Published May 3, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT

Pew pew.

The return of video-game-ass video games

Graphic: Grant Walkup/Polygon | Source Images: Capcom, Housemarque/Sony Interactive Entertainment

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I'm probably about to fall into a classic trap of culture journalism — misidentifying a random coincidence as a trend — but bear with me, because I really do think there's something to it. Honest!

This week sees the release of Saros , Housemarque's new PlayStation 5 exclusive. Like its predecessor Returnal , it's an action game defined by a roguelike-style run structure and by sinister horror vibes. In other words, it couldn't be more 2026 if it tried.

And yet: Saros is also a sci-fi game in which a dude runs around shooting a laser gun. There's something timeless and comfortingly old-school about it.…