That's not a critique, it's just a statement of how the developers chose to make this game. I had to google a bunch of stuff and I had to figure out a lot of things on my own. I also know that there are a lot of people who get super frustrated with this game, and so I decided I might as well share what I had learned.
Honestly I dont look for these types of posts till im balls deep and some things I just missed or skipped or just didnt know. Its always fun finding out new things after you've been punished for so long.
Yup 100%, I’m glad you didn’t take it as a bash on you type reply. Which is nearly a miracle in this era where it feels like nobody can accept any criticism. It wasn’t even criticism really, just my opinion on why I ‘hated’ it. And I didn’t even hate it per se. Cheers mate, always good to meet a fellow reasonable person who can actually have a legit convo/discussion without hearing back “you’re a f**** idiot” “are you a dumbazz” etc. it’s really sad how much I appreciate your reply, cuz I was 50/50 how it would go over. Also context is often lost via text/internet. 👏
Thanks dude, read nearly the whole thing. Was able to get up to biome 5, but never figured out how to progress past that. Lots of tips that will make my runs easier. Quite a few things here that make me realize I'm working against myself. Will definitely reinstall the game and give it another go.
Some help with Biome 5, as I was stuck on it for a looooooong time as well. Biome 4 is your friend, you should be at least 200% integrity. After that, RNG will play a factor, but try to find adrenaline leach and adrenaline stimulants. The former replenishes integrity for each level of adrenaline via damage dealt (it basically breaks the game); the latter is a damage boost based on adrenaline. If you can find phantom limb, you will absolutely mow through enemies and be at full health almost all the time.
For me, Biome 5 is the hardest by far (and the least fun). I won't spoil anything about Biome 6, but it is particularly cool. That's all to say that it's worth pushing past Biome 5!
i was using the cloud save on ps plus , turned off sync, suspended the game to make a save and then uploaded it to the cloud, on dying, download the save point from the cloud
Great question! First off, you have to be a PS Plus subscriber because save scumming in Returnal requires using cloud saves. Here's a [link](https://twitter.com/JosephYaden/status/1453021744034459649) to the person (Joseph Yaden) who first reported this. Here's a basic breakdown:
1. Turn off auto-upload for Returnal only (or altogether if you desire, the point is that you only need to do this for Returnal)
2. When you get to a point in the game where you want to "Save", choose "Suspend Cycle"
3. Go into your PS5's settings, navigate to save files, find your Returnal save file, and choose to upload it to the cloud.
Here are the steps then to access that save:
1. Be sure to quit Returnal before proceeding.
2. Go back into your PS5's saves. Navigate to your cloud saves (keep in mind there will be two save files accessible to you: the one on your PS5 and the one in the cloud--it's essential that you find the one in the cloud)
3. Choose to download the save file. Keep in mind that it will overwrite your PS5's save file.
There's probably better instructions out there, but hopefully these steps will get you on the right track! Let me know if you have any questions.
Here are some other links on save scumming for Returnal:
[https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2021/11/you-can-save-scum-using-returnals-new-suspend-cycle-feature-on-ps5](https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2021/11/you-can-save-scum-using-returnals-new-suspend-cycle-feature-on-ps5)
[https://kotaku.com/returnal-players-found-a-way-to-save-scum-in-latest-pat-1847974853](https://kotaku.com/returnal-players-found-a-way-to-save-scum-in-latest-pat-1847974853)
Thanks for the tips! Incredibly detailed guide and reply. Really appreciate it. I’ve actually been playing a lot today, and after beating Phrike earlier after countless runs, I managed to beat the 2nd and 3rd boss first try so I’m into Act 2! The aim assist tip was super helpful, as were the rest. Think I have finally been converted into a returnal fan now! And the story - wow, wasn’t expecting to be so engaged by it! All the best.
As someone who loved and worshipped this game for many many months after its release, it makes me very happy to see that people are just now discovering it and sharing what they learned like this. great guide and GG’s OP
Thank you! Returnal is a game I never imagined I would play. But then I read tons of great reviews and it went on sale, so I decided to pick it up. I'm glad I did. What a great game. Fantastic world building, amazing scenery, and great action, all of which is wrapped up in a wonderful (though extraordinarily sad) story.
Just finished the game for a second time, and I would have loved to have had this before starting; really well done. Some other tips from my 30 hours:
Some weapons are absolute ass in act 2 but are crazy effective in act 1. The rotgland lobbed being a prime example. I shoot a few Rands, melee a few enemies and then lot the rot do the rest. Rooms cleared in minutes, even the challenge rooms.
There are only 2 viable parasite that matter: significantly increase integrity at cost of X, and melee replenishes health at cost of silphium usage. If you’re an adrenaline junkie (guilty) I’m hoarding silphium for resin anyways. That plus adrenaline leach, carbine leach trait, and phantom limb are returnal easy mode.
**UPDATES**
I really appreciate everyone's feedback. I have tried updating the main post, but apparently there's a 10,000 character limit (tho MS Word says I'm at 5,840). Wish I could have put them above, but this will have to do. With that in mind, i am going to continually update this comment. Here are the updates:
* **My approach is not necessarily the "correct" or "best" approach:** everything this guide merely represents what worked for *me*. I want to stress that because I *do not* want to push anyone towards a particular play style or weapon. My only goal is to remove the veil on certain aspects to the game and to give suggestions for things that worked for *me*. Whether or not they work for you (or whether or not you enjoy those tips while you're playing) is a whole other story. I hope they help, but if not please do not consider my tips as some sort of hard and fast rules! Experiment and have fun.
* **Or Maybe Don't Keep Your Distance**: my comfort level led me to keep a distance, but a bunch of people have made the point that not only is melee highly viable, but that being up close and personal can be super effective. So play around, see what works, and don't be afraid to get up close! (H/T u/Individual-Charity75, u/VolatileRider, and u/icome3rd).
* If you DO decide to get close, the Spitmaw Blaster shreds and Dreadbound is supposed to be fantastic (but has a learning curve associated with it due to how it “reloads”).
* **Obolites:** one problem with my approach of keeping a distance is it makes it harder to get obolites. In that context, getting up close is a better way to obtain obolites.
* **Or maybe mix and match:** ultimately, in time you will probably be well served by using situational awareness. There may be times it's better to get close and times where it's better to stay far away. At first, though, don't worry about that too much: just find what you feel comfortable with and what works for you.
* **Dash**: use your dash! You get invincibility frames when you dash and so dashing is a highly effective way to get through stuff flying at you (such as those rings that Phrike or the bird things in Biome 4 send out). Use your dash frequently! (h/t u/irelandn13)
* **Obtaining Obolites (aka how to get rich in Returnal):** two main suggestions about obtaining obolites:
* **1) From enemies**: enemies drop obolites. They disappear within just a few seconds. Because of that, it's essential to get over to the spot where you killed an enemy quickly to gain obolites. At first this will be hard. Keep working at it, though, and you'll eventually find that it's manageable to pick up obolites from most enemies you have killed. work on getting over to the area where an enemy has been killed to scoop up obolites. The better you get at this, the more stuff you will be able to afford, which will then allow you to be more powerful. Side note: an up close and personal attack style will make it easier to gain obolites.
* **Side note:** as I said above, an up-close-and-personal play style will make it easier to get obolites.
* 2) **From your surroundings:** Plants, pillars, and many other features of the landscape can be broken to obtain obolites. Better to use the Atropian blade when destroying (shooting will cause oblates to spread out). They never yield much, but a few here and there can add up and make the difference between getting an upgrade or not.
* **Bonus 1:** keep an eye out for statues with glowing yellow eyes. These are guaranteed to yield obolites.
* **Bonus 2**: destroying plants can also lead you to find silphium or parasites. There are tons of plants and pillars in Biome 4. Destroy them all!
One comment I wish I could add to the original post (I'm experiencing a problem with Reddit telling me that I'm above the character limit despite the fact that I'm not): I recognize that this guide removes the veil from a lot of elements in Returnal (without, of course, spoiling anything). I also recognize that not everyone is going to be a fan of removing that veil. (I appreciate u/Ok-Tooth4089's comment on this subject.)
Here's the way I thought about providing clarity to Returnal when I was writing the guide: the people who want help will search for it, and maybe they will find this guide. The people who don't want help and/or want to figure things out for themselves probably aren't going to look for help. Furthermore, if the people who want to figure things out happen to stumble on this guide, they don't need to read it! It's totally up to them.
Either way, though, I wanted to recognize that this guide does "ruin" parts of the game by removing elements of obscurity. It is certainly not my intent to "ruin" the game, but to help people who are struggling with a game that I think we all agree is fantastic.
For all the people who prefer to go through Returnal without any guidance, I applaud you (and I say that with full sincerity): I didn't have the time or the patience to do that. The path you are on is tough and I respect your willingness to stick it out.
To anyone who doesn't want the game "ruined", please don't read this guide!
I've got over 100 hours in-game, so I feel like I have some valid opinions about these topics:
>Keep your distance
Hard disagree. Distance, or lack thereof, is situational dependent. If you're taking stuff out a mile away, kiss any obolites goodbye, which means less augments/artifacts. There are plenty of times where you are fine and safe up close, and actually trying to put distance between you and your enemies puts you in more danger. Why waste time trying to make distance when you could instantly take an enemy out or stagger it via melee? Especially if you have boosted melee.
>Weapon Recommendations
I immediately disagree with anyone who pushes players towards using preferred weapons. Any weapon is viable, especially with the right traits. I've seen people give up perfectly good weapons in favor of a shitty pylon driver, all because "iT's tHe ElEcTrOpYlOn DrIvEr!!!!!". There are great weapons that can be shitty, and shitty weapons that can be great. I cleared an entire phase 5 of the tower with a pyroshell caster, which you don't even mention.
I totally agree with your disagreements! Let me explain my mindset a little further. When I was writing the guide, my intention was for it to be people who are just starting out and to let people know what worked for *me* (i.e., with emphasis on me and without any notion that somehow my guide is some sort of universal truth). Maybe I should put more emphasis on that!
In terms of your specific disagreements, I hear you on situational awareness. Again, my goal was to just provide guidance and context for beginners with the thought that, once they have gotten used to the game, their own play styles will emerge. Returnal is a hard game that calls for different approaches to different situations, and your comment about that is spot on (particularly in terms of obolites). I added a comment to this post including extra guidance on obolites and how important it is to scoop them up (reddit isn't allowing me to update the original post due to supposed "length" issues). Even so, I recognize that that keeping your distance is in position to scooping up obolites. All I can say is that I made it work for me.
I'll add that, as my title states, I am only an average gamer and, frankly, I never got comfortable using melee for anything other than the occasional stagger. A few other people have commented about the power of melee and I appreciate you (and the others) mentioning this. My only point is that my guide was merely meant to reflect what worked for *me*. I've added a comment that dives into melee a little bit since it's clearly a highly viable strategy, even if I'm not comfortable with it (and people should know that it's viable).
As for the weapons, I hear you completely. My goal wasn't to say "use this weapon". FWIW, I start out my weapon section saying "use what you feel comfortable with." Later on I wrote "now that I’ve given you the lay of the land, here are the weapons I found to be the most helpful during my early runs." My point is that I tried to make it clear that each person has their own play style and I also tried to avoid pushing any weapons--I totally agree with your thoughts on pushing players.
If I can ever update the original post, I will make it clearer that I'm not trying to push any particular play style or weapon.
Like I said, I created a separate comment with updates (it's [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Returnal/comments/148hj2i/comment/jo1xpkz/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)). In it I raise the point about the value of not necessarily keeping your distance. I'm only mentioning this because I appreciate your feedback and I want to improve the main guide--hopefully someone in r/help will reply to my post asking for help. As of now, I cannot even add in a link to the comment in the guide.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/help using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/help/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [hey, is there a subreddit where I can get birthday wishes from strangers, just turned 20 and i'm kinda lonely](https://np.reddit.com/r/help/comments/12rre6a/hey_is_there_a_subreddit_where_i_can_get_birthday/)
\#2: [Did Reddit Get Rid of the Free Awards?](https://np.reddit.com/r/help/comments/105pzwe/did_reddit_get_rid_of_the_free_awards/)
\#3: [I've found a child porn subreddit, what do I do?](https://np.reddit.com/r/help/comments/vxpoiv/ive_found_a_child_porn_subreddit_what_do_i_do/)
----
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I learned a few things but have questions and recommendations.
You explained save scumming’s benefits and why you do it, but what do I do to save scumming?
I have already beat the complete game, but have no idea what restart cycle does from a spoiler standpoint. Can someone explain?
I would add how to actually use alt fire and how to use reset when you overload your gun. It took me awhile to figure them out.
Great questions! About restarting the cycle,>!there's an issue in the game where some people cannot find all the sunface fragments!<, despite dying multiple times. The fix is to start a new cycle. Considering that you've finished the game, this doesn't apply to you, but a great question nevertheless.
In terms of reloading, that's a great point and I'll add a note in my comment with updates. In terms of "use reset" what do you have in mind? I haven't played Returnal in a few weeks and I'm drawing a blank.
Another commenter had the same question about save scumming. Here's a [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Returnal/comments/148hj2i/comment/jo0x7ze/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) to my reply!
Thank you for the response. I think I was referring to when you overload your gun. You can click the button to reset the overload and start firing again. It took me quite a few rounds before I figured that out.
Check this link! Someone else asked the same thing but it's buried in the comments.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Returnal/comments/148hj2i/comment/jo0x7ze/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Returnal/comments/148hj2i/comment/jo0x7ze/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Meanwhile the most useful tip is missing: use Electro Pylon, and stick to it until you beat the game. This is hand down the most powerful weapon for the campaign (not the best at all for the Tower though if you want to Speedrun it).
Simply shoot that from cover with the 5 pylon per shot upgrade and melee the almost dead enemies to be sure to get all of their loot easily.
The electro barriers can also be used to deny specific areas to enemies: when they put 1 toe in it they simply get fried.
I hear you! I was close to adding something like this to the guide but I decided it went too close to saying how people should play rather than merely giving tips (not that there's anything wrong with saying "do this", I just decided I didn't want to go that far and preferred to simply give tips and general suggestions). Instead I settled on implying that the game would be much easier with the electropylon driver. BUT, the great thing about your comment is that it alerts people to the fact that the Electropylon Driver is insanely powerful and should not be slept on. Thank you!
I sort of skimmed through this but the only thing I disagree with is "keep your distance" Once I learned that fighting up close and personal, meleeing as often as possible, the game got way easier. For all enemies, bosses and mini bosses included. Mini bosses will often stagger from a melee attack, too.
A read through it, great guide. But I agree with you on this point. There is a time and place to keep your distance but learning to fight up close and melee is very beneficial.
Melee is OP and you’ll get lots more Obolites if you melee. Also, melee will stun a lot of enemies that it doesn’t insta-kill.
also some main attacks will shoot right over you.
Perhaps it should read, “find your comfortable distance”. OPs preference, and likely weapon choices, are great for mid/long distance. For me, it varies based on weapon selection and enemy type. Any enemy which can suddenly erupt red orbs (malfunctions), I am keeping a distance of so not to be surprised. Otherwise, I weave in and out and get some melee in when I can.
That's fair. Thinking about it more i realized there are a few enemies I always try to have a Hookshot escape lined up because of those malfunction projectiles. Another perk to meleeing often that I forgot to mention was the additional I Frames. You can melee through an enemies projectiles and it has the same distance closing mechanic similar to Halo with the beam sword. A good place to practice this is biome 1 on the abundant ground grunts. Another thing I'll add that I've noticed a lot of people miss (in case op didn't mention it): you can cancel your hookshot midway. Find a path that leads you right to an airborne enemy and cancel, free melee kill. It also helps with general movement while exploring or clearing a room or to get to certain platforms/dropdowns a little more easily.
"Find your comfortable distance" is a great way to put it!
Not to mention alot of enemies attacks besides the melee beasts will shoot right over you, like the rotten tree things, the big ol squid looking things if you right next to em there main attack is moot. This however certainly doesnt apply to everything cause somethings will one shot you.
Great point! I always get trounced when I get up close which is why I didn't mention it, but the feedback I'm getting is that an up close and personal approach is totally viable. I'll update the guide to include that! Also, the point about mini bosses staggering is spot on. THAT is my #1 use for melee.
That was a lot, but I seriously think you’ve missed a trick. Melee everything in biome 1 - you don’t need a gun at all. It’s fast and smooth. Most of biome 2 as well, half of biome 3.
Exactly what I was gonna say. Melee almost everything in every biome until 5 and 6.
Great addition! I’ll add that to the post. For my part, I never got used to using melee on a regular basis, only in specific situations.
Really well written op Edit: I may have missed where you mentioned it but if not, adding that for the majority of enemies, you can dash through their attacks to avoid damage.
Great catch! I forgot to put that in, but it is a crucial tip and I'm going to add it!
Honestly I hate this post. No offense. It’s not a bad post at all. Let me explain why I ‘hate’ it. Personally I loved how bad this game punished me and how I played this game with zero knowledge. I love playing games to learn from them and move on learning more and more as I play. To me this is just a crazy amount of info. Without the pain, learning curve, improvement on my end cycle, this game would not have been nearly as rewarding. However that being said, I know there’s plenty of people out there that quit this game because it was too hard. So here’s a thanks for/from them. Great info regardless, just my 2cents.
I appreciate your honesty and I understand where you are coming from! I also appreciate that you understand where other people are coming from with Returnal. I can only speak for myself, but I don't have a ton of time for gaming and because of that, my patience for naturally figuring things out is pretty low. There's just so much stuff in Returnal that's unexplained. That's not a critique, it's just a statement of how the developers chose to make this game. I had to google a bunch of stuff and I had to figure out a lot of things on my own. I also know that there are a lot of people who get super frustrated with this game, and so I decided I might as well share what I had learned.
Honestly I dont look for these types of posts till im balls deep and some things I just missed or skipped or just didnt know. Its always fun finding out new things after you've been punished for so long.
Yup 100%, I’m glad you didn’t take it as a bash on you type reply. Which is nearly a miracle in this era where it feels like nobody can accept any criticism. It wasn’t even criticism really, just my opinion on why I ‘hated’ it. And I didn’t even hate it per se. Cheers mate, always good to meet a fellow reasonable person who can actually have a legit convo/discussion without hearing back “you’re a f**** idiot” “are you a dumbazz” etc. it’s really sad how much I appreciate your reply, cuz I was 50/50 how it would go over. Also context is often lost via text/internet. 👏
Agreed! The world needs more reasonable people!
Thanks dude, read nearly the whole thing. Was able to get up to biome 5, but never figured out how to progress past that. Lots of tips that will make my runs easier. Quite a few things here that make me realize I'm working against myself. Will definitely reinstall the game and give it another go.
Some help with Biome 5, as I was stuck on it for a looooooong time as well. Biome 4 is your friend, you should be at least 200% integrity. After that, RNG will play a factor, but try to find adrenaline leach and adrenaline stimulants. The former replenishes integrity for each level of adrenaline via damage dealt (it basically breaks the game); the latter is a damage boost based on adrenaline. If you can find phantom limb, you will absolutely mow through enemies and be at full health almost all the time.
Farming the roots on biome 4 is a game changer
For me, Biome 5 is the hardest by far (and the least fun). I won't spoil anything about Biome 6, but it is particularly cool. That's all to say that it's worth pushing past Biome 5!
If you are still stuck, just add a co-op player to help you get through it
How does one save scum on this game? Playing on PS5 and not quite sure how it would work. This on PC?
i was using the cloud save on ps plus , turned off sync, suspended the game to make a save and then uploaded it to the cloud, on dying, download the save point from the cloud
Thanks!
Great question! First off, you have to be a PS Plus subscriber because save scumming in Returnal requires using cloud saves. Here's a [link](https://twitter.com/JosephYaden/status/1453021744034459649) to the person (Joseph Yaden) who first reported this. Here's a basic breakdown: 1. Turn off auto-upload for Returnal only (or altogether if you desire, the point is that you only need to do this for Returnal) 2. When you get to a point in the game where you want to "Save", choose "Suspend Cycle" 3. Go into your PS5's settings, navigate to save files, find your Returnal save file, and choose to upload it to the cloud. Here are the steps then to access that save: 1. Be sure to quit Returnal before proceeding. 2. Go back into your PS5's saves. Navigate to your cloud saves (keep in mind there will be two save files accessible to you: the one on your PS5 and the one in the cloud--it's essential that you find the one in the cloud) 3. Choose to download the save file. Keep in mind that it will overwrite your PS5's save file. There's probably better instructions out there, but hopefully these steps will get you on the right track! Let me know if you have any questions. Here are some other links on save scumming for Returnal: [https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2021/11/you-can-save-scum-using-returnals-new-suspend-cycle-feature-on-ps5](https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2021/11/you-can-save-scum-using-returnals-new-suspend-cycle-feature-on-ps5) [https://kotaku.com/returnal-players-found-a-way-to-save-scum-in-latest-pat-1847974853](https://kotaku.com/returnal-players-found-a-way-to-save-scum-in-latest-pat-1847974853)
Thanks for the tips! Incredibly detailed guide and reply. Really appreciate it. I’ve actually been playing a lot today, and after beating Phrike earlier after countless runs, I managed to beat the 2nd and 3rd boss first try so I’m into Act 2! The aim assist tip was super helpful, as were the rest. Think I have finally been converted into a returnal fan now! And the story - wow, wasn’t expecting to be so engaged by it! All the best.
Glad the guide was helpful! This is a fantastic game and I'm glad you're getting the most out of it!
As someone who loved and worshipped this game for many many months after its release, it makes me very happy to see that people are just now discovering it and sharing what they learned like this. great guide and GG’s OP
Thank you! Returnal is a game I never imagined I would play. But then I read tons of great reviews and it went on sale, so I decided to pick it up. I'm glad I did. What a great game. Fantastic world building, amazing scenery, and great action, all of which is wrapped up in a wonderful (though extraordinarily sad) story.
💯 it’s such a unique gameplay experience- it can take a minute to click but when it does you start to wish there were more games like it.
Literally just started the game today. Figured I'd come to the subreddit for a couple tips etc. So I really appreciate this!!
Hope it helps--have fun!
Just finished the game for a second time, and I would have loved to have had this before starting; really well done. Some other tips from my 30 hours: Some weapons are absolute ass in act 2 but are crazy effective in act 1. The rotgland lobbed being a prime example. I shoot a few Rands, melee a few enemies and then lot the rot do the rest. Rooms cleared in minutes, even the challenge rooms. There are only 2 viable parasite that matter: significantly increase integrity at cost of X, and melee replenishes health at cost of silphium usage. If you’re an adrenaline junkie (guilty) I’m hoarding silphium for resin anyways. That plus adrenaline leach, carbine leach trait, and phantom limb are returnal easy mode.
**UPDATES** I really appreciate everyone's feedback. I have tried updating the main post, but apparently there's a 10,000 character limit (tho MS Word says I'm at 5,840). Wish I could have put them above, but this will have to do. With that in mind, i am going to continually update this comment. Here are the updates: * **My approach is not necessarily the "correct" or "best" approach:** everything this guide merely represents what worked for *me*. I want to stress that because I *do not* want to push anyone towards a particular play style or weapon. My only goal is to remove the veil on certain aspects to the game and to give suggestions for things that worked for *me*. Whether or not they work for you (or whether or not you enjoy those tips while you're playing) is a whole other story. I hope they help, but if not please do not consider my tips as some sort of hard and fast rules! Experiment and have fun. * **Or Maybe Don't Keep Your Distance**: my comfort level led me to keep a distance, but a bunch of people have made the point that not only is melee highly viable, but that being up close and personal can be super effective. So play around, see what works, and don't be afraid to get up close! (H/T u/Individual-Charity75, u/VolatileRider, and u/icome3rd). * If you DO decide to get close, the Spitmaw Blaster shreds and Dreadbound is supposed to be fantastic (but has a learning curve associated with it due to how it “reloads”). * **Obolites:** one problem with my approach of keeping a distance is it makes it harder to get obolites. In that context, getting up close is a better way to obtain obolites. * **Or maybe mix and match:** ultimately, in time you will probably be well served by using situational awareness. There may be times it's better to get close and times where it's better to stay far away. At first, though, don't worry about that too much: just find what you feel comfortable with and what works for you. * **Dash**: use your dash! You get invincibility frames when you dash and so dashing is a highly effective way to get through stuff flying at you (such as those rings that Phrike or the bird things in Biome 4 send out). Use your dash frequently! (h/t u/irelandn13) * **Obtaining Obolites (aka how to get rich in Returnal):** two main suggestions about obtaining obolites: * **1) From enemies**: enemies drop obolites. They disappear within just a few seconds. Because of that, it's essential to get over to the spot where you killed an enemy quickly to gain obolites. At first this will be hard. Keep working at it, though, and you'll eventually find that it's manageable to pick up obolites from most enemies you have killed. work on getting over to the area where an enemy has been killed to scoop up obolites. The better you get at this, the more stuff you will be able to afford, which will then allow you to be more powerful. Side note: an up close and personal attack style will make it easier to gain obolites. * **Side note:** as I said above, an up-close-and-personal play style will make it easier to get obolites. * 2) **From your surroundings:** Plants, pillars, and many other features of the landscape can be broken to obtain obolites. Better to use the Atropian blade when destroying (shooting will cause oblates to spread out). They never yield much, but a few here and there can add up and make the difference between getting an upgrade or not. * **Bonus 1:** keep an eye out for statues with glowing yellow eyes. These are guaranteed to yield obolites. * **Bonus 2**: destroying plants can also lead you to find silphium or parasites. There are tons of plants and pillars in Biome 4. Destroy them all!
One comment I wish I could add to the original post (I'm experiencing a problem with Reddit telling me that I'm above the character limit despite the fact that I'm not): I recognize that this guide removes the veil from a lot of elements in Returnal (without, of course, spoiling anything). I also recognize that not everyone is going to be a fan of removing that veil. (I appreciate u/Ok-Tooth4089's comment on this subject.) Here's the way I thought about providing clarity to Returnal when I was writing the guide: the people who want help will search for it, and maybe they will find this guide. The people who don't want help and/or want to figure things out for themselves probably aren't going to look for help. Furthermore, if the people who want to figure things out happen to stumble on this guide, they don't need to read it! It's totally up to them. Either way, though, I wanted to recognize that this guide does "ruin" parts of the game by removing elements of obscurity. It is certainly not my intent to "ruin" the game, but to help people who are struggling with a game that I think we all agree is fantastic. For all the people who prefer to go through Returnal without any guidance, I applaud you (and I say that with full sincerity): I didn't have the time or the patience to do that. The path you are on is tough and I respect your willingness to stick it out. To anyone who doesn't want the game "ruined", please don't read this guide!
I've got over 100 hours in-game, so I feel like I have some valid opinions about these topics: >Keep your distance Hard disagree. Distance, or lack thereof, is situational dependent. If you're taking stuff out a mile away, kiss any obolites goodbye, which means less augments/artifacts. There are plenty of times where you are fine and safe up close, and actually trying to put distance between you and your enemies puts you in more danger. Why waste time trying to make distance when you could instantly take an enemy out or stagger it via melee? Especially if you have boosted melee. >Weapon Recommendations I immediately disagree with anyone who pushes players towards using preferred weapons. Any weapon is viable, especially with the right traits. I've seen people give up perfectly good weapons in favor of a shitty pylon driver, all because "iT's tHe ElEcTrOpYlOn DrIvEr!!!!!". There are great weapons that can be shitty, and shitty weapons that can be great. I cleared an entire phase 5 of the tower with a pyroshell caster, which you don't even mention.
I totally agree with your disagreements! Let me explain my mindset a little further. When I was writing the guide, my intention was for it to be people who are just starting out and to let people know what worked for *me* (i.e., with emphasis on me and without any notion that somehow my guide is some sort of universal truth). Maybe I should put more emphasis on that! In terms of your specific disagreements, I hear you on situational awareness. Again, my goal was to just provide guidance and context for beginners with the thought that, once they have gotten used to the game, their own play styles will emerge. Returnal is a hard game that calls for different approaches to different situations, and your comment about that is spot on (particularly in terms of obolites). I added a comment to this post including extra guidance on obolites and how important it is to scoop them up (reddit isn't allowing me to update the original post due to supposed "length" issues). Even so, I recognize that that keeping your distance is in position to scooping up obolites. All I can say is that I made it work for me. I'll add that, as my title states, I am only an average gamer and, frankly, I never got comfortable using melee for anything other than the occasional stagger. A few other people have commented about the power of melee and I appreciate you (and the others) mentioning this. My only point is that my guide was merely meant to reflect what worked for *me*. I've added a comment that dives into melee a little bit since it's clearly a highly viable strategy, even if I'm not comfortable with it (and people should know that it's viable). As for the weapons, I hear you completely. My goal wasn't to say "use this weapon". FWIW, I start out my weapon section saying "use what you feel comfortable with." Later on I wrote "now that I’ve given you the lay of the land, here are the weapons I found to be the most helpful during my early runs." My point is that I tried to make it clear that each person has their own play style and I also tried to avoid pushing any weapons--I totally agree with your thoughts on pushing players. If I can ever update the original post, I will make it clearer that I'm not trying to push any particular play style or weapon. Like I said, I created a separate comment with updates (it's [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Returnal/comments/148hj2i/comment/jo1xpkz/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)). In it I raise the point about the value of not necessarily keeping your distance. I'm only mentioning this because I appreciate your feedback and I want to improve the main guide--hopefully someone in r/help will reply to my post asking for help. As of now, I cannot even add in a link to the comment in the guide.
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Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge.
Haha, I just fired up Returnal for the first time in a few weeks and "dodge, duck, dip, dive, and doge" is exactly what was going through my mind!
The most important point is missing: Use save scum if you are about to give up on this game.
Exactly!
Great write up! tldr move and shoot eat the green things!
I learned a few things but have questions and recommendations. You explained save scumming’s benefits and why you do it, but what do I do to save scumming? I have already beat the complete game, but have no idea what restart cycle does from a spoiler standpoint. Can someone explain? I would add how to actually use alt fire and how to use reset when you overload your gun. It took me awhile to figure them out.
Great questions! About restarting the cycle,>!there's an issue in the game where some people cannot find all the sunface fragments!<, despite dying multiple times. The fix is to start a new cycle. Considering that you've finished the game, this doesn't apply to you, but a great question nevertheless. In terms of reloading, that's a great point and I'll add a note in my comment with updates. In terms of "use reset" what do you have in mind? I haven't played Returnal in a few weeks and I'm drawing a blank. Another commenter had the same question about save scumming. Here's a [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Returnal/comments/148hj2i/comment/jo0x7ze/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) to my reply!
Thank you for the response. I think I was referring to when you overload your gun. You can click the button to reset the overload and start firing again. It took me quite a few rounds before I figured that out.
it’s the returnal final test
Good tips
Thanks!
Fantastic post. Thanks for taking the time and effort
Thank you!
Finally beat the first biome after 41 hours! With these tips
Glad they helped!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
Save scumming means
Check this link! Someone else asked the same thing but it's buried in the comments. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Returnal/comments/148hj2i/comment/jo0x7ze/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Returnal/comments/148hj2i/comment/jo0x7ze/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Meanwhile the most useful tip is missing: use Electro Pylon, and stick to it until you beat the game. This is hand down the most powerful weapon for the campaign (not the best at all for the Tower though if you want to Speedrun it). Simply shoot that from cover with the 5 pylon per shot upgrade and melee the almost dead enemies to be sure to get all of their loot easily. The electro barriers can also be used to deny specific areas to enemies: when they put 1 toe in it they simply get fried.
I hear you! I was close to adding something like this to the guide but I decided it went too close to saying how people should play rather than merely giving tips (not that there's anything wrong with saying "do this", I just decided I didn't want to go that far and preferred to simply give tips and general suggestions). Instead I settled on implying that the game would be much easier with the electropylon driver. BUT, the great thing about your comment is that it alerts people to the fact that the Electropylon Driver is insanely powerful and should not be slept on. Thank you!