Returnal has not finally said its last word and returns this month with free content. On the program: solo cooperation and the Tower of Sisyphus, a survival mode.
It was probably one of the only nice surprises of the State of Play, the announcement of Returnal Ascension. A completely free update that comes out on March 22, 2022, on PS5.
Well, finally, even if Housemarque is on a new license, the Returnal page is not entirely turned. At its event, Sony announced the 3.0 Ascension update that will allow two-player soloing. There will also be a survival mode the Tower of Sisyphusaccessible if you have the Icarian grappling hook.
On-site, you will have to overcome 20 floors with increasingly angry phases and tough enemies. In the trailer above, we also see additions to the bestiary (including in terms of bosses) and new scenery. New objects will also be present, as well as narrative sections revealing other snippets of the heroine’s past.
The cycle of death continues
To change the story a bit, the Finnish studio reinjects an even more arcade dose with scoring, the hallmark of Housemarque productions.
The feeling of success is an exceptional source of motivation. Each phase of the Tower ends with a clash against Algos, which also gets slightly harder as you progress through the mode. Unlike the countryside, in the Tower, players also play for the score. You can track your progress and high score in the leaderboard and compete for first place between friends or foes. Like most of our previous arcade-inspired games, you’ll also have a score multiplier.
Getting and maintaining a high score multiplier is essential to getting the highest possible score. Your multiplier is reduced when you take damage or when you don’t deal damage for a while, so you’ll have to constantly play with fire to stay in the game. Although it contains secrets and optional routes, the Tower was designed as a concentrate of arcade experience that emphasizes survival, level of play and concentration.
Returnal Ascension: Selene & Selene
The title as you know it is identical, but you will experience Selene’s adventure together online, either by creating a private cycle or by joining a public cycle. And if you move away from your companion or you die, the developers have quite classic solutions:
In co-op mode, the game works similar to solo play. However, if the players move too far apart, a link brings them back to the same position. This encourages cooperation and makes players understand that their destinies are linked. If a player is knocked down, there is still hope: the other player can revive him. Be aware though that it takes some time. This will have to be taken into account when you are surrounded by a horde of enemies, unless you want to join your comrade in the unfathomable depths of oblivion.
What do you think of this surprise? Is the addition of co-op relevant? Are you going to (re)discover the game in this way? Are you ready for new challenges? Tell us everything in the comments.
