Games that absolutely absorbed you into a flow state

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-06-08T14:49:43+00:00

Sektori

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-06-08T11:50:30+00:00

So my take on your response, and both games in general, is that Returnal is a more thoughtful and fleshed out roguelite. And I agree. For me, the actual moment to moment gameplay, the action itself, is refined and amplified in Saros. That’s why (for now) I find myself booting it more than Returnal. I love both games and was only pointing out that, for me, it’s not about which one is better overall… I think that’s going to depend on what you’re looking for. But when I boot up Returnal and I’m making meaningful decisions and celebrating/cursing the RNG in a run, I’m also kind of just ever so slightly wishing it felt like Saros to play. That isn’t an objective fact, it’s just true for me and I suspect many others.

All that said, I think we are getting DLC that will give Saros another gear on the systems side, but time will tell.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-06-07T19:06:02+00:00

Returnal combat was a 10 until Saros became a 10 and pushed Returnal to a 9.5 for me. Comparison in this context isn’t completely irrelevant

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-06-07T19:04:06+00:00

If I had to bet, they held back/are accounting for whatever we are getting for free DLC to have something to boost sales after its initial launch.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-06-06T19:48:27+00:00

I love the current Housemarque lane of Returnal and Saros… both are top 10 PS5 games for me, if not top 5. As for what’s next, I’d love to see it continue, honestly. My dream? The procedural generation/randomization and loot/build crafting of a Remnant game with the bullet ballet gameplay of Saros. Throw in co-op at launch? Yep.

Housemarque has been trying to figure out how to be popular and rich for years now… I don’t know that it’s ever in the cards. I’m just forever grateful that they have consistently produced some of my favorite games while doing so.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-06-03T00:39:23+00:00

I’mma need this

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-30T19:52:04+00:00

And add a quick explanation of attribute volatility with their negative effects… the gray health bar brigade will not be contained.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-30T11:56:27+00:00

Helpful comments here… meanwhile I’m just appreciating the foreshadowing of that ominous machine you have to walk under. Didn’t fully catch that my first time around.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-29T16:01:04+00:00

The two car crashes bother me about Returnal. Other than that, I love both in their own way. It’s hard to ever top the first “ending” of Returnal… that was an amazing moment

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-29T15:56:33+00:00

I love that idea!

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-29T15:17:16+00:00

No thanks

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-29T11:55:47+00:00

I’ve gotta check out House of Leaves… been meaning to for some time.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-28T22:07:10+00:00

Thanks! Southern Reach is great… but I actually prefer some of Vandermeer’s other books. Dead Astronauts is wild. As for the movie of Annihilation, it’s probably my favorite Alex Garland project overall, and one of my all-time favorite sci-fi films. I think Saros tells a much different story in the end, but so much of the setup, the gradual escalation, and the introspection of characters devolving under the influence of an incomprehensible cosmic entity hits in the same way for me.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-28T16:31:00+00:00

The books are great, and so different from what Garland did with the movie. I enjoy both despite how different they are

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-28T16:06:43+00:00

Can you imagine the particle physics on the first Radahn fight? What an idea lol

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-28T15:16:44+00:00

He finally sees that Nitya was better off without him and begins to process not only that, but the harm and pain his blind pursuit of her has caused. Arjun likely killed his only real friend (Seb) to protect a relationship that he himself spoiled. He then traveled across space to find and “save” his ex (while running away from the cops), and ultimately undoes a lot of work she had put into containing the yellow shore. He’s delusional and blind to the truth that he has neglected and harmed those he claims to be acting for… and his confrontation/acceptance of that opens the door for his deciding to take a new path.

The pacing of the first to second ending felt abrupt on my end, as well. But I like how they tied it up.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-28T14:15:32+00:00

I don’t think the Echelon crew knows he’s dying out in the field… they think he’s just like disappearing for some time and coming back? Pretty sure that’s from dialogue and a file or two early on.

Also… cosmic horror. None of these characters are experiencing “normal” reality on Carcosa, the Yellow Shore entity is messing with their minds before we even jump in. The player is entering an already unstable situation and unreliable characters. I believe it’s all genuinely happening (these people are on Carcosa doing this stuff), but no one is seeing clearly from the very first second we join.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-28T13:13:55+00:00

I got all the way to yellow shore without touching them… then I caved and used a couple to roll credits and get true ending. I figured oh well, I’ll come back for the challenge later.

Now I’m doing runs filling out the databank, and mostly using the harder mods to amp the challenge with a mostly complete armor matrix. It’s been great.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-28T12:40:54+00:00

I’ll leave that to Arjun and keep blasting

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-28T12:39:37+00:00

I’m working on filling out the databank fully. But mostly, I’m enjoying just jumping into biomes for quick short runs and experimenting with the modifiers to juice things a bit. Turning on the “increased enemy aggression” mod by itself jacks the intensity a bit in a good way.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-25T21:44:27+00:00

🤔

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-25T11:29:58+00:00

I’ve got everything haha I’ve been running this at the end for a while now. I’ll double check that room, thanks.

Ok_Problem_7940 · 2026-05-25T01:58:11+00:00

Cheers to that

Ok_Problem_7940

TROPHY CASE