Housemarque released the free Zenith update for Saros owners on PS5 on October 19, 2026. It caters both to returning players and to people previously held back by combat speed or controls. This guide helps you choose a starting point from the announced features; it is not a review based on our own playthrough.
If you have finished the campaign
Eclipse Layers offers another playthrough with more demanding rules. It unlocks after completing Saros, and later layers require additional challenge modifiers. Players choose which individual trials to accept.
Our suggestion is to begin with restrictions whose consequences you understand. Changing several familiar conditions at once can be interesting, but makes it harder to identify why an established tactic stopped working.
If your reason for returning is to improve at combat, assess individual mistakes rather than only the result of a run. That approach cannot guarantee a win, but it gives your next choice of conditions a clearer purpose.
If you mainly want boss fights
Overlord Rush combines successive boss encounters with leaderboards. Enter through the Primary Unit in Passage. Incursion and Ascension each contain three bosses, while Totality includes eight. Online comparison requires an internet connection and a PlayStation account.
This is a clearer starting point if you want to practise a particular skill. Decide beforehand whether you are concentrating on reading attacks or improving your time. Trying to learn and chase a record simultaneously can make every mistake feel frustrating. A shorter set is also a sensible place to begin while you reacquaint yourself with the controls after a break.
If the speed was the problem
Zenith includes adjustable game speed, motion-controlled aiming and high-contrast highlighting. Automatic firing reduces the need to hold buttons, but does not perform a perfectly timed reload for you.
Adjust one option at a time. First identify the actual obstacle: spotting a threat, reacting quickly enough, or physically holding a button. Then compare how the game feels with the relevant option enabled.
There is no single ideal setup for everybody. You do not need to make every control easier; the useful goal is to remove a specific barrier while retaining a rhythm that feels comfortable to you.
What to check before installing
The official patch notes carry an important warning: updating ends the current cycle and returns you to Passage. Zenith also adds 20 modifiers and six trophies. Plan your return around the state of your current attempt, rather than considering only the list of additions.
For newcomers, getting comfortable with the controls and the normal campaign is a logical first step. For players who have finished, the choice depends on their goal: Eclipse Layers provides another journey through the game, while Overlord Rush focuses attention on bosses. Existing owners do not need to buy a separate expansion; check that the update is installed before starting.
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