Saros

Let's face it, after the masterpiece of frustration and enjoyment that was Returnal, expectations for Housemarque's new project were somewhere between "I want to die again" and "please, make it more human.".

With Saros, The Finnish studio has decided not to play it safe, but to evolve that hardcore arcade formula into something more cinematic and refined. We haven't tried the PC version because we're focused on the PS5 Pro, but the feeling is that of an experience that blends the spirit of old arcade productions with the technical quality of today's games.

The King in Yellow in deep space

The narrative transports us to Carcosa, a planet thousands of light-years away from the solar system, where the powerful (and decidedly unfriendly) Soltari corporation has sent the Echelon IV team. We, the players, take on the role of Arjun Devraj, played by a phenomenal Rahul Kohli, who perfectly captures the shift from stoic resolve to slow psychosis as he tries to understand the fate of the three previous expeditions. Arjun is an Executor tasked with recovering the Lucenite, but he is also driven by deep personal motivations as he chases a woman's whispers through the ruins of an unknown alien civilization.

The plot draws heavily from the cosmic horror genre and the work of Robert William Chambers, transforming the planet into a vast puzzle box to be cracked open with environmental narration and delirious audio logs. While the supporting cast may at times seem like narrative cannon fodder, the story remains an intriguing character study intertwined with the mystery of ancient magic and a decidedly dark corporate mission.

The rhythm of the shots that rain down

The beating heart of Saros lies in a movement and combat system that borders on perfection: Arjun moves with impeccable precision through hordes of biomechanical enemies (if you're not bad at it, of course). Compared to the more evasive nature of Returnal, here Housemarque rewards aggression: we can absorb blue hits with our shield to power up Power Weapons or parry red ones if we time them right. Progression is managed through the Armor Matrix, a massive permanent skill tree (much more generous than in the past, thankfully) where you can invest Lucenite and Serenite to boost parameters like Resilience or unlock the crucial Second Chance perk. If things get too tough, there are Carcosian Modifiers that allow you to fine-tune the challenge between Protections and Trials, although we find it bizarre that they're only unlocked after defeating the first two bosses, as if to say that if you're not at least good enough to get there, you might as well give up.

A bio-mechanical triumph

Technically, we're looking at a monster of fluidity, guaranteeing 60 frames per second for almost the entire experience, offering a clarity of image that on PS5 Pro, thanks to PSSR, is truly top-notch. The artistic direction transforms Carcosa into a visual feast that ranges from sun-scorched ruins to black marble architectural marvels, with eclipse effects transforming the landscape into a breathtaking Lovecraftian nightmare. The audio department masterfully exploits 3D technology to immerse the player in a soundscape of metal drones and electronics that accelerates the heartbeat during the most intense battles. The DualSense controller is used intelligently, with adaptive triggers managing alt-fire and haptic feedback letting you feel every tiny vibration of the planet, making for a complete sensory experience and definitely not for the faint of heart.

Die and repeat

All in all, we really enjoyed Saros, even though I've never been a huge fan of loops that force you to repeat the same areas, even if that's relative in Saros. Housemarque has managed to make everything much more refined than Returnal, creating a game that respects the player's time and offers a sense of constant growth that was missing from the previous title. Carcosa's beauty and the responsiveness of the controls make every failure a valuable lesson rather than a simple reason to throw the controller out the window, turning survival into a habit learned between one chromatic explosion after another.

While the narrative surrounding the secondary characters remains a bit subdued, and we would have appreciated a few more cutscenes to avoid having to read every single log, the desire to return to that cursed planet remains strong. It's a work that blends the essence of arcades of the past with the potential of modern hardware, confirming itself as a must-have for anyone seeking pure action and an intriguing mystery.