Saros: Every Weapon and Power Explained

[0:00] In your mission as Arjun in Housemarque's latest roguelike Saros, you'll need to fight your way [0:05] through hordes of creatures and formidable demigods to discover the truth about the fates [0:09] of the previous Echelon expeditions and the secrets of the eclipsed world. While dodging [0:15] through the bullet hells to come will prove instrumental, to succeed in a run of Saros, [0:20] you'll need to outfit yourself with the best weapons and alien powers you can find. [0:24] Here's a look at the sorts of gear you can expect to find scattered around the world of Carcosa. [0:29] Your primary method of dishing out the hurt will be with your guns. In Saros, the gun's primary [0:40] players will generally auto-target the enemy you're looking at, letting you focus on avoiding the [0:45] swarms of incoming bullets and charging monsters. Some of the guns, however, don't have this [0:50] convenient feature, requiring you to manually aim instead, typically granting additional benefits [0:55] from striking an enemy's weak point, displayed by a bright blue area on their body. Occasionally, [1:01] you may even stumble on a special corrupted version of these guns that have the added benefit of its [1:07] damage increasing the higher your corruption gauge is, adding to the risk vs reward angle. [1:12] Saros has five different classes of weapons to stumble on during your runs in Carcosa, [1:17] with each having three distinct varieties that offer unique alternate fires and a handful of other [1:22] differentiating perks and quirks, making each individual gun really feel like its own thing. [1:27] You're sure to find your own favorites, but you'll often find yourself having to pick up an unfamiliar [1:32] weapon that's a much higher level than what you currently are wielding. So, to help you get a [1:37] better understanding of all the different weapon types, let's break down each one and explain how [1:41] they're best used. Starting with the rifle class of weapons, we've got the Tactical, Onslaught, [1:48] and Smart Rifles, which are your standard safe choices that are solid in basically any situation, [1:54] offering both good damage and range while being able to comfortably deal with mobs and single [1:58] targets both. Starting with the Tactical Rifle, this is your balanced straight shooter where you [2:04] just aim and shoot, featuring an alternate fire that simply lets it fire faster the longer the [2:09] buttons held down, your typical sprained prey kind of gun. If sticking to cover is more your style, [2:15] then you should be on the lookout for the Smart Rifle. The Smart Rifle deals less damage than the other [2:21] variations, but has aggressive auto-aim that makes it so pretty much every shot will find a target, [2:26] no matter how far off your actual aim is. What sets the Smart variation apart is in its split [2:32] rounds alternate fire, which shoots out 3 homing bullets that will seek out the nearest enemy all [2:37] on their own. You can be nestled safely behind a big rock and pelt the beast on the complete other [2:42] side of you. Lastly, we come to the Onslaught Rifle, a gun designed to dish out heavy damage with steady [2:48] aim. The main thing to keep in mind about the Onslaught Rifle is that it's one of those [2:53] aforementioned weapons that has the auto-hit turned off, so you'll need to be precise when [2:57] using it. Its alt fire deals extra damage by hitting enemies weak points, though your rate of [3:04] fire is slower during this mode. With the largest clip size of the weapon types, you'll be able to [3:11] get away with a few good seconds of constant firing before requiring a reload, which can make it nice [3:16] for dealing with larger mobs, and its targeted focused fire makes rifles great options for single [3:21] larger targets, like bosses too. Don't let their small size trick you, these small but mighty hand [3:29] cannons still pack a solid punch. These weapons find their sweet spot in between the rifles and [3:34] shotguns in terms of effective range, making them best when keeping things in a short to mid-range [3:39] skirmish. Out of the three, the Eruptor and Marksman hand cannons have nearly identical primary [3:46] fires, both being triple shot bursts with a 15 clip magazine. The alternate fires are where they [3:51] differ the most, with the Eruptor, after a short charging period, dumping its entire clip all at [3:57] once while the Marksman, also accompanied by a short charge, shoots out a large single shot that will [4:02] also mark the enemies it hits, enabling auto-hit against them, if they survive that is. The last hand [4:11] cannon type, the Ricochet hand cannon, lives up to its name with bullets that bounce off surfaces to help [4:16] hit enemies. More visually exciting than practical I found during my runs using it, with its alternate [4:22] fire allowing you to fire the gun as fast as you can pull the trigger, but with a clip size of only [4:26] 6 rounds, you'll really need to be a rockstar at the perfect reload to really make it worthwhile. [4:34] If you've used a shotgun in a game before, you'll know just what to expect from the shotguns in Saros [4:39] too. Great damage potential at short range, and it quickly drops off the further you get. That being said, [4:45] the alternate fires found with the variants do provide a bit more flexibility than your typical [4:50] boomstick. Take a look first at the Horde shotgun. This option sticks closest to the traditional [4:56] shotgun, with its primary fire being more of a spread out horizontal spray, shared among all [5:01] variations, with its alternate fire being a tighter spread vertical one, making it great for single [5:07] big targets. Next up is the Annihilator shotgun, whose alternate fire adds in a handy grenade launcher, [5:14] letting you launch an explosive round on an arc at the cost of spending additional rounds of ammo. [5:20] These explosions not only do a ton of damage, but considerably add to a creature's stagger bar, [5:25] which can make them prone to executions when full. Lastly, and the most unique of Saros' shotgun [5:34] offerings is the Stalwart shotgun. Using the Stalwart's alt fire will suspend its hail of pellets in the air, [5:40] frozen, and with another trigger press, send them hurling forward at high speeds. This makes for a great [5:46] option to set up traps and lure enemies into them, dealing big damage to those unsuspecting targets. [5:53] Both the initial shot that are suspended in the air and shooting them both cost ammo, [5:57] getting you about three cycles per full clip. On the topic of clip sizes, the shotguns hold about [6:06] six normal rounds before triggering the reload, so just be sure to factor in the increased cost of [6:11] using the alt fire modes when keeping track of your ammo during those tense encounters. Among Arjun's [6:19] arsenal, the crossbow has the unique property of not having ammo per se. Instead, each of the three [6:25] options has a sort of charge meter, with the longer you hold down the trigger, the stronger the shot, [6:30] functioning more like a bow I guess than a crossbow. This makes the crossbow a great choice for those [6:34] who don't want to be distracted by having to tiny your reloads or count your shots while dodging around. [6:39] The best example of this perk is the repeater crossbow, whose primary fire sends out a number of [6:45] bolts in a horizontal line. It's got great range, and can hit multiple times on larger targets too. [6:51] The repeater's alt fire fires out a single bolt instead, but once it hits its target, it'll split [6:56] into multiple smaller homing projectiles to pelt other nearby enemies, making it a solid choice for [7:01] dealing with both groups and single targets. The rate of fire is steady, letting you just hold down [7:07] the fire button while you jump around, focusing on keeping yourself alive. The impactor crossbow has a [7:12] bit more flexibility than its sibling, with its allowing you to fire a bit faster at the expense [7:17] of fewer bolts, but holding down the trigger will allow you to queue up three bolts to be fired at [7:22] once after about a second or so. Its alternate fire does behave in much of the same way as the repeater [7:28] as well, but with the added stipulation of requiring you to target and hit an opponent's weak point in [7:33] order to trigger the multiple homing bolts. This does help the impactor hit harder so long as you have [7:38] good aim. Lastly is the bifucator crossbow, which again has an alternate fire that fires a single [7:47] bolt out that splits on contact and seeks out nearby enemies. Its primary fire isn't too different [7:52] either, allowing you to charge and release a shot that splits apart as it flies, hitting a single [7:57] target multiple times instead, however. While not the most common of weapon types, guns that shoot saws [8:05] are pretty cool in video games, and Sorrows joins the smallest of games that use these tools of pain with [8:11] its chakram guns. Much like crossbows, chakrams don't use ammo in the same way the more traditional [8:18] guns do, and the way you use them really depends on which variation you're wielding. Out of the three [8:23] options, the ripsaw chakram sets itself apart by having an alternate fire that is less a different [8:29] shot, and more of a sort of modifier added onto its primary fire. Once an enemy has been struck by one of [8:35] the ripsaw's blades, it'll stick to them and do damage over time. You can increase that damage over [8:40] time effect with its alternate fire, Tormented Retreat. By holding the alt fire button down, [8:46] the embedded saw blades will spin faster, dealing more damage before they return to you, ready to [8:51] fire off again. They're great for letting you keep up the pain as you play Keep Away. You just have to [8:57] make sure that you're landing your shots and are aware of which enemies currently have saw blades [9:01] in them at all times. The reaping chakram is more for the folks that want to get in and stay in [9:07] close, the closest thing you can get to a melee build in Sorrows. The primary fire will shoot out [9:13] single saw blade, but in order to fire it again, you must press the alternate fire button to recall [9:18] the blade. Recalled blades will spin around you and deal damage to nearby enemies while they're [9:23] waiting to be fired again. Every subsequent hit done in quick succession will increase the damage [9:28] you do, so shooting the saw and then rushing in while risky may just prove worth your while. [9:35] Last up is the Myriad Chakram, which is all about shooting out as many saw blades as [9:40] fast as you can. The primary shot is nothing overly special. Simply saw blades you can shoot [9:45] out quickly that home in on an enemy, and then, after a brief moment, return to your stockpile. [9:51] The alternate fire deactivates the auto-hit function, and every hit on a weak point instantly [9:56] returns that blade to you, letting you fire as fast as you want so long as you have the shot lined up [10:01] and are hitting that weak point, so mash away. Alongside your arsenal of firearms, [10:08] Argent also has access to literal firearms in the form of special Karkosan power weapons. [10:14] Serving as a sort of special move or secondary weapon, these specials utilize power, a resource [10:20] that you gain by absorbing certain bullets with your defensive shield, and unlike guns, power weapons [10:26] don't feature alternate firing modes. This power bar can be increased by investing points and picking up [10:31] power artifacts, letting you use your equipped power weapon additional times and for longer [10:36] before having to recharge. Prominence is the first power weapon you gain access to in Sorrows, [10:42] and will remain a safe choice throughout the entire game. Arjun conjures and hurls a large fireball, [10:48] exploding and dealing big damage to anything caught in the small radius of the explosion. [10:53] Prominence is great for when there are small clusters of small targets around, and it's a great source [10:58] of single target burst damage that doesn't really need to be carefully aimed. When it comes to dealing [11:08] with large mobs, one of the best power weapons you can have is Dispirator. Unlike most of the other [11:14] power weapons that require a certain amount of power to use, Dispirator will fire as long as you have [11:19] any of the valuable resource, with greater amounts simply letting you fire for longer. This power weapon [11:26] sprays out small blue lights that swarm enemies, dealing a lot of damage over time, and if it manages to kill [11:32] something, it spawns a small turret-like construct that fires additional bullets that seek out other [11:37] enemies. Not the best choice for most bosses, as you'll lose out on that handy turret, but a great [11:43] option to thin out big groups of enemies. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Dispirator [11:50] is Novalance. After a short charge of time, this precise and powerful shot will pass through multiple [11:56] enemies, dealing big damage, but its real strength comes from the massive damage increase it gets when [12:02] hitting an enemy's weak point, making it a great option against bosses, so long as you can find [12:08] the time to use it and line up your shot. The final power weapon, Illumin, takes a page out of Dispirator's [12:15] book, being one that will fire for as long as you have power available. Illumin shoots out a beam from [12:21] Arjun's hand that will auto-target and deal damage for as long as the beam is in contact with the target. [12:26] It's a great option to quickly take care of weaker enemies, while still being a solid choice against [12:31] single targets as well. Being flexible and adapting your plans to whatever options are available to [12:41] you throughout your run is crucial in any roguelite, and Saros is no exception. While you don't have much [12:47] control as to what you'll find, hopefully this guide will at least put you on the right track for what [12:52] you should keep your eyes open for or prioritize while you're out in the field. Right tool for the [12:57] right job as they say. For all things Saros, be sure to check out our review and other guides to help [13:03] you through Housemarque's latest sci-fi adventure. And for everything else, stick with IGN.