Compare Saros vs It Takes Two

Reviewers praised Saros for broad accessibility and difficulty-tuning options, including modifiers, visual recoloring, remapping, and ways to soften or intensify challenge.

Age appropriateness is mixed-to-cautious: reviewers note mature themes, marriage metaphors, and challenge that may not fit younger children.

Aiming was generally considered forgiving and readable thanks to auto-aim and tracking, though some no-auto-aim weapons were harder to master.

Animation comments were mostly negative, focused on stiff dialogue animation and odd or weak face animation outside stronger cinematic moments.

Animation is praised for Pixar-like presentation, squash-and-stretch style, and strong mocap-style character work.

Art direction was a clear strength, with reviewers highlighting Carcosa’s strong, alien visual identity and memorable environmental design.

Art direction is widely praised as remarkable, gorgeous, imaginative, and strong enough to survive Switch visual compromises.

Reviewers repeatedly praised the unnerving, dread-soaked atmosphere, even when they disagreed about the story itself.

Atmosphere is praised for wonder, warmth, and imaginative environmental mood.

Bosses were widely admired for spectacle, challenge, and memorability, though a few reviewers found some fights long or uneven.

Bosses are praised as fun, challenging, cinematic, and sometimes wonderful, with checkpoints supporting the tougher encounters.

Bug frequency appears low in the evidence, with one review reporting only minor graphical bugs plus one checkpoint-reset issue.

Camera controls were specifically praised as quick enough for combat without becoming disorienting.

Camera behavior receives a positive note for keeping up with fast, dynamic action.

Arjun’s arc drew praise where reviewers felt his development became darker, more complex, and captivating.

Character development draws criticism from two reviews that felt May and Cody's marital issues were not explored deeply enough.

The cast received mixed reactions, with some reviews praising performances while others wanted more depth beyond Arjun.

Saros’ checkpoint-like structure and biome restart options were praised for reducing repetition and respecting time.

Checkpointing is praised as extremely generous or instant, making experimentation and deaths less punishing.

Co-op experience is the clearest strength, with every review praising how essential, joyful, collaborative, or unusually strong the cooperative play feels.

Combat was the strongest consensus point, described as thrilling, precise, tactile, and among Housemarque’s best work.

Competitive balance is mixed: core roles are praised as equal, but some minigames or character roles are described as one-sided.

Several reviews found the game rich in sections, weapons, collectibles, and sights, though the content variety was usually discussed through exploration and spectacle.

Content variety is one of the strongest consensus points, with reviewers praising constant new mechanics, tools, genres, settings, and minigames.

Controls were heavily praised for responsiveness, tactile feel, and precise movement/shooting, with only rare complaints about input conflicts.

Controls are widely praised as responsive, tight, natural, and accessible, with only the Switch Joy-Con feel drawing a mild caveat.

The core loop was usually seen as compelling and satisfying, though Polygon felt progression systems weakened the roguelike loop.

The core loop is described as a well-crafted platforming foundation that supports the game's cooperative variety.

Couch co-op is repeatedly praised as a natural or superior way to experience the game.

Dialogue quality was mixed to weak, with several reviewers noting stilted conversations, unnatural backlog delivery, or long quiet stretches.

Dialogue quality is mixed, with some humorous or realistic dialogue but repeated criticism of Dr. Hakim as cringy or uncomfortable.

Difficulty balance split reviewers: many called it tough but fair and customizable, while some felt ganks, repetition, or modifiers could undermine balance.

Difficulty is mixed: several reviewers found it forgiving or not very challenging, while others noted frustration or a gradual, approachable curve.

Resource balance drew limited but mixed evidence, with one review noting balance concerns and another criticizing excess currency gains.

Emotional impact was mixed, with some reviewers admiring ideas but others saying the narrative and characters did not fully move them.

The emotional impact is often strong, especially around relationship reflection, ending moments, and co-op connection, though divorce sensitivity is a caveat.

Endgame content was a limited concern, with one reviewer specifically wishing for a dedicated post-game activity.

Enemy variety was praised for diverse, escalating, and biome-changing threats that keep combat fresh.

Environmental detail was a frequent highlight, with reviewers praising Carcosa’s biomes, architecture, and alien spaces.

Environmental detail is praised in both character materials and intricate level spaces.

Exploration was praised for hidden paths, secrets, and optional areas that reward revisiting biomes.

Exploration is praised where reviewers emphasize that playful, interactive spaces reward looking around and traversing levels.

Facial animations were a repeated weakness, especially outside cutscenes where faces could not match the vocal performances.

Reviewers generally felt Saros honors Housemarque and Returnal’s lineage while refining or expanding the studio’s formula.

Family friendliness is limited by language and teen-rated content despite the otherwise loved cooperative experience.

Fast travel and biome teleporting were widely praised as major quality-of-life improvements that reduce tedium.

Frame rate was generally strong, with most reviewers reporting near-locked or rock-solid 60fps and only occasional dips.

Frame rate stability is praised across PC/console/Switch coverage, with reviewers noting steady or smooth performance.

Fun factor was very high, with reviewers repeatedly describing the act of playing, replaying, and mastering Saros as joyful or addictive.

Fun factor is exceptionally strong, with most reviewers calling it joyful, blast-like, highly enjoyable, or one of their most fun recent games.

Gameplay mechanics, especially the shield, parry, eclipse, and modifier systems, were praised, though one review felt the systems could overprotect players.

Reviewers overwhelmingly praise the mechanics as simple to grasp yet constantly inventive, with several genres and toolsets executed well.

Graphics quality was praised across reviews for visual flair, PS5 showcase value, and striking Unreal Engine 5 presentation.

Graphics are praised on stronger hardware but notably compromised on Switch, where reviewers describe rough visuals and graphical tradeoffs.

Grind and repetition drew mixed-to-negative comments, especially around repeated boss attempts and artifact droughts.

Handheld or remote play suitability had limited evidence, but one reviewer said it looked and played beautifully on PlayStation Portal.

Handheld suitability is positive overall, with similar handheld and docked performance, though controller and visual compromises remain.

DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers were a standout, repeatedly praised as tactile, innovative, and deeply integrated.

Horror tension was supported through praise for dread, anxiety, cosmic horror, and the unsettling eclipse-driven world.

HUD/readability comments were positive but limited, emphasizing that the intense spectacle remained coherent and not visually confusing.

Immersion was praised through tactile feedback, 3D audio, and audiovisual design that pulled reviewers into Carcosa.

Immersion is praised through absorbing environments and gameplay that reinforces the couple/co-op premise.

Innovation centered on the shield, bullet-as-resource design, haptic implementation, and a more flexible challenge structure.

Innovation is strongly praised for its original, constantly changing co-op mechanics and creative approach.

The learning curve was approachable for some but still initially demanding, with trial-and-error teaching and a tough early adjustment.

The learning curve is viewed positively, especially for non-gamers, with gradual skill development and inclusive design.

Level design was strongly praised for handcrafted chunks, biome structure, combat spaces, and a balance between freshness and mastery.

Level design is consistently praised as creative, intricate, masterfully mapped out, and varied across imaginative environments.

Load times had limited but strong evidence, with Digital Foundry praising nearly instant transitions.

Loot drew mixed feedback: some liked risky artifacts and weapon discovery, while others disliked artifact droughts or limited replacement control.

Lore depth was praised where reviewers enjoyed logs, mysteries, and hidden material that encouraged deeper digging.

Navigation drew criticism from one reviewer who found objective direction poor despite liking the map.

Menu usability had limited negative evidence, focused on hidden information and unclear equipment-screen navigation.

Optional challenge-space design was praised as brutal but rewarding.

Monetization fairness is praised because Friend Pass/pro-consumer ownership rules let two people play without both buying full copies.

Movement feel was praised as smooth, nimble, precise, and joyful across several reviews.

Movement is repeatedly described as freeing, smooth, delightful, and enjoyable across jumping, dashing, and traversal.

Multiplayer design is praised as fully built around two players, with local, online, and cooperative structure central to the experience.

Narrative quality was the most mixed major attribute, ranging from gripping and coherent to underdeveloped, opaque, or overambitious.

Narrative quality is divisive: some reviewers found the relationship story moving or healthy, while others called it shallow, predictable, or poorly told.

Onboarding was mixed: some reviewers said mechanics ramped up well, while one felt the many systems were poorly communicated.

The onboarding is praised for welcoming new or non-gamer partners without heavy-handed teaching.

Online stability is mostly positive but not perfect, with rare rubberbanding or server drops not erasing much progress.

Originality was mixed, with praise for bold changes and criticism that Saros repeats Returnal-like beats with minimal variation.

Originality is praised through reviewers calling the game rare and among the most creative co-op experiences they have played.

Pacing drew mixed responses, from tighter run pacing to complaints that story, repetition, or traversal could drag.

Pacing is mostly praised as breakneck, fantastic, and expertly paced, though one reviewer felt the game overstayed its welcome and another noted one section ran long.

Performance optimization was praised overall, especially on PS5/PS5 Pro, with only minor dips or loading-related hitches noted.

Performance optimization is mostly positive in the cited review, with only occasional frame-rate dips in heavier scenes.

Platform-specific support was praised through PS5 showcase features, Pro upscaling, DualSense use, and 3D audio.

Platform-specific support on Switch is praised for multiple play options, though practical compromises remain.

Platforming precision had limited but positive evidence around precise jumping, dodging, and reduced geometry snagging.

Platforming precision receives strong praise, with reviewers calling it responsive, precise, and effortless.

Polish was praised frequently, with reviewers calling Saros smooth, refined, and consistently excellent.

Polish is praised through comments about thoughtful production, virtual glitch-free execution, and masterful construction.

Progression was usually praised for meaningful permanent upgrades, though one reviewer felt it overemphasized numbers over skill.

Protagonist appeal was mixed: several reviewers found Arjun compelling or well-acted, while one found him unpleasant by design.

Protagonist appeal is polarized: some reviewers found Cody and May real or excellent, while others found them irritating, bitter, or unlikeable.

Puzzle design is praised for making both players collaborate, with tools and level setups creating satisfying shared problem solving.

Replay value was strong, with reviewers saying they wanted to dive back in or keep running even after credits.

Replay value is generally positive due to swapped characters and replayable minigames, though one reviewer personally had no desire to replay.

Save/run continuation quality was praised via suspend, leave-and-return, and day-one roguelite quality-of-life comments.

Server reliability is mixed in the Switch evidence because online play was mostly solid but had a couple of server drops.

Side character depth was a common weakness, with reviewers describing the supporting cast as shallow, disposable, or stock.

Side characters are generally praised for providing laughs and inventive background flavor.

Skill-tree depth was mixed, from exhaustive and satisfying to more of a limited trunk than a deep build system.

Sound design and 3D audio were praised for intensity, dread, positional clarity, and haunting effects.

Sound design is repeatedly praised as outstanding, top-notch, rich, whimsical, and technically impressive.

The soundtrack was praised for oppressive, unnerving, and complex music that supports Carcosa’s tone.

The soundtrack is usually praised as fitting, cinematic, and emotionally effective, though one reviewer found some music generic.

Split-screen quality is praised for companionship and smooth two-window play, especially despite Switch limitations.

Tutorial quality had limited but positive evidence, with reviewers noting trial-and-error teaching and encounter design that prepares players for bosses.

The upgrade system was praised for making attempts feel worthwhile and improving approachability.

User interface design had limited mixed evidence, with one reviewer finding it good enough but imperfect.

Value for money had limited but explicit support from one reviewer who said they would pay full price.

Value for money is praised due to long runtime, Friend Pass, replay value, sale pricing, and perceived worth.

Visual effects were a major highlight, especially the particle-heavy combat fireworks and colorful VFX.

Voice acting was widely praised, especially Rahul Kohli’s performance, with the broader cast also receiving positive notes.

Voice acting is strongly praised across reviews as fantastic, phenomenal, well acted, and top-tier.

Weapon balance was mostly positive for variety and viability, though some weapons or no-autohit variants frustrated reviewers.

World-building was praised through Carcosa’s mysteries, logs, lore, and thematic environmental storytelling.

World-building is praised for imagination and character shining through the whole adventure.

World interactivity had limited evidence, mostly around movement-reactive effects and environmental destruction.

Interactive spaces are a major strength, with reviewers praising playful objects, rewarded curiosity, and dense environmental interactions.

Writing quality was mixed, with praise for logs and media-literate storytelling but criticism of hollow or unclear themes.

Writing quality is split between praise for snappy, excellent writing and criticism that the tone is uneven or disappointing beside the gameplay.