Saros is a fast-paced, electrifying and altogether unforgiving action shooter that continues to raise the bar for video games in 2026.
This is a game where the energy is always set to maximum, your screen is a constant wash of fluorescent gunfire, and your eyes are relentlessly scanning for new dangers to appear.
As the spiritual successor to Housemarque's 2021 hit Returnal, the frenzied gunfire might look familiar, but there’s a distinct layer of polish, refinement and plenty of challenges to look forward to here in this psychological sci-fi expedition.
Welcome to the hostile world of Carcosa
In Saros, you play as Arjun Devraj, a Soltari enforcer tasked with exploring the hostile planet, Carcosa. It's a place rich in a precious resource known as Lucencite, so of course, it attracts the attention of corporations hungry to colonise the land.
But when teams of settlers mysteriously lose contact, Arjun and his crew are sent to investigate. Amidst the many mysteries at hand, one thing becomes clear from the outset. Carcosa is a nightmarish place to be in, and seemingly everything that moves will try to kill you.
Above ground, tendrils constantly slither across your screen, swiping at you. Stand still for too long, and they begin to pull at you. Subterranean ruins assault your senses with the sounds of skittering insects and distant roars. And then futuristic creatures appear, shooting all manner of projectiles at you.
You learn quickly that it’s best to shoot first and ask questions later.
Scattered throughout the wilds of the planet, Arjun finds records from comrades, allowing him to slowly piece together events and giving him hope that there might be survivors out there.
But the ominous Eclipse that lingers above and the ever‑changing planet are constant reminders of the danger he faces. Reports of people slowly losing their minds and hallucinating only add to the drama.
Even his own crew begin to act strangely. As tensions rise and Arjun continues to explore the far reaches of this mysterious planet, he realises that any survivors could potentially become his greatest allies, but also his biggest threats.
'Bullet Ballet’ – combat in Saros is the chief storyline
Whilst the non‑linear story of Saros is juicy in all the right places, and the way in which you discover key plot points is interesting, the main attraction of the game is (and will always be) its high‑octane and robust combat.
It is best described as a form of ‘bullet ballet’, where players are forced to dance around wave after wave of fluorescent projectiles on a near‑constant basis. All of these will be aimed in different directions, travelling at different speeds, colour‑coded and potentially lethal upon contact.
As such, gameplay is both exhilarating and overbearing, and builds upon the revelation that was Returnal. You’re in a constant state of fight or flight, dodging, jumping, shooting, shielding and more, in quick succession throughout.
Over time, and through much trial‑and‑error, you’ll learn the rhythm of attack patterns, the cool downs of your dash abilities and when to reload. You’ll also learn when it’s time to run. The fluid pace of combat becomes second nature.
Even when several enemies attack from all corners of the map, and the environment decides to also shoot lasers at you, and platforms start moving apart, muscle memory, mental strength and luck kick in.
Some might feel this gameplay is busy and downright cruel. And they’d be correct, at least initially. Saros is a game where you will die… a lot. And you might feel like a failure as your death count rises into high figures.
But players should not be ashamed or put off by this fact. Instead, embrace it as a pivotal and unavoidable part of the story. One that will set you up for success.
Improved playability means that death is only the beginning
Roguelite games are notorious for their unforgiving difficulty. Upon death, you often lose all of your items and progress, and are sent back to the very start to try again. And again. Thankfully, Saros goes to great lengths to ease the sting of defeat.
Each time Arjun dies, he’ll respawn back at base, where he can spend collected Lucencite in a prior run to permanently upgrade his suit. This might mean increasing your maximum health, or strengthening your shield, or unlocking life‑saving abilities that give you a second chance in the wild.
As such, every failure can be seen as a small stepping stone for future success. You're not back at square one with nothing to show for your last adventure.
That said, there is something absolutely devastating about slaying a horrifying boss with a sliver of health left, only to be nicked by a stray bullet and killed. Or surviving swarms of hostile mobs, only to mistime a jump between platforms and end your run with a literal fall from grace.
Plenty of times over the course of my playthrough, I was close to both tears and rage over the relentless nature of the game. A quick coffee break and a walk outside are often needed to calm down. But the core change in how you can invest in a future run with whatever meagre stuff you collected previously is enough to convince you to try… and try… and try again.
Risks and challenges are plentiful – if you want them
While Saros is not an easy game by any stretch of the imagination, I did have much more immediate success with it than I expected. It feels a lot more player‑friendly than its predecessor, Returnal, which had levels that felt almost impossible to complete.
The auto‑targeting of guns is smooth and responsive, and weapon types and their strengths are easy to familiarise yourself with. You’re not inundated with systems or menus, either, and players can modify Carcosa at your base and alter the difficulty of combat to suit your playstyle.
For brave players seeking challenges, fear not. There are plenty of opportunities to flex your skills throughout and earn those bragging rights. Nightmare Strands are areas of high risk unlocked later in the game that serve as a worthy test of courage. And just like you can modify combat across Carcosa to make it easier, you can also introduce penalties for added difficulty.
During Eclipse phases of levels, foes become more hostile, and can cause corruption to your health pool if they land a hit. Furthermore, equipping artefacts to your suit during these phases imposes punishing penalties that further increase risks.
In a game where every fight could be your last, do you want to take your chances with what you have, keep your health bar high and focus on the mission? Or should you risk it all, equip a powerful add‑on, and also suffer a penalty?
In a cruel and ironic twist of fate, the stronger you get, the more hesitant you become. As you grow stronger, you’ll become protective of ‘that’ version of Arjun, keen to preserve his power. You’ll slowly change your tactics, play more safely, all the while trying to balance your peace of mind.
And then boom. Something happens that catches you by surprise, and you’re back at base. No matter how you played it, you will most likely regret all your decisions upon death.
But the short gameplay loop of respawning and upgrading abilities, coupled with non‑existent loading screens, means you’ll be throwing yourself back into an ever‑changing Carcosa to try something new next time around.
Housemarque shoots and scores a win with Saros
Saros is yet another shining example of how great gaming has become in 2026.
The challenge, adrenaline, and ruthlessness of the genre are still found here, but clever changes to gameplay mechanics mean that every single one of your many deaths builds toward something bigger. It’s rewarding to play, even when you fail.
The game takes everything you love about its spiritual predecessor, Returnal, and builds upon it. While the ‘bullet ballet’ combat might seem eerily familiar, a brand new world, story, and expanded cast of characters means there’s still plenty of new mysteries to uncover… and shoot at.
Saros is available to play on PlayStation 5. It releases on April 30th
