Housemarque
Housemarque business and news from across the web.
Saros Guide – 15 Early Game Tips and TricksThis guide provides 15 early-game tips and tricks for the bullet hell roguelite Saros. It covers essential mechanics such as utilizing the minimap, the invulnerability during grapple animations, the benefits of damage-over-time and Power Generator perks, and effective use of crossbows. The guide also explains how to check weapon perks, manage rerolls and artifact slots, navigate the Armor Matrix, and approach optional Nightmare Strands for rewards.
All Saros endings explained and how to get the Secret EndingThis guide details all endings in the game Saros, including the main ending and the secret ending, and explains their narrative implications. It outlines the steps required to achieve each ending, such as defeating specific bosses and interacting with characters like Kayla and Nitya.
How to play Saros early on PS5 and get a 10% pre-order discountSaros, the new roguelite shooter from Housemarque, is launching soon and players can get early access by purchasing the digital deluxe edition on PlayStation 5. The game also offers a 10% pre-order discount on physical copies from Currys. Saros is a standalone experience that builds on the gameplay of Returnal but features a new protagonist and story.
How to drop Artefacts in SarosThis guide explains how to drop or destroy Artefacts in the game Saros using an Acolyte's Wager. It also details how to increase the maximum number of Artefact slots from 10 to 20 through upgrades in the Armor Matrix. The article is written by Joel Franey.
How to get past Yellow Barriers in SarosThis guide explains how to overcome Yellow Barriers in the game Saros. These barriers can only be broken with the Blazing Strike permanent upgrade, which is acquired in Act 3 within the Yellow Shore biome. The Blazing Strike ability also allows players to teleport to staggered enemies and break Yellow Containers.
How to get all permanent upgrades in SarosThis guide details the six permanent upgrades and abilities available in Saros, which are essential for progression and can be unlocked through various in-game milestones. These upgrades enhance combat and exploration, including a fast travel system, grapple hook, powerful Overdrive attack, Parry ability, Eclipse Thread traversal, and the Blazing Strike for breaking barriers and dealing extra melee damage. Some abilities can be further enhanced through the game's armor upgrades and skill tree.
Best guns and weapons in SarosThis guide details the best weapons and guns in Saros, categorizing them into main weapons and power weapons. The Eruptor Handcannon and Onslaught Rifle are highlighted as top main weapons, while the Illumine and Prominence are recommended power weapons due to their versatility. All weapons are unlocked through story progression.
How long to beat Saros? Story length and time to beat revealedThis guide provides an estimated playtime for Saros, with story completion taking 20-25 hours, the story with a secret ending requiring 22-27 hours, and 100% completion ranging from 30-45 hours. The article notes that player skill and the use of difficulty-altering modifiers can significantly impact the time to beat the game.
Corruption in Saros explainedThis guide explains the various 'Corruption' mechanics in the game Returnal, including Corrupted Projectiles, Health, Weapons, and Artefacts. Corruption generally refers to systems where beneficial elements also have negative drawbacks, affecting player health, weapon damage, and artifact effects.
Autohit in Saros explainedThe Autohit feature in Saros provides a baseline homing capability for weapon attacks, making it easier to hit targets amidst bullet hell projectiles. However, some weapons have Autohit disabled, indicated by a square symbol, which results in higher damage per bullet at the cost of requiring manual aiming. This trade-off rewards players with good accuracy, offering a higher skill ceiling and potentially more potent weaponry for precise shots.
How to save in SarosSaros features a limited, auto-save only system that constantly records progress after most actions, including clearing rooms of enemies or puzzles. While there's no manual save, players can utilize three distinct save slots accessible from the Passage hub zone to manage multiple playthroughs on a single PlayStation 5 file.
All Saros attributes and stats explainedThis guide explains the various attributes and stats in the game Saros, including Drive, Command, Resilience, Proficiency, Integrity, and Power. It details how each stat affects gameplay, how they are derived, and methods for permanently and temporarily increasing them through the Armor Matrix and Lucenite.
'This Feels Like Nothing Else Out There': Saros Devs on Making Another Standout PS5 ExclusiveHousemarque's Gregory Louden and Simone Silvestri discuss their upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive, Saros. They highlight how the game builds upon the foundations of Returnal, focusing on rewarding progression, accessible difficulty options, and a deeper narrative integration while maintaining the studio's signature gameplay-first approach. The developers emphasize Saros' unique identity and its role as a potential entry point for new players to Housemarque's acclaimed library.
Round Up: Saros PS5 Reviews Rate It as One of the Best Games of 2026Housemarque's new PlayStation 5 exclusive, Saros, has received near-unanimous praise from critics, positioning it as one of the top-rated games of 2026. Reviewers highlight its refined gameplay, building upon the success of Returnal while offering increased flexibility and challenge. The game is lauded for its atmospheric blend of sci-fi action and eldritch horror, with many finding its narrative and combat deeply engaging.
Saros Gets Major Unreal Engine 5.6 Update on April 29thHousemarque is releasing a significant update for their shooter Saros on April 29th, integrating Unreal Engine 5.6. This update focuses on substantial performance optimization and stability improvements for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro. Players will need to reset their graphics settings after the update due to new engine features.
Saros Review: Housemarque Delivers Stunning Follow-Up to ReturnalHousemarque's new game, Saros, is receiving glowing reviews as a refined and improved follow-up to Returnal. Built on a customized Unreal Engine 5, Saros is praised for its stunning visuals and challenging yet more approachable gameplay compared to its predecessor. The game is noted for pushing PlayStation 5 hardware, including potential PS5 Pro enhancements, and is seen as a significant step forward for the studio.
PS5 Exclusive Shooter Gets Stellar Reviews, Is GOTY ContenderThe PlayStation 5 exclusive shooter Saros, developed by Housemarque, is receiving stellar reviews and is considered a Game of the Year contender. The game, set to release on April 30, 2026, currently holds an 89 rating on OpenCritic. Critics praise its mechanics, improved roguelite formula, and engaging narrative set on the alien planet Carcosa.
Saros reportedly 'truly excels' on PS5 Pro with its single 60fps 4K output mode and PSSR 2The game Saros reportedly excels on the PlayStation 5 Pro, consistently achieving its target of 60fps at 4K resolution with enhanced particle effects thanks to PSSR 2. While the base PlayStation 5 version is considered perfectly good, it utilizes FSR 2 or FSR 3 for upscaling, resulting in a softer image and less pristine particle effects compared to the Pro version.
Saros Gets New Launch Trailer And Gameplay DetailsSony Interactive Entertainment and Housemarque have released a launch trailer for the action-RPG Saros, showcasing combat, characters, weapons, and boss fights. The game, launching April 30 for PlayStation 5, will feature "Carcosan Modifiers" to adjust difficulty and expanded accessibility options, building on Returnal's features. Narrative contributions from graphic novelist Ram V are also highlighted.
'It Truly Excels': Saros Is Another 'Exceptional' PS5 Pro Game, Say Tech ExpertsTechnical experts at Digital Foundry have analyzed the upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive third-person shooter Saros, developed by Housemarque. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5 and excels on the PlayStation 5 Pro, offering a 4K output with PSSR upscaling that handles complex particle effects remarkably well while maintaining a consistent 60fps frame rate.