When Housemarque announced their next project, Saros, the gaming community collectively held its breath. This is the studio that gave us Returnal, a masterpiece that redefined what a roguelike could be, blending punishing difficulty with compelling narrative and breathtaking visuals. Now, with Saros launching on March 20, 2026 for PS5 and PS5 Pro, we’re witnessing what appears to be the natural evolution of everything that made Returnal special, but with ambitions that reach even further into the cosmic unknown.
The setting of Saros immediately captures the imagination—a lost off-world colony called Carcosa during an ominous eclipse. There’s something inherently compelling about this premise that speaks to the human fascination with isolation and the unknown. Carcosa isn’t just another alien planet; it’s a place steeped in mystery, a failed colony that holds secrets waiting to be uncovered. The choice of Rahul Kohli as the voice of protagonist Arjun Devraj suggests a character-driven narrative that will likely explore themes of identity and purpose against this haunting backdrop.
What truly excites me about Saros is how it appears to be building upon Housemarque’s established strengths while introducing innovative mechanics. The “Second Chance” ability represents a fascinating evolution of the studio’s approach to death and progression. Rather than simply resetting the player’s journey, death becomes a catalyst for growth, allowing Arjun to rise stronger using eclipse corruption energy. This mechanic feels like a natural progression from Returnal’s loop system, but with more player agency in how they grow from each failure.
The storytelling approach in Saros seems particularly ambitious, blending traditional narrative techniques with more experimental methods. The combination of voice-over, cinematics, audio logs, and holograms creates a multi-layered narrative experience that respects player intelligence. The mention of “surreal and mysterious storytelling sequences” suggests Housemarque isn’t afraid to push boundaries and challenge player expectations, much like they did with Returnal’s mind-bending narrative structure.
As someone who’s followed Housemarque’s journey from their arcade-inspired roots to their current position as narrative-action innovators, Saros feels like the culmination of everything they’ve learned. The Sony acquisition that enabled this project’s development appears to have given them the resources to dream bigger while maintaining their signature gameplay-first philosophy. The timing of this release—nearly five years after Returnal—suggests a carefully crafted experience that has benefited from extensive development and refinement.
Saros represents more than just another sci-fi shooter; it’s a testament to how far game development has come in embracing complex narratives within challenging gameplay frameworks. In an industry often dominated by safe sequels and established franchises, Housemarque continues to carve out their own path, creating experiences that challenge both player skill and narrative expectations. As we count down to March 2026, Saros stands as a beacon for what’s possible when a studio with a clear vision is given the freedom to create something truly special—a game that might just redefine our expectations of what interactive storytelling can achieve in the cosmic unknown.
About the Author
