PlayStation’s State of Plays tend to be shorter broadcasts that give the spotlight to some smaller games, with Sony usually preferring to save most of its big first-party announcements for PlayStation Showcases. Thelatest February State of Playwas no exception, mostly showcasing indies and third-party titles heading to PlayStation in the next two years. But there was one big PlayStation Studios announcement that brought the most recent State of Play to a close: Housemarque’sSaros.
Though it only lasted around a minute and a half,Saros' reveal trailer left a strong impression, thanks in large part to a strong performance fromMidnight Mass,iZombie, andThe Fall of the House of Usher’s Rahul Kohli. The impression left was likely even stronger for those who have played developer Housemarque’s last game,Returnal, with the two seemingly sharing some key similarities. And that’s far from a bad thing.
Saros Looks Like a Returnal Sequel In All But Name
Saros Is Another Sci-Fi Time Loop Adventure
Released in April 2021,Returnalis a Sci-Fi shooter with a mysterious and mind-bending premise. Taking on the role of ASTRA pilot Selene Vassos, players fight their way through the depths of the planet Atropos in an attempt to find the “White Shadow” signal and break free from the time loop they find themselves in. On top of its premise,Returnal’s art styleleans all the way into its Sci-Fi theme, delivering H.R. Giger-esque environments, otherworldly alien enemies and bosses, and an assortment of high-tech weaponry.
Based on its reveal trailer, it seems as thoughSarosis adopting a very similar aesthetic and premise. Kohli’s voiceover in the trailer all but confirms thatSaroswill be another time loop game, stating that “Every time the sun dies, madness reigns. And everything begins again.”
A recent post on the official PlayStation Blog sheds a bit more light onSaros' story. It states that players will take control of Arjun Devraj, a “powerful Soltari Enforcer who will stop at nothing to find who he is looking for,” which sounds a lot like Selene and her mission to find the White Shadow. Players will also be exploring a “lost off-world colony on Carcosa,” which sounds likeReturnal’s off-limits planet of Atropos.
Additionally, Housemarque states that its “goal is to create an emotional and powerful character study that explores the cost it takes to create a new future.” Selene’s time-bending journey was a very personal one that explored the trauma of losing a loved one, and it seems as thoughSaros' Arjun Devrajwill experience a similar journey of self-exploration.
A key difference betweenReturnalandSaros' stories is thatSaroswill feature an “ensemble NPC cast,” whileReturnalwas mostly a solo adventure for Selene.
Saros Looks Like It’ll Be Another Bullet-Hell Roguelike Shooter
Gameplay-wise,Returnalis a challenging third-person roguelike shooter with bullet-hell elements. Again, based on its reveal trailer and its accompanying PlayStation Blog post, it seems as thoughSaroswill follow a similar formula.
Sarosis described byHousemarque’s Creative Director, Gregory Louden, as a third-person “single-player action game,” and the “ultimate evolution” of the studio’s gameplay formula. That’s hinted at inSaros' reveal trailer, with a shot of Arjun’s eye showing a storm of bullet-hell-like fireballs circling outwards.
The PlayStation Blog post also essentially confirms thatSaroswill be a roguelike, albeit one with some key differences to Housemarque’s previous title. Louden states that a “key gameplay distinction betweenSarosandReturnalis permanent resources and progression.” InSaros, players will reportedly be able to permanently upgrade their suit and weapons, which is quite different fromReturnal’s reliance on a randomized loot system.
