Should You Play Returnal Before Playing Saros?

Saros is another banger roguelite release from Housemarque after Returnal; words I don't throw around lightly, as I've already poured 30 hours into the game and just can't seem to put it down. A question that seems to be floating around, especially from newcomers, is whether they need to play Returnal to enjoy Saros. The short version is: no, you don’t need to play Returnal before playing Saros, but the answer is a bit more nuanced than that. Let me fill you in.

Saros: All Biomes

Curious to know how many biomes Saros has? Here’s everything you need to know.

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By Waseem Muhammad

Is Saros a Sequel to Returnal?

Let's get this big question out of the way first. No, Saros is a completely new IP from Housemarque and isn't a sequel to Returnal. There aren't any direct story links from Returnal in Saros, apart from a few hidden Easter eggs the devs have included.

While they look and feel similar in gameplay trailers, Saros feels like a significantly different game when it comes to intricate structure and progression mechanics. While we're on the subject, let's dive into the key differences and similarities between the two games so you can get a better understanding.

What are the Differences Between Saros & Returnal?

Both Saros and Returnal come from Housemarque and share a similar sci-fi tone, fast-paced combat, and roguelike-inspired structure, making the comparison almost unavoidable. However, Saros differentiates itself through some key differences that we'll dive into below.

Narrative Focused: Arjun Devraj takes center stage in Saros as he searches for his lost loved one across the madness-stricken lands of Carcosa. Without stepping into spoiler territory, the game establishes his motivations early on and uses them to anchor a more cohesive narrative from start to finish.
Progression System: Saros focuses on more persistent and permanent upgrades for Arjun, stripping away the more punishing "restart from scratch" layer of Returnal. This makes the game a lot more approachable for newcomers to the roguelike/roguelite games.
Carcosan Modifiers: Saros has a unique mechanic called Carcosan Modifiers, which can make the game both easy and challenging to suit the taste of the players. This adds a layer of accessibility to the game, allowing players to either buffs (protections) or nerfs (trials) to Arjun. Saros also makes sure that players don't turn the game into a walk in the park, forcing players to balance both protections and trials to maintain a level of challenge and risk-and-reward factor to the gameplay.

Overall, both Returnal and Saros are enjoyable games from Housemarque, and you don’t need to have played one to enjoy the other. However, playing Returnal first can give you a deeper appreciation of the roguelite DNA that Saros builds on and refines for a wider audience.