Returnal: How to Get Past Vines

Vines are a common problem in the first biome of Returnal, blocking your path and preventing you from picking up helpful items. These are not the only barriers that you’ll encounter in the Overgrown Ruins, but they are the most annoying. Thankfully, you can destroy and get past them pretty easily, but you need a specific item to be able to do so. Thankfully, this item is very easy to get and has several other uses that will make your next few runs much more interesting. Here’s how to get past vines in Returnal.

How to Destroy Vines in Returnal

You cannot destroy vines until you obtain the Atropian Blade. This is a melee weapon that you will receive later in the Overgrown Ruins biome, so just keep playing until you find it. You can’t miss it because it’s unlocked through the main story.

Once you get your hands on the Atropian Blade, you can press the Square button to perform a melee attack. This sword will persist between runs, so you won’t lose it when you die and start the cycle over from the beginning. Now that you have the blade in hand, you can slice any vines you come across and take whatever items await you behind them.

The Atropian Blade also has several other uses that make the Overgrown Ruins easier to get through. Alongside your new power to cut vines, you also get a powerful melee attack that can destroy the red shields that protect certain enemies. The sword can also smash Obolite Chunks, helping you get more currency to spend on useful items and upgrades. The Atropian Blade is a very important part of your arsenal, so make a habit of using it whenever you come across a new obstacle.

Returnal is available now on PlayStation 5.