'Saros' nails the cosmic horror and bullet-hell action assignments, but it falls short as a roguelite

May 7, 2026 - 23:56

PlayStation and Housemarque's follow-up to Returnal delivers a visceral punch and makes excellent use of the PS5's unique features, yet it often finds itself at odds with its own design. The game excels in two distinct areas: its oppressive cosmic horror atmosphere and its frantic, screen-filling bullet-hell combat. The sound design is a standout, with the DualSense controller's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers pulling you into every skittering alien movement and explosive projectile. Visually, the game is a grotesque masterpiece, blending biomechanical nightmares with a sense of vast, indifferent space.

However, the roguelite structure feels like a straightjacket on these strengths. Where Returnal used its cycle of death and rebirth to build a compelling mystery, Saros leans too heavily on the grind. The procedural generation often undermines the carefully crafted horror set-pieces, and the progression system feels more like a chore than a reward. The weapons are satisfying to fire, but the incremental upgrades lack the punch of a truly transformative run. You are left with a game that is at its best when it ignores its own rules and lets the player simply survive the chaos. It is a thrilling, beautiful, and often frustrating experience that never quite reaches the sum of its impressive parts.