Summary
- Scar-Lead Salvation is a roguelike shooter akin to Returnal, starring Willow Martin, and set for a May 29, 2025 release.
- Developer Compile Heart aims for a new unique experience with Scar-Lead Salvation, with intense combat and storytelling elements.
- The anime-style visuals and revealing character design in Scar-Lead Salvation mirror Compile Heart's signature style in RPGs.
A new game called Scar-Lead Salvation from the developers of the Neptunia franchise is sparking comparisons to the hit roguelike shooter Returnal. Scar-Lead Salvation is headed for release on the PS4, PS5, and PC on May 29, 2025.
Though it's almost five years old, Housemarque's Returnal remains one of the more unique AAA shooters out there. With a long history of developing arcade-style shooters like Super Stardust and Resogun, Housemarque bucked expectations in the PlayStation 5's launch era by trying out a third-person shooter with a roguelike run-based structure. Thanks to its intense shooting mechanics and eerie atmosphere, Returnal captured audiences' imaginations, leading many to hail it as one of the best early PS5 titles, even after the game eventually made its way to PC. In 2025, Housemarque announced Saros, a new IP that, while distinct, appears to carry some structural similarities to Returnal.
Saros is the Next Best Thing to Returnal 2
Housemarque's next game, Saros, has just been announced, and though it isn't a direct sequel to Returnal it looks like the next best thing.
With Returnal's developers treading new ground with Saros, publisher Idea Factory International and developer Compile Heart are stepping up to try its own hand at a new and unique roguelike shooter with Scar-Lead Salvation. The game stars a young woman named Willow Martin who awakes in an unfamiliar room with no memories of who she is or how she got there. Guided by a mysterious AI, she must battle against deadly traps and mechanical foes to escape an odd loop of death and combat. The game will launch on May 29, 2025, for PS4, PS5, and PC.
Scar-Lead Salvation Features a Roguelike Structure and Intense Shooting Action
The trailer shows off more of Willow Martin's anime-style character design, which features a glowing tattoo under her eye. The tattoo shows a number that grows every time Willow is killed by one of the mechanical or alien beasts that populates the deserted military installation she's attempting to escape. Repeated scenes of Willow's collapsed form emphasize the game's theme of trying again after death. The dialog also emphasizes the angle of attempting to solve the mystery behind Willow's past with each loop, a staple of storytelling in roguelikes. The combat also appears intense, with enemies throwing out screen-filling clouds of projectiles worthy of the best scrolling shmup games.
Another notable aspect of Scar-Lead Salvation is visible when Willow takes damage: Her high-tech bodysuit appears to shred under enemy fire, exposing some skin underneath. The anime character design and concessions to sex appeal are of a piece with many Compile Heart RPGs, the best known of which are the Neptunia titles.
With the grim tone and shooter mechanics of Scar-Lead Salvation, it looks like Compile Heart is going a bit further afield from its most familiar territory. With luck, that foray into Returnal's turf will prove successful and expand the developer and its fans' horizons.
Returnal
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 86 /100 Critics Rec: 89%
- Released
- April 30, 2021
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Housemarque
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
WHERE TO PLAY
Break the cycle of chaos on an always-changing alien planet.
After crash-landing on this shape-shifting world, Selene must search through the barren landscape of an ancient civilization for her escape. Isolated and alone, she finds herself fighting tooth and nail for survival. Again and again, she’s defeated – forced to restart her journey every time she dies.
Through relentless roguelike gameplay, you’ll discover that just as the planet changes with every cycle, so do the items at your disposal. Every loop offers new combinations, forcing you to push your boundaries and approach combat with a different strategy each time.
Brought to life by stunning visual effects, the dark beauty of the decaying world around you is packed with explosive surprises. From high stakes, bullet hell-fueled combat, to visceral twists and turns through stark and contrasting environments. You’ll explore, discover and fight your way through an unforgiving journey, where mystery stalks your every move.
Designed for extreme replayability, the procedural world of Returnal invites you to dust yourself off in the face of defeat and take on new, evolving challenges with every rebirth.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Number of Players
- 1-2
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unsupported
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
