The progression in Saros leans into persistent, permanent upgrades via Armor Matrix that steadily shape your character's long-term strength. Whether you've just had a successful run or couldn't survive the bullet hell barrage of projectiles, the game will ensure Arjun keeps coming back stronger. This guide will break down the best Armor Matrix upgrades that you should unlock first in Saros, helping you better prioritize your progression path to strengthen your core build.
Which Armor Matrix Upgrades to Unlock First
Armor Matrix upgrades in Saros permanently boost Arjun's stats, boosting his ability to withstand damage, accumulate more Lucenite, and increase the shield and Power Weapon usage. These upgrades can be purchased with Lucenite, a resource in the form of glowing golden orbs that drop on the ground once you defeat an enemy.
Some Armor Matrix upgrades in Saros will require Halcyon, a rare (purple) upgrade resource that unlocks particular skills and major upgrades in the skill tree.
The skill tree will start branching off into multiple paths, and you'll need to make a choice whether to prioritize upgrading one specific stat over the others first. Here are the main stats that you'll be investing Lucenite in.
- Resilience: Increase Arjun's maximum HP.
- Command: Increase the maximum Shield HP and Power weapon usage.
- Drive: Increases the amount of Lucenite you collect from enemies.
If you're wondering which skill to prioritize first, try going to Drive nodes first, followed by Resilience, and then Command.
Why Should You Prioritize Upgrading 'Drive' Nodes Early?
Upgrading Drive nodes will allow you to accumulate more Lucenite faster. This directly translates to quicker leveling up proficiency in a run and gaining access to high-level equipment sooner. Additionally, you'll be able to bring back more Lucenite, which means you'll be able to purchase Armor Matrix upgrades a lot more frequently.
After that, feel free to invest the maximum amount of Lucenite in Resilience to increase survivability in runs. Feel free to prioritize Command last, as the default Shield capacity provides ample time to absorb projectiles before getting deactivated.
Armor Matrix Skills You Should Aim to Unlock First
Armor Matrix upgrades in Saros aren't just solely for boosting stats, but also contain some crucial skills that you can unlock later down the path. These skills are a complete game-changer, and you should prioritize unlocking the prerequisite nodes for them to unlock them early.
These skills can be unlocked without even defeating Prophet, the boss of the first biome, "Shattered Rise."
- Second Chance: As the name suggests, you'll be able to get an extra life, and Arjun will revive once after getting downed by enemies.
- Shield Amplifier: While playing the Eclipsed sections of a biome, you'll be able to trap and draw power from corrupted (yellow) projections, similar to blue ones. However, doing this won't let you avoid corruption buildup.
- Lucenite Saver: Reduces the amount of Lucenite lost on failed runs, allowing Arjun to return with more of it for the Armor Matrix upgrades in Saros. For example, Lucenite is reduced by 50% on a failed run at the start of the game. The penalty is reduced to 45% after unlocking the first upgrade of Lucenite Saver.
- Artifact Slot: Each upgrade into Artifact Slot will unlock additional artifact slots for Arjun to equip. There are 10 artifact slots at the start of the game, which can be expanded up to 20 with each upgrade.
Saros
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87/100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- April 30, 2026
- ESRB
- Teen / Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Housemarque
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- PS5 Release Date
- March 20, 2026
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5
