Returnal is full of alien tech and the Reconstructor is no different. This weird monster of a machine is tall, big, and doesn’t tell reveal its secrets until the player stumbles upon its function. Here’s what Returnal Reconstructors do.
What are Reconstructors in Returnal?
Reconstructors in Returnal revive the player if they spend six pieces of Ether, the game’s persistent currency, in it. After taking the final blow, they will be revived at the machine and will be able to continue without starting over at the ship. These are a great insurance if the player is stumbling around in a new area or are about to face a tough boss with a mediocre loadout. Being able to carry on after a death is valuable in a game where a lot of progress can disappear in the blink of an eye. And even though bosses only yield five pieces of Ether, it’s still a decent investment most of the time, especially in the beginning.
There are some drawbacks though. If the player spends Ether on a Reconstructor in one biome and then moves onto the next one, they won’t be revived. This will essentially be a waste of six pieces of Ether since it doesn’t carry over to the Reconstructor in the next area. Ether is also very valuable for attaining new items and removing malignancy from chests so losing out on it is a big hit. For this reason, the astronaut figures and child watches might be a more safe option since they trigger when players need them and aren’t the biggest waste if they go unused.
Every biome seems to have one Reconstructor in it somewhere. They are always behind the dark blue triangular doors, which signify the side paths. There’s also always a teleporter pad right in front it, making it perfect for getting right back into the action.
There are many other secrets in the game, too. There are chests locked behind bars, mysterious red beds, inviting green ones, weird yellow force fields, and more objects that simply evade reasoning. For more general tips, check out our tip guide every newer player should know.
