Topic: Returnal

Credits have rolled. Didn't really get a proper run anytime I played through the week due to work. But today I had two fantastic runs, The first in the morning but right before the boss I was ambushed by those big guys with the tentacles and lost my astronaut and got the malfunction that damages you when you overload so I accidentally ended myself during the boss fight 😭🤣, second run was even better and I had a suped up damage siphon and a level 26 Hollow seeker . Didn't even need my 2 health packs and astronaut. Can't wait to jump back in.

@JohnnyShoulder Keep at it. I was struggling with biome 3 for a bit but it's definitely doable once you get the hang of zipping about with grapple hook

@MightyDemon82 Nice one. That overload malfunction is some kind of evil 🤣.

@Feena That pool of acid one can be a good laugh too. I tried to do a daily challenge with that included and even right at the end of the biome I was still forgetting to get clear of things when using melee 🤦‍♂️

@render Thanks. It sure is 🤣. Now on the hunt for cyphers back in biome 1.

Yessssss! Finally beat the boss in biome 3

And that was with the pistol with burst fire - with homing missiles and voidbeam, though.

Thanks @render @Voltan @velio84 @Scratchy_Seal for the encouragement and tips along the way.

(And that's after 111 deaths, and about 3 and a half days of total suit usage )

@JigsawPieces Congrats. Wait till you get to the boss in biome 4, He is excellent.

@MightyDemon82 Definitely my favorite boss fight.

@Voltan The music is sublime for that fight.

@MightyDemon82 I just did, and you're right, that was excellent!

(Didn't beat him, but it was close.)

@adrianthealchemist You can’t dash through the purple beams and rings so you’ll just have to make sure you don’t occupy the same space at any time 😉

@adrianthealchemist Thanks I had the artefact (or parasite? I can't remember) that slowly restores some integrity when you're very low, and that was a life-saver. I recommend that to anyone tackling that boss.

With the 4th boss, I didn't quite manage to beat him but it was really close - I was using the thermogenic launcher, with the autorockets trait that I'd only just unlocked. That seemed to work pretty well!

@JigsawPieces Frikin awesome, and with a pistol too 👏. That’s the hardest part done hopefully and you can enjoy beating Hyperion. There’s that great PS blog post about that boss but worth completely finishing the game before you have a read if you haven’t already. Anyway it doesn’t matter how long it takes, as long as you are still enjoying it 😀.

@adrianthealchemist Great work too. Sounds like you are really hitting your stride. I think I used a carbine when I first did that boss but since then have found the rot gun to be pretty fantastic. It’s a tie between that and the pylon for most of the game.

I found 3 cyphers in Crimson tonight so I’m now on 19/20 and as the trophy didn’t pop then I’m hoping the counter is fixed and I just need the one. I watched the video on YouTube and there’s one room I recognise but might not have had the equipment to get to where the cypher was before.

@JigsawPieces. Amazing well done, such a good feeling to clear that hurdle. The biome 4-6 run is a rewarding one for sure in terms of traits etc but brace yourself for biome 5...

@render I’ve been a little quiet of late so have likely missed a lot, but I see you’re almost done for the plat, so long as that last glitch is fixed. I’ve got two different numbers showing on my Crimson count so I’m hoping when I get one more it pops. Since finishing act 3 I’ve found myself by throwing caution to the wind in my quest for the last cipher in biome 6 and been getting absolutely punished for it! It just doesn’t want to happen for me!

@adrianthealchemist Oh the rot gun and explosive rot will always feature in my most wanted for sure! I think I’m probably similar to most with the pylon, rot and hollowseeker being the go to guns but even the ones that seem useless at first can be fantastic with the right traits...talking to you thermogenic launcher with full auto!

@render I've just done crimson wastes and the out of 20 counter was correct. The out of 90 counter was reading one high.

One cipher left in biome 5, and one in biome 6 and I'm done.

I hadn't been back to 5 since clearing it. Definitely the one that kicks my ass the most!

Going to take something special to top this as my GOTY.

@phil_j oh that helps, my counter out of 90 is reading one high so I guess that means I shouldn’t have any issues with Crimson Wastes.

Finally got the final cipher in abyssal scar so now back to Crimson Wastes for the home stretch...

Before the latest patch (when Crimson Wastes had a glitched counter), the glyph counter was 2 up for me (one high if the CW number was correct) and I was able to translate the last glyph before getting the last cipher, so this seems consistent.

@Scratchy_Seal @phil_j Nice one getting the Crimson Wastes done. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been through there and not seen a single different room. Then all of a sudden say every 1/5 I’ll see a room I’ve never seen ever with a cypher contained within. It’s almost as exciting as beating a boss 🤣.

I think you will both likely clear up that platinum before I do but I’m almost glad I haven’t as I don’t want to stop playing. I really hope that they announce some kind of DLC and especially hope it contains some choice trophies!!

I noticed that I’m actually missing one enemy type in my databank. Number 27. Anyone else got that one?

@render I don't know if it's accurate, or just a placebo, but if I don't find anything on a run, I always make sure I get killed, instead of just restarting the cycle, which doesn't count as a death.

I read a theory that deaths are tied to rare rooms, and I've honestly very rarely had a run where I didn't find something I was missing. But obviously only housemarque know for sure.

One cipher in the Abyssal Scar to go...

@phil_j I’ve died quite a few times, 75 in total I think, but then since looking for collectibles I’ve mostly been restarting. I’ll gave to give it a go though as shouldn’t be too hard to go back to dying, I’ll just continue to the citadel and meet some drones 😉.

@render surprised you’ve not come across it.. killed 3 thus far. Malformed automaton.

Yeah daren’t look at my time and deaths yet. I’ll check when that last trophy pops 😉