Cronos: The New Dawn – A new horizon in survival horror

GAMING NEWS AlexP - 22-Aug-2025, 1:04 pm

Developed by Bloober Team, Cronos: The New Dawn marks the studio's most ambitious original project, building on their success with The Medium and the acclaimed Silent Hill 2 remake. Conceived in late 2021, the game leverages Unreal Engine 5 to craft a chilling sci-fi horror experience. Inspired by cinematic masterpieces like 12 Monkeys, Dark, Alien, and The Thing, the developers blend retro-futurist aesthetics with body horror and Eastern European brutalism. This fusion creates a hauntingly unique world, distinct from nostalgic '80s portrayals, evoking a gritty, alternate-history vibe rooted in Poland's Nowa Huta district. Bloober Team's shift from psychological to mass-market horror emphasizes gameplay while preserving their signature narrative depth, aiming to redefine the genre.

Time, terror, and essences

The story centers on the Traveler, an agent of the mysterious Collective, navigating a post-apocalyptic wasteland ravaged by The Change, a cataclysm that birthed monstrous Orphans. Tasked with harvesting Essences—souls of key figures from 1980s Poland—the Traveler uses time rifts to alter history. This time-travel narrative, set against Kraków's brutalist architecture, explores survival, sacrifice, and psychological torment. Carrying Essences enhances abilities but risks madness, with whispers and visions haunting the protagonist. The intimate, character-driven plot, reminiscent of Dead Space's visceral storytelling, weaves a tense atmosphere where every choice feels weighty.

Gameplay in Cronos: The New Dawn blends strategic combat, exploration, and resource management. Players wield melee skills and firearms like pistols and shotguns, facing Orphans that merge with corpses to grow stronger unless burned—a resource-scarce mechanic. The Harvester device extracts Essences, impacting narrative and gameplay, while temporal anomalies enable environmental manipulation. Exploration spans a desolate, semi-open world, switching between future wastelands and 1980s Poland. With a minimalist HUD and punishing difficulty, the game demands careful planning, akin to Resident Evil's survival roots. Unique touches, like rescuing cats for resources, add charm. Cronos: The New Dawn promises a gripping, innovative horror experience, cementing Bloober Team's evolution in the genre. Find the best prices for Cronos: The New Dawn using our price comparison tool.