Hello and welcome to this Returnal™ – Collectibles & Ascension DLC (Tower of Sisyphus) Achievements guide.

The game has 38 total achievements, 31 in the main game and 7 added for the Ascension DLC. So, with that out of the way, here’s an achievement guide because, as far as I know, no one else has done this on Steam in English. The majority of this guide is based on PlayStation trophy data.

Main Game – Collectibles

Cryptic Messages

“Scan a Xenoglyph”

Cryptic Translations

“Unlock all translation tiers in a Xenoglyph.”

Xenoglyphs, glowing red tablets, can be found in all biomes. They are marked on the minimap with rune-like symbols. However, all Xenoglyphs need translation. To translate a given xenoglyph, you must scan ciphers (red runes found in all six biomes’ rooms). Once enough ciphers have been found, the Xenoglyph is fully translated. This unlocks Atropos’ lore and story. These are marked on the minimap with a triangle-shaped green mark. The cumulative nature of ciphers means that all ciphers collected will add up and be kept on each run.

Alternate Fates

“Retrieve 10 Scout Logs”

Scout logs are voice logs that record alternate versions of Selene who were lost due to an unforeseeable cause. These logs can be used to help you understand the backstory of Selene and the lore about Atropos. They are usually marked with a suit signal icon on a minimap and in white throughout the world.

Visions of the Past

“Complete a Xenoarchive set (except Tower of Sisyphus).”

Xenoarchives are three-dimensional projections which further explain the lore and history of Atropos. They are often found in side-rooms marked with triangular doorsways. They may need a permanent traversal artifact to access the entire set. This can be obtained later in a game.

Ascension DLC (“Tower of Sisyphus”)

Ascension was introduced for PlayStation 5 players on March 22, 2022. It adds an endless mode, the Tower of Sisyphus. It also has its own set of achievements. Online co-op is also available, but no achievements have been added to this mode, other than tasks for an in-game progress tracker, which can be accessed from the pause menu.

The Icarian Grapnel (aka the grapplinghook) is required to access the Tower of Sisyphus. It can be obtained later in the game. You can use the device behind you to return to the crash site after respawning in the Tower hub.

These achievements can be achieved (spoilered for good measures):

Eternal Ascent

HIDDEN ACHIEVEMENT –

“Die and Return in the Tower”

Self-explanatory. You probably already know this, but you don’t even realize it.

Broken, Restored, Empty

HIDDEN ACHIEVEMENT –

“Complete the first Hospital sequence.”

After you have died in the Tower for the first time, you will be greeted by a hospital bed to your left. To enter the first hospital sequence, interact with it.

The Watcher

HIDDEN ACHIEVEMENT –

“Defeat Algos’s first form”

Algos is the Tower of Sisyphus’ main boss. It will be your first encounter at the end the first phase, in room 1-20.

Destroyer

HIDDEN ACHIEVEMENT –

“Kill 100 Hostiles With Disgorgers”

Disgorgers are an entirely new type of consumable that can only be found in the Tower of Sisyphus. It temporarily transforms your gun into an extremely powerful weapon. The effects of the Disgorger you choose will vary depending on which one you use. In room 2-13, you’ll find the first one in the Tower. You can make progress towards this achievement by accumulating points, so don’t be discouraged if you fail to achieve it in one go.

Empty Embrace

HIDDEN ACHIEVEMENT –

“Open the Locked Doors”

This can only be unlocked by completing the third sequence of hospitals. To unlock the third hospital sequence, you must collect 6 poppies that are scattered throughout the tower.

Eyes Closed

HIDDEN ACHIEVEMENT –

“Defeat Algos’ final form!”

Algos’ final form, which will be seen in the tower at the end the third phase, will be seen.

Find Release

HIDDEN ACHIEVEMENT –

“Gain a moment to peace”

Complete the final hospital sequence. This one is earned after you defeat the last form of Algos, die and respawning at Tower hub, and interact with the hospital bed.

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