Best Beginner Tips for Saros – Investment Policy

Starting my adventure in Saros, I realized my enjoyment of Housemarque’s previous game, Returnal, would be helpful, but not enough to succeed on its own. Saros is very similar in style to Returnal, so those familiar with that game will probably learn it quickly. However, Saros introduces enough new features that even experienced Returnal players could use some guidance at the beginning. This guide provides a list of beginner tips to help all players get a good start in Saros.

Saros: Beginner Tips Overview

This guide will cover many topics in detail, but let’s start with a quick overview of the most important ones. Saros gives you a lot of information right away, so don’t feel overwhelmed! Focus on understanding these key areas first. As you get the hang of how the world of Carcosa works, the other tips will become much clearer.

Collect All Lucenite: Collecting Lucenite should be your primary focus on your first runs.
Always Move Forward: Do not concern yourself with backtracking.
Proficiency over Preference: Always take the more powerful weapons (this can change later, but this holds true early on)
Always Take Halcyon: Halcyon is a very important upgrade material. Always take it when it is offered early on.

Keep these three key ideas in mind as you start the game. I’ll explain them in more detail below, with specific advice about items and locations.

Saros Important Beginner Tip 1: Lucenite Above All

Always Collect Lucenite:

In the world of Saros, Lucenite is a valuable resource and serves as the main currency. For a large part of the game, gathering Lucenite is your top priority. You’ll use it to buy upgrades from Primary, and collecting it also boosts your Proficiency, which helps you discover better weapons.

If you’re new to Saros, your first priority should be gathering Lucenite. Collect every piece you find lying around and make sure to pick up any dropped by enemies.

It might sound simple, but it’s easy to get caught up in a fight and forget that enemies drop Lucenite. My first reaction was to play it safe and avoid rushing in to collect it, but I soon realized that wasn’t the best strategy for playing Saros.

Don’t hesitate to rush into battle and gather as much Lucenite as you can. This will maximize your Lucenite collection and encourage an aggressive playstyle, which will be very beneficial as the game’s combat gets more intense.

Focus on the Drive Attribute:

The Drive stat boosts how much Lucenite you earn. This helps in two main ways: it lets you unlock upgrades at Primary more quickly by bringing back more Lucenite, and it speeds up your Proficiency level during a run. Higher Proficiency means you’ll find better weapons.

You can boost your Drive stat permanently by leveling up your Primary skills, and get a temporary boost during a run using Artifacts.

Unlock Lucenite Saver:

The Lucenite Saver upgrade is available after completing three tiers of upgrades at the Primary station. It costs 1 Halcyon and reduces the amount of Lucenite you lose when defeated. You don’t need to unlock every upgrade before it – just a path through Shield Amplifier (1 Halcyon) and Second Chance (2 Halcyon). Lucenite Saver is unlocked directly after Second Chance.

Saros Important Beginner Tip 2: Always Move Forward

Keep Moving Forward Mentality:

When I say to keep moving forward in Saros, I don’t mean you should rush through areas without looking around. Instead, play the game knowing you won’t go back to collect items or resources you’ve left behind, or things you decided to skip, just in case you might need them later.

When playing Saros, make decisions about items as soon as you find them. You usually won’t be able to go back to previous areas, so assume every choice is final. If you don’t need an Aether, trade it for Lucenite. While you might find exceptions to this later on as you understand the game’s areas better, it’s a good strategy to follow when you’re first learning.

Don’t Return to Defeated Biomes Until Later in Saros:

To make the most of the game, once you finish the first two areas, don’t go back to explore them. Instead, wait until you’ve completed at least the third area and really understand how the game works. This way, you’ll be able to collect useful abilities before revisiting earlier locations.

It’s not worth going back to earlier areas of the game right away, because you’ll find more Lucenite by continuing to explore new places.

Saros Important Beginner Tip 3: Focus on Power over Preference

Don’t be Too Picky about Early Weapons:

It’s natural to prefer using weapons you’re comfortable with, but in Saros, prioritize power above all else. Always choose the stronger weapon when you have the option, even if it’s not your favorite. This is particularly important when the difference in power is significant. A slight difference in weapon tier might allow you to stick with a weapon you like, but when the gap is two or three tiers, the more powerful option is always the best choice.

Saros General Beginner Tips

Although I believe those three tips are the most crucial, there’s still more to cover. Here are some additional general tips to help you have a smoother experience while exploring Carcosa.

Always Take Halcyon:

This is one of the most important tips for the early game, but it doesn’t require much explanation. You will need a decent amount of Halcyon early on, and it is both rare and finite. Take it when presented the option.

Unlock Second Chance:

Second Chance is found on the third rung of upgrades in Primary. Unlocking it with Halcyon will allow you to return once from death before needing to start a run. It may take several runs to gain enough Lucenite and Halcyon to unlock this upgrade, but doing so will extend all further runs, making it a priority.

Remember Shield Amplifier/Corrupted Projectiles:

Early in the game, Corrupted Projectiles can be extremely dangerous. They not only do damage, but they also lower your Max Armor Integrity for the remainder of the run if they hit you. Initially, your Shield cannot absorb Corrupted Projectiles, making them all the more dangerous.
The Shield Amplifier is available at the top of the second rung of upgrades at Primary. It will require 1 Halcyon to unlock. Once you have it, keep in mind that you will be able to absorb power from Corrupted Projectiles, which can make a massive difference in the fight against Prophet, the Shattered Rise’s boss.

Do Not Hoard Carcosan Keys:

You move through each chamber and area so quickly, there is no point in holding onto Keys. You may think that you will find something later in the run that will make them worth holding on to, but more often than not, you will end up wasting extras when you reach the end of a biome without using them.

Do Not Forget Acolyte’s Wager:

After collecting several Artifacts in a single run, you’ll eventually reach a point when your armor can no longer hold more. I know when I first started, I would get incredibly frustrated when I found an Artifact I really wanted to use, only to discover my armor was full.
Luckily, I discovered Acolyte’s Wager, which allows you to remove an artifact from your armor. You’ll find the icon in the bottom left corner of the Equipment menu. Hold Square while highlighting the Artifact you want removed.

Always Check Negative Effects on Corrupted Artifacts:

Once you enter the Eclipse stage of a biome, the Artifacts will become corrupted. Make sure to check the negative effects, which are located beneath the main effects. You should weigh the pros and cons carefully, as certain negative effects can deeply affect your play style.

Check for Logs and Conversations After Every Run:

Those players interested in getting the most out of the story, and/or in reaching 100% completion, should make sure to check the Passage for Audio and Text Longs after every run. Also, check the mini-map to see if any NPCs are available for conversations. You will see a text bubble instead of a simple NPC icon.

Saros Related Links

While Saros and Returnal share a great deal of DNA, there are some key differences that separate them. Want to see how they stack up against each other? Check out our guide to answering whether Saros or Returnal is the better game.
Want to look ahead and see how many bosses Carcosa has in store for you? Struggling to get past Prophet or Bastion? Check out our guide to locating and beating all bosses in Saros.
Looking for those items that came with your purchase? Here’s our guide to locating Saros‘ Pre-Order and Deluxe Edition items.

2026-05-04 10:05