In a recent interview, Housemarque reveals their plans in creating a new IP and the lessons they have learned from Returnal will be incorporated there.
Senior Narrative Designer Eevi Korhonen spoke with media outlet VGC discussing about their experience with developing Returnal. She revealed that it was rather ambitious, but they also had to cut a lot of content though on the cutting floor.
Korhonen admitted that they did not know how to handle Returnal at that time because the scope was so big and they were building for a new platform on a new engine with a new team. They had to do a lot of learning to make it all possible. Now that they have the experience, she believes the next IP will be a lot easier to do since they are quite stronger now as a team.
The narrative designer shared the lessons they have learned during Returnal’s development. She said that they have learned the importance of pacing and its difficulty in implementing that in a rogue-like game. She admits that it was really hard to control and that linear games were easier.
“Letting go of that and somehow building the sandbox or the playground for players in a way that means certain story blocks become available is challenging,” Korhonen explains.
Returnal is now available on PS5.