Returnal guide: How to use cheats

Returnal is a challenging game. While some players argue that Returnal needs some sort of saving system, for now, the best way to get farther is experience. However, there is a way to swing some things in your favor using some built-in cheats.

In this Returnal guide, we’ll show you how to use cheats. We’ll explain the process for accessing console commands, what limitations there are, and what you can do with the cheats.

How to use Returnal cheats

Currently these cheats work on version 1.003.001. We confirmed them on our own version of the game and through a video from YouTuber TheRandomizer.

To use cheats in Returnal, plug in a keyboard into your PS5. Once the keyboard is connected, you’ll be able to enter commands.

Entering the wrong key combinations can freeze or crash your game. We do not know how cheats will affect your game or saves so use these cheats with caution.

How to spawn guns

Image: Housemarque/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

One of the cheats in Returnal lets you spawn any gun at your current proficiency level. You can repeatedly spawn new weapons to reroll what alt-fire and special traits they have.

To spawn weapons, hold down the Shift, Control, and Alt keys on your keyboard. With those buttons held down, press the following number keys to spawn a weapon:

• 1 — Modified Sidearm
• 2 — Tachyomatic Carbine
• 3 — Spitmaw Blaster
• 4 — Hollowseeker
• 5 — Electropylon Driver
• 6 — Thermogenic Launcher
• 7 — Coilspine Shredder
• 8 — Rotgland Lobber
• 9 — Pyroshell Caster
• 0 — Dreadbound

How to respawn with everything

Usually when you die in Returnal, you respawn back at your ship and lose everything but your permanent items. However, a cheat command allows you to respawn at your ship with all of your current items. It resets your run time, but you won’t lose anything you’ve gained before using the command.

To respawn will all your items intact back at the ship in biome 1, press and hold the Shift and Control keys, and then press 4.

The respawn animations will play just like they do when you normally die. However, once you gain control of your character again, you’ll see that you retain everything you had before you input the command. From there, you can go sleep in your ship to restore your integrity.

This also resets your playthrough of the first biome, allowing you to more easily pick up resins to boost your suit integrity or visit the shop to buy health upgrades.

Some players caution against using this cheat once you reach biome 4 because there is no way to return to that area from the first biome. If you happen to use this cheat once you reach biome 4 and find yourself stuck, pause the game and choose restart cycle. Doing this will restart you at biome 4 again.

How to fast travel

While the process of fast traveling in Returnal is limited, another console command brings you to biome 3 instantly.

To teleport to the beginning of the Derelict Citadel, press and hold the Shift and Control keys, and then press 8.

By entering this command, you will start right at the beginning of the third biome.