As they become increasingly few and far between, my appreciation of games that totally grab your brain and won't let go deepens in tandem.

I can basically think of no AAA game that attempts let alone pulls off Giger-esque Lovecraftian sci-fi like Returnal, it's a shame you don't get many big-budget efforts that nail a distinct aesthetic like this.

Other positives include near-perfect difficulty, a pretty unforgettable fourth boss and a halfway-point twist that smashed my brain into a million pieces.