Saros reviewed by Michael Higham on PlayStation 5.
With Saros, Housemarque once again proved that its bullet-hell sensibilities mesh incredibly well with fluid and super-challenging action. This is primarily a test of skill that’s as much a rhythmic dance as it is a fireworks show with a punch-packing sci-fi arsenal. The roguelite structure doesn’t always work in its favor as it struggles to balance the repetition that’s a natural part of the genre with a strong sense of progression – although going through the motions was still fine, because at least I could sharpen my skills for some sick boss fights that were as difficult as they were fun. I’m left conflicted after the 22 hours I put into seeing it all the way through to its true ending, though. There’s a bigger emphasis on story this time around, and it’s more ambitious in some respects, which I can appreciate – but when its strongest ideas are a bit too abstracted, powerful themes can end up ringing hollow. So while it’s eclipsed by its predecessor in some important ways, Saros was still worth banging my head against over and over again.