Finally got my hands on my copy today after an excruciating wait over the weekend. Managed to put 4 hours in already finishing the 1st biome, had to take a break before my brain spazzes out from all the sensory overload I'm experiencing.
Initial impressions, bastards did it again, amazing visuals, outstanding audio, gunplay, particles, haptics, everything is so fucking TIGHT.
Base Returnal difficulty is there, same tactics apply, get reckless get fucked, more exploration and less mistakes on the way to the boss will make for an easier run. Inevitably feels easier specially if you are a Returnal vet with a plat on your belt. The addition of permanent upgrades and other crutches will help the casuals and generate more sales which is good in the end. From the weapons I got so far I tend to switch between pistols. Really like the ricochet handgun, feels so good to nail those weakpoints. I do like that they got rid of weapon trait farming, hated grinding that shit.
Storywise so far, not great not terrible, don't care much about what's really going on and probably never will till the end.
Overall we are so fucking back.