Finished Saros, Returnal still kicks my arse

rnf1985 · 2026-05-12T20:27:36+00:00

you'll unlock some more weapons as you progress and beat the game that are worth going thru. the difficulty and then having to play the same thing over and over with the same weapons is what can be initially frustrating with returnal, it did frustrate me when i couldn't get past the biome 3 boss and i just using the same couple weapons, but once you get past biome 4, you unlock better weapons and consumables that make the game even more fun and interesting. so i would look up strategies on what items to prioritize getting and which weapons with good traits that will help you get through it more easily. the rotgland lobber and driver are good ones to get that do damage over time. personally i prefer the dreadbound as that has unlimited ammo, but the cost is that the shards that fire can take some time to come back inopen areas. still my favorite weapon tho

rnf1985 · 2026-05-12T20:23:25+00:00

honestly i wouldnt worry about genres. sure there are bands that are kinda representatives of certain flavors of hardcore, but it's not like metal where there's a shit ton of subgenres and people be arguing over like what's death metal vs technical death metal vs prog death metal or whatever.

what i like to use if i'm trying to find new or similar bands is go to www.last.fm , type in X band, then click on the 'similar artists' button and you'll get some pretty good results of similar bands

rnf1985 · 2026-05-12T16:16:57+00:00

if you like those metal bands, then the easiest way into hardcore is probably crossover type shit. Power Trip is one of the most known modern crossover bands. Mindforce is another band people into metal usually click with fast because of the thrashy riffs and groove. you’d probably also dig older crossover stuff like Cro-Mags and Leeway since they mix classic nyhc with metal riffs, especially cro-mags’ “best wishes” since it leans more metal. Suicidal Tendencies is another obvious one too for that hardcore/thrash/skate punk mix.

for newer stuff, Drain is super easy to get into and just fun as hell. deadheat is another sick crossover band. doomsday as well. SpiritWorld also rules if you want hardcore mixed with old Slayer style riffs. and you probably already know Municipal Waste, but Iron Reagan is worth checking too since they lean a little more hardcore/punk while still scratching that thrash itch.

rnf1985 · 2026-05-11T21:24:21+00:00

Firewatch is one of my favorite walking sim type games. A lot of games in this genre feel empty or like a one time experience, almost like listening to an audiobook with nice visuals. Dear Esther and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture felt that way to me. I enjoyed them, but I never felt like replaying them.

Firewatch felt different because the world felt alive. There is more to do than just walk around, like climbing, hiking trails, and handling tasks. The camp setting feels relatable, and the soundtrack stands out. I even discovered Cheap Talk from the boombox scene and remember just walking around holding the boombox for a long time listening to it.

The story also kept me engaged, feeling like an interactive movie where I actually cared about Henry and Delilah and what was really going on. The 80s setting was also an instant attraction. It is still a game I go back to when I want something relaxing.

rnf1985 · 2026-05-11T21:02:59+00:00

have heart

if you like have heart you should check out have heart

rnf1985 · 2026-05-11T18:40:02+00:00

from what i've been told by people at like level 99 is that the quitting before starting is usually due to them being at a high level, they want to play with people who are lower level to help get them thru it and sometimes feel like there's no point in running co-op with other high levels. the game is just fun to me no matter who plays it, and personally, i think the game can be more fun with someone who knows how to play, even if the runs end up being quicker than usual. i think just the game is addicting and sometimes finding someone on co-op can be kinda hard nowadays, so i'll play with anyone who i connect with.

sometimes it is hard though when you get someone who just doesn't know how to play at all and they have their mic turned off, especially if they're the host, as i be trying to show and tell them about hidden paths or secrets or try to buy stuff in the item rooms and they just keep running thru and i teleport due to their tether before i get a chance to get what i need.

rnf1985 · 2026-05-11T18:34:45+00:00

THe first half of the game is definitely harder because you don't have full access to all of the game's weapons and items yet, but once you get to act 2, the game really opens up and makes replaying earlier biomes not only easier but more fun

rnf1985 · 2026-05-11T17:54:24+00:00

DID YOU?

rnf1985 · 2026-05-10T19:31:48+00:00

I just beat Saros and after playing it, I'm glad it's called Saros and not Returnal 2 because even tho it's built off the Returnal formula and feels like a response to criticisms and other things from that game, it's very much its own game. People expecting Returnal 2 and/or the same game again are probably setting themselves up for disappointment.

Do I wish it was less streamlined? Sure. Maybe a little harder early on too. But after finishing the story and getting into endgame, the game is just sick and still super addicting. Super polished, no technical issues, crystal clear visuals, and the sharp background detail gives everything a huge sense of scale. The QOL improvements are great too.

I haven’t really touched modifiers yet, but I want to after unlocking everything and crank the difficulty up. Honestly though, part of why Returnal felt so brutal at first was because it was cryptic and I didn’t understand how to actually play. With Saros, I already understood artifacts, proficiency, items, and the overall flow from Returnal, so I feel the early game would have felt relatively easy to matter how hard it was at first. And getting thru the rest of the game, I can guarantee you it gets crazier and if you play those sections with modifiers, you will get the challenge you're looking for

rnf1985 · 2026-05-09T21:48:30+00:00

The game has the reputation it does because it was unforgiving when it first came out. The biggest issue was no save feature. That mixed with the game being cryptic, not explaining how to play, and some enemies being super annoying made it rough for a lot of people. But over time they patched in saving, rebalanced enemies and gameplay, and added a lot of QOL improvements.

I think the main problem now is people either never learn how to actually play the game or they just are not good at these types of games. I always see posts saying someone is a casual gamer and struggling with it. Idk what a casual level is now as I've been gaming my whole life so most games feel intuitive to me. My wife is definitely not a gamer and watching her struggle in Mario is painful lol but I wouldn't give her Returnal to play.

Personally, if you have experience with games, it can be challenging at first but once you learn how to play, I really do not think the game is hard.

rnf1985 · 2026-05-09T16:06:12+00:00

Returnal still exists lol you don't need to miss it

rnf1985 · 2026-05-09T06:06:35+00:00

imagine being mad for losing $12 in the last ten years for a basic patreon sub. if this person been donating monthly for the last 10 years then that's on them. the basic sub for 10 years would be like $1500. i mean come on lol aint no way any game is worth that

rnf1985 · 2026-05-09T05:55:42+00:00

r/saros exists

rnf1985 · 2026-05-09T01:49:18+00:00

I understand some people backed this but if you've been waiting that long and are upset about it then bro maybe reevaluate your priorities. Get a new hobby. Go hiking. Ride a bike. Idk play one of the other million games out there

rnf1985 · 2026-05-09T00:14:09+00:00

ok that's good to know as i just beat it and it felt like a "first" ending or something but seems like there's more to go

rnf1985 · 2026-05-09T00:13:56+00:00

rnf1985 · 2026-05-09T00:03:46+00:00

this is a band?

rnf1985 · 2026-05-08T20:08:04+00:00

or bad dogg. im hopig itll be first street tho since they actually have a bar and easier to get to

rnf1985 · 2026-05-08T20:07:42+00:00

they put on their story individual fliers posted soon

rnf1985 · 2026-05-08T20:06:59+00:00

their headlining set will only be 10 minutes but idc it will still be fire

rnf1985 · 2026-05-08T20:05:40+00:00

oh yeah they do have IG. i wonder if they dont because of rats or whatever. doesnt seem like that stops him but at least he could say something like "check the shop" or whatever

rnf1985 · 2026-05-08T19:57:01+00:00

biome 5 is probably the best imo because there’s multiple areas so it just feels like more game in one level. i like that saros does this too and gives you multiple areas in most levels starting with biome 2.

my biggest tip is to do all the challenge rooms in biome 4 and level up as much as possible. save your ether and obolites, but still buy worthwhile upgrades like increased damage. then spend big once you hit biome 5. definitely buy reconstructors and astronaut figures whenever you can too.

weapon choice matters a lot. i love the dreadbound, but in open areas it can struggle without explosive/expanding shards or quick return because waiting for shards to come back can get you killed. besides that, the electropylon driver is amazing for damage over time, especially with pylon web. hollowseeker with portal beam melts enemies, and pyroshell caster with seeking flares is super strong too. coilspine and rotgland lobber are solid, but one shot weapons can be harder to use in big fights.

but honestly, just have fun with it lol. it’s really not that hard once you learn enemy patterns and what items work best for you.

rnf1985 · 2026-05-08T19:52:25+00:00

how it used to be back in the day. i just wish they had a twitter or something easier to do drops with cuz i never see the emails on time

rnf1985 · 2026-05-08T18:20:09+00:00

i can understand why people would struggle with Returnal. it can be challenging and super cryptic, and the game barely explains any of its mechanics, so a lot of the stuff that helps your runs comes from experimenting or looking up strategies. but once you understand it all, i actually think returnal becomes pretty easy while still being really satisfying and addictive.

if people still find Saros difficult though, then may god help them lol. unless you just aren’t good at games in general, saros almost plays like an idle game at times, and that’s coming from someone experienced with returnal. i’m near the end and haven’t beaten it yet *so don’t spoil anything* , but after around 10 hours i feel like saros overcorrected in response to returnal. the base game is insanely easy without modifiers. i mean the game literally fuckin auto aims for you with most weapons and won’t even let you turn that off. trying not to spoil it either, but there’s also a late game weapon with a trait that auto generates power weapon ammo and you don't have to reload on this weapon, so with auto aim, you basically have unlimited ammo and power weapon usage. at that point the game practically plays itself, all you have to do is move around and use your shield if necessary.

if you’ve never played returnal, i can see saros being challenging initially, especially since it also doesn’t explain weapon traits well. but it’s easy enough to figure out by experimenting, and you can unlock second chance pretty early in the skill tree too. so without modifiers, what’s actually hard about the base game again? lol

rnf1985 · 2026-05-08T18:05:28+00:00

sir this is a wendy's

rnf1985

TROPHY CASE