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.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness — factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollowseeker Main | S | Hold trigger and dodge — the Hollowseeker's DPS handles the rest. | Hollowseeker with Portal Beam + Serrated Rounds, Adrenaline Leech artifact |
| Electropylon Driver Main | S | Trap-setter who fires pylons strategically and kites enemies through the damage web. | Electropylon Driver with Pylon Web + Finisher, Damage Siphon artifact |
| Dreadbound Main | A | In-your-face aggression — stay close to maximize fire rate and melt enemies. | Dreadbound with Expanding Shards + Fourth Shard, Protection artifacts |
| Rotgland Lobber Main | A | Apply acid DoT then focus entirely on dodging until it's time to reapply. | Rotgland Lobber with Trailing Rot + Explosive Rot, Adrenaline artifacts |
| Thermogenic Launcher Main | B | Explosive crowd clearer who uses alt-fire for sustained boss DPS. | Thermogenic Launcher with Full Auto + Mega Rocket, Obolite Siphon artifact |
S-Tier: Hollowseeker Main
The Hollowseeker fires a rapid stream of projectiles with zero recoil. With Portal Beam and Serrated Rounds traits, it deals massive sustained DPS while the portal turret adds free damage. The forgiving nature of spray-and-pray makes it ideal for bullet-hell sections.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Hollowseeker | Rapid-fire weapon with virtually no recoil. |
| Core Gear | Hollowseeker with Portal Beam + Serrated Rounds, Adrenaline Leech artifact | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Weapon Proficiency > Protection > Repair Efficiency | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | adrenaline system | Adrenaline builds with consecutive kills (0 to 5 levels) and resets completely on any hit taken. |
How to Play Hollowseeker Main
Hold trigger and dodge — the Hollowseeker's DPS handles the rest.
The Hollowseeker fires a rapid stream of projectiles with zero recoil. With Portal Beam and Serrated Rounds traits, it deals massive sustained DPS while the portal turret adds free damage. The forgiving nature of spray-and-pray makes it ideal for bullet-hell sections.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Hollowseeker and adrenaline system creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Hollowseeker with Portal Beam + Serrated Rounds, Adrenaline Leech artifact amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Weapon Proficiency > Protection > Repair Efficiency) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Electropylon Driver Main
Fires pylons that create damaging webs between them. With Pylon Web trait, a few shots create a death zone that melts everything walking through it — including bosses. Set up pylon networks and let enemies destroy themselves.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Electropylon Driver | Fires pylons that stick to surfaces and enemies, creating damaging electricity webs between them. |
| Core Gear | Electropylon Driver with Pylon Web + Finisher, Damage Siphon artifact | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Weapon Proficiency > Damage boost artifacts > Protection | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | weapon trait unlocks | Each weapon has 4 trait slots that modify its behavior (e. |
How to Play Electropylon Driver Main
Trap-setter who fires pylons strategically and kites enemies through the damage web.
Fires pylons that create damaging webs between them. With Pylon Web trait, a few shots create a death zone that melts everything walking through it — including bosses. Set up pylon networks and let enemies destroy themselves.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Electropylon Driver and weapon trait unlocks creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Electropylon Driver with Pylon Web + Finisher, Damage Siphon artifact amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Weapon Proficiency > Damage boost artifacts > Protection) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Dreadbound Main
A shotgun-like weapon that fires shards which return to you — the closer you are, the faster the fire rate. At point-blank range it has the highest DPS in the game. Requires aggressive positioning and confidence.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Dreadbound | Fires projectile shards that automatically return to you. |
| Core Gear | Dreadbound with Expanding Shards + Fourth Shard, Protection artifacts | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Protection > Weapon Proficiency > Repair Efficiency | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | parasite risk-reward | Parasites attach to Selene providing one positive and one negative effect. |
How to Play Dreadbound Main
In-your-face aggression — stay close to maximize fire rate and melt enemies.
A shotgun-like weapon that fires shards which return to you — the closer you are, the faster the fire rate. At point-blank range it has the highest DPS in the game. Requires aggressive positioning and confidence.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Dreadbound and parasite risk-reward creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Dreadbound with Expanding Shards + Fourth Shard, Protection artifacts amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Protection > Weapon Proficiency > Repair Efficiency) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Rotgland Lobber Main
Lobs acid grenades that deal damage over time. Each shot applies a strong DoT, so you fire a few shots then focus on dodging while the acid does the work. Excellent for bosses with long vulnerability windows.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Rotgland Lobber | Fires acid globules that apply strong damage-over-time effects. |
| Core Gear | Rotgland Lobber with Trailing Rot + Explosive Rot, Adrenaline artifacts | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Weapon Proficiency > Alt-Fire cooldown > Damage | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | malignant items | Glowing purple items and chests have a chance to cause Malfunctions (debuffs) when picked up. |
How to Play Rotgland Lobber Main
Apply acid DoT then focus entirely on dodging until it's time to reapply.
Lobs acid grenades that deal damage over time. Each shot applies a strong DoT, so you fire a few shots then focus on dodging while the acid does the work. Excellent for bosses with long vulnerability windows.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Rotgland Lobber and malignant items creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Rotgland Lobber with Trailing Rot + Explosive Rot, Adrenaline artifacts amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Weapon Proficiency > Alt-Fire cooldown > Damage) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
B-Tier: Thermogenic Launcher Main
A rocket launcher with slow fire rate but massive per-hit damage and AoE. Full Auto trait transforms it into a rapid-fire rocket launcher. Excellent for clearing rooms but ammo-hungry for boss fights.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Thermogenic Launcher | Rocket launcher with high burst damage per shot. |
| Core Gear | Thermogenic Launcher with Full Auto + Mega Rocket, Obolite Siphon artifact | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Weapon Proficiency > Damage > Protection | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | permanent upgrades | Certain items persist between runs: Ether (rare currency for cleansing/reviving), weapon trait progress, traversal tools (grapple hook, underwater suit), and Cthonos machine unlocks. |
How to Play Thermogenic Launcher Main
Explosive crowd clearer who uses alt-fire for sustained boss DPS.
A rocket launcher with slow fire rate but massive per-hit damage and AoE. Full Auto trait transforms it into a rapid-fire rocket launcher. Excellent for clearing rooms but ammo-hungry for boss fights.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Thermogenic Launcher and permanent upgrades creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Thermogenic Launcher with Full Auto + Mega Rocket, Obolite Siphon artifact amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Weapon Proficiency > Damage > Protection) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Electropylon Driver Main — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Hollowseeker Main once you understand core mechanics and have access to Hollowseeker
- Keep a Dreadbound Main setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Thermogenic Launcher Main for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Adrenaline Level 3+ increases proficiency gain — maintaining adrenaline means finding higher-level weapons faster
- The Astronaut Figurine (extra life) from the Overgrown Ruins fabricator should be bought every run — it's the most valuable consumable
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
See our tier list for current meta rankings, or the beginner's guide if you're just getting started.
