Platform: PS5
The first thing that strikes you in Saros isn’t a barrage of lethal, orb-like projectiles — plenty of those come later — but its eye-popping visual presentation, immersive sound design, and absorbing storytelling. That’s saying something, as developer Housemarque’s latest sci-fi third-person shooter is another roguelite, a subgenre that’s typically recognized for its player-punishing, progress-stripping difficulty rather than its cinema-rivaling qualities.
Make no mistake, much like the studio’s tough-as-nails Returnal, Saros will see you regularly meeting your demise and losing hard-earned ground before being sent back to the starting line to do it all over again. But even after your first dozen or so unceremonious deaths, you probably won’t be comparing Saros to similar games as much as you’ll be appreciating its parallels to the likes of Alien, The Thing, and the works of H.R. Giger.
[…] it never feels like you’re just juggling systems and mechanics; instead, you’re naturally progressing through a compelling sci-fi yarn you want to see to its conclusion.
Players don the space armor of protagonist Arjun Devraj (superbly performed by Rahul Kohli,) an elite soldier sent to a monster-infested, eclipse-plagued planet to find out what happened to a missing mining colony. Of course, things go sideways real fast, and it’s not long before Arjun and his crew find themselves at the center of a sanity-decaying cosmic nightmare. And that’s before the above mentioned sun-obscuring event kicks in, transforming an already terrifying place into an absolute hellscape.
While Saros‘ focus on storytelling immediately separates it from many of its contemporaries, it deserves equal credit for organically blending its narrative with its incredibly polished gameplay. As in Returnal, its bullet hell-fueled deathloop is actually part of the plot, as are the many ways in which Arjun can grow more powerful with each run. So, whether you’re sent back to the beginning following a thumb-blistering boss battle or are prepping for your next attempt by investing in upgrades, it never feels like you’re just juggling systems and mechanics; instead, you’re naturally progressing through a compelling sci-fi yarn you want to see to its conclusion.
It doesn’t hurt that Saros is far more accessible than its predecessor and peers, scaling back the tedium, repetition, and controller-chucking frustration that often comes with even the highest-regarded roguelites. In terms of difficulty, it’s more than capable of repeatedly handing you your backside. But it refreshingly balances its steep challenge with a number of permanent upgrade paths and other quality-of-life features — such as allowing you to skip completed areas — that lead to you feeling noticeably stronger with each run.
Still, Saros is no pushover, and even as a more approachable entry in the notoriously difficult subgenre, it won’t be one for the faint-hearted. But, if you’re a new roguelite recruit seeking a great entry point — or a more seasoned fan craving a fresh take that prioritises presentation and story as much as enemy-obliterating flow-state shooting — this outstanding shooter is absolutely worth a trip to the deadly, sun-deprived planet for.
