The weapon proficiency system is key to success in Returnal. Each run, Selene will start with a proficiency of zero. Killing enemies increases the meter at the bottom left of the screen, as does collecting the various blue calibrators littered throughout the world. Raising Adrenaline to level 4 also gives a boost to the proficiency increase rate. So what does the weapon proficiency level mean? It represents the minimum level of weapon you’ll find in the world. If it’s at zero, then the chests you open will have weapons at level zero (or sometimes higher). That means it’s often best to ignore chests to begin with and progress with your standard pistol. Raise the proficiency level a couple of times and then teleport back to the weapon chest to find a gun at a higher level than you would have before. Keep an eye on your proficiency level and consider when is the best time to open weapon chests.