From developer Housemarque, it was surprising to learn that the team is stepping away from its primary medium of cabinet experiences with the announcement of Returnal. While its DNA is all over this new experience, the game is a third-person bullet hell shooter expecting you to retry multiple times. Following the game’s release, the developer found itself being acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment and becoming a PlayStation first-party team.

Additionally, Returnal went on to feature a new update which included cycle saves so players returning can continue their runs without having to start a new session for each play. But, Housemarque is putting Returnal on ice moving forward. The team recently told that when it moves on to its next project will be a new Ip.

But from Wednesday’s PlayStation State of Play, Returnal is receiving a new update ‘Ascension’ which adds a new set of challenges you face as you climb a tower piercing the atmosphere coming on March 22nd. You can watch the reveal trailer in the video below:

“With Returnal we aimed to create a balance between intense action, exploration and haunting narrative. The procedurally generated biomes of Atropos offer a deep and intricate challenge – with our Ascension update we wanted to offer new content, and also a new way to engage with the game where your survival skills and perseverance will be tested,” Returnal game director Harry Kreuger explains.

“True to our arcade roots, the Tower of Sisyphus is effectively our Endless mode. Players will strive to ascend the Tower as high as possible – however, much like the tragic story of Sisyphus, there is no end to the climb and players are tragically destined to meet their demise as the mode gets increasingly harder. The only question is: how far can you get before succumbing?

“One great motivator for pushing forward is a sense of accomplishment. Each Phase in the Tower will culminate with an encounter with Algos, which will also get increasingly harder as you advance through the mode. Unlike the campaign, in the Tower players will also have a score to chase. You can track your progress and highest score on a leaderboard, and compete against your friends and foes for the highest rank.

“Much like our previous arcade-inspired titles, you will also have a Score Multiplier – keeping this up and increasing it will be the key to racking up the highest possible scores. Your Multiplier will deplete if you get hit or if you don’t deal damage for a while, so you’ll need to be constantly dancing on the knife’s edge to ensure you maintain strong forward momentum. While there are secrets and optional routes to take, the Tower is intended to be Returnal distilled into an arcade action experience, where the emphasis is on survival, skill, and focused progression.”

Another eye-opening addition is that Returnal will be bridging its game with multiplayer when the update goes live. Yes, players can now experience the game in co-op which delivers a new layer of immersion yet experienced in Returnal.

Are you excited for the new update coming to Returnal?

Returnal is out now for PlayStation 5.

Source: PlayStation Blog