Saros is likely to be a roguelite, but its definition of a “run” is certainly broader than most. The most recent game from developer Housemarque shares loads of similarities with the studio’s previous game, Returnal–both are sci-fi third-person shooters with a bullet-hell tinge–yet Saros takes some daring swings that clearly differentiate the 2. By flipping Housemarque’s roguelite formula on its head, Saros builds and improves upon its spiritual predecessor in spectacular fashion, seducing you each step of the way in which with an enthralling marriage of mechanics and story that is to not be missed.
You are given little or no to go on as Saros begins. On the planet of Carcosa, communication with the colony ships Echelon I, II, and III has been lost. Echelon IV and its emergency crew are sent to research. Along with a pilot, crew commander, and engineer, the team also includes 4 armed Enforcers for reconnaissance and security purposes. Protagonist Arjun Devraj is one among these Enforcers, though that number has dwindled to 2 by the point you are taking control. With 1000’s of colonists missing, members of the emergency crew losing their minds, and Arjun in a position to come back from the dead, you are just as lost because the characters are in relation to determining just what the hell is happening.
What you do know is that the Echelon program was sent to Carcosa by the Soltari corporation as a result of the presence of Lucenite, a compound with vast energy potential. Soltari is actually Alien’s Weyland-Yutani in all but name, placing Lucenite extraction above all else within the chase for trillion-dollar profits. This creates friction between the crew and people loyal to the corporate, especially Arjun, who also has personal reasons for being there. He knows someone who was on board Echelon I, so there’s an impassioned determination behind his words and actions, at the same time as he struggles to piece together the mysterious circumstances he finds himself in.
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