One of the first Metroid-like upgrades you get in Returnal is the Atropian Blade, a sword that gives you a melee attack. It also allows you to destroy red force fields that sometimes block your path, and more often, protect enemies from your guns. But not long after you encounter red force fields you can slice through with your sword, you’ll start to find orange force fields blocking doors that your sword apparently can’t handle.
The good news is, you don’t need to fight deep into Returnal’s biomes to earn another permanent upgrade to your sword to breach those force fields. Though Returnal never makes it clear, there is a way to knock out orange force fields that doesn’t require you to beat any bosses or unlock new biomes.
