Returnal is a newly released third-person shooter revolving around the experiences of Selene Vassos, an Astra scout, after crashing her ship on the planet Atropos. The PlayStation 5 exclusive horror shooter begins with Selene attempting to find the source of a white signal being broadcast from strange, alien planet. Once players have reached the end of Selene’s time-twisting tale of personal discovery, they will most likely be yearning for more Returnal.
Fear not, for there is plenty of incentive for players to hop back into Returnal for another playthrough. Most prominently, an alternate story ending becomes ready for players to unlock. After completing the game at least once, a secret ending involving the mysterious parked car is available to returning players. This guide walks players through the series of events required to unlock this secret alternate ending for Returnal.
Returnal: Find The Sunface Fragments & Unlock The Secret Ending
After players have completed their first playthrough of Returnal, the game places Selene in the Echoing Ruins. Players must enter the cargo hold and use the time machine to return to the Overgrown Ruins. Once there, head inside the house and find the audio log. Activating this audio log will cause six “sunface fragments” to spawn; one fragment in each of the six biomes.
Players need to locate each of the six sunface fragments in order to proceed to the next event required to unlock the alternate ending. Before starting the quest for the fragments, players must find the Promethean Insulators located behind the locked door in the lobby of Fractured Wastes. After completing a laser challenge sequence behind the lobby door, players will be able to loot the insulators. Once the Promethean Insulators are installed, Selene will have no issues traversing the hazardous areas standing in her way of the sunface fragments.
Unlike the first playthrough of Returnal, the biomes do not need to be completed to unlock the secret alternate ending. After collecting each of the six sunface fragments, head straight back to the house in the Overgrown Ruins. This triggers a sequence in which players eventually receive a set of car keys adorned with an astronaut keychain. These keys allow players to finally unlock the secret ending, but first, Ophion must be defeated in the Abyssal Scar one more time.
Returnal: The Mysterious Parked Car
The defeat of Ophion leaves behind a giant hole in the ground. Jump down the abyss and head toward the left passageway after landing. Players will find the mysterious parked car with its headlights shining at the end of the corridor. Selene can now interact with the car using her newfound set of keys. Approach the car and unlock the door to activate the secret alternate ending to Returnal!
Returnal is available exclusively on PlayStation 5.