Returnal: How to Get Through Energy Barriers

Returnal opens with a space pilot, Selene, crash landing on the deadly planet Atropos, tasking her with surviving its odd and brutal environments. There are plenty of pathways on the surface that are cut off by mysterious obstacles. Fortified Energy Barriers are one of those tricky obstacles. Here’s how to get through Energy Barriers in Returnal.

How to Get Through Energy Barriers in Returnal

Fortified Energy Barriers and vine walls are two progression blockers that can be bypassed in pretty much the exact same ways. You can’t shoot through them, but you can cut through them with your Atropian Blade melee attack. However, some barriers will require you to reach different levels of enhanced melee.

To get enhanced melee and get through those Energy Barriers, you’ll have to use Returnal’s Adrenaline system. Defeating three enemies in a row without getting hit will increase Adrenaline, and reaching Level 3 Adrenaline enhances your melee.

How to Get the Atropian Blade

If you don’t have the Atropian Blade melee weapon yet, simply progress through the first biome, Overgrown Ruins. Doing so will give you access to the blade. Once you have it, use it by pressing Square.

The blade can (and should) also be used to take out the many enemies on the alien planet. It’s actually the only way to defeat red shield enemies, so keep that in mind if you ever encounter any of those creatures in your travels.

That’s everything you need to know about how to get through Energy Barriers in Returnal. Check out our Returnal guide wiki for more on how to get through Atropos as well as other general tips, tricks, and other info.

You can also read up on our other coverage of Returnal with the related articles below. If you have any questions about the game, just leave them in the comment section below and we’ll help out as best we can.