The Basics of Returnal

Learn the essential mechanics of Returnal: master constant movement, understand Silphium and Resin for health, and discover permanent upgrades and weapon proficiency.

Returnal is a challenging roguelike shooter that demands a unique approach to combat and exploration. This guide covers the fundamental mechanics to help you survive the alien planet of Atropos.

• Movement: Constant motion is key. Returnal is not a cover shooter; prioritize running, dashing, and grappling.
• Zooming In (L2): While holding L2 halfway zooms your aim, it drastically reduces your Field of View (FOV), leaving you vulnerable. Firing from the hip is generally more effective in fast-paced combat.
• Silphium and Resin: Silphium are green health pickups that appear on your minimap as a green plus icon. They only appear if you are missing health. Resin is what Silphium becomes when you have full health. Picking up resin contributes to permanent health upgrades for that run. Three resin pips grant a 5% health increase. Low and moderate resin are worth one pip, large resin is worth two. Prioritize using Silphium for significant health restoration to maximize resin collection.
• Permanent Upgrades: Throughout the game, you'll encounter areas inaccessible early on due to environmental hazards like yellow lights, water pools, or sludge pits. These require permanent upgrades obtained by progressing through the game. These upgrades allow access to new areas in previous biomes.
• Orange Barriers and Blade Balancer: Orange light barriers block certain paths and are an exception to permanent upgrades. They require a specific artifact called the Blade Balancer to break. This artifact is not permanent, so access to these areas depends on finding it during a run. It can sometimes be purchased for 250 obolites in the first biome.
• Weapon Proficiency: The bar under your health indicates weapon proficiency, increased by killing enemies or collecting Calibrators (blue octahedrons). Biomes 1-3 cap at 15 proficiency, biomes 4-6 at 30. A Calibrator at the start of each biome sets you to the appropriate level for that biome. Higher proficiency increases weapon stats and unlocks more weapon traits. Weapon drops will be at least your current proficiency level.