Returnal throws players into a hostile alien world and challenges them to die as many times as it takes to find out the truth about what is happening to Selene, the main character. As they explore the incredibly well-designed world of Returnal, players will discover that while death is not the end for Selene, they still might want to be able to make a second attempt at some of the game's tougher challenges without the need to restart a run.
This is where some of the strange alien devices that can be found in Returnal come into play. While the game is already being noted for its difficulty and lack of save points, there is some strange alien technology in the game that players can use to get a second chance at a run if they can find it.
Reconstructors are odd, alien machines that players can find in Returnal's procedurally generated world in random locations. Players who find a Reconstructor can enter the machine, copying themselves and their entire loadout at that moment in time. This is the closest thing the game has to a proper save feature at the moment, and it is extremely limited. It can only be used once per run, and it is not free. After it is found, it will be marked on the map so players can return to the location later if they wish.
Using a Reconstructor will cost players six Ether if they are lucky enough the find the machine in the first place. Ether is quite rare, and if players hope to have the six at any one time, they will need to save everything they find and not spend them on other things. It will also be helpful to find the Atropian Blade, which can be used to break through red vines in Returnal, potentially giving access to even more Ether on a run.
After using the Reconstructor, players will have a saved copy of themselves at that location and will be able to come back from the dead once on that run. Any weapons, parasites, or other buffs they have at the time of using the Reconstructor will still be intact, making it a true one-time save of the character.
While rare and expensive, the Reconstructor can be incredibly useful if used at the right time. Just before facing a boss like Phrike, players can return to the Reconstructor and use it and will then be able to afford to fall in combat with the boss once and have another shot at it without needing to fully repeat a run.
While impossible to count on due to the random nature of the game, any player that is having an extremely lucky run should always take advantage of the Reconstructor if they are fortunate enough to find it.
Returnal is available now on PS5.
