Housemarque’s Returnal set the PlayStation 5 ablaze in 2021. Saros is shaping up to do the same. After sitting down with PlayStation Canada to get some hands-on with the Rahul Kohli-led follow-up, I’m eager to come back stronger.
Since starring in Midnight Mass, Rahul Kohli has been making waves. His second foray into video games, following Gears 5, sees him now leading in Saros as Arjun Devraj. Waking up in Carcosa, unsure of how he got there or anything else, a voice guides Arjun after he wakes, leading him through a series of rooms and enemies before ultimately falling to something supernatural. He wakes from the dream, unsure of what it was or what it meant.
Saros Is Less Lonely But Still Keeps You Isolated
Saros‘s opening hours are intentionally vague, as you’re not meant to understand the why of Arjun’s situation. We learn that he and his team, the Echelon IV, are stuck on the planet, and members have gone missing. Within minutes, you learn that this isn’t like Returnal at all, a game which was isolated at all times, as it really drove home the feeling of loneliness. With people at your back makes a world of difference.
Having a group of humans with you and in your ear is crucial to surviving this new setting. Arjun’s primary goal is to escape the planet, but he’s also searching for something on the surface, something calling to him in his dreams. His team is on the planet at the behest of the Solitari corporation, which is seeking to mine resources, primarily Lucenite.
The group is stuck on the planet, and they’re slowly coming to terms with it. During their time on Carcosa, they’ve discovered a campsite to call home and found technological remnants that allow them to explore the surface. However, it isn’t explicitly said that Arjun’s death in Saros sees him revive from a pool every time he’s killed.
Described as a bullet ballet this go-round, Saros wants players to embrace the bullets by dancing around them. Instead of simply dodging them, Arjun has unlocked abilities to go right through them, absorb, and deflect them. You’re still likely to find yourself dying, but now, you’ve got more tools to turn the tide instead of having to simply work around obstacles. And for that, I’m already far more invested, as at the press of a button, I can now dash through things to stay moving rather than the much less clunky action of weaving.
Come Back Stronger
The geology of Carcosa changes with each death, and each new layout has its own set of challenges to master. Housemarque says they’ve retooled how levels work, using a mix of handcrafted and procedural elements. By continually playtesting Saros, the team has been able to craft something unique with an excellent flow to the gameplay. And it’s something I can say I felt while exploring the first couple of biomes.
If you want to critically path a biome, it’s possible that the new golden flag gives you a direct path to the end. There’s also an optional white flag, which is how you unlock new ideas, and it often leads to new side areas filled with treasures and weapons.
The idea of exploring a procedurally generated level might seem counterproductive. To that, I agree. However, the way Saros rewards you for exploring is worth the risk to uncover colony camp logs from those who were on Carcosa before. Often, these audio logs provide a lot of backstory to fill in blanks you’d otherwise miss out on, and these logs help to keep you searching for clues.
Keep The Momentum Going
While the gameplay is often fast, it’s often fair if you’re paying attention to your surroundings. Saros plays it fast and loose at times, while in other moments you need to reel it in and keep your flanks tight.
Arjun’s got some incredible tools at his disposal. The shield is one of the most versatile things you begin with. It not only covers you, but it also absorbs incoming energy bullets so that you unleash powerful alt-fire attacks on groups. Paired with an assortment of pistols and automatic weaponry, Arjun is capable of delivering devastating damage to anything in his way.
You might think diving into trouble head-first is crazy, but here you’re better off doing just that. Your reward for doing so is a melee attack in some cases against shielded enemies who drop plenty of ammo and sometimes health. Do you risk it by getting up close, or do you stay at a distance and miss out on the benefits of being bold? It’s really up to you, but it is worth being a bit reckless.
You do gain permanent upgrades that help through each biome. More health or stronger armour might not seem like much at first, but in a pinch, having that sliver of health or even better armour is the line between life and death.
Carcosa also sees frequent eclipses that’ll do a few things for Arjun. First, it buffs up his weaponry and powers so you’ll deal far more damage, but it also empowers enemies to hit stronger and also corrupt your shields. Corrupted bullets damage your shield, and it permanently drops your maximum capacity for shields. There’s a way to get around this, but it requires some patience to unlock it.
Bosses are the star of my time with the demo. The first boss is challenging, and it leaves very little room for error. In my first attempt, I was armed, healed, and alert, but within a minute, I was shown just how unprepared I truly was. I intended to come back stronger and prove myself.
The opening hours of Saros are filled with mystery and intrigue, but it serves them up in compact, rewarding ways. You’ll get some exposition here and there, and you’re teased about what’s to come at times. And somehow, despite my constant battle against death and Carcosa, I find myself not at all frustrated. Instead, I’m energized to press onward and discover the truth of the situation one run at a time.
