Saros’ Creators Say The Returnal Successor Is About Obsession, Greed, Power, And Corruption
Game Informer • • technology
Key Points:
- Housemarque began developing Saros shortly after Returnal's launch, initially with a small vision team while continuing to support Returnal through updates; they aimed to explore permanent progression and add new viewpoints to cosmic horror.
- Sony acquired Housemarque following Returnal's success, providing strong support and creative freedom for Saros, which shares mechanical similarities with Returnal but is not a sequel.
- Saros draws heavily on cosmic horror inspirations, including The King in Yellow and Lovecraftian themes, blending dark sci-fi with unique visual elements influenced by anime, comics, and 80s sci-fi.
- The developers emphasize mystery and player interpretation in Saros' narrative, aiming for a personal and haunting experience rather than explicit storytelling, and integrating roguelike elements to enhance replayability and thematic depth.
- Gameplay tips include embracing projectiles as opportunities rather than obstacles and encouraging curiosity to uncover the game's narrative and systems; the team also praises recent roguelike games like Hades II as inspirations.
