Topic: Returnal

Thanks everyone i think i'm going to print all of your advices on a paper and put it next to me while i'm playing:)

@Tatarimokke Some of the lockdown rooms with a bunch of enemies are actually harder than the bosses. The challenge rooms (you haven’t got the opportunity to open those yet if you don’t have the melee sword yet) are too hard to try early on, so I’d suggest leave those alone unless you have a throwaway run going and want to just try it out. Same applies for the scout corpses (the online only content) — early in the game the mini bosses that spawn from the corpses are much too hard to be worth the reward you get.

edit: and you’re very welcome! The game is fantastic and we who played it are passionate about it. Feel free to come to this thread often to update us how you’re doing and if you need more advice or just to voice frustration! 😄

@Tatarimokke Yeah like @Th3solution said keep us posted, can't wait to see how you get on. I know you can do it because I once did it 😁

@Th3solution Thanks will do! just one more thing. Are the lockdown rooms part of the main path ( you couldn't get out or go back to previous rooms until you kill everyone) so i can't actually avoid them? That's where i finished yesterday. And the challenge rooms are those which you usually drop down below to fight with a mini boss, aren't they? Those are usually in the corner with some yellow glowing crystal if i am right. Am i?

@Tatarimokke it's definitely a brutally tough game (I've only recently made it to biome 3) but the way it plays and feels - you will keep being drawn back in. It might not feel like you're making progress but you are - each run you will improve your reflexes, learn from mistakes and keep expanding your knowledge of enemy behaviour.

I do still wish there was some sort of save feature though, I like to level up a lot in biome 1 & 2 before going to 3, by which time a good couple of hours or more have passed and its time for bed.

This forum has been very good for tips and encouragement. Good luck and I'm sure you'll be completing the game before me!

@Tatarimokke Challenge rooms are the ones displayed as yellow door with a star on your map (there's one per biome). You get several waves of enemies in them and a few items if you survive. Lockdown rooms can occur on the main path. I’m not entirely sure if you’re 100% guaranteed to get at least one on every run but you’ll get them on most for sure.

@Tatarimokke if you see an astronaut figure, pick it up, it helps alot.

@Tatarimokke I’m glad to see so many tips for you in here.. it is an overwhelming game to start with!

A little tip I’ve not seen mentioned though is that in biome 1, those annoying tentacle “plants” that grab you can actually be used to reach high up platforms for extra obolites and other items.

Also, I don’t know if you’ve figured out the chests that seem locked behind a gate but normally in the nearby area there is a glowing red (?) button that you can shoot to allow you to get the chest. The button in biome 1 is sometimes behind a statue next to it.

@Just_2_milky @Thrillho Good call on these tips as well, these really help early on and the astronaut is even more valuable than the reconstructor for my money!

@Just_2_milky @Thrillho I believe @Tatarimokke mentioned not being able to enter the house yet and I'm pretty sure you can't get the astronaut until then.
First you need to get the house key which just appears randomly, I think.

@render @MatthewJP @Voltan @Just_2_milky thanks guys I'll keep on eye on those figures. What does it do? I found some reconstructors but i am not able to use it as i have just 4 ethers i think. Is it worth to spend on?

@Tatarimokke The astronaut figurine gives you an extra life basically
The reconstructor also gives you an extra life but with a couple caveats:

• works only in the biome you activated it in
• you're transported back to the reconstructor, which can be a good thing but it also means that if you die during a boss battle, you have to start it over

@Voltan @Tatarimokke And those are the reasons I rate the astronaut over the reconstructor every time. The reconstructor also doesn't save your consumables so if you've used health packs during the boss fight then they've gone for good.

@Tatarimokke Since you’re low on ether right now, it might be a moot point, but the reconstructor is only a good investment if you have a really good run going have put a lot of time into the Biome and feel like “this is the one.” Later on the ethers are much easier to come by and you can more liberally invest in reconstructors. But usually I used my ether on the device at the beginning by the Helios where you unlock (and obtain for that run) a new item. You’ll get the item and it will now be in the pool of randomly appearing items ever after. Sometimes the item is fairly useless, like some of the consumables, but sometimes it’s a nice artifact that really buffs you.

I don’t know if it’s been said, but unlocking traits on the weapons (one of the few things that carries over run to run) is actually a lot more useful than you might think. It’ll typically make that Gun more powerful in unique ways. So its more progress than you realize that will carry over there.

@Voltan @render @Th3solution ok thanks. I think I just leave the reconstructors for now . First i want to get in that house to have that figurine. Is it you who decide to use it or it does automatically? Is it a permanent item?

@Tatarimokke
House key- permanent item, but the house is only active after you clear a boss (I think?)

Astronaut- non permanent item, can also spawn in the shop for you to buy with 250 obolites
EDIT: the artifact called “child’s watch” (something like that) does the same thing as an astronaut, but is much rarer

@Tatarimokke The figurine is used automatically when your health is depleted. It’s not permanent, it’s an artifact. Once you unlock it you’ll be able to find it randomly (it’s most commonly found in fabricators). It disappears after one use but it’s possible that you’ll find another one later in the same run (you can only have one at a time though).

Just had 1.5 hour run i think i almost reached the boss. I had good weapon and 3 tier health upgrade and i also found a device which i've never seen before something which restores your health and increase integrity for free. I wanted to go back for using it before the boss...but i couldn't reach it. Again. The same old big jumpy monster killed me because i maneuvered myself next to a wall so i couldn't dash away I feel exhausted it was a very good run and if I'm capable for another one today.

@Tatarimokke If what gave you Heath was a stone bed that was lit up green, that will only heal you once. If you find a stone bed that is lit up red, it will steal health for an item (IMO not worth it) sounds like you are doing much better!

@Just_2_milky yeah i feel more confident but it still not enough to succeed. All the tips you guys gave me works perfectly i think that's the main reason i could run farther. Hope I'll reach that boss soon