During the PlayStation State of Play, we finally got another look at Housemarque’s (along with Nixxes) upcoming title, Saros, and it did not disappoint. The game is set to release on March 20, 2026.
Check out a snippet of gameplay below.
At first glance, it’s easy to call this Returnal 2 as we can clearly see the same bullet hell gameplay that drove us up the wall and excited us at the same time. Yet the footage shows enough new mechanics to justify it standing on its own. I’ve always enjoyed Returnal’s blend of arcade-style gameplay and punishing roguelike elements, so I’m not knocking that comparison at all.
This time around, players will still be stuck on an alien world, but instead of one that forces you to relive your failures, the story will unfold on the hostile, shape-shifting planet of Carcosa. How this will affect gameplay still isn’t clear just yet.
What excites me here is that Housemarque seems to be making the game more accessible by adding a shield and a one-time free revive called Second-Changing, which makes players respawn even stronger—almost like a Dragon Ball Saiyan rising from defeat. Whether that’ll be enough to balance accessibility with challenge is still up in the air.
One thing is certain: Housemarque has never failed at delivering a polished, addictive arcade experience. If Saros follows that tradition, then March 2026 can’t come soon enough.
Source: PlayStation Saros reveal trailer
