![]() In early June 2020, a report claimed that Housemarque partnered with Sony Interactive Entertainment to work on an "ambitious" PlayStation 5 exclusive title for the console's launch. In January 2020, it was reported that Housemarque put all of its current projects, including Helldivers, on hold to work on the unannounced AAA title, which the studio described as its most ambitious title to date. In December 2018, Housemarque revealed it was working on an AAA video game, a first for the studio Housemarque head Ilari Kuittinen reasoned that due to the studio's financial troubles, they were either given the option to scale down or to focus on a more ambitious project, the latter option which the company chose. In November 2017, Housemarque was reported to have licensed the Unreal Engine 4 for a then-announced title. The game's story follows Selene, an astronaut who found herself stranded on Atropos following a crash-landing, and must piece together both the mysteries of the planet, and her own past.įollowing the disappointing sales of its 2017 titles Matterfall and Nex Machina, Housemarque declared the company would step away from arcade shooters due to the low popularity of the genre in the 2010s the company expressed desire to move towards multiplayer-focused experiences due to their commercial success, working on a battle royale title called Stormdivers. Returnal is set on an alien planet called Atropos, which is populated by mysterious and hostile lifeforms. Returnal is a third-person shooter with roguelike and psychological horror elements in which the player controls Selene, an astronaut stranded on an alien planet called Atropos. The game was commercially successful for Sony, selling over 560,000 copies by July 2021. ![]() Returnal was nominated for and won several end-year accolades, particularly for its gameplay and audio. ![]() Returnal's difficulty polarized critics regarding the game's uncompromising challenge, lack of mid-playthrough saves and accessibility options Housemarque added an option to suspend a run in response. Criticism was directed at repetition in level design, while the ending received mixed reactions. It was praised for its fast-paced combat, presentation, narrative, audio design and replayability. Returnal received positive reviews, with gaming publications generally complimenting Housemarque's transition into AAA games. It was the last game developed by Housemarque as an independent developer, as the studio was acquired by Sony in June 2021. Returnal was officially announced in June 2020 during Sony's Future of Gaming event and released in April 2021. A free expansion called Returnal: Ascension added additional features such as a co-op mode.īeginning development in March 2017, Returnal was Housemarque's first AAA production, built with Unreal Engine 4 the title originally began its life as a smaller game, but eventually grew in scope as Sony was impressed by Housemarque's work. Selene has access to ten weapons that she can modify to include special abilities and upgrades, while also using alien creatures called "parasites" to alter stats and weapon effects. A third-person shooter, Returnal incorporates roguelike mechanics and horror elements, featuring procedurally-generated environments and enemies that change with the each death. Returnal is set on an alien planet called Atropos, with its narrative following Selene Vassos, an ASTRA astronaut who crash-lands into the planet and finds herself stuck in a time-loop that restarts with the crash-landing every time she dies. Returnal is a 2021 roguelike third-person shooter video game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 5.
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