Saros, A Bold but Divisive Evolution of Returnal

Housemarque doesn't make ordinary shooters, and Saros makes that clear within minutes. The Finnish studio, best known for Returnal, has returned with a new PlayStation 5 exclusive that feels both familiar and quietly rebellious. It's still fast, punishing, and hypnotic, but this time there’s a noticeable shift in philosophy: Saros wants you to keep going, not just start over.

Spectacle and story

Set on the eerie planet Carcosa, the game follows Arjun Devraj, a hardened enforcer investigating a vanished colony beneath a permanent eclipse. The game's premise leans heavily into classic science fiction, but unlike the cryptic storytelling of Returnal, Saros is more willing to explain itself. There are clearer motivations, more direct character interactions, and a narrative that unfolds with less ambiguity, even if that comes at the cost of some of the mystery that made its predecessor so haunting.

Mechanically, the biggest change is how the game treats failure. Death is still part of the loop,this is Housemarque, after all, but it no longer wipes the slate quite so clean. Persistent upgrades, selectable paths, and difficulty modifiers soften the harsh edges of the roguelike structure. It’s a deliberate move toward accessibility, and for many players, it will be a welcome one. For others, it may feel like the studio has eased off the very pressure that made its earlier work so electrifying.

What hasn't changed is the studio's obsession with movement and momentum. Combat in Saros is less about hiding and more about flowing through bullets, around enemies, and into danger. Encounters unfold like controlled chaos, where survival depends on rhythm as much as reflex. Weapons evolve mid-run, abilities stack in unpredictable ways, and every arena becomes a kinetic puzzle.

Saros is pure spectacle. Housemarque leans hard into lighting effects, dense particle systems, and alien architecture that feels both ancient and synthetic. On more powerful hardware, the game borders on overwhelming, in a good way. Explosions bloom, shadows stretch unnaturally, and the ever-present eclipse casts everything in a surreal, shifting glow that reinforces the game's otherworldly tone.

And yet, for all its strengths, Saros can't quite escape the gravitational pull of Returnal. Comparisons are inevitable, and not always flattering. Where Returnal felt like a bold statement, Saros sometimes comes across as a careful iteration, more approachable, more structured, but also a bit less daring. It's the difference between a lightning strike and a well-engineered power grid.

Still, that doesn't make it insignificant. If anything, Saros is a sign of a studio refining its voice rather than reinventing it. It may not shock players in the same way, but it broadens the audience without abandoning the core identity that defines Housemarque's work. In a landscape crowded with safe sequels and sprawling open worlds, the game stands out simply by staying focused and unapologetically intense. Whether you are a fan of Housemarque's work or not, you can use our comparator to pre-order Saros at the best price.