Key Takeaways
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- Cronos: The New Dawn offers a captivating atmosphere, blending retro-futuristic and Soviet Metro aesthetics to create an oppressive, underwater-like environment that immerses players in a post-apocalyptic Poland.
- The games protagonist, the Traveler, maintains a stoic demeanor and appears formidable despite her gender, contributing to the games grim world created by Bloober Team. However, melee combat dynamics need improvement, with the Traveler lacking a dodge or dash mechanic, which can lead to frustration.
- Cronos: The New Dawn has limited enemy variety throughout its campaign and relies heavily on homages to horror classics like Dead Space, Resident Evil, The Thing, and 12 Monkeys. This contributes to a sense of predictability and less originality.
- While the game presents intriguing stories that delve into themes such as shared disaster, time, and personal accountability, its ending feels familiar and could benefit from a bolder narrative choice. Bloober Team should prioritize injecting more unique ideas into their creations to establish an original legacy beyond emulating horror classics.
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Cronos - PlayStation 5
Bloober Team’s Cronos: Charmed by the Classics Yet Forging a New Dawn
Hailing from Krakow, Poland, Bloober Team has developed seven games in about a decade: Layers of Fear 1 and 2, Observer, Project Blair Witch, The Medium, the Silent Hill 2 Remake, and their latest, Cronos: The New Dawn. All of these titles are survival horror experiences, heavily influenced by classics like Resident Evil and Dead Space. Bloober Team aims to create a definitive genre classic and achieve “horror royalty” status. While Cronos: The New Dawn may not reach legendary status, it represents a significant step forward for the studio. As critic Roman noted, the game is “too schoolish but not devoid of charm.” Let’s explore its strengths and weaknesses.
Cronos: The New Dawn immediately immerses players in a post-apocalyptic Poland, where every street corner feels hostile. The environment is gloomy, freezing, and oppressive, yet its unique atmosphere is undeniably captivating—perhaps due to Poland’s infrequent depiction in video games. Players control the Traveler, a female protagonist whose bulky armor and helmet suggest a deep-sea diver, making her appear formidable despite her gender. She maintains a stoic demeanor, speaking in an AI-like manner, keeping her emotions in check, and primarily offering updates on her health or inventory. This reserved personality complements the grim world Bloober Team has crafted. The game excels at atmosphere, blending a retro-futuristic 80s vibe with Soviet Metro aesthetics, reminiscent of Dead Space’s oppressive feel. It creates a sense of being trapped in a timeless, underwater-like environment, featuring weightless sections that heighten claustrophobia and disorientation. Dilapidated buildings and temporal anomalies further contribute to this unsettling atmosphere. Bloober Team openly draws inspiration from Silent Hill 2, Resident Evil, Dead Space, 12 Monkeys, and The Thing. While these homages are evident, they often make Cronos feel predictable and less original. This extensive reliance on other titles contributes to an overall sense of predictability.
A New Dawn Clashing with the Past: Melee Combat in Cronos Needs a Leap Forward
Bloober Team has consistently stated its admiration for Dead Space and its intention to incorporate core gameplay elements into Cronos: The New Dawn. This includes a mysterious suit, a perpetually cold environment, heavy character movement, limited close-quarters combat, the ability to stomp on enemies, and modifiable weapons. This approach has been criticized as a “copy-paste” rather than an evolution. While Dead Space was groundbreaking upon its 2008 release, the survival horror genre has advanced considerably, with titles like The Callisto Protocol setting new standards. Releasing a game with such limited innovation 17 years later, even with a nod to nostalgia, falls short of contemporary expectations. Cronos: The New Dawn’s retro gameplay often clashes with its visual presentation. Enemies relentlessly charge into close combat, frequently making retreat the optimal strategy due to scarce resources and ammo. Unfortunately, the Traveler lacks a dodge or dash mechanic. Her single kick attack, used to push enemies back, has a slow recovery, leaving her vulnerable if attacks are not anticipated. Consequently, much of the game involves a frustrating dance around enemies and environmental obstacles. Bloober Team could have improved melee combat dynamics by learning from games like The Callisto Protocol.
Enemy Diversity and Fluid Movement Needed for Improved Combat in Cronos
A significant drawback in Cronos is the lack of enemy variety throughout its approximate twenty-hour campaign. While some bosses introduce new mechanics, this is insufficient, especially when combined with the protagonist’s limited combat abilities. The “fusion” concept, intended to be a major element, also falls short. Any deceased body can transform into a monster, making enemies scarier, harder-hitting, and excessively fast. These swarms can quickly overwhelm the player, creating a feeling of helplessness. Rather than offering fluid movement options to make combat challenging, Cronos often leads to frustration. Levels feature predictable enemy placements (e.g., bodies on the ground, explosive barrels) and cramped spaces, which can become annoying early in the game.
Unique Vision Needed for Cronos Beyond Homage to Horror Classics
Despite some narrative disorganization, Cronos: The New Dawn presents intriguing stories that delve into profound themes such as shared disaster, time, and personal accountability. The “soul-sucking” concept mirrors Silent Hill 2’s use of trauma to psychologically impact players. However, despite its thought-provoking premise, the game’s ending feels familiar, diminishing its impact. Offering three different endings does not necessarily enhance the experience; a single, clear resolution for the Traveler might have been a bolder choice. While the game provides heavy, unique atmospheres and vertical exploration through anti-gravity mechanics, its strong resemblance to other games—such as Dead Space’s gameplay, Resident Evil’s atmosphere, The Thing’s creatures, and 12 Monkeys’ story—contributes to its overall predictability. Cronos certainly has its merits: a cohesive world, immersive design, and an effective ability to maintain suspense. Bloober Team clearly respects horror classics and thoughtfully applies genre conventions. Moving forward, the studio should prioritize injecting its own unique ideas into its creations, rather than solely emulating the work of others. While honoring predecessors is valuable, establishing an original legacy is even more impactful.
In Case You Missed It
If you’re looking to boost your game library without breaking the bank, don’t miss out on this week’s Epic Games Store promotion! Sophie Laurent details how you can snag three fantastic titles—Ghostrunner 2, Monument Valley II, and The Battle of Polytopia—from January 31 to February 7, 2025. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just starting out, these games offer something for everyone. Head over to Don’t Forget This Tuesday: Epic Games Store Drops 3 Free Games to learn more and secure your downloads! For all you survival horror enthusiasts out there, we have some exciting news! Marcus Thompson over at Players for Life just published a fantastic piece on the release of *Cronos: The New Dawn* (September 14, 2025). This game, developed by Bloober Team, is setting new standards in the genre with its atmospheric and intense gameplay set against a chilling retrofuturistic backdrop. If you’re looking for a deep dive into this thrilling new title, complete with press reviews and all the details on its release across multiple platforms, be sure to check out Cronos: The New Dawn Receives Trailer Featuring Press Reviews. If you’re a fan of free gaming goodies, don’t forget to mark your calendar for this upcoming Tuesday! Marcus Thompson over at PlayersForLife has the scoop on Epic Games Store’s latest offering: three fantastic games available absolutely free from March 15 to March 17, 2023. From the adrenaline-pumping Ghostrunner 2 to the visually stunning Monument Valley II and the addictive strategy game The Battle of Polytopia, there’s something for everyone. Make sure to swing by Don’t Forget This Tuesday: Epic Games Store Drops 3 Free Games to grab your downloads before they’re gone!
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Realms of Cronos |
| Brief Summary | Realms Of Cronos is a community hub for Hexen with 10 levels. The hub is non-linear, but you must complete certain goals and retrieve keys to unlock certain maps. There are extra enemies, decorations, and textures for new themes like an Aztec city, a snowy castle, and a Chinese village. |
| Platforms | PC (Microsoft Windows) |
| Released | October 30, 2019 |
| Genre | Shooter |
| Languages | English |
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