Returnal for PC | Review Thread

[John Elden Ring]

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Game Information​

Game Title: Returnal
Platforms:

• PlayStation 5 (Apr 30, 2021)
• Steam, Epic Games Store (February 15, 2023)

Trailers:

• Returnal - Story Trailer | PS5
• Returnal - State of Play Gameplay Walkthrough | PS5
• Returnal - Gameplay Trailer | PS5

Developer: Housemarque, Nixxes
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Review Aggregator:

MetaCritic - 86/100 - 17 Reviews

Critic Reviews:

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Digital Chumps - 100/100

Returnal is still a perfect game in my opinion. It hits all the right notes, even when it feels impossibly difficult. The gameplay structure is complicated, precise, and entertaining. The PC upgrade makes the experience even better with superior visuals and a plethora of ways to play the game. This is a superior version of a superior title.

GamersRD - 100/100

Returnal completely surpasses the PS5 version by providing wonderful graphics and amazing optimization. It literally squeezes the full potential of the new GPUs. One of the best combinations is 3D Audio with Dolby Atmos and of course the DualSense support makes the game way more immersive. Returnal is one of the best choices for PC gamers this 2023.

GameSpew - 100/100

Going back to Returnal on PC, we were instantly reminded why we fell in love with it. This is a game like no other. We were disappointed when Housemarque announced it was stepping away from the arcade-style games that it became known for, but when Returnal was unleashed we quickly came to terms with it. This may be a third-person shooter with roguelike elements and lashings of horror, but it’s Housemarque’s penchant for making games that keep you going back for more that ties it all together. And the result is quite simply phenomenal.

Metro GameCentral - 90/100

One of the best PlayStation exclusives of recent years is an inspired mix of bullet hell shooter and roguelike dungeon crawler, that somehow still feels like nothing else on console or PC

God is a Geek - 95/100

Returnal on PC is just as stunning as it ever was, with a high level of detail in its environmental design and layered gameplay

Game Rant - 90/100

Returnal on PC has all the content on day one that was released for the original game in the year after its launch, meaning that it's debuting on PC in a better state than it was in when it first came to PS5. Developer Climax Studios has hit it out of the park with this port, so any PC gamers curious about Returnal can feel confident picking it up, but they might want to consider getting a DualSense to go with their purchase.

GameStar - 86/100

Quotation forthcoming.

Multiplayer.it - 85/100

Quotation forthcoming.

Vandal - 82/100

Quotation forthcoming.

Dexerto - 60/100

Returnal on the Steam Deck is going to look a little ugly. All three supersampling options aren’t the best in the world, as AMD’s FSR and Nvidia’s NIS options muddied the screen and VSR turned the game into a gloopy mess. There are also options to turn down the rendered resolution, as well as turn on Dynamic Resolution, but nothing ever managed to run or look ‘right’.

 

[Bryank75]

That Dexerto review! Yikes!

Criticizing it cause Steam Deck is weak..... that is so ignorant.

Anyway, is this even selling on PC? I hear nothing.

 

[thelastword]

That Dexerto review! Yikes!

Criticizing it cause Steam Deck is weak..... that is so ignorant.

Anyway, is this even selling on PC? I hear nothing.

Should look even more stunning at 4k.....As for that reviewer, you know Forspoken also run like absolute dreck on Steam Deck, even on low....Who are they blaming? The handheld just can't handle these effects......It's too GPU heavy....

 

[Banana]

I heard this has a force use of the epic launcher....

That's a no-go.

Epic Online Services? :: Returnal™ General Discussions

Why? And they installed it without any consent and mention in the store page

steamcommunity.com

 

[Bryank75]

I heard this has a force use of the epic launcher....

That's a no-go.

Epic Online Services? :: Returnal™ General Discussions

Why? And they installed it without any consent and mention in the store page

steamcommunity.com

Does it?

 

[Lord Mittens]

Does it?

When are we getting your review?

 

[ethomaz]

Does it?

Seems like it requires it for CoOp between Steam and Epic Game Store.

 

[Bryank75]

Looks like the game is suffering from stutters on PC, both micro-stutters and bigger stutters sometimes.

Returnal (PC) |OT| Selene Die On OT

Damn, I don't have micro stutters, I have one huge stutter in every 2 mins that is killing me. The game literally locks itself for 2 seconds, but beforehand audio starts to cut out, then it continues itself as usual, locked at 60. I don't even know if micro stutters were better, I'm starting...

www.resetera.com

 

[KiryuRealty]

Looks like the game is suffering from stutters on PC, both micro-stutters and bigger stutters sometimes.

Returnal (PC) |OT| Selene Die On OT

Damn, I don't have micro stutters, I have one huge stutter in every 2 mins that is killing me. The game literally locks itself for 2 seconds, but beforehand audio starts to cut out, then it continues itself as usual, locked at 60. I don't even know if micro stutters were better, I'm starting...

www.resetera.com

So, once again, the best place to play PlayStation games is on a PlayStation. Quelle suprise!

 

[Bodycount611]

they're running two threads concurrently and still trying to claim it as the best version, despite it being broken. The even brought back the disingenuous "PC performance" thread a.k.a the portbeg/ console threadshit threads of yesteryear. Lol!

the jealously PC gamers have for PS5 is a sight to see, i've never seen meltdowns like this before.

 

[KiryuRealty]

I heard this has a force use of the epic launcher....

That's a no-go.

Epic Online Services? :: Returnal™ General Discussions

Why? And they installed it without any consent and mention in the store page

steamcommunity.com

Good! Fuck Steam fanboys!

 

[Bodycount611]

they're so used to MS hand delivering all of Xbox's games to them on a silver platter that they've become very entitled. They want all of everyone else's games day 1, built from the ground up for Steam, Steam Brick/Deck verified, and of course for free of charge on top of it.

Truly an insufferable lot of folks who just exist to make this hobby worse for everyone involved.

 

[Kokoloko]

So, once again, the best place to play PlayStation games is on a PlayStation. Quelle suprise!

TBH most the time, plug in and play consoles are my preference.

 

[Weyland]

Reviewing a game again just because its ported to PC is odd imo. I mean if it's vastly different then yeah sure but this is just the same as the PS5 version but with the ability to run it a higher settings with appropriate hardware. Glad its a good port though, great game.

 

[Elder Legend]

they're so used to MS hand delivering all of Xbox's games to them on a silver platter that they've become very entitled. They want all of everyone else's games day 1, built from the ground up for Steam, Steam Brick/Deck verified, and of course for free of charge on top of it.

Truly an insufferable lot of folks who just exist to make this hobby worse for everyone involved.

What is your problem with others enjoying other console games day 1? you gonna be sad of not being special anymore? Lol.

It's only a matter time before Sony puts out their "exclusives" on PC Day 1 with PS5.

 

[anonpuffs]

Stuttering in a nixxes port is very disappointing. Why the fuck can't these people get it right the first time???

 

[Shmunter]

Stuttering in a nixxes port is very disappointing. Why the fuck can't these people get it right the first time???

The antiquated pc architecture really gets in the way. It may all be super fast at a component level, but bringing it all together and moving assets around in modern more demanding games is just going to get worse.

 

[anonpuffs]

The antiquated pc architecture really gets in the way. It may all be super fast at a component level, but bringing it all together and moving assets around in modern more demanding games is just going to get worse.

The problem is these usually get fixed within 2 weeks to a month - it'snot like it's unfixable, the problem is they probably have like 5 or 10 test setups and there are literally thousands if not tens of thousands of hardware combinations out in the wild. It's simply a lack of testing.

 

[Shmunter]

The problem is these usually get fixed within 2 weeks to a month - it'snot like it's unfixable, the problem is they probably have like 5 or 10 test setups and there are literally thousands if not tens of thousands of hardware combinations out in the wild. It's simply a lack of testing.

Do they really get properly fixed or just improved?

 

[anonpuffs]

Do they really get properly fixed or just improved?

Game by game basis, but usually they will be completely fixed

*edit* looks like the stuttering is due to RT reflections and there's no stuttering without it. Not sure but my guess is they just slapped the RT implementation in and this might take a bit longer to fix but the base game should run and look fine without them.