You’ll discover numerous different items and resources throughout Returnal but like any rogue-lite, only a few will persist between different runs (or “cycles” as they’re called). It’s easier to denote all of the items and equipment that do carry over as opposed to those that don’t. For quick reference: Artifacts, consumables, parasites, Obolites, Resin, Datacubes and Suit Artifacts do not persist between runs. Once you die, you lose them upon starting a new cycle.
As for the items that do persist, they are as follows. Spoilers for those who haven’t completed the game:
- Anathema Key – Opens the Anathema Vault, which remains open after the key is used. Found in the Overgrown Ruins.
- Atropian Weapon Charger – Grants alternate firing mode to weapons. Located in Overgrown Ruins.
- Crimson Key – Drops from the first boss in Overgrown Ruins. Activates the Crimson Gateway, which leads to the Crimson Waste.
- House Key – Found in the Overgrown Ruins. Opens up the 20th Century house.
- Hermetic Transmitter – Allows for fast travel and teleportation between translocation points. Located in Overgrown Ruins.
- Icarian Grapnel – Grappling hook which can be used to grapple to specific points. Drops from the second boss in Crimson Wastes.
- Hadal Ballasts – Located in the Fractured Wastes. Lets you walk on ocean floors.
- Delphic Visor – Used to see platforms that are otherwise invisible. Found in Abyssal Scar.
- Promethean Insulators – Lets you bypass dangerous terrain. Located in the Fractured Wastes.
- Ether – Used for cleansing Malignancy from chests and items. Can be used at the beginning of each run to unlock new items.
- Xenoglyph Cipher Fragment – Ciphers that help translate the Sentients’ language. Collecting ciphers will help to better translate the various Xenoglyps on Atropos. Can be found in each biome.
- Xeno-Tech Prism Gain – Located in Crimson Wastes and Echoing Ruins. Unlocks consumable slots.
