Returnal Ascension Update Released, Patch Notes Unveiled

PlayStation developer Housemarque has today released the new Ascension update for its roguelike shooter Returnal. This patch, which is likely the biggest one that Returnal has received since launching last year, adds two brand new components to the game that should breathe new life into the experience. 

As a whole, Returnal update 3.0 brings two major features to the PlayStation 5 title. The first of these features is co-op play, which will allow players to experience Returnal with one another. Co-op in the game can be done with a close friend in a private session, or conversely, you can opt to jump into a public lobby and play with another random player. 

In addition to co-op, Returnal has also now added a new survival locale which will test players' skills more than anything else in the game. This area, which is called the Tower of Sisyphus, will see players trying to climb as high as they can in the location before perishing. While this might sound fun on its own, the Tower also adds a new boss to Returnal to go along with new weapons and added story content. 

Again, this patch for Returnal is available to download right now on PS5 if you'd like to dive into these new content for yourself. And if you'd like to find the full list of patch notes (which are instead more of a description of these new additions) for this Returnal update, you can find them down below. 

PATCH NOTES:

• Co-op: Combine forces with a second Selene.
  
  Using the Chronosis portal lets you summon a second Selene from another timeline, so now you can combine forces with a friend and face the dangers of Atropos together. You have the choice of joining or hosting a public session, or alternatively hosting a private session. 
  
  Progression is tied to the host, but the client players who join a session will be able to keep some of the process they make – such as collecting logs and xenoglyphs – and they're able to level up their Scout Rank based on how many players they help by joining a session.
  
  In co-op mode the world of Atropos has been rebalanced, so Returnal remains the treacherous experience you know and love. 

• Tower of Sisyphus: Endless mode, where Selene is drawn to climb the Tower and solve its mysteries, and the player is chasing the highest score 
  
  True to our arcade roots, the Tower of Sisyphus brings an endless survival mode in Returnal. You strive to ascend the tower as high as possible, chasing a high score by increasing and keeping up your score multiplier, until Selene meets her demise in the hands of the many hazards of the Tower. 
  
  You make your way up the Tower of Sisyphus in phases, and each phase will lead up to a battle against the new boss, Algos. While there are optional routes and secrets to be found, in the Tower the emphasis is on survival, skill, and focused progression.
  
  The Tower of Sisyphus brings new levels, new special weapons and a new boss, but also continues the story of Selene as you climb the Tower. 

• Bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements