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Saros Zenith Update Adds New Ways to Conquer Carcosa
Housemarque has released the free Zenith update for Saros, expanding its brutal journey through Carcosa with New Game+, a boss rush mode, new modifiers and several accessibility options.
Housemarque first revealed the update during September’s State of Play, but it has now detailed exactly what returning players can expect. According to the PlayStation Blog, the studio designed the update around two goals: giving experienced players more reasons to return to Carcosa while making its demanding combat more approachable for newcomers.
That balance fits neatly with a game that we already found more welcoming than Returnal without sacrificing its demanding combat.
Eclipse Layers Bring New Game+
The biggest addition is Eclipse Layers, a New Game+ mode unlocked after completing Saros. Each Layer offers a more intense version of Carcosa with altered rules, requiring players to build a loadout using Carcosan Modifiers before returning to battle.
The update adds 10 new Protection Modifiers that can make runs more forgiving, alongside 10 Trial Modifiers designed to make things significantly harder. Eclipse Layers offer 25 Trials, letting players choose which combinations they are willing to endure.
Taking on more Trials also changes Arjun visually. A Crown appears during Eclipse Layers and grows increasingly elaborate as Modifier Balance rises. It also ties into 12 new Visions scattered across Carcosa, with higher Crown levels revealing additional story text hidden within these murals and messages.
Overlord Rush Turns Bosses Into a Gauntlet
Players looking for a more direct test can instead jump into Overlord Rush, a timed mode centred entirely on Carcosa’s Overlords. Incursion and Ascension each pit Arjun against three Overlords and take about 10 minutes to complete. Totality goes much further, stringing all eight Overlords together into one continuous gauntlet.
An integrated leaderboard lets players compare completion times globally or against friends, and filters results by Main Weapon for those chasing more specialised bragging rights.
New Accessibility Options Give Players More Control
Zenith also expands the ways players can tailor Saros to their needs. Slow Game Speed lets players slow combat without removing projectiles or changing enemy attacks, giving more time to read threats and react.
Auto-fire lets you automatically fire a weapon while aiming at an enemy, though perfect reloads still require manual timing. Motion Sensor Aiming has also been added, along with new trophies and broader Modifier additions.
For a game whose appeal has always rested heavily on learning its combat and eventually mastering the chaos, Zenith offers more control over how players reach that point without removing the challenge for those already comfortable dancing through Carcosa’s bullet storms.
