Returnal turned out to be a major success for Housemarque when it released earlier this year. The studio’s first AAA title, the developer managed to make the transition from old school twin-stick shooters to a massive, full-priced game with ease. With an interesting hidden narrative, addictive rouguelike gameplay, and memorable boss encounters, it is hardly a surprise that many have grown to love Returnal.
While it is true that each run of Returnal plays differently, as the biomes on Atropos take on new forms with randomized rooms, players will eventually see all that the game has to offer. However, for those that have fully completed Returnal and still want more, a recent teaser posted by Housemarque has proven exciting. While it is still unclear if it truly is teasing a DLC reveal, there is a lot of potential for an expansion that builds on the current experience.
A New Biome For Returnal
The teaser image that fans are hoping hints at Returnal DLC seems to show a fallen statue with some water in the background. Some alien plants can be seen in the background, though it is hard to make anything else out. The location does look a fair bit different than any other area from the game, leading some players to theorize that the image is teasing a brand-new biome for players to explore.
If a new biome really did come to Returnal, it could mean a new boss fight, new enemy types, and new terrain. Additional story content could also be provided, helping players make sense of the game’s intentionally vague narrative. With water in the background, this biome could be a location players go to after Returnal’s sixth and final biome, with Selene exiting the underwater area to find herself in a whole new place. An extra area would mean a lot of fresh content, and while the biome theory does make the most sense, there are some other fun possibilities for the hypothetical Returnal DLC.
A Horde Mode Or Boss Rush For Returnal
One possible avenue Housemarque could go down when it comes to extra content is a horde mode. Returnal’s challenge rooms offer some of the toughest fights in the game, with one of the rooms in Biome 5 being particularly difficult. A horde mode could essentially offer an endless supply of these rooms, with players entering one after another to see how long they can last. To make the mode stand out, Returnal players could enter a new biome after every challenge room is complete, giving them completely different enemies to deal with every few minutes.
Another option would see Returnal’s memorable bosses getting time to shine. Whether it is Nemesis and its moving platforms or Hyperion and its haunting music, these specially designed fights are intense and serve as a great way to cap off each of the game’s biomes. A boss rush could connect them, giving players that enjoy the one-on-one fights the option to go right from one battle to the next. A separate leaderboard could see players facing off against their friends to see who can clear the boss rush the fastest, or with the least damage taken.
Regardless of what form the rumored DLC takes, it would be great to see Returnal’s trophy list expanded to accommodate for the fresh content. Extra trophies could give players a reason to return even if they already have the Platinum, with Housemarque giving fans tasks that are tied directly to the expansion. With some theorizing that Returnal’s DLC will be unveiled at The Game Awards, answers could be right around the corner. With the post-launch content able to take so many forms, there is a lot Housemarque could do to make Atropos even more memorable.
Returnal is available now on PS5.
