

That’s not a description that fits every Sony exclusive (see Ratchet & Clank or Gran Turismo), but many of its most bankable recent releases fit the bill. They’re narrative-driven, open-world action games with skills and tools to unlock. Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Ghost of Tsushima all follow the same basics on some level. The studio’s biggest games have started settling into a template over the past decade. What’s genuinely exciting about Returnal is that it doesn’t feel like a regular Sony exclusive. That might sound like a foreign language to those who have yet to dip their toe into the indie game landscape. It’s a “bullet hell” roguelite with some Metroidvania touches.

It certainly looks like one thanks to the power of the PS5, but the gameplay is more akin to a game like Risk of Rain 2 or Enter The Gungeon. The first thing players might notice about Returnal is that it doesn’t feel like a regular AAA game.
