

The signal she receives that compels her to land on the planet is designated as "White Shadow", and Selene mentions that it's a phrase that only she could know - how could a signal from an alien planet possibly know about it? The significance of the phrase isn't revealed until the ending of the game: it was the last thing Selene's son Helios ever said to her before the car crash that took his life. Arc Words: The phrase "Do you see the White Shadow?" seems to haunt Selene as she makes her way through Atropos.Considering you usually find them next to corpses, it's safe to say that version of Selene didn't exactly make it out.

#Returnal explained free
Selene's mother Theia is implied to be merely neglectful before the crash, but turned into a resentful, emotionally abusive horror after the accident left her paraplegic, to the point where Selene eventually shoved her down the stairs of her farmhouse and set the entire building on fire just to be free of her. Abusive Parents: One of the story's main themes.1-Up: There are a few ways for Selene to keep herself in the current loop a little longer when her health reaches 0, such as the Astronaut Figurine or Reconstructors, which bring back Selene after a fatal blow on the spot/at the reconstructor's location, respectively.

#Returnal explained update
Another aspect of the game as a roguelike title is its high difficulty level.Ī free update in March 2022 added multiplayer co-op and the Tower of Sisyphus, an infinite combat challenge in which Selene has to climb the titular tower, discovering additional memories and backstory information along the way. Returnal largely plays as a third-person version to Housemarque's previous titles such as Resogun and Nex Machina, while also placing increased emphasis on narrative and Worldbuilding. Gameplay focuses on fast-paced combat and evading multiple enemies with frequency for Bullet Hell as Selene has to conquer the various biomes of Atropos. Soon enough, however, she realizes that escaping Atropos won't be an easy task, and every death brings her back to the moment she crash-lands into the planet. With her ship, Helios, sustaining critical damage, Selene is forced to explore the hostile environment of Atropos, using whatever equipment or weaponry she can find. Selene Vassos (voiced by Jane Perry) is a Greek-American space pilot who crashes into an alien planet called Atropos, after trying to locate a mysterious signal she dubs "White Shadow". It is most notably Housemarque's first AAA production. Returnal is a Roguelike Third-Person Shooter with Bullet Hell elements developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment as a PlayStation 5 exclusive.
