Saros – 15 Biggest Details You Shouldn’t Ignore

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The game offers a peaceful end for those overwhelmed by life’s hardships. While this might reflect the situation of Arjun Devraj, trapped in Carcosa, players can expect intense combat when Saros releases on April 30th. Though inspired by Returnal, Saros expands upon its mechanics, potentially creating a remarkable rogue-lite, bullet-hell experience. Here are 15 things you should know, starting with…

All information in this article comes from official sources.

Safe Passage

I really miss how games used to let you move from one area to the next, one after the other. It was so frustrating when you’d fail and have to start all over! And forget about trying to skip ahead unless you were a super skilled player. But Saros is doing things differently now. Once you finish an area, you go back to this new place called The Passage – it’s where all the Echelon IV folks hang out, and it acts as a central hub.

The game encourages players to try again by creating a loop where they return to a specific area, ‘The Passage.’ Lead game designer Abebe Tinari explained to GamesRadar that revisiting this area allows players to deepen their understanding of the story and prepare mentally for another attempt. The ‘Armor Matrix’ feature helps players become stronger, making them feel more confident. This cycle also enhances the narrative, showing Arjun’s increasing descent into madness.

Fast Travel

If you die in a biome and then again while Second Chance is active, don’t worry – just fast travel back from The Passage. Once you’ve unlocked a biome by completing the one before it, you can go straight there. Unlike in Returnal, there’s no rush to move forward, so failing to explore everything doesn’t put you at a disadvantage. However, if you want to revisit Shattered Rise for more Lucenite and upgrades, feel free to do so.

Side Objectives

Exploring the different areas again lets you gather various logs – text files, recordings, and audio diaries, and more. These aren’t just collectibles; they reveal the history of Carcosa, the discoveries of the Echelons sent by Soltari, what fate befell them, and if there’s any way to escape the Sun. Consider it a bonus while you’re gathering resources, or simply a way to add depth to Echelon IV’s adventure.

Other Biome Teases

So far, we’ve discovered two areas: Shattered Rise, a landscape of rocks and monoliths, and the Ancient Depths, which seems to be a robot-filled factory. The game’s menu suggests there are at least three more areas to explore, and maybe even a sixth hidden one. The gameplay trailer hints at these new locations: a massive citadel guarded by flying creatures and a strange, black-and-white area. It’s a really interesting mix of environments, and we’re excited to see what else the game holds!

Projectiles as Opportunities

While Returnal was a fantastic game, it often felt like navigating an obstacle course with a lot of dodging. For their new game, Saros, Housemarque aimed for something different – a more open and creative experience, as creative director Gregory Louden explained. They wanted enemy attacks to present opportunities, not just challenges. The addition of the Soltari Shield and a powerful new weapon support this idea. You can certainly play defensively, and sometimes that’s the smart move, but Saros encourages and rewards aggressive play. Just be mindful that the Shield won’t protect you indefinitely.

Complex Bullet Patterns

Simply dodging and absorbing different colored bullets – blue, red, and yellow – wouldn’t be enough to make this game interesting for long. Thankfully, like other challenging shoot ’em ups, the bullet patterns are complex. For example, one enemy, Bastion, fires a laser surrounded by spiraling blue bullets. Getting close to absorb them seems like a good way to power up your weapons, but a mistake could be devastating. Other enemies, like the Elites, constantly change their attack patterns, forcing you to think on your feet and adapt, or face defeat.

Mandated Suffering

The Eclipse isn’t just a visual effect; it fundamentally changes the game world and makes enemies much tougher. Early previews suggest you’ll have to deal with it in the first two areas, which sounds challenging. While it seems you might be able to control when the Eclipse happens later on, letting you manage the difficulty, you’ll likely have to work to earn that control.

Halcyon

In addition to Lucenite, which lets you unlock lasting improvements to your suit through the Armor Matrix, there’s also Halcyon. While details are scarce, it’s used for changing how your armor works. When Saros was first revealed, the developers hinted at suit upgrades, and the PlayStation Blog later suggested Halcyon can unlock the ability to parry. Since Halcyon is limited in each area, it makes you curious about just how powerful the other upgrades could be.

Parrying

Parrying is a powerful technique that, while a little harder to master than just blocking or dodging, can really turn the tide of battle. If you time your block perfectly, you can deflect enemy projectiles back at the turrets that fired them. Plus, it can briefly stun some enemies, giving you a chance to attack!

Absorbing Corrupted Projectiles

The Eclipse features a dangerous mechanic called Corruption, caused by yellow bullets. These bullets not only hurt you, but also lower your maximum health. Fortunately, you’ll soon be able to absorb them. Because using your Power Weapon removes Corruption, it creates a risky but potentially powerful strategy – turning enemy fire into a chance for advantage.

Turning Off Most Permanent Unlocks

Some players are concerned that Saros might be less challenging than Returnal, especially with all the new unlockable upgrades. While the enemy attacks are more complex now, the ability to instantly revive and regain most of your health definitely makes the game easier. However, for players who prefer a truly difficult experience, the good news is these unlocks aren’t necessary. According to design director Matti Häkli, you can disable most of the permanent upgrades if you want. The goal isn’t to make the game too easy, but to give players more control over their experience. Since the game doesn’t have traditional difficulty settings, this offers a good alternative.

Puzzles

You wouldn’t normally expect puzzles in a game like Returnal – or other games by Housemarque. However, Returnal actually had a surprising number of them that made you think on your feet. Saros is similar; exploring off the main path will reveal more of the game’s story, but you’ll also encounter puzzles that require quick reactions or finding the correct item, according to the PlayStation Blog.

Mid-Run Suspension

It’s common for games like this to let you pause and continue later, and Returnal was criticized for initially lacking that feature – a problem that was eventually fixed. Saros learns from that experience, allowing you to easily save your progress, exit, and pick up right where you left off, even during shorter gameplay sessions.

Multiple Save Slots

Being able to save your game in multiple slots is a great addition. It means you don’t have to delete your current progress to replay the story or start a completely fresh, challenging playthrough. While this feature is common in many games, it’s good to see Housemarque incorporated it, learning from their experience with Returnal.

48 hours Early Access

Excited for Saros? If you can’t wait for its release later this month, consider the Deluxe Edition! It lets you start playing 48 hours early and also includes cool Onryo and Astra armor sets inspired by well-known characters. While these outfits won’t make you more powerful, you’ll definitely look stylish even when facing defeat.

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2026-04-20 18:23