Summary
- Saros by Housemarque offers a fresh take on gameplay, emphasizing “Come back stronger.”
- The upcoming game is not a direct sequel to Returnal but promises to be worth the wait.
- Saros features a haunting story, deep third-person action, and incremental strength mechanics.
Returnal developer Housemarque just unveiled a brand new game called Saros, and it appears to be a strong evolution of the studio’s last few titles while offering its own new spin. Although fans enjoyed Returnal when it was released, the PlayStation 5 is in a new era of its life cycle. Now that Housemarque has taken plenty of time between releases, it seems like the next game from the developer may be worth the wait.
Housemarque’s last title, Returnal, made a splash quickly after its release, enticing gamers while the PlayStation 5’s early library started to grow. Five years into the console’s life, many still consider Returnal one of the best games on the PS5, offering an experience that can remain entertaining for plenty of time, rewarding skilled gameplay with upgrades and answers to a dense mystery. Housemarque appears ready to show gamers what its developers have been working on since then.
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Saros is the Next Best Thing to Returnal 2
Housemarque’s next game, Saros, has just been announced, and though it isn’t a direct sequel to Returnal it looks like the next best thing.
During the February 12 PlayStation State of Play event, Housemarque revealed Saros, targeting a 2026 release window. So far, all that has been shown of Saros is a cinematic trailer, however, it seems to contain plenty of clues that tell fans what this game will feel like to play. Anyone hoping for something similar to Returnal may be in for a treat, but Saros appears to offer its own take on the matter, emphasizing the tagline “Come back stronger.”
Housemarque Announces Saros
Saros‘ cinematic reveal takes place on a giant, reddish-yellow shore of Carcosa, where a futuristic soldier known as a Soltari Enforcer named Arjun Devraj wakes up and prepares to head back into a fight. Arjun, played by Midnight Mass and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun actor Rahul Kohli, goes on a monologue, describing the nature of this endless fight against an unknown force, which nods to the roguelike structure of gameplay that Housemarque has become largely known for. As Arjun steels himself for the fight, an otherworldy creature parts the body of water before him and readies a power evocative of bullet-hell patterns that Returnal fans are likely to recognize.
Housemarque describes Saros as a game that carries both a haunting story and deep third-person action. Although Returnal bears clear similarities, the most notable change here is an emphasis on incremental strength. In Returnal, players could acquire upgrades and new weapons, but the main thing they got out of runs was knowledge they could apply later. Potentially introducing an array of new mechanics that seek to enrich the gameplay experience, Saros could end up being Housemarque’s most ambitious project yet.