Saros Preview: The PS5 Exclusive Thats Evolving the Returnal Formula

In this article, we will be talking about one of the most anticipated games coming out on the PlayStation 5 this year, and that game is Saros.

Saros is the follow-up title from Housemarque, who are responsible for the amazing rogue-like shooter Returnal.

The bullet hell rogue-like shooter Returnal received critical acclaim and love from the fans, and with Saros, Housemarque is looking to extend on their formula and deliver a fun experience.

WHAT IS SAROS

Saros is a sci-fi rogue-like action shooter similar to the first title, and this time around, players will be uncovering the secret of a strange alien planet while looking for ways to get back home.

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Like Returnal, the game is promising to offer intense action with a mysterious story that players will need to solve while facing a strange alien threat.

Returnal is one of the best games weve played, and were looking forward to all the changes and updates Housemarque has put into the formula along with an interesting new setting and character.

STORY AND SETTING

In Saros, players will take the role of Arjun Devraj, a Soltari Enforcer who is trapped in a brutal time loop on the alien planet Carcosa. The planet is a shapeshifting one with ancient forces at work, and Arjun must uncover the fate of a lost off-world colony while also trying to break away from the time loop.

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On this strange planet, a strange Eclipse affects everything, physically altering the planets biome while also affecting the sanity of Arjun and the surviving crewmates, eventually forcing players to question who is actually safe to trust. As Arjun notes in the trailer, Every time the sun dies, madness reigns.

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The biggest noticeable difference this time around is that Saros will feature a wider cast of NPCs known as the Echelon IV crew.

Arjun will be talking with the crew in between runs where the time loop and the planet itself is affecting the crew as well, unlike the solitary and lonely journey Selene went through in Returnal.

GAMEPLAY AND THOUGHTS

Housemarque is famous for "bullet hell" games where the screen is constantly filled with incoming enemy projectiles that feel impossible to dodge, and Saros looks to be continuing in that tradition.

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Players will need to be on top of their game using high mobility and spatial awareness to dodge and weave through incoming waves of projectiles.

However, this time around, Housemarque is looking to evolve the gameplay by giving players additional tools to utilize and not just run and dodge.

This will be done through the introduction of a resource-management loop that turns defense into offense. Instead of just dodging, Arjun will be able to use the Soltari Shield to absorb specifically colored projectiles which will charge up the power meter.

This means you will have to rapidly read the battlefield, decide which bullets to dodge, and which colors to intentionally catch with your shield, adding a layer of strategy to combat.

Once the energy meter is full, Arjun will be able to unleash the equipped "Carcosan Power Weapon," with the potential to deal massive damage.

This mechanic creates the potential to have an evolved rhythm to the frantic combat formula where the classic dodge and shoot will be replaced by dodge, shoot, block, and unleash.

Another notable addition is the ability to parry and deflect incoming projectiles. This is a massive shift from Returnal, adding a high-risk, high-reward layer to close-quarters or timing-based combat.

Although we dont know how parrying will work exactly, it will give players a chance to play more aggressively. In Returnal, the combat loop mostly consisted of movement and shooting; if you stopped moving, you died.

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With the Bullet ballet approach, Housemarque is looking to shake up the formula by giving the player the agency to hold their ground, absorb specific attacks, and use the enemys own firepower against them.

Even though we enjoyed Returnals challenging gameplay loop, it was undeniably frustrating when you lose a run in its final stages because of a single mistake. Saros is looking to alleviate that aspect by changing the system a little bit.

For starters, players will have an instant-revive system by default, giving players a chance to get right back up and immediately back into action, similar to Sekiro.

Additionally, players will be able to directly teleport to any biome that has been unlocked. This allows for players to quickly restart from where they last were to take another shot at conquering Carcosa.

These added features will make it easier for players who just want to experience the whole story without being blocked by an unforgiving bullet-hell challenge.

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But players who are looking for a challenge do not need to worry either, as there will be modifiers called the Carcosan modifiers to change various aspects of the game.

The system will allow players to customize their experience by determining how tough or weak the hostiles are or removing the second chance ability entirely, bringing the experience closer to Returnal.

Another added feature is the Eclipse system where everything changes, from visuals and audio up to gameplay, such as marshes turning into boiling pits of death and enemies shooting corrupted projectiles with the ability to decrease the maximum integrity of your armor.

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Housemarque is also changing the progression system and giving more permanent progression in between runs in the form of armor upgrades and perks players can work toward using the resources gained.

Saros appears to be leaning towards a more accessible and new player friendly experience while also having the means to provide a challenge for those looking to push their limits.

VISUALS AND THOUGHTS

Housemarque delivered spectacular visuals with a cacophony of color in Returnal with Unreal Engine 4, and Saros looks just as great if not better.

Utilizing the Unreal Engine 5, Housemarque will no doubt deliver another looker, but with the various problems the engine is famous for, it might still be a concern for some players.

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Saying that, Saros is officially confirmed to be PS5 Pro Enhanced, meaning it will be taking full advantage of the PSSR technology helping deliver a smooth experience.

The trailers showed off the return of the bullet-hell spectacle with tons of projectiles on screen and Arjun dashing across the arena all in a smooth experience.

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If the developers can deliver a smooth and steady framerate, Saros is promising to be a great experience. In addition to the technical aspect, the one thing that grabbed my attention was the striking art style when the planet Carcosa was eclipsed.

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The whole landscape changes, looking more disturbing and hellish, leaning more heavily into the cosmic horror aspect.

While we have not seen a whole lot of different biomes yet, those that we have seen look amazing with everything looking strange, alien, and hostile.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Judging from their previous work, Saros has me excited. With an extended cast this time around including Rahul Kohli and Jane Perry, I am hoping for another great sci-fi story disguised as a hectic twitchy rogue-like shooter game.

The mystery of the Returnal hooked me in, and with the Echelon IV crew on the planet being affected by the Eclipse, I am looking forward to another intriguing mystery where multiple characters are involved.

The cosmic horror aspect, with little bits teased in the trailers about how everyone is slowly losing their grip on sanity, is a great hook for all of us who enjoy a good mystery thriller here at Fextralife.

The new gameplay changes are also exciting as they will no doubt make the game more approachable, especially with the added upgrade systems and the Carcosan modifiers adding degrees of customizability to the runs.

While we are excited for the games release on April 30th, it is highly likely to be a PlayStation 5 exclusive title as there have been recent reports of Sony planning to step away from PC releases.

Although we hate to be the bearer of bad news, if you are someone looking forward to playing Saros on PC eventually, there is little chance of that happening as things now stand.

Saros will be releasing as a full-priced game with two editions: the Standard Edition for $69.99 and the Deluxe Edition for $79.99, which will include additional armors and 48 hours early access.

Needless to say, Saros is one of the most anticipated PlayStation titles to be released this year. Are you excited for the game and waiting to jump in on day one? Let us know in the comments below!!