The Bold Way Returnal Leverages The PS5
Housemarque, the developer responsible for many popular action games, recently discussed the innovations in store for its new third-person shooter game, Returnal. The group has utilized new PS5 features to create an entirely new experience for gaming fans.
The newest episode of HouseCast, a video series from Housemarque hyping up Returnal's release, featured Harry Krueger, the Game Director. Mikael Haveri, the host, was able to get new information on Returnal's gameplay.
The most shocking news is how Returnal makes full use of the new PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. The new controller has adaptive triggers, which basically means that pressing a trigger down halfway can register as one control while fully pressing the trigger will register as a different control.
Specifically, you'll be able to aim with a half-left-trigger press and switch to alternate fire with a full left-trigger press. This allows for quicker controls, and it also frees up button usage for another type of ability.
This is a feature that is new to the PS5 controllers, and it can seem slightly overwhelming in text. However, gaming controllers have been doing a similar thing with character movement for years using control sticks. Those controls feel natural for the majority of players, so this new method of firing may end up being more intuitive than it sounds.
Returnal will be pushing this feature to the limits, giving players different actions depending on how they use the trigger. If you don't want this specific feature, don't fret. Housemarque has allowed button mapping to completely customize controls. Returnal will also fully utilize the solid state drive to push gameplay and visuals beyond that of the PS4.
Returnal is a horror survival game that is set to release on March 19, 2020, exclusively on the PlayStation 5. The game features a female protagonist who is stranded on an alien planet, forced to relive her crash landing, an alien attack, and her death. The game strays a bit from the typical games that Housemarque releases with third-person gameplay.
The goal of the game from a development side, as indicated by Krueger in the latest video, is to create a game that players can enjoy mindlessly. Essentially, Housemarque doesn't want players to have to think about what they're doing. Instead, actions should happen naturally, which is why they're implementing the new controls that the PS5 offers.
Despite the new gameplay look, Housemarque made sure to continue playing on what the group does best: shoot 'em up action. The gameplay in the HouseCast video shows that Returnal's riveting style of play doesn't stray too far from the core combat mechanics of previous Housemarque titles.