Another in what's already a long string of game delays in 2021, PlayStation 5 exclusive title Returnal will now release on April 30th. Developed by Nex Machina developer Housemarque, the game will mark the PlayStation 5 debut for the studio and is described by its makers as the most ambitious project in its long history. A third-person shooter with psychological horror elements, Returnal is certainly a change of pace for a studio mostly known for bite-sized arcade experiences. The studio also had a battle royale in development for a time, but that game was put on hold in order to focus all attention on its next release.

In Returnal, players control Selene, an astronaut armed with high-tech weapons trapped on an alien world that is itself trapped in a time loop. The game initially debuted at the PlayStation 5 reveal event and is published by Sony as a PlayStation 5 exclusive title for the recently upped price of $70. It will feature procedural roguelike elements of some fashion, and support the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller and 3D spatial audio. The time loop element is a common one for high budget games looking to take advantage of roguelike mechanics, as also seen in Bethesda's PlayStation console exclusive Deathloop.

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Although originally slated for release on March 19th, a tweet on the official PlayStation account has officially delayed the game to April 30 of this year. Sony states that it wants to give Housemarque the additional month and change for polish on the title, hoping to achieve the "level of quality players expect from Housemarque." For its part, Housemarque hasn't commented on the delay other than to retweet PlayStation's tweet. The game is one of several big delays to be announced in January, joining Harry Potter service game Hogwarts LegacyOutriders, the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake, and several other major current-gen releases.

When players do eventually get their hands on Returnal, they're in for a unique time. While there's been a heavy focus on the game's narrative in trailers, players have also seen Selene equip guns and swords to take on the alien foes she faces in the time loop. There are also parasite-based power-ups that may last beyond a single run, making the game similar to more recent rogue-lites than the original roguelike incarnation. Despite this base knowledge, a lot of the game remains a mystery, and likely will up until the new release date arrives.

Housemarque has released plenty of great games, both under Sony's stewardship and with other publishers, and Returnal looks to have the same spirit. While the company is no longer producing "arcade" titles, a roguelike third-person shooter with big production values could prove to scratch the same itch as some of their high-score driven releases. Either way, it will be a big test for the studio, as Sony has placed the game in a prominent position in the launch year of the PlayStation 5. Players will finally get to see if the studio that called the arcade genre dead made the right call.

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Returnal is scheduled to launch exclusively on PlayStation 5 on April 30, 2021.

Source: PlayStation/Twitter