Returnal - "Hades x Aliens x Metroid" - PC version officially confirmed

I've seen a few people who didn't figure out how to open those until surprisingly late in the game. I think I was quite lucky in that the first one I came across had the switch in an obvious place, I guess it's easy to assume you'll get an ability to access them at some point if you don't notice it immediately.

How do people handle runs into other biomes? I'm still stuck on 2nd. My routine is usually this: I fully complete the first biome (including the boss) and get as upgraded as I can, then in the 2nd biome I clear out the first few rooms but don't go too deep for fear of running into one too many of the Severed. Then I take the portal to the boss. Obviously I'm not wanting to take the risk of losing too much HP in 2nd biome before boss, but that also means I'm going into the boss fight at a lower level. Should I take the risk and complete more of 2nd biome? Should I skip more of 1st biome? I can get 2nd boss down to about 75-50% on last bar, but by then I'm on dregs of HP with no health "potions," etc.

Feeling bad that I've abandoned this for Resi. I will definitely be going back to it once I've had my fill of RE though.

You’re ‘still stuck’ on biome 2, SOK? I’m still on biome 1!

My trips through the game consist of either really unfriendly builds or getting a decent build (plus astronaut) and it going wrong right near the end. On the last three occasions I’ve got to the boss, I’ve been beaten by him on his third life, in the last third of his health bar. Each time, the astronaut hasn’t been an option to purchase at the ‘shop.’ That’s the luck I’m having.

TonyDA wrote:You’re ‘still stuck’ on biome 2, SOK? I’m still on biome 1!

My trips through the game consist of either really unfriendly builds or getting a decent build (plus astronaut) and it going wrong right near the end. On the last three occasions I’ve got to the boss, I’ve been beaten by him on his third life, in the last third of his health bar. Each time, the astronaut hasn’t been an option to purchase at the ‘shop.’ That’s the luck I’m having.

Yeah. Had that happen to me loads. You're not alone. I lost to first boss twice when it was on a SLIVER of health! (Back and forth ground swipe lasers got me both times.)

Have you figured out which items replenish health? They can be as big a help as the figurine, especially when paired with the item which boosts "health potion" effects. There's also a pick up (though I dunno if it needs to be unlocked on the ether obelisk in the first room...) which will restock the fabricator shop after you purchase an item. That may help you get the figurine.

But yeah, it took me many a go to get out of biome 1.

Saint of Killers wrote:How do people handle runs into other biomes? I'm still stuck on 2nd. My routine is usually this: I fully complete the first biome (including the boss) and get as upgraded as I can, then in the 2nd biome I clear out the first few rooms but don't go too deep for fear of running into one too many of the Severed. Then I take the portal to the boss. Obviously I'm not wanting to take the risk of losing too much HP in 2nd biome before boss, but that also means I'm going into the boss fight at a lower level. Should I take the risk and complete more of 2nd biome? Should I skip more of 1st biome? I can get 2nd boss down to about 75-50% on last bar, but by then I'm on dregs of HP with no health "potions," etc.

I'd often rush to the next biome just to try it out, but the times I did well tended to be when I did full runs of all the early biomes (including challenge rooms for drops and obolites). If you're having particular trouble with the Severed in biome 2, I'd suggest maybe doing a few trial runs where you immediately head to biome 2 and practise to learn their attack patterns etc. Hopefully you'll get to a point where you're more comfortable dealing with them and can then do full runs of both biomes before taking on the second boss. Obviously you'll still be relying on RNG to get decent drops, but you should at least end up with more equipment and so more chance of landing artefacts with good bonuses or healing items.

sawyerpip wrote:

Saint of Killers wrote:How do people handle runs into other biomes? I'm still stuck on 2nd. My routine is usually this: I fully complete the first biome (including the boss) and get as upgraded as I can, then in the 2nd biome I clear out the first few rooms but don't go too deep for fear of running into one too many of the Severed. Then I take the portal to the boss. Obviously I'm not wanting to take the risk of losing too much HP in 2nd biome before boss, but that also means I'm going into the boss fight at a lower level. Should I take the risk and complete more of 2nd biome? Should I skip more of 1st biome? I can get 2nd boss down to about 75-50% on last bar, but by then I'm on dregs of HP with no health "potions," etc.

I'd often rush to the next biome just to try it out, but the times I did well tended to be when I did full runs of all the early biomes (including challenge rooms for drops and obolites). If you're having particular trouble with the Severed in biome 2, I'd suggest maybe doing a few trial runs where you immediately head to biome 2 and practise to learn their attack patterns etc. Hopefully you'll get to a point where you're more comfortable dealing with them and can then do full runs of both biomes before taking on the second boss. Obviously you'll still be relying on RNG to get decent drops, but you should at least end up with more equipment and so more chance of landing artefacts with good bonuses or healing items.

That's a really good idea, to do Severed runs. Ta!

I've got to the point where I know how it moves, and taking it on, at least when it is on its own, is a less stressful proposition, but I'm still not 100% comfortable with its attacks. So yeah. Will have sessions where I'll beef up a bit and then go straight to 2.

twitter.com/SoKfa_ce/status/1392790335290478592

Didn't have the astronaut figurine.

What I did have: large HP thingy; thing wot boots HP effectiveness (it basically gave me a 2nd life on 3rd phase); good calibre weapon and proficiency; and a tonne of pluck and stick-to-itiveness. All that, and the realisation that standing as far back as possible makes its projectiles easier to dodge. (But you then have to put up with the fear of dodging onto the rim of the arena and falling out of bounds )

I also got very lucky with modifiers which allowed me to accumulate loads of ooblets and buy up a number of fabricator items.

Good stuff SOK! That’ll be me….when I beat Phrike…

TonyDA wrote:Good stuff SOK! That’ll be me….when I beat Phrike…

Ta

I got lucky with a lot of drops, modifiers and stuff like that. But figuring out a way to survive *a little* better against its attacks also helped. (Both actually in game and giving me a wee moral boost irl.)

TonyDA wrote:Good stuff SOK! That’ll be me….when I beat Phrike…

How are you doing against the other mobs in biome 1? (Thinking mostly about the "mini bosses" like the tree thing, large red dog and the tentacle er, gorilla.)

Saint of Killers wrote:

TonyDA wrote:Good stuff SOK! That’ll be me….when I beat Phrike…

How are you doing against the other mobs in biome 1? (Thinking mostly about the "mini bosses" like the tree thing, large red dog and the tentacle er, gorilla.)

Not too bad, as long as they don't appear too early! Can sometimes get through some of those rooms that go into lockdown with minimal damage.

It's getting the 'perfect' build that seems to elude me. My last go yesterday, I made it to the boss with the astronaut and the full suit upgrade....but my rifle was on at level 2 and didn't do much damage. I got Phrike's last life to half way down, and I was at less than 50% life, and he took me out in two hits. Came back thanks to the astronaut, but with less than 50% life and I lasted seconds.

I know what I have to do....doing it is an entirely different matter.

I'm not playing this; I don't have a PS5. But I'm playing Risk of Rain 2 another roguelike and it's strawberry floating brutal.

I mean I was actually sweating. These games don't respect your time. But in that game progress doesn't carry over at all. Not even any kind of points or level. I genuinely can't tell if I'm enjoying the stress or not.

Not the type of game to play to relax.

Made it to boss 3. Again on first attempt. (Higher level weapons and increased weapon proficiency really does help. But I should have stuck to automatic anything instead of going into the fight with a manual firing RL ) Got it down to 50% on last bar. But to be frank, that was still a pasting. BUT! The boss itself was so strawberry floating epic that I genuinely do not mind. Some of what your asked to do makes you feel like a total badass as well And *the* automaton enemy. So strawberry floating cool! That whip though, and the gatling gun which doesn't give you a lot room to peek round corners

TonyDA wrote:

Saint of Killers wrote:

TonyDA wrote:Good stuff SOK! That’ll be me….when I beat Phrike…

How are you doing against the other mobs in biome 1? (Thinking mostly about the "mini bosses" like the tree thing, large red dog and the tentacle er, gorilla.)

Not too bad, as long as they don't appear too early! Can sometimes get through some of those rooms that go into lockdown with minimal damage.

It's getting the 'perfect' build that seems to elude me. My last go yesterday, I made it to the boss with the astronaut and the full suit upgrade....but my rifle was on at level 2 and didn't do much damage. I got Phrike's last life to half way down, and I was at less than 50% life, and he took me out in two hits. Came back thanks to the astronaut, but with less than 50% life and I lasted seconds.

I know what I have to do....doing it is an entirely different matter.

Yeah, level 2 rifle sounds weak. I need to do a fresh run of biome 1 to refresh my memory re how hard it really is sans all the unlocks. (Which you still have to have the luck to actually find in subsequent runs.)

So I finally managed to beat Phrike!!

And having a decent weapon and weapon proficiency is definitely key - ended up with a level 4 machine gun & weapon proficiency of 3. Had an insane run, as I ended up with over 700 Obolites and then got lucky with the items which spawned in the shop - managed to buy the astronaut, the power up which regenerates part of your energy if it drops to critical and a power up. Suit was also maxed out (I think) and I started the boss confrontation at full health.

That last half an energy bar was 90 seconds of the most nerve-wracking gaming I can remember for years. I think dying 45 times (so the stats tell me) had taken its toll and I was genuinely scared I was going to die with Phrike one or two hits from death. When the trophy popped (I swear this happened a second before the last hit took effect!) I was almost out of breath.

Then breezed through biome 2 and took out the boss first go!!

like hell I did. PS5 is currently in rest mode and I'm about to go in the house for the second time before I go to biome 2. I needed some time to calm down!!

I was, like, "WHAT?! He beat that bast first go?!" Yeah. I know what you mean about needing to calm down! Grats on finally doing it! (That ground sweep laser when it's on low HP is pain in the arse to avoid.)

Haha. Yep, biome 2 ended fairly quickly - mini bosses now, are there?

Returnal, bloody hell…

On my last run of the biome, in one area, I had to take on TWO of the strawberry floaters at once "Headless chicken" describes how I handled it pretty accurately.

Get to the boss and, if you lose, on your next run in the area, the game will show you it can cut you some slack.

Intriguing. I have to get to the boss first though & this will be today’s challenge!

I guess the best approach is to play through as much of Biome 1 as possible, to level up a bit before going through the crimson portal? I mean, once you’ve found that room of course!

Pretty much. I level up *a lot* just because I like to have that extra firepower and protection against dying too quickly And of course increasing your experience level also helps you get a better level of weapon. (That and I pretty much need all the help I can get, so I go into the other biomes with as much health, health vials, suit augments, etc I can get my hands on.) But I'm sure you'll be able to figure out the risk/reward of it.