Returnal
News, coverage and analysis tracking Returnal across the outlets.
Latest coverage
SAROS Hands-On Preview: A Beautiful World for a Bullet Ballet
A preview of SAROS, a new roguelike from Housemarque, highlights its "bullet ballet" combat and striking visuals, drawing comparisons to Returnal. The game features a permanent progression system, evolving combat mechanics, and a unique "Eclipse" mechanic that escalates challenges and rewards. Voice actor Rahul Kohli lends his talents to the lead character, Arjun Devraj, and Creative Director Gregory Louden provided insights into the game's design.
Housemarque Has Made PS5 Exclusive Saros Kinder in Response to Returnal Feedback — but It's Still Fundamentally Difficult
Housemarque has adjusted its PlayStation 5 exclusive game, Saros, to be more accessible based on player feedback from Returnal. Despite these changes, the game is still designed to be fundamentally challenging for players.
3 hours in, Saros is a triumph for PS5 – this twitchy sci-fi roguelike shooter perfectly evolves on Returnal, and…
Saros, the spiritual successor to Returnal, is shaping up to be a triumph for the PlayStation 5, evolving the 'bullet ballet' roguelike shooter formula with intense combat and satisfying progression. Developed by Housemarque, the game features a new shield mechanic that encourages players to absorb enemy fire, offering a fresh challenge beyond Returnal's established gameplay loop. With shorter, more focused runs and a deep upgrade system, Saros promises a compelling and evolved experience for fans of the genre.
Saros Gameplay Breakdown With Boss Fight (w/ Commentary)
This article provides a gameplay breakdown of Saros, highlighting its boss fights and commentary. It also features trailers and gameplay reveals for other titles including Crimson Desert, HOARDER, PAYDAY: Aces High, MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls, and GUILTY GEAR STRIVE.
Saros Looks Like Returnal, But Feels Unlike Anything Else Housemarque Has Made
Housemarque's upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive, Saros, shares similarities with its previous title, Returnal, but aims to redefine the experience with a new protagonist, Arjun Devraj, and a distinct 'bullet ballet' combat system. The game explores themes of regret, power, and corruption on the alien planet Carcosa, featuring a challenging roguelite structure with permanent upgrades and a transformative 'eclipse' mechanic that drastically alters gameplay and atmosphere.
Saros Looks Like A Big Step Up From Returnal
Saros appears to be a significant step up from Returnal, offering a new take on the roguelike genre. The article mentions trailers and gameplay reveals for various other games including Crimson Desert, Pokemon Champions, HOARDER, and Guilty Gear Strive.
Saros Gameplay Showcases Full Run on Shattered Rise, the First Biome, in Glorious 4K/60 FPS
Housemarque and Sony have released new gameplay footage of Saros, a bullet-hell roguelite shooter and spiritual successor to Returnal. The footage showcases the first biome, Shattered Rise, running in 4K/60 FPS on a PlayStation 5, highlighting combat mechanics, weapon upgrades, and the protagonist's unique barrier ability. Saros is set to release on April 30th for PlayStation 5.
Saros Developer Wanted to Turn Projectiles Into “Opportunities,” New Ancient Ruins Gameplay Revealed
New gameplay footage for Housemarque's Saros showcases the Ancient Ruins biome and its boss, Bastion. Creative director Gregory Louden described the game's loop as a "playground" where projectiles are opportunities to power up the player's weapon. Saros is set to launch on April 30th for PlayStation 5.
Have Another 30 Seconds of Pure Saros PS5 Gameplay Before Previews Drop
Housemarque has released another short gameplay clip of Saros, showcasing a new biome with a purple sky. The successor to Returnal, this PlayStation 5 exclusive is set to launch on April 30th and promises refined third-person shooting gameplay with new ideas. Media previews are expected soon, offering more insight into the upcoming title.
Games Inbox: Is Crimson Desert being underrated?
This article compiles reader opinions on Crimson Desert, with some players finding it addictive and a deep sandbox simulation, while others consider it disappointing and barebones. The discussion also touches on other games like Resident Evil, Grand Theft Auto 6, and the practices of companies like Rockstar Games.
Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus review: another skippable CPU series
Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus processors offer improved multitasking and efficiency over previous generations but fail to surpass AMD's current offerings or even Intel's own 14th Gen chips in gaming performance. While they run cooler and are more affordably priced, their gaming benchmarks are not compelling enough for an upgrade, suggesting potential buyers might consider waiting for Intel's next generation or opting for AMD's Ryzen processors.
Sony Expected to Officially Confirm the End of First-Party PS5 Titles on PC – Rumor
Sony is reportedly planning to stop releasing major first-party single-player titles on PC, with an official confirmation expected soon. This rumor follows the PC release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and comes amid discussions about the performance of previous PC ports like Returnal and Marvel's Spider-Man 2. While some titles like Horizon Hunters Gathering will still launch on both PS5 and PC, Sony appears to be prioritizing console exclusivity for its major single-player games.
Saros Dev Explains How the PS5 Game Is More Approachable, Customisable Than Returnal
Housemarque's upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive, Saros, will feature more approachable progression and customization options compared to Returnal. Associate design director Matti Hälki explained that while Saros will still be challenging, players can unlock permanent buffs and abilities through an upgrade tree and customize difficulty using the Carcosan Modifiers system. Unlike Returnal, players can also instantly return to previously visited biomes.
Saros Lets You Disable Most Permanent Unlocks for Even More Challenge
Saros, the spiritual successor to Returnal, will offer players significant control over its difficulty, including the option to disable most permanent unlocks. Housemarque aims to provide players with more agency rather than simply offering standard difficulty settings. The game launches on April 30th for PlayStation 5 and features new additions like The Passage and biome teleportation.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach PC Peaks at Nearly 56,000 Concurrent Steam Players
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has achieved a strong launch on PC, peaking at nearly 56,000 concurrent players on Steam, significantly outperforming the original game and its Director's Cut. The game also boasts an 'Overwhelmingly Positive' user review score. This success contrasts with other PlayStation Studios titles on PC, such as Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut and God of War, which had lower peak player counts.
Saros has exclusive PS5 features like feeling 'eclipse-driven weaponry through adaptive triggers — but it's nothing we've not heard before
A new trailer for Housemarque's upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive, Saros, highlights the game's utilization of the console's features, including immersive 3D audio, DualSense haptic feedback, and adaptive triggers. The game will also feature permanent progression and faster loading times compared to Returnal, with a release date set for April 30.
Saros ‘PS5 Features’ trailer
The author discusses the niche appeal of bullet hell games like Returnal on PlayStation 5, noting it's not for everyone. They then list their most anticipated games, including Grand Theft Auto 6, Forza Horizon 6, and Fable, while also mentioning other titles they are keeping an eye on.
Available for Xbox Insiders: More Groups on Home, Custom User Colors, Quick Resume Settings
Xbox Insiders can now test new features for Quick Resume, including more group customization on the home screen and custom user colors. The article also discusses the benefits of Quick Resume for suspending games and avoiding save issues, comparing it to PlayStation's 'Resume Activity' feature.
Frantic Shooter Saros Is Shaping Up to Be a Real Showpiece for PS5, PS5 Pro
The upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive shooter Saros from Housemarque is being developed to leverage the full power of both the PlayStation 5 and the PlayStation 5 Pro. The game will utilize the DualSense controller's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, 3D audio, and the console's speedy SSD for near-instant load times. Saros is also confirmed to support PlayStation 5 Pro Rendering (PSSR).
Saros Trailer Highlights Near-Instant Loading Times, DualSense Features With Slick New Gameplay
A new trailer for Housemarque's upcoming PlayStation 5 game, Saros, showcases its near-instant loading times enabled by the console's SSD and its use of DualSense features like adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. The trailer also highlights 3D Audio support and reveals new bosses and gameplay elements.
