r/Returnal

Feel free to share which path you take through this room. It may be better than mine.

Bit of a crazy one that still doesn’t feel real. I’m a writer and my first book has been published today. It’s all about action horror games and features interviews with a bunch of iconic names - including the first chapter, with John!

John’s enthusiasm and honesty really sets the tone for some pretty personal stories throughout the rest of the book, which features chapters with Ken Levine, Marc Laidlaw, Maggie Robertson and many others.

It’s a dream come true for me. To round it off, John agreed to write the foreword, in which he says some immensely nice things about my work.

I figured people here might get a kick out of an in-depth, sit down chat with the great man himself. Oh, and the book features a killer jacket designed by comic book artist Ray Dillon.

‘Beyond Fear: Inside Action Horror Games’ is available online and across most countries right now, with pre-orders also happening in the US. I’d love for the community to check it out! Thank you and feel free to drop me any questions🤘

EDIT - I’ve had a few requests for links to order, so please see below 😊 Huge thank you to anyone who picks it up!

US pre-orders:
Amazon
(Also available from Barnes & Noble etc)

UK orders (available now):
Amazon
(Also available from Waterstones, Foyles, Blackwells etc)

Hey everyone

Just finished biome 2 and want to try and understand the weapons systems a bit more as initially I was just grabbing anything that had a higher number but firstly I hate the spitgaw one and prefer the carbine so have focused on that.

But trying to workout if a higher number is better even if the lower number has a higher bonus damage number?

I found a level 9 carbine (2nd picture) but stayed with the level 5 as it had all 5 points into bonus damage. Was this the right move?

I’m new to the PlayStation community, I’m going on two months with my PS5 Pro (came from Xbox). And I’ve been playing mostly all the PS exclusives. Returnal probably has my most favorite atmosphere, this game is absolutely gorgeous. Also cannot forget about this soundtrack, chefs kiss here are some of my shots. This is
in my top 3 of favorite games played.

This was such a fun run. Gained some really good artefacts & damage bonuses to stack with, plenty of Integrity Upgrades & then I just get one shot by a laser. I do believe it was one of those enemies I had literally just killed who spam their laser around the arena, but I didn’t even see it get booted up, nor where it came from 🤣 has anyone else experienced this?

Seems like I have to jump down from platform I’m on and then dash there but I’m pretty low health so don’t wanna chance it if it’s not even possible

After struggling for so, so long, even posting the day before about how I lost one of my best runs, I managed to tackle my way through Abyssal Scar, kill Ophion, and complete the game. I literally have no words for how I feel right now, I never knew a video game could make me feel so many different emotions. Adrenaline, anger, anxiety, frustration, sad, happy. All of them. It’s actually insane, I’ve never played a game like it.

To all the Scouts who have given up or lose motivation because of the difficulty, please stick it out, it’s a 10/10 masterpiece like I genuinely cannot fault the game, one of the best I’ve ever played. It took me between 30-35 hours to clear all Biomes, a gruelling set of hours honestly, it’s not been easy. However, I will be forever happy I picked up the game again!

I guess my biggest question is… what now? I know I have the Tower to grind, & maybe the Platinum too. Is there anything else I’m missing base game wise? I don’t want it to be over just yet 🤣

Everyone here is a star, making the few settings changes you all spoke about, focusing on getting and upgraded weapon and upgraded health, shooting from the hip and always moving had me gliding around the 1st Biome and fully cleared (apart from anything I couldn’t grapple).

There was a gold room but I assumed that was bad news/big reward and didn’t want to risk my good run!

I don’t think I could have been more prepared going into the boss fight with all my stuff and it still left me clinging on after using the “back to life” relic!

A very big “yes” came out when I got him!!!!

Once again a massive thank you to all that helped on the last post!!

One question - do you start from biome 1 on every single run and work your way through each one until you finish the last one? Seems like it would take forever?

Or is the crimson teleporter always at the start of biome 1?

PS - yes I know it looks like I took the photos on a potatoe 😂 I’m old and it’s just easier for me to take the photos of my tv from my phone! Forgive me

I think this run was around 1.5-2 hours. I had a few healing glyph consumables & an Astronaut Minifigure, maxed out all of the Integrity upgrades that were just so unfortunately ‘wasted’ I guess. I was super tired and I just wasn’t expecting this big ass mini boss to pop up like that. Caught me off guard & I panicked. I really don’t think depleting my health like that is needed 🥲

I was devastated of course but we continue pushing nonetheless, I’m really happy I even made it this far into Abyssal Scar. This game is testing my limits more than I thought it would. Although it sucks, you just gotta grind it out man.

I am so close to the final boss it’s actually making me anxious, I can’t wait to update all of you when I finally defeat him.

This is my 3rd time reaching biome 6, I always get wrecked by Typhonops with just a few hits, I got lucky with adrenaline leech this run, I just unlocked portal beam 3 in this hollowseeker which was nice and I dropped this Pylon Driver soon after.. Which one do you recommend for me to survive this biome? Thanks.

I had 2 small vials and 1 large vials in this run, not to mention an astronaut figure AND the resurrection xerox thingy activated. I thought this was the attempt where I kill Nemisis. I only faced him 3 times before but every time I got to 2nd phase, so I thought if I had enough health I could beat him. And THIS happens. Fml man.

When I first picked this game up I had no idea I would be able to make it this far, all the rage inducing deaths have been so worth it. I genuinely don’t want the game to end.

Which leads me to say that I really hope Biome 5 & 6 pack an absolute punch, because dare I say Hyperion was a bit of a pushover? I’ve found all bosses incredibly hard up to yet, but Hyperion was over in minutes. Weapon Trait Level 19, sure, but? Just my honest opinion. Nemesis however, was peak cinema, I’m excited to see the final 2 bosses.

Anyway, I’m super proud of myself for getting this far, I love this game so much. Onto Fractured Wastes 🫡