Returnal Walkthrough — Start to Endgame

Returnal is Housemarque's third-person roguelike shooter where astronaut Selene crash-lands on the alien planet Atropos and is trapped in a time loop. Each death resets the procedurally generated world, but permanent unlocks like weapon traits, ether currency, and traversal abilities carry between runs. The combat blends bullet-hell patterns with responsive third-person shooting, and the DualSense-inspired mechanics (adaptive triggers for alt-fire) translate well to PC. Two distinct acts with three biomes each offer a complete story that rewards repeated playthroughs with cryptic narrative reveals.

This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. Follow this path to avoid common traps that stall most players.

Quick Progression Summary

Phase 1: Getting Started — Overgrown Ruins

The first biome with alien jungle environments. Phrike is the boss — a tall humanoid with sweeping laser attacks and ground slams. Teaches core movement and dodge timing. Contains the first permanent traversal upgrade (sword for melee).

Level/Difficulty: Biome 1 (Act 1) Key Rewards: Atropian Blade (melee), Phrike boss key, early weapon unlocks

What to Do in Overgrown Ruins

1. Learn adrenaline system. Adrenaline builds with consecutive kills (0 to 5 levels) and resets completely on any hit taken. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
2. Pick Electropylon Driver Main as your starting build. It's the most forgiving option.
3. Adrenaline Level 3+ increases proficiency gain — maintaining adrenaline means finding higher-level weapons faster
4. Acquire your first equipment upgrade — Electropylon Driver or whatever's available.
5. Clear all main content before moving on.

Phase 1 Checklist

• Understand adrenaline system fundamentals
• Electropylon Driver Main selected and functional
• Overgrown Ruins main content cleared
• Ready for Crimson Wastes

Phase 2: Early Game — Crimson Wastes

A desert biome with wider open arenas and flying enemies. Ixion is the boss — a mobile humanoid with projectile-heavy phases requiring constant movement. The grapple hook unlocked here changes traversal permanently.

Level/Difficulty: Biome 2 (Act 1) Key Rewards: Grapple Hook, Ixion boss key, mid-tier weapon traits

What to Do in Crimson Wastes

1. Work on weapon trait unlocks. Each weapon has 4 trait slots that modify its behavior (e. This system becomes critical from here on.
2. Farm for Electropylon Driver if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
3. The Astronaut Figurine (extra life) from the Overgrown Ruins fabricator should be bought every run — it's the most valuable consumable
4. Complete all objectives before pushing to Derelict Citadel.
5. Consider whether Hollowseeker Main might suit your playstyle better than Electropylon Driver Main.

Phase 2 Checklist

• weapon trait unlocks integrated into gameplay
• Electropylon Driver acquired
• Crimson Wastes fully cleared
• Ready for Derelict Citadel

Phase 3: Mid Game — Derelict Citadel

A vertical underwater-themed biome ending Act 1. Nemesis is the boss — a massive entity fought across floating platforms with screen-filling projectile patterns. The hardest Act 1 challenge that tests everything you've learned.

Level/Difficulty: Biome 3 (Act 1) Key Rewards: Act 1 completion, Nemesis boss key, access to Act 2

What to Do in Derelict Citadel

1. Master parasite risk-reward. Parasites attach to Selene providing one positive and one negative effect. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
2. Start working toward Hollowseeker. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
3. Weapon proficiency determines the level of weapons you find — pick up every Calibrator item to boost it quickly
4. This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
5. Start investing in malignant items for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.

Phase 3 Checklist

• parasite risk-reward mastered
• Hollowseeker acquired or in progress
• Derelict Citadel fully cleared
• Ready for Echoing Ruins

Phase 4: Late Game — Echoing Ruins

The first Act 2 biome set in ancient ruins with robotic enemies and turrets. Hyperion is the boss — an aggressive humanoid with fast melee combos. Significantly harder than Act 1 biomes with enemies that hit harder and have more complex patterns.

Level/Difficulty: Biome 4 (Act 2) Key Rewards: Act 2 weapon traits, higher proficiency weapons, Hyperion boss key

What to Do in Echoing Ruins

1. Finalize your build. You should be running Hollowseeker Main or Electropylon Driver Main with optimized gear.
2. Hollowseeker should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
3. Alt-fire weapons recharge on a timer; Killsight (headshot bonus) and Doombringer are the strongest alt-fires
4. permanent upgrades optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
5. Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Fractured Wastes.

Phase 4 Checklist

• Build fully optimized
• Hollowseeker upgraded to max
• Echoing Ruins fully cleared
• Ready for Fractured Wastes

Phase 5: Endgame — Fractured Wastes

A frozen biome with environmental hazards and the most difficult regular enemies in the game. Contains the underwater suit for accessing hidden areas in all biomes. The boss Ophion has multiple phases requiring endurance.

Level/Difficulty: Biome 5-6 (Act 2) Key Rewards: Underwater Suit, final boss access, endgame weapon traits

What to Do in Fractured Wastes

1. Fractured Wastes tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
2. Spend Ether at the Cthonos machine between runs to permanently unlock new artifacts and consumables for the pool
3. The endgame loop: run Fractured Wastes, optimize gear, push harder content.
4. Experiment with Thermogenic Launcher Main for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
5. This is where permanent upgrades mastery separates good players from great ones.

Phase 5 Checklist

• Endgame content on farm
• Best-in-slot gear acquired
• Fractured Wastes fully cleared
• Ready for challenge content

Common Progression Mistakes

• Standing still to aim — Returnal is designed for constant movement; hip-fire and sprint-dodge simultaneously
• Prioritizing damage artifacts over survivability — one hit resets your adrenaline, and surviving means more DPS long-term
• Not unlocking weapon traits by using varied weapons — grinding traits early makes all future runs dramatically easier
• Avoiding all malignant items out of fear — calculated risks on chests and items often pay off, especially in early rooms
• Trying to clear a biome rather than rushing the boss door when you're already powerful enough

Key Tips for Smooth Progression

1. Adrenaline Level 3+ increases proficiency gain — maintaining adrenaline means finding higher-level weapons faster
2. The Astronaut Figurine (extra life) from the Overgrown Ruins fabricator should be bought every run — it's the most valuable consumable
3. Weapon proficiency determines the level of weapons you find — pick up every Calibrator item to boost it quickly
4. Alt-fire weapons recharge on a timer; Killsight (headshot bonus) and Doombringer are the strongest alt-fires
5. Spend Ether at the Cthonos machine between runs to permanently unlock new artifacts and consumables for the pool

For detailed build optimization, see Returnal builds. For quick wins, check tips & tricks.