There, a painless death awaits him who can no longer bear the sorrows of this life.” Whether that describes Arjun Devraj’s imprisonment on Carcosa or not, players will have to fight when Saros launches on April 30th. As much as it borrows from Returnal, it builds on those systems to deliver what could be a truly astounding rogue-lite bullet hell experience. Let’s dive into 15 more things that you should know about it, starting with…
All information in this article comes from official sources.
Safe Passage
Ah, the good ol’ days when you could progress from one biome to another, in sequence. No quitting, and having to repeat it all from the beginning, and don’t even think about those shortcuts unless you’re really good at dodging. Of course, Saros takes a different approach. After clearing a biome, you now return to The Passage, the new hub where members of Echelon IV hang out.
Why the change? Well, to encourage another run. As lead game designer Abebe Tinari explained to GamesRadar, “I appreciate having that beat to go back to The Passage, talk to some people, get a bit more of that story context, and that allows me just to get into the headspace of going back out there, right? That’s reinforced by the Armor Matrix to get a bit stronger, and then you feel like: Yeah, I’m ready for another run.” It also helps the story as Arjun gradually descends into madness.
Fast Travel
What if you die from the second biome afterwards…and then die again because Second Chance can carry many things, but not you? Simply fast travel back from The Passage. As long as the biome is unlocked (which happens after clearing the previous biome), you can go straight to it. And since there’s no pressure to progress to the next biome, like in Returnal, you’re not at a distinct disadvantage from failing to go through everything before. That said, if you want another run through Shattered Rise to gather Lucenite and unlock more upgrades, go right ahead.
Side Objectives
Revisiting biomes also affords a chance to collect various kinds of logs. Text, holos, audio journals – the works. Beyond just collectibles, these will help you learn more about Carcosa, the findings of the previous Echelons sent by Soltari, what ultimately happened to them, and whether there is an escape from the Sun. Think of it as an extra incentive on top of your usual farming or, at the very least, some flavor to go with Echelon IV’s own journey.
Other Biome Teases
Thus far, we know of two biomes – Shattered Rise and the Ancient Depths. The former is a mix of rock faces and monoliths, while the latter appears to have been a factory that buzzes to life with hostile robots. Based on the fast travel menu, there appear to be spaces for three more biomes (and a possible sixth, judging by the blacked-out section at the bottom). What could they possibly contain? Judging from the gameplay reveal trailer, there’s some kind of citadel with massive flying monstrosities and a mysterious location with monochromatic architecture. It’s a trippy assortment of locations, for sure, and we can’t wait to learn more.
Projectiles as Opportunities
Returnal, as excellent as it was, focused more on dashing and jumping over projectiles, which resulted in more of an “obstacle course.” With Saros, Housemarque wanted to create a playground, as creative director Gregory Louden told the PlayStation Blog. “We wanted to make projectiles, opportunities.” That’s very much apparent with the addition of the Soltari Shield and Power Weapon. You could play things defensively – and on many occasions, that may seem like the safest plan – but you’re rewarded for being aggressive. Just remember not to get caught out. The Shield doesn’t last forever after all.
Complex Bullet Patterns
If this were just a game about absorbing the blue bullets, dodging the red bullets, and crying at the yellow bullets (but not for long – more on that later), it could become a little one-note. However, like any good shoot ’em up or bullet hell title, bullet patterns are complicated. Take Bastion. It unleashes a laser with blue bullets spiraling around it. I assume that sticking close to the edge and absorbing them is a great way to feed the Power Weapon, but one wrong move and you could be in for a world of pain. Similarly, Elites will alternate between different types of bullets, encouraging you to improvise, adapt and overcome (or die trying).
Mandated Suffering
The Eclipse is more than just an edgy red filter over Carcosa. It completely modifies the world and its enemies, upping the challenge beyond what you’ve already dealt with. So it’s probably not the best news that you must interact with it in the first two biomes, at least according to various previews. This seemingly implies that you can control its activation later, further balancing the risk vs. reward, but be prepared to fight for that opportunity otherwise.
Halcyon
Alongside Lucenite, used to unlock permanent buffs and passives through the Armor Matrix, you also have Halcyon. Not much is known about it, save for the fact that it’s used for “armor alteration,” but when Saros was first announced, Housemarque mentioned “suit upgrades.” The PlayStation Blog then noted in its impressions that it can unlock the ability to parry. Given that they’re available in limited quantities per biome, you have to wonder how significant the other upgrades may be.
Parrying
Even if it requires a higher skill floor than simply holding the Shield button or dashing, parrying is a game-changer. Time your Shield activation just right, and it’ll send red projectiles right back at turrets. It can even stagger certain foes, opening them up to more punishment.
Absorbing Corrupted Projectiles
One of the scarier elements of the Eclipse is the Corruption inflicted by yellow bullets. They’ll deal damage and reduce your max Integrity. However, you’ll unlock the ability early on to absorb them. Since activating the Power Weapon will cleanse Corruption, it’s a high-risk, high-reward mechanic, and yet another aspect of turning projectiles into “opportunities.”
Turning Off Most Permanent Unlocks
With all the unlocks available, there’s some worry that Saros is easier than Returnal. Leaving aside how much more complex bullet patterns have become, it’s hard to argue that the ability to revive, on the spot, and recover 70 percent of your health isn’t a major boon. But the best part for all you hardcore bullet hell purists? You don’t need it. In fact, associate design director Matti Häkli said you can turn off most permanent unlocks if desired. “The whole goal with the permanent progression isn’t to trivialize the game,” he notes. “It’s just offering more agency.” With no difficulty options, this is the next best step.
Puzzles
One thing that you don’t typically associate Returnal – or many Housemarque games, for that matter – with is puzzles. Nevertheless, the former had quite a few which required quick thinking. Saros is much the same – deviating off the beaten path unearths new lore discoveries, but puzzles that demand “fast reflexes or having the right tool”, as the PlayStation Blog calls it, will inevitably crop up.
Mid-Run Suspension
Suspending a run may seem elementary for a rogue-lite, and it is. So much so that Returnal received extensive flak for not launching with it (which a later update fixed). Saros isn’t repeating the same mistakes, and even with far shorter runs, you can comfortably suspend your progress, leave, and then resume on returning.
Multiple Save Slots
Another excellent quality of life feature is having more than one save slot. No more having to delete your progress to re-experience the story, or to embark on a new zero-upgrade, zero-death challenge run. Again, extremely elementary for the genre, but the fact that it’s another lesson that Housemarque learned from Returnal is worthy of praise.
48 hours Early Access
If you can’t wait to play Saros when it launches later this month, you can always pick up the Deluxe Edition. It offers 48 hours of early access to the base game, and even includes the Onryo Armor, Astra Armor outfits based on some familiar heroes. They may not provide a power advantage, but at least you’ll look even better while dying.