Published Apr 29, 2026, 11:03 AM EDT

You won't be left for dead in the Crimson Wastes this time around

Housemarque says Saros is easier because no one could beat Returnal

Image: Housemarque/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Ask a thousand people to describe Returnal in one word, and you’re bound to hear the same answer repeated many times: “hard.” Housemarque’s 2021 sci-fi shooter is a notoriously challenging roguelike thanks to its fast and brutal bullet hell action. Seeing it through to the end means getting past an early-game difficulty spike that even gave seasoned Souls players a hard time .

Saros , Housemarque’s different-but-similar follow-up, is much more manageable by comparison. It still starts on a very challenging note, but it gives players more ways to mitigate that struggle thanks to extensive metaprogression and a mod system that basically lets you build your own easy mode.…