Saros is More Bullet Heaven Than Bullet Hell
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The Besties dive deep into Housemarque's latest PlayStation 5 exclusive, Saros, a high-octane, bullet-hell-inspired action game that blends roguelike progression with arcade precision. Hosts Griffin McElroy, Christopher Thomas Plant, and Ross Froschek explore Saros' complex systems—red and blue projectiles, artifact upgrades, permanent progression, and a late-game modifier system that lets players tailor their run. While acknowledging the game's steep learning curve, confusing terminology, and opaque narrative rooted in Lovecraftian weird fiction, they praise its exhilarating movement, satisfying combat, and visual spectacle, especially in boss fights and biomes like 'spooky eclipse mode.' The episode also traces Housemarque’s legacy from Stardust and Rezogun to Returnal, celebrating their unique DNA of twin-stick action and visual flair. The hosts reflect on the studio’s evolution, their risk-taking in AAA design, and the game’s potential as a tutorial for Returnal. They also share personal highlights, including a heartfelt moment with their son’s sandwich, a glowing recommendation for the Aura Frame, and a deep dive into new indie gems like Blueprints, Nubby’s Number Factory, Gambonanza, and the Korean reality show Battle of Fates.
Saros is a permanent progression roguelike with deep systems, where each run builds toward long-term upgrades and power growth.
The game’s movement and combat feel incredibly tight and satisfying, with a 'ship in a 2D shmup' control philosophy that prioritizes precision over realism.
Despite confusing naming and a steep initial learning curve, the game rewards mastery and becomes deeply enjoyable once players unlock its mechanics.
Housemarque’s legacy is defined by a consistent love for red and blue projectiles and arcade-style intensity, evolving from Stardust to Saros.
The game’s story is abstract and Lovecraftian, but its visual design and boss fights are among the most stunning in modern gaming.
…and 2 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Star Wars Day at Disneyland & the Predator Loophole
The hosts kick off the episode with a humorous anecdote about encountering a full Predator costume at Disneyland on Star Wars Day, sparking a playful debate about the boundaries of character cosplay and corporate loopholes.
Introducing Saros: Housemarque’s New Bullet Heaven
The hosts introduce Saros, Housemarque’s first-party PS5 game in 17 years, setting the stage for a deep dive into its bullet-hell mechanics, progression systems, and evolution from Returnal.
Saros vs. Returnal: Progression, Permanence, and Player Freedom
A detailed comparison of Saros and Returnal, highlighting how Saros replaces Returnal’s run-from-scratch model with permanent upgrades, save-anytime mechanics, and a farming-focused progression loop.
The Systems Overload: Confusing Names, Complex Mechanics
“I genuinely after about two or three runs and I was just like picking up all these items and it's like, oh, you've gotten more resilience. I eventually stopped and I was like, OK, I went through the menus like is there like a help section that tells me what the fuck these stats do?”
The Joy of Movement, Combat, and Progression
“It feels so fucking great all the time. They give you option. The game is mostly linear, like it's not exploration heavy for the most part because contrary to Returnal, but they do give you moments where it's like, oh, this is a side path. You can go here for more currency or maybe another battle or whatever.”
“The game looks amazing and then you start hopping around and you are just like... You might as well be a little like... like pylon that happens to have a human face on it.”
“It's a game about those balls. It's a game about avoiding or sometimes collecting red and blue balls very, very quickly. And we'll talk about... Also trauma. Also trauma, of course.”
“It's like a game about those balls. It's a game about avoiding or sometimes collecting red and blue balls very, very quickly.”
Hosts
griffin mcelroy
person
christopher thomas plant
person
ross froschek
person
housemarque
other
returnal
media
saros
media
product
predator
other
blueprints
media
aura frames
product
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