- We now have a release date for Housemarque's next game, Saros
- It launches on March 20, 2026 for PS5, with PS5 Pro enhancements
- New features include a permanent progression upgrade system
At PlayStation's September 24 State of Play presentation, developer Housemarque began the show with our first look at gameplay for the upcoming roguelite shooter Saros. And boy does it ever look good.
Launching on March 20, 2026 - just six months from now - Saros has players take the role of Arjun Devraj (portrayed by actor Rahul Kohli) as he explores the constantly shifting planet of Carcosa.
Like Housemarque's previous work, Returnal, expect a degree of procedural generation to the maps each run, and lightning-fast third-person shooter gameplay as Arjun constantly dashes between bullets and baddies.
During the gameplay reveal, we find out that Arjun has some extra tricks up his sleeve compared to Returnal's Selene. With the Soltari Shield, Arjun can absorb bullets in order to charge his equipped power weapon. When full, said weapon can be unleashed for a devastating attack.
But this is far from the only new gameplay feature Saros brings to the table. One that I think could dethrone Returnal as my favorite PlayStation Studios-developed game on PS5 - not to mention one that could make the game wholly more accessible - is its permanent upgrades.
Housemarque didn't show off much in terms of what these permanent upgrades entail, but it did show one named 'Second Chance.' As the name implies, this lets you survive fatal damage once, allowing you to continue your run with some restored health. In Returnal, death felt especially punishing given how long it takes on average to complete a run, so having this small bit of insurance in Saros is an immediate blessing.
With a fast-approaching March 20 release date, we won't have to wait too much longer before Saros is in our hands at home. I'm looking forward to learning more about the game in the run-up to launch, though I do hope Housemarque keeps much of Saros's secrets close to its chest.
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