I’ve got mixed feelings about Saros, Housemarque’s latest game. As a spiritual successor to Returnal, it has some exciting changes, but it also stumbles in a few areas.
First off, playing as Arjun Devraj is a thrill. The controls are smooth, and the weapons are fun to use. The active reload feature adds a nice touch to combat, and the energy management—using a melee attack to create a shield or fuel a special attack—raises the skill level in an enjoyable way.
However, the magic doesn’t last throughout the entire game. After several hours, I started to feel like I was running the same loop repeatedly. I went through about 70 runs to finish, and honestly, I was ready to call it quits after around 35. The areas are different, but the core experiences don’t change much. Each enemy encounter felt eerily similar, making it hard to have those exhilarating moments that should come with a roguelike.
The storyline can feel predictable too. Despite some good performances from the cast, the themes of cosmic horror and interstellar exploration seem a bit too worn. It’s a familiar tale, which might not resonate deeply with players looking for something fresh.
In terms of gameplay pacing, Saros feels stretched. The game packs ten hours of fun into twenty, and the overabundance of character upgrades can sometimes spoil the run-n-gun style. The emphasis on leveling up results in a scenario where your success hinges more on how powered-up you are rather than your skill in dodging and shooting.
Boss fights were initially a highlight, with their patterns and mechanics making them engaging. However, after a few attempts, I found the later bosses became too easy. I managed to defeat them swiftly without feeling overly skilled, raising questions about the game’s balance.
Interestingly, if you thrive during runs, you end up collecting tons of upgrades that make your next runs even easier. This raises concerns about the overall challenge, as the game becomes less engaging when victory feels guaranteed.
In conclusion, while Saros has vibrant graphics and solid gameplay, it struggles with balance and depth. It aims to be more user-friendly than Returnal, but in doing so, it loses some of the intense challenge that made its predecessor special. The game is still enjoyable, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights we hoped for.
