13 tips for "Saros": How to master the brutal game

Domagoj Belancic

28.4.2026

Translation: machine translated

Pictures: Domagoj Belancic

"Saros" is brutal. Get started with these tips.

«Saros» is one of the most difficult games of the year. You shoot your way through procedurally generated levels on an alien planet full of bloodthirsty aliens and robots. Even inconspicuous enemies can kill you in the blink of an eye. The challenging bullet hell gameplay requires quick reflexes and absolute mastery of the fast-paced shooting and dash mechanics.

These 13 tips will help you get started in this brutal and dark world.

Note: In this guide, I'm only covering beginner tips that relate to the first few hours of the game (up to the third world after the second boss). You don't need to be afraid of spoilers.

Position yourself correctly and look at the map

In many combat situations, you will be attacked by several enemies at the same time. Particularly nasty: New monsters can also spawn behind you. If you find yourself in the thick of the action, you will quickly be overwhelmed by the Bullet-Hell - no matter how good your dodging skills are.

That's why: clean positioning is the be-all and end-all. Try to keep all enemies in front of you at all times. Then proceed systematically and take care of the closer monsters first before tackling the more distant ones. It is also worth keeping moving at all times - this way, homing bullets will take longer to hit you.

Look at the minimap at the bottom right. It shows you where enemies are located. This makes it even easier for you to position yourself. Aether, which enemies drop, is also marked on the map. Even if it feels strange at first to look at a small map in the midst of the chaos of bullets - it helps immensely and is often a lifesaver, especially in the later levels.

Games with headphones and 3D audio

Studio Housemarque has done a great job with the sound design of «Saros». In a blog post, the Finnish company explains that it is particularly proud of the 3D audio function. What reads like empty Marketing blah-blah is actually a killer feature.

I recommend playing the game with good headphones. It's much easier to judge which side you're being attacked from. It's amazing how accurately I can tell where an enemy is behind me or which direction a deadly shot is coming from. This makes the game easier to read and therefore more accessible.

You don't need special headphones to use the PS5's 3D audio function. Most stereo headphones are compatible with the feature. Important: You must either connect the headphones directly to the PS5 (via USB cable or USB dongle) or plug the headphones into your PS5 Dualsense controller. If you connect Bluetooth headphones to your TV, you will not hear the 3D audio.

I use the previous version (no longer available) of Sony's Pulse Elite and my WH-1000XM4.

Always take all optional routes

«Saros» always presents you with a choice in its procedurally generated levels. You can either follow the main path, which will take you efficiently to your destination (blue flag). Or you can take forks that lead to optional game areas (white flag).

Always take all optional routes. You can't go wrong, especially in the first biomes. There are no overpowering enemies or nasty traps waiting for you, just aether, weapons and upgrades.* So, take the plunge and explore the beautiful Carcosa.

Read the descriptions of the weapons and upgrades carefully

I love collecting new weapons and upgrades like a hoover. But be careful! Before you pick something up, you should read the description of the item carefully

With weapons, it is essential to know whether they have an auto-aim function or not. Guns with auto-aim shoot bullets that follow their targets. With guns without auto-aim, you have to aim yourself - but the shots cause more damage. Don't be like me, who unknowingly chose guns without auto-aim at the beginning. The game will tell you whether a gun has the function as soon as you pick it up. Caution: The corresponding overlay can sometimes take a while to appear.

If you summon a solar eclipse (by activating a bouquet of hands), you need to be particularly careful when selecting upgrades. The so-called «Corrupted artefacts» bring great advantages, but also devastating disadvantages. Think about whether these disadvantages are compatible with your playstyle.

Use keys with caution

On your runs, you will find keys with which you can open special containers. That's nice. But it's even more worthwhile to use these keys for special doors. These usually conceal many more helpful goodies. So: save up and look for doors.

Also consider whether it is worth using a key at all. If you feel that your current gun, energy weapon and artefacts are sufficient, it's worth waiting. I base my decision on the level gap. If my equipped weapon is significantly below the level of weapons I can find in the neighbourhood, it's worth using keys.

Use the alt-fire of the weapons

All guns in «Saros» have alternate fire modes. You can activate them by pressing the L2 trigger halfway down. Even if it takes some getting used to at first, it's worth experimenting with the additional functions.

My favourite weapon, which I took with me into the endgame, is the crossbow. I use alt-fire to fire volleys that not only automatically search for their target, but also hit it several times and spread out to neighbouring enemies. Feels a bit OP. I don't care, I've earned it.

Dualsense Edge is worth it

With «Saros», it's worth playing with the Dualsense Edge. Compared to the normal version, the more expensive Pro controller has backpaddles that you can programme freely. A killer feature in a game that requires so many buttons that often have to be pressed simultaneously or in quick succession.

In my case, the back pedals are additional dash (L1) and shield (R1) buttons. This allows my index fingers to stay on L2 (alt-fire and energy weapon) and R2 (shoot). With this setup, I dodge faster, use the shield more precisely and can concentrate on using the alt-fire modes (press L2 halfway).

Simon uses the buttons differently. He doesn't like to press the L2 trigger only halfway and has programmed the alt-fire modes to the backpaddles.

You can customise the colour of the shots

«Saros» works with clearly coded shot colours. You can fend off blue projectiles with the shield or dash through them. Only a dash helps against yellow projectiles. You have to dodge red projectiles completely or parry them with a well-timed strike (you only get this ability later in the game).

Can't remember the colours or can't see the differences due to a visual impairment? Don't worry, in the options under Settings > Graphics > scroll down to change the projectile colours to suit your mood.

These modifiers make the game more accessible

After the second boss, you will gain access to modifiers. You can use these to make your life on Carcosa easier - or even harder.

The modifiers are divided into bonuses («protection») and penalties («check»). If you are a masochist, you can equip as many mali as you like. However, you cannot activate an infinite number of bonuses and fight your way through hordes of enemies like Rambo. Each bonus has a value that must be balanced out with an equivalent value on the malus side.

My tip: Select the bonus «Damage enhancement» and set it to the highest level. This will put you 7 points down. To get the slider into an acceptable range, select the «Corruption Improvement» on level 2 on the malus page (this puts you at minus 3 points, which is just within the valid range).

With this combination, you deal noticeably more damage. You can easily blow away opponents who have previously soaked up bullets like sponges. With the malus, you collect Corruption faster - which has a negative effect on your maximum health. However, you can quickly get rid of the corruption. To do this, activate your equipped energy weapon (press L2 all the way down) and shoot with it. Bonus tip: Equip the «Demoraliser» as an energy weapon. You can use it to fire whenever you have energy - unlike the «Protuberance», whose energy you first have to charge up to a certain threshold.

Go back

«Saros» is much more accessible than its predecessor «Returnal». If you get stuck on a boss, it's usually worth going back to the biomes you've played so far and grinding.

This allows you to collect tonnes of Lucenyte to unlock permanent abilities. And you'll find the rare Halcyon, which is needed for special upgrades. As the game progresses, you will also learn new ways of travelling that open up additional paths in already familiar areas.

Boss guide number 1: The Prophet

Don't be put off by the many bullets of the first boss. The Prophet is not as tough as he looks. The monster has three phases that you have to go through

Phase 1: Before you damage the boss, you have to shoot the nasty plant things on the wall.

In this phase, the prophet attacks you with two types of shot. Dodge the yellow projectiles (Dash, L1). Caution - with the horizontal projectile wall, you must dash forwards (not to the left or right).

Absorb the blue projectiles with your shield (R1) and recharge your energy. Then attack the boss with your energy weapon. Repeat the whole thing until phase 2.

Phase 2: Now the Prophet shoots the ugly plant things onto the ground. They spread out and plant annoying patches of grass that restrict your freedom of movement. Shoot them down before you take care of him. Killed plant things sometimes drop ether. Once you've cleared the ground, go back to the plant things on the wall before finally attacking the boss.

Dodge the shots as in phase 1. The Prophet has a few new shot patterns in stock, but the principle with yellow and blue projectiles remains the same.

Phase 3: The simplest of all phases. The boss stretches out its tentacles (?) and traps you in a narrow corridor. You can no longer dodge to the left or right, but only forwards or backwards. No problem, because remember: when you dash, you are invulnerable for a short time.

Boss guide number 2: Bastion

The second boss has a few more tricks up its sleeve. But with these tips, Bastion is also a piece of cake

Phase 1: Bastion attacks you with different shot patterns. Dash through the yellow parts of the projectiles or charge up energy with your shield in the blue part.

Attention - from time to time the robot (?) shoots a deadly laser beam. If you see it charging: run to the side and don't stop. There are fire platforms to the left and right of the arena. As soon as you get there, jump up and dash back to the centre. The killer laser should be over by then.

At the end of the first phase, mini-robots appear in the ground. Watch out, they shoot fast. Kill them to get to the next phase. Some robots drop ether.

Phase 2: Like phase 1, only with more shot patterns. Where there was blue, there is now sometimes yellow and vice versa. From time to time, the rascal also smuggles red shots into the pattern.

Bastion also fires ultra-fast, homing yellow projectiles that target you from the side. Wait until they almost hit you and then dash in the direction they came from. If you see too early, you will take damage.

At the wall of red projectiles, you have to jump into the air at the yellow jump nets in the centre of the arena.

Before you move on to phase 3, you have to kill annoying mini-robots again. Some of them have red protective shells. Destroy them with a melee attack (R1). Some are located one level further up. You can reach them with the jump network.

Phase 3: Like phase 2, only faster and with more variation in the shot patterns. I believe in you

Git Gud

Finally, the most important tip. Even though «Saros» is much more accessible than «Returnal», it's still a classic «Git Gud» game. No matter how many tips you follow, OP modifiers you equip or powerful weapons you use, at the end of the day you need to master the shooting and dash mechanics perfectly.

Don't get demotivated if you don't succeed. A day off works wonders. Take your time, because at «Saros» the journey is the reward.

Domagoj Belancic

Senior Editor

Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.ch

My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.

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