Saros Zenith update is available on PS5 from 19 October 2026, bringing a big second helping of combat for anyone who has already survived Housemarque’s Carcosa. New Game+, a boss rush mode, extra difficulty modifiers and twelve collectable Visions headline the free release.
There are also changes for players who found the original game a little overwhelming. You can slow down incoming attacks, use automatic firing while aiming and adjust motion aiming. Here’s how the different additions fit together and what you need to unlock the more demanding new modes.
Is the Saros Zenith update free?
Yes. Housemarque released the Saros Zenith update on 19 October for all existing Saros owners without any additional charge. There’s no separate expansion to purchase for the new game modes and accessibility settings described in the launch announcement.
The Saros Zenith update has two jobs. It offers veterans more reasons to return to Carcosa after finishing the campaign, while giving new and returning players additional ways to tune the game’s demanding bullet-heavy fights. You can engage with those goals separately: the accessibility options are about making combat easier to read and manage, whereas the New Game+ mode deliberately makes later runs tougher.
Saros Eclipse Layers is the new Game Plus mode
The Saros Zenith update adds a New Game+ mode called Eclipse Layers. Once you’ve cleared the main game, additional nodes appear in the Armor Matrix at Passage. These nodes unlock access to a new layer, where you can replay a more difficult version of the adventure with altered rules.
Before beginning an Eclipse Layer, you have to select a loadout of Carcosan Modifiers and reach the minimum balance requirement. Trial Modifiers raise the challenge, so the system makes you choose which disadvantages to take on rather than simply increasing the difficulty behind the scenes.
Housemarque says there are 25 different Trials to choose from across the wider modifier pool, with combinations that can become especially punishing. It’s an invitation to tailor your own challenge, and players already confident with basic movement, parries and reloading will have plenty to experiment with.
Carcosan Modifiers: ten new protections and ten new trials
The Saros Zenith update expands the existing modifier system with ten new Protection Modifiers and ten Trial Modifiers. Protections give you tools to soften the challenge, while Trials introduce restrictions and extra dangers.
One of the new protections is Corruption Melee Enhancement. Corruption normally eats away at your maximum Integrity when you’re hit by certain projectiles. With this modifier active, some of that accumulated Corruption is consumed when a melee strike connects, turning it into extra damage. You still need to take the risks of getting close to an enemy.
On the harder side, Hostile Regeneration lets larger enemies recover from ordinary weapon damage. They can be stunned, but to finish them you need a melee strike. It changes the rhythm of a fight because standing back and shooting indefinitely isn’t enough.
Crowns, golden armour and twelve Visions
Clearing higher challenges isn’t only about leaderboard pride. During Eclipse Layers, Arjun’s armour gains a golden glow and he wears a Crown that grows as you take on more Trials and increase your Modifier Balance.
The Crown also serves a gameplay purpose in the Saros Zenith update. Housemarque has hidden twelve Visions across Carcosa. They appear as murals and messages left by an ancient king, and you need higher Crown levels to uncover additional text attached to them.
That gives completionists another reason to push beyond an initial New Game+ run. Seeing the whole story connected to the Visions requires more than simply walking into the first mural you spot: you’ll need enough modifier progress to reveal the later messages.
The Saros Zenith update gives returning players two different challenges: longer Eclipse Layers runs or shorter Overlord Rush sessions.
Overlord Rush introduces timed boss battles
Another major mode within the Saros Zenith update is Overlord Rush, entered through the Primary Unit in Passage. Instead of playing through the entire campaign, you face a series of the game’s toughest bosses in a training simulation and try to finish as quickly as possible.
There are three named sets. Incursion and Ascension each include three Overlords, and Housemarque suggests they can be cleared in around ten minutes. The final Totality set brings together all eight Overlords in one uninterrupted gauntlet.
Online leaderboards let you compare times with other players, including filters for the Main Weapon used. Leaderboard comparison requires an internet connection and a PlayStation account, according to the announcement.
New accessibility options: Slow Game Speed and auto-fire
For players who want more control over incoming bullet patterns, Slow Game Speed changes how quickly the action runs without removing attacks. You can choose the level of slowdown and decide whether it activates automatically during combat or only when toggled.
The new Auto-fire option shoots when you’re aiming at an enemy, reducing the need to hold the fire button during long encounters. It doesn’t handle reloading for you: well-timed perfect reloads still need player input. Motion Sensor Aiming adds another control option alongside existing remapping tools.
The Saros Zenith update makes these options available without forcing everyone into the same experience. Someone can spend a night learning the timing with slower combat, while another player can chase higher Eclipse Layer balances and Totality times.
Where to find each Zenith mode
| You want to… | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Replay a harder campaign | Complete the main game, then examine new Armor Matrix nodes in Passage for Eclipse Layers |
| Fight bosses against the clock | Use the Primary Unit in Passage and choose Overlord Rush |
| Adjust reaction time or firing controls | Review the accessibility and controls options for Slow Game Speed, Auto-fire and Motion Sensor Aiming |
| Read more of the twelve Visions | Raise Modifier Balance and Crown progress in Eclipse Layers, then revisit the Visions you encounter |
If you’ve finished the story, head back to Passage and investigate the Armor Matrix for the new Eclipse Layer progression, or use the Primary Unit to enter Overlord Rush. If you are still partway through the campaign, the accessibility settings can make your next attempt more manageable.
For related reading, our Saros PC release coverage covers the separate platform question. If you enjoy action-heavy games, see our best shooters of 2026 guide as well.
The full details come from Housemarque’s official Saros Zenith announcement on PlayStation Blog.
