Returnal secret ending — How to unlock act 3

Returnal underground catastrophe — How to unlock human activity three

(Paradigm credit: Sony)

Alert: Major spoilers for Returnal beneath

Returnal is the latest PS5 exclusive to wow both critics and gamers alike with its exhilarating bullet hell gameplay, intense rogue-lite structure, and deeply intriguing story.

It'south a pretty ambiguous game, with the principal narrative playing out in fragmented flashes and sound logs playing without greater context. However, in one case you defeat the game's final boss, Ophion, in the underwater depths the tragic truth about Selene'southward past is revealed and the credits roll. Fin. Well, not quite.

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Returnal doesn't really conclude when the credits play. In fact, downing the game's toughest antagonist is simply the close of act 2, there is actually a third act that unlocks the game'southward true ending filling in the final mysteries nearly Selene's past and the time loop she'due south stuck in.

The game itself gives very little indication that this is the case. And many gamers might actually recollect they've seen all Returnal has to offer after completing human action 2. But seeking out the true ending is well worth your fourth dimension and extends the runtime of one of the best PS5 games currently available.

Here'south what you demand to do to unlock the secret catastrophe of Returnal.

one. Complete the first five house sequences and defeat the final boss

Before you tin begin working towards unlocking the underground catastrophe to Returnal, you demand to really beginning human activity 3. This is achieved in two steps. Firstly you demand to make you've completed the beginning five house sequences.

These kickoff-person sections delve further into Selene's past and feed you narrative breadcrumbs. There are vi in total, merely merely the first five can be completed earlier starting human activity 3.

There are iii to unlock in the first biome, Overgrown Ruins, and 2 to unlock in the fourth area, Echoing Ruins. If you've not completed all v business firm sequences keep running these biomes until you have. The house simply always spawns in these two levels, and usually comes pretty early on, so yous shouldn't have much trouble finding information technology. Once you've seen v house sequences, you lot've unlocked all you tin can for now.

Now you demand to defeat the games concluding dominate in the Abyssal Scar biome. Ophion can be a tough nut to crack, just by this signal, you should be well-versed in the game's organization and mechanics. So long as yous avoid the deathly attack where the monster swipes at yous with his hideous arms you should exist fine. The rest of its attacks are adequately straightforward to dodge.

In one case they get down, leap into the pigsty in the floor the boss was covering and the game's first ending will play out. One time this cut scene has played, and the credits have rolled, you'll air current up dorsum at the crash site. Y'all're now officially in human activity 3 and prepare to starting time unlocking the true ending.

two. Collect six Sunface Fragment items

Now that you lot're in act 3, half dozen Sunface Fragments will spawn in the world. You lot guessed it, i per biome.

Unfortunately, as the game is procedurally generated at that place's no fashion for us to requite you the location of each fragment. They are different for every thespian. At that place's merely one option, you have to explore each biome individually.

At this signal, you should exist pretty comfortable with Returnal, after all you've beaten all it has to offer, so venture out into each level and explore with a fine-tooth rummage. Leave no rock unturned in your search for these Sunface Fragments.

They do get marked on your map (as lilliputian turquoise triangles) so you shouldn't have any huge issues spotting them. Yous might even get lucky and have them spawn near the entrance to each biome saving you the hassle of needing to explore each location fully.

While previously the game didn't actually keep rails of which fragments you'd already picked up, the game's first patch has amended this outcome. You can at present see in your inventory where each fragment you've collected was picked up which makes locating them all much easier.

Thankfully, the fragments exercise persist across death besides. So fifty-fifty if you die after picking upwardly a couple you can carry on your search without needing to start over.

3. Return to the house in Echoing Ruins

In one case yous accept all six Sunface Fragments, Selene will comment on this fact and the final house sequence will unlock.

Return to the Echoing Ruins and the house should in one case again take a lit-up porch, indicating that yous can enter. If the firm is still dark and you tin't enter, then you're missing a fragment, so double-check your inventory to make certain you lot accept them all.

Savor this last business firm sequence, it'due south pretty spooky! Afterward, you will come up abroad with a motorcar key with an astronaut keyring. Can y'all gauge what this key opens?

4. Defeat the final boss a second time

At present you need to render to the game'south final boss and kicking its butt once once again! Brand certain y'all have your time in the Abyssal Scar biome picking up a decent weapon and some valuable items, so yous tin go into the fight with Ophion with a strong arsenal.

Once Ophion goes down for a second time, you once again bound into the crater they were sitting on. This time once y'all hitting the basis below, instead of running straight frontwards to unlock a cutscene, stop at the curiously sunken car with its headlights beaming.

You should be prompted to unlock the driver-side door with your freshly caused fix of keys. Congratulations, you lot've just unlocked the underground catastrophe to Returnal, an extra cutscene and a gold PlayStation trophy are your rewards for your hard work.

Rory is a staff writer at Tom'south Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics including tech news, deals, gaming, streaming and more. When he's not writing hot takes on the latest gaming hardware and streaming shows, he tin can be institute watching a borderline unhealthy corporeality of movies and being thoroughly disappointed past his terrible football team.