Saros disappoints as it trails Returnal in nearly every way
Saros is being called a disappointment after one player who pre-ordered it said it is worse than Returnal in just about every way. That judgment lands hard because Saros was described as the biggest first party PS5 exclusive of the year so far, and the comparison is coming from someone who already considered Returnal the best exclusive on PlayStation 5.
Returnal sets the bar
The reader said Returnal remains their favorite game of the generation, pointing to its amazing action and a fantastic atmosphere and story. Against that standard, Saros is getting judged on execution rather than ambition, and that is where the gap opens up for a player who expected the newer game to build on what came before.
Action in Saros was described as very similar to Returnal, which makes the surrounding changes easier to notice. The shield stood out as an interesting addition, but the rest of the loop did not seem to move far enough away from the earlier game to justify the comparison on its own.
Story and world design
The sharper criticism landed on the writing and structure. Saros was said to have story and characters that are far too straightforward compared with Returnal, even though it keeps the same sort of Lovecraftian influence. The reader also said Saros presents that influence more literally, which strips away some of the ambiguity that helped Returnal hold attention.
World design drew the same reaction. The reader said the areas in Saros do not change nearly as much as they should, and that the game seems to make each level just a boss run. That makes the structure feel narrower than the game that came before it, especially for a title arriving as the biggest first party PS5 exclusive of the year so far.
Graphics and pacing
Graphics were the one place where Saros may have held its ground. The reader said it was worse in just about every way than Returnal except maybe the graphics, and singled out the underground area as especially good. Even that praise came with a catch: the game had already been overshadowed by Pragmata in the reader’s mind, which lowered the sense that Saros was setting the pace for the genre.
For players deciding whether to pre-order a game built around the Returnal comparison, the feedback is direct. Saros can still win over someone who wants familiar action and strong visual work, but a lighter story, less varied worlds, and a more literal approach to its influences leave it sounding like a step back rather than a sequel to the standard Returnal set.
