For the most part, the first few hours of Returnal are as thrilling and fast-paced as the reviews would have player believe, but it won't take long for many players to hit a wall. Eventually, players will find themselves up against a locked door, requiring an item called an Anathema Key in order to continue. In line with the game's difficult nature, there aren't really any hints as to where players might find this key, and this early on it can be a bit confusing to run back through the level looking for it.

It's important to keep in mind that the level will look different every time, as it changes with every cycle the player starts. Even so, the general location of the Anathema Key in Returnal remains the same each run, so players will be able to know what they need to do in order to progress onwards.

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The Anathema Key is located behind the door with the red barrier blocking the path. For those players that still have no way to get through here, the answer lies in the Atropian Blade. This weapon gives players a melee option, and is able to burst through the red barrier that is resistant to projectiles. To find it, players will simply need to explore the entirety of the Overgrown Ruins. There are no special pre-requisites to getting the blade, so it really does just come down to being thorough. For what it's worth, the blade will never be behind a side path door (marked by a triangle on the map).

With the Atropian Blade in hand, head back to the door that is blocked off by the energy field. Approach the barrier and press square to use the Atropian Blade and cut it away. Behind this door there are likely some enemies that will need dispatching, but players should now be able to get their hands on the Anathema Key. With this, players can open the large door to the Anathema Vault, marked on the map as a red door. This is the first major step forward in the story players will make.

Beyond the Anathema Vault door lies Returnal's first boss, Phrike. This won't be an easy endeavor by any means, but players that manage to defeat him and move on will gain access to new biomes. It's a bit of a nested fetch quest to get there, but once players track down the Atropian Blade, they'll have no problem getting the Anathema Key.

Returnal is available now on PS5.

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