Return

After 200 years of exploring the far reaches of space, you're finally back home. Although, you'll quickly realize that this wasn't such a great idea. Return is an addictive Metroidvania with some Souls-like elements that keep you on your toes at every step of this perilous journey.

With a visual style that immediately reminded me of the original Risk of Rain, Return is as addictive as it is beautiful to look at. Dying repeatedly to the same boss is just part of the experience, as you learn to chart the dangers and familiarize yourself with your surroundings. If you don't mind some seriously challenging gameplay and a healthy dose of "unfair" situations, Return is the game for you.

Explore The Ruins

In Return, your character returns to their home planet after leaving it for 200 years. The years haven't been kind to the apocalyptic landscape, which now harbors eldritch dangers in every corner. From towering bosses to creeping terrors, no place is safe in your "home" world anymore.

The sense of exploration and discovery in this game is outstanding. You really feel like you're exploring the ruins of an ancient civilization. That is if you can even see the beautiful backgrounds between the endless hordes of ferocious foes. This is not a negative, by the way – I loved that the game never let me drop my guard.

Hack And Slash And Shoot

From guns to polearms and even hatchets, every weapon is fair game in the dangerous world of Return. Any Dark Souls fan knows that getting weapons isn't the only reward that comes with defeating enemies, and the same applies to this game.

As you slay your opponents, you'll unlock tidbits of lore and background info that can help you piece together the mystery of what happened to your planet. Of course, if you really want to know what happened, you better arm yourself well to face off against the most powerful foes.

Combat feels immensely satisfying, if maybe a bit limited due to the game's 2D presentation. As I mentioned before, Return feels like a more open-ended Risk of Rain, complete with the clunky aiming controls.

Light and Shadow

The visual style in Return is one of the best I've seen in a Metrodivania yet. While the black and color contrast reminded me a bit of games like Rain World and even Limbo, the way how the animations flow with each move is simply superb.

Character designs are also in a league of their own. From alien creatures to eerie giant skeletons, the world of Return feels like a wholly unique experience that rarely disappoints with its designs. The same applies to the world itself, which fulfills the restrictions of the Metroidvania genre while keeping the player engaged with new ways to explore and new arenas to fight.

Pros

• Superb presentation
• Lots of skills and weapons to unlock
• Great use of environmental storytelling

Cons

• Some animations look a bit stiff