Shashalo Cycle hits 88 on Metacritic, 92 on OpenCritic — is this year's GOTY already decided?

Housemarque's Saros Cycle Hits 88 on Metacritic, 92 on OpenCritic—Leading 2026's Best-Reviewed Games

The Returnal studio strikes again. Housemarque's Saros Cycle, published by Sony, launched its review embargo with an 88 Metacritic score and 92 on OpenCritic, currently topping 2026's year-end rankings. The PS5 exclusive releases April 30, 2026.

Metacritic opened at 89, tying with Pokémon Pokopia and Resident Evil 9: Requiem for first place. The score dipped slightly to 88, now ranking fourth for the year. Still, any game competing with RE9 sets a high bar—quality's clearly there.

OpenCritic tells the stronger story. The game debuted at 94, now sitting at 92—2026's number one spot, no contest. That's higher than Metacritic's take, and critics are backing it hard. From Returnal to Saros Cycle, Housemarque's become synonymous with quality roguelikes.

Sony's bet paid off. Media outlets are calling it "a rapid rise to top-tier status" and "the undisputed game of the year." Compared to 2026's other major releases, Saros Cycle already won the starting line.

Housemarque knows roguelikes. Returnal proved their chops, and Saros Cycle's scores suggest they've leveled up. PS5 owners have a potential GOTY on their hands. Worth buying at launch? These numbers say yes—waiting for a sale might mean waiting until 2027.