In Returnal, Selene moves like Samus

Returnal is a mix of issues I’ve seen earlier than, nice concepts from a dozen totally different roguelites and sci-fi video games. However considered one of Returnal’s best callouts is Metroid. Selene, Returnal’s essential character, is a blonde lady in an ever-evolving area swimsuit. She’s an intergalactic area pilot together with her personal ship. She’s on a solo mission to a darkish, creepy, hostile, alien planet the place she collects bio-technology from the planet’s unique inhabitants so as to survive. If this rings any bells, it’s since you’ve been on an journey with Samus Aran earlier than.

And but, none of that’s the reason Returnal actually jogs my memory of Metroid. The visible and thematic similarities are simple to see, however the first time I moved as Selene, I felt like Samus. That’s as a result of Returnal takes considered one of Metroid’s most underrated gameplay classes to coronary heart: velocity.

A well-recognized creep

Within the opening moments of Returnal, I crash on an alien planet. And as soon as I get better, I begin exploring this new world and start to unravel a thriller. Quickly, I study I’m caught in a time loop. Have I at all times been right here?

The sport performs out like a third-person bullet-hell sport. I run by means of the environments, selecting up higher objects and weapons to make my life simpler. I struggle native wildlife and dodge by means of waves of colourful power blasts. The fast-paced, giant bullet-dodging harkens again to developer Housemarque’s days on Tremendous Stardust HD and Resogun.

Once I die, I retain some foreign money and some key objects. I depart all the pieces else up to now. I get up again at my shipwreck and head out on one other journey. That is the place Returnal’s personal model of backtracking comes into play. In contrast to Metroid, Returnal’s map format is randomized, so I must rediscover the map every time I come again to life.

That want for rediscovery saved me ruminating on Selene’s tremendous sonic velocity.

Velocity first

Picture: Housemarque through Polygon

The second I put my fingers on the controller and moved Selene in Returnal, I declared “oh, this looks like Metroid,” loud sufficient for my cats to listen to.

Selene strikes quick in Returnal. Once I contact the controller, she jets ahead at an unnatural velocity, and but I by no means really feel uncontrolled. The way in which I float by means of the air with precision and burn by means of rooms in seconds feels extra like Tremendous Metroid than trendy fast-paced video games like Doom (2016).

Metroid video games, particularly the 2D video games, are well-known for demanding quite a lot of backtracking. You’ll see a door within the first 20 minutes of a 2D Metroid journey that you simply gained’t have the ability to open till your final 20 minutes. Backtracking could be a main ache, however it might be worse if Samus didn’t transfer extraordinarily quick, even earlier than she finds any dash-related upgrades.

You’ll be able to cowl loads of floor in a short time as Samus, particularly large open areas the place you don’t usually must cease. It’s a sequence outlined by motion, supplemented by devices that higher put together Samus for her lengthy journey between a number of factors.

Returnal has a unique strategy to backtracking. As Selene, I can teleport between areas I’ve already been to on my present run. I additionally preserve sure key objects and traversal upgrades, like my grappling hook, between deaths. So as soon as I beat the boss of the primary space, I’ve all the pieces I must take the portal to the second biome. However as a result of the map will get shuffled at first of every new run, I would like to seek out the portal once more.

Rediscovering a map simply to discover a door I’ve already been by means of may’ve been irritating in Returnal, however Selene’s velocity helps relieve some stress. Minutes after I die, I may be three rooms into my subsequent run, searching down the portal to the following space, sprinting previous bullets. It creates a frantic sprint at first of every run, which helps hold Returnal thrilling, even on the twentieth time I run by means of the identical forest setting.

Looking for one thing I do know is someplace close by in Returnal looks like looking for that Tremendous Missile door in Metroid that I first encountered six hours in the past. Velocity is a facet that Metroid itself toned down within the slower-paced however nonetheless fabulous Metroid Prime trilogy, which exacerbated these sport’s prolonged backtracking sections. It’s fascinating to see Returnal study a lot from Metroid Prime’s extra immersive setting whereas additionally digging again to the 2D period to adapt Samus’ tremendous velocity. It wasn’t the Metroid affect I anticipated once I first noticed trailers about Selene’s journey, nevertheless it’s the proper method to make every run really feel like a dash towards progress.