What a tough life, as BlimBlim would say back when he was still around, having to churn out hit titles week after week. Saros will be available on April 30 (or April 27 for early access), but we’ve already had a good look around Carcosa and we brought back some impressions. In the video you’ll find inside, you’ll get an initial (incomplete) look, but our written verdict written a few days later (with a few more hours under our belt) will give you even more detailed information and a refined take on our experience (still incomplete, as we weren’t able to reach the game’s conclusion before heading off on vacation due to lack of time). We invite everyone to check it all out without further delay, and you're interested in the full written review, check out the French side.
Our detailed impressions on the game after 15 hours (automated subtitles)
Verdict after a few more hours on Carcosa's surface
There’s no need to beat around the bush: Saros is a top-tier exclusive in the PS5 lineup, and this time it wisely opens itself up to a wider audience—all without compromising the excellence and precision of gameplay that Housemarque has accustomed us to over the years. Even without having fully completed the adventure, there’s no doubt that we’re dealing with a major title, given the incredible sensations it delivers and the memorable moments it creates. The production values are equally impressive, with even higher-quality visuals than in Returnal, and the few minor technical flaws we’ve mentioned in the video have no real impact on all the fun this game is. As talented as Housemarque has been over the years, we wouldn’t have bet on seeing them, alongside Insomniac, rise to the ranks of this generation’s major first-party studios. With two titles of such high quality in the span of five years, the Finnish developers prove that it’s by working on the genres you're comfortable with that you can make awesome games. While some might have thought mixing TPS with shoot 'em up style bullet ballet was risky when Returnal launched in 2021, the game’s reception showed that players and the press were hungry for acrobatic action, so we have no doubt that Saros will be met with exactly the same enthusiasm. Yes, the game sometimes suffers from the same issue as its predecessor: the (usually fleeting) feeling that certain runs are doomed to fail because the combinations of monsters encountered and the loot obtained seem rather unfavorable. Nevertheless, the urge to give it another go immediately is always much stronger than the sense of frustration some might fear. For all these reasons, Saros is without a doubt a title not to be missed under any circumstances as we approach the end of April 2026.
- On the upside
- Fun and addictive gameplay
- A refined formula that works even better
- A twisted new world to discover
- The bosses
- Top-notch art direction and graphics
- Excellent use of the DualSense
- Excellent soundtrack and sound design
- No longer having to revisit previous biomes to progress
- The ability to shape your own experience
- On the downside
- Some might regret the limitations of the modifier system
- … or the fact that Saros is actually Returnal 2 (which is great)
Patreon
