Saros is a PS5 exclusive game that released on April 30, 2026. It was made by the same team that made Returnal. So this game has some similarities in that it’s a first-person shooter with some creative elements. However, this game is a bit stuck between controversy and some praise.
What is the game all about?
The game combines fast-paced shooting, bullet-hell combat, roguelite mechanics, and a mystery-focused science-fiction narrative. Housemarque calls it the “ultimate evolution” of the gameplay style it developed in Returnal.
Think about Contra or those old NES games where you get shot from all directions. This game makes it feel that way, and your character is a person. It’s shoot and avoid getting shot with a story to follow on its own when outside of combat.
Why the game is good
The biggest reason people praise Saros is its combat. Movement is extremely fast and fluid. Players are constantly dashing, sliding, avoiding projectiles, countering attacks, and switching between offense and defense in seconds. Many reviews describe the gameplay as “bullet-hell” combat, where enemies fill the screen with attacks while the player navigates through chaos with precise movement.
Critics frequently mention that the controls feel responsive and satisfying, creating a strong sense of mastery as players improve. The game rewards skill without feeling random or unfair. It’s a challenging game, but it’s fun, and you don’t necessarily feel that it’s unfair.
The story itself is fine. The world of Carcosa is another major reason people enjoy the game.
The alien environments combine science fiction, horror, and mystery. Reviews often praise the eerie landscapes, unsettling sound design, and constant feeling that something is deeply wrong with the planet.
Rather than relying on jump scares, the game builds tension through isolation, strange imagery, and environmental storytelling. Many players compare its atmosphere to cosmic horror stories inspired by works like The King in Yellow and Lovecraftian fiction.
Why is it getting hate?
This is the unfortunate aspect and why it’s getting hate. Through misinformation and memes, the game has been getting a bad reputation. You have some people making fun of the story and its “woke,” as they say, content. We can’t verify that, but a lot of the time these things aren’t true.
One other aspect is that some Returnal fans feel this didn’t live up to the previous game. Perhaps it is a bit unfair to compare both games, because Returnal is its own game. These two have nothing to do with each other in terms of plot. One other complaint is that it is a bit inaccessible. Returnal was punishing and hard; this one can be made easy for some players.
Saros’s current state
For now, it seems that the hate and memes have come down. The usual ones are still there, but the game is just stagnant. Maybe it’s good, but it’s not getting new players. As of now, the game has sold over 300,000 copies. That’s not good with its budget of $76 million. Maybe it’s going to get better; for now, we’ll just have to wait for it, but it’s worth a purchase. It doesn’t help that it’s a PS5 exclusive.