Consumable items in video games often go unused as players are plagued with the feeling that they need to save them for the right time. Since death in Returnal means losing everything, though, that same feeling doesn't apply as strongly here. Even so, many of the consumable items in the game are hit or miss. There are some that seem completely useless that players would rarely ever find a use for and others that are incredibly helpful in certain situations. Some of the best consumable items in the game should never be passed up.
At the start of Returnal, players will only be able to carry one type of consumable item on them at a time, but progressing through the story increases this number. By the time players get to Act 2 of the game, they should have all three consumable item slots unlocked. Knowing which ones to carry around and which ones to leave can often be the difference between a successful run and yet another failed one. Likewise, players also need to know the best times to use these items in order to get the maximum effect out of them.
Returnal - Silphium Vial/Large Silphium Vial
The king of consumables is without a doubt the Silphium Vial items. These come in standard and large variety and do exactly what players would expect them to do. Using one of these items heals the player a nice chunk of health, and since they are consumable items they can be carried around and used whenever the situation calls for it. Players that are struggling with a boss can beat it if they have a few Silphium Vials on hand, as it is one of the few ways to heal up mid boss fight. They can also be used to top off Selene's integrity before picking up Resin in order to increase maximum Integrity.
Returnal - Nullification Sphere
The Nullification Sphere is a great item because it is easy to know when to use it. If players use this item, all of their suit malfunctions will be removed immediately. Players that like to take risks with Malignant items might opt to use this right away if they are walking around with two difficult to clear malfunctions, but even players that avoid this aspect of the game can make use of a Nullification Sphere. It can effectively be used to get two free Malignant items without worrying about malfunctions, something that would normally cost quite a bit of Ether.
Returnal - Shield Vial
A simple consumable, the Shield Vial gives players a shield that will completely negate a hit. While this may seem underwhelming at first, it can really help keep Adrenaline at max. The nice thing about these is that they don't really take up a consumable slot either, as players can simply use them right as they acquire the item in order to get the shield. When paired with parasites that give a chance to not use a consumable, lucky players can stack several shields from just one item.
Returnal - Damage Siphon
Another method of healing, the Damage Siphon consumable item is unlocked by bringing a Datacube to a Datacube Processor. When activated, the Damage Siphon passive effect is added to the player. Anytime the player damages an enemy, they will restore their Integrity slightly. This lasts until the player takes two hits. Skilled scouts can turn this item into a full heal, and since it lasts for two hits, it can even help to recover health more than one time. It's also great when paired with things like Reclaimers, as the damage from these can be restored with a Damage Siphon.
Returnal - Anti-Energy Pulse
The Anti-Energy Pulse consumable creates a force field around the player. Whenever an enemy projectile passes through this forcefield, it is converted into Obolites. Although the duration is very short, it can be used defensively to block an attack that is difficult to dodge. More importantly, it can generate a ton of Obolites if used at the right time, especially against bosses. Later bosses like Hyperion shoot tons of projectiles, so it's a great way to both nullify the attack and get rich at the same time.
Returnal - Apex Sphere
This item won't drastically change the course of a battle or a run like some of the others, but the Apex Sphere item is great for getting back in the zone after a mistake. When used, the player immediately is brought back up to maximum Adrenaline. This means that they regain all of the benefits that come with it. The Apex Sphere is great for boss fights when the player doesn't have any adds to kill. It certainly isn't the most amazing item in the game, but if players have the inventory slot available it is definitely useful.
Returnal - Situational Items
There are some other items that can be useful in certain situations. These are definitely worth picking up if the player has the space for it, but should probably be skipped in favor of some of the other items listed above. A great example of this is the Interference Sphere, which disables all turrets in the area. While this may be mostly benign, there are some areas full of shielded turrets that can be an absolute pain normally. With the Interference Sphere, these types of rooms become easy. It's just a shame that Housemarque didn't name this item Interspherence.
Another useful item is the Extermination Sphere. Using this immediately detaches all Parasites, which can really help if players weren't careful about which parasites they've picked up along the way. That said, it can also be dangerous as well, as certain Parasites apply some kind of debuff whenever they are detached. The Residual Sphere causes enemies to drop Resin on death for 30 seconds, so players that are in a room full of weak enemies might consider using that. Ultimately, it's important to keep an eye out for items that fit the situation.
Returnal is available now on PS5.
