However, the studio might have cooked a little too well, and many players found the game to be too difficult for them to complete, an understandable sentiment given how scarce important resources were, and the relentless manner in which enemies pursued The Traveller. But fret not, a free update for the game has added the Temporal Diver difficulty, which is an easy mode designed to let you experience the story without worrying too much about being torn to shreds by the game’s many enemies.

Alongside the new difficulty mode, the update also renames other difficulties to make them easier to identify and brings a cool new skin for The Traveller to equip. Know that you cannot switch the difficulty on an existing playthrough and must start the game over if you want to tackle it on the Temporal Diver difficulty. It’s well worth the effort as this is a story we’d recommend to anyone without a moment’s hesitation.

It’s time to don your Temporal Shells and brush the dust off your weapons if you own a copy. For those of you who don’t, there’s a generous discount on the game if you’re thinking about seeing what the fuss is all about.

Spoiler alert: there is. A grotesque monstrosity hangs off the wall like a morbid decoration, its two heads roaring a challenge that would terrify even the most seasoned warriors. I charge up a shot from my handgun and shoot it square in the head. Well, one of them, at least.

Even as it slumps down defeated, I worry that the three bullets I have left might not be enough to tackle whatever else The Bloober Team has in store for me before I reach the next Traveller’s outpost, and a precious save point. Spoiler alert, again: I was right.

That sums up most of my time spent in the studio’s take on 1980s Poland, a land ravaged by a cataclysmic event called the Change, which wiped out most of humanity, leaving the survivors mutated beyond recognition and hungry for the Traveller’s blood. Or flesh. It’s hard to tell.

ND-3576 starts off in search of their fallen comrade, acting on behalf of The Collective, a mysterious group with murky motivations. Her search is part of The Vocation, a vow that the Travellers have undertaken to remedy the mistakes of the past. If you take a shot for every time somebody says “Such is our calling”, you’re probably going to have an easier time dealing with Poland’s many threats and processing the minute yet impactful revelations that accompany the journey.

As you retrace the steps of ND-3570, your predecessor, you gradually learn more about the Change and the events leading up to it. It isn’t anything that hasn’t been done before, but the manner in which those events are presented to you is part of why Cronos: The New Dawn shines as bright as it does despite its desolate hallways and dark, cramped spaces.

The story in Cronos isn’t about redemption. The Travellers know quite a bit about the mistakes that placed humanity in the position they find themselves in. ND-3576 has a clear goal in mind and will not stop at anything to get there. While there are moments that present you with opportunities for empathy, the situations they are presented in are so bleak that even the more cruel option seems like a mercy.

"While there are moments that present you with opportunities for empathy, the situations they are presented in are so bleak that even the more cruel option seems like a mercy."

Your predecessors have faced similar situations, too. It’s a tale that explores the effects of propaganda, resistance, greed, empathy, love, hate, hope, and despair, juggling all of these themes through a slow-burning gameplay loop that had me on edge from the minute I picked up my controller.

That’s because ND-3576 isn’t the most agile of protagonists. Her Temporal Shell makes anything beyond a slow jog impossible, and it’s often better to just walk carefully, your eyes peeled for threats or resources as you make your way to your next objective. The Orphans soon make themselves known to you, and dealing with them, given your limited supplies, is no walk in the park.

I found myself staring at a death screen more often than I’d like to admit. The best part about Cronos is that it wasn’t a skill issue on my part. It’s a testament to how suffocating the game’s atmosphere is, the tension being an almost tangible component of the world that The Bloober Team has created. You line up the perfect shot, going straight for an Orphan’s head, only to find your aim off by a hair thanks to your own panic setting in.

It doesn’t help that the game actively encourages you to conserve your supplies and be very prudent in their use. Every stray bullet could mean the difference between making it to the next safe point or being torn to shreds on the way there. Upgrades are given to you at a steady pace, making the adventure a tad easier as a result. However, only the most diligent of Travellers will find them in time, as the game’s levels cleverly secret them away in obscure corners.

"The Orphans soon make themselves known to you, and dealing with them, given your limited supplies, is no walk in the park."

Cores for your Temporal Shell and Flamethrower join Energy, gained through Energy Banks, Cameras, and the like, as your upgrade currencies, allowing you to improve either your Shell’s health and inventory slots or the capabilities of your firearms, respectively. You will need to be quite picky about every upgrade, carefully considering your own playstyle and how you would like to approach the game.

For my part, I found that prioritizing inventory slots and improved clips for my weapons was the way to go, allowing me to hold more items in my Shell’s limited storage, while not having to reload too often in a fight was an absolute lifesaver. The Orphans are a nasty bunch that hit hard and fast, and get progressively more terrifying and deadly as the adventure continues.

The Merge mechanic is among Cronos’ best features, forcing you to think very carefully about where and how you take on the Orphans in your way, and of how you dispose of them. I found myself luring Orphans to points where I felt safer taking them on, interrupting their attempts to get stronger by feeding on the corpses that were strewn about with my weapons. 

I then used my flamethrower to get rid of their corpses in one fell swoop before taking on the bigger, badder ones, secure in the knowledge that things could not get any worse. Boy, was I wrong! That’s because I was left facing the more dangerous Orphans with only a few bullets and no fuel for my flamethrower, considering you can only carry one of two charges for it at a time.

"The Orphans are a nasty bunch that hit hard and fast, and get progressively more terrifying and deadly as the adventure continues."

Between avoiding their attacks and desperately looking out for more ammo, taking the Orphans on was a harrowing experience. But, strangely enough, I found myself relishing the challenge. It’s a testament to The Bloober Team’s world-building, as you feel like both the hunter and the hunted at every turn in Cronos: The New Dawn. It’s a gameplay loop that’s tough but fair, and every death is just a lesson to be learned as you approach the reason for your demise from another angle, hoping that you can get an edge with a revised strategy.

As far as its gameplay and story go, Cronos: The New Dawn is a work of art within the survival horror genre. It’s made even better by a soundtrack that’s so subtle it’s barely there, but does the job of sustaining the tension at key points, while adding a melancholic touch to the game’s quiet moments.

Cronos also performs quite well on the base PS5, with a smooth framerate and no stutter or pop-in at any point. However, I did notice a slight drop in framerates during more intense moments, but it wasn’t immersion-breaking in the slightest. It’s a polished, well-crafted experience that works well with the visuals, story, and gameplay to present an experience that had me sleeping with the lights on while staring at the ceiling, pondering questions both existential and material.

Were the people in the past right in breaking quarantine every time the chance presented itself? Was the old lady behind that door actually there, or was she a time-travel-induced hallucination caused by ND-3576’s temporal jumps? Did my own isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic shape my perceptions around this story? These are all questions that haunted me long after I powered down my console and called it a day. And that’s Cronos: The New Dawn’s biggest strength.

"Cronos also performs quite well on the base PS5, with a smooth framerate and no stutter or pop-in at any point."

It’s a game that assumes intelligence in its players. It assumes that, like the Travellers, they are not going to back down, even in the face of an armageddon that’s come and gone. It’s a work of art that even the most faint-hearted will want to see through from start to finish. And, like many things in the real world, it’s the journey that matters more than the destination.

Cronos: The New Dawn is an experience that I’d recommend, even insist that most players see for themselves. It even took me past my general apprehension about horror titles, presenting me with a narrative and gameplay loop that were so compelling I quickly forgot my fears and decided to give it my best. And for that, I’m both astounded and delighted.

Such is our calling.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

With its release date inching ever closer, this new title is all set to bring a chilling new world and story for its players to enjoy, even as they remain acutely aware of potential dangers that lurk around every corner.

If that sounds exciting to you, here are fifteen things you should know before you decide to pick up a copy for yourself.

1. A Unique Story and Premise

As its title suggests, Cronos: The New Dawn brings an element of time-travel to its survival horror gameplay loop, placing you in the shoes of the mysterious Traveller, who works for the equally murky Collective.

Tasked with the retrieval of key figures from 1980s Poland, where an event called The Change devastated most of the world, you must navigate desolate streets and ruined buildings in search of your objectives.

Making things more complicated is the presence of monstrous beings called Orphans that are a direct result of The Change taking place. It’s a great way for The Bloober Team to introduce a touch of sci-fi to its ambitious new title, and the setting works well to convey the tension that the studio is attempting to build up.

2. A Slower-Paced Gameplay Loop

Recent gameplay showcases from the developers indicate that this is not a title that encourages you to go in all guns blazing. Indeed, that approach is likely to spell out certain death for the Traveller, considering how the Orphans tend to burst out of their nests with little to no warning, or hide behind corners waiting to ambush you.

You will need to take things slowly, carefully considering your environment and looking for potential ways to gain an advantage against any monstrosities that decide to make a meal out of your Traveller. Even the game’s combat reflects this philosophy. More on that in a jiffy.

3. Clever Environmental Puzzles

Navigating what remains of Poland in Cronos’ take on the country in the wake of The Change means carefully creating a route to your destination, with some of the survival horror genre’s common obstacles in your way. There are gates that require you to find a code that lets you through them, or perhaps a couple of fuses to power them open.

However, the game’s time-travelling mechanics are soon brought into the fold, with several points where you reconstruct crumbled walkways being a part of the showcase. Those puzzles are likely to get more complex as you progress further in the adventure, making good use of Cronos’ innovations in ways that challenge you.

4. A Strategic Approach

The game’s slow pace is further accented by the need to approach its environments quite strategically. With limited ammo at your disposal and threats likely waiting to take you down at every turn, where you fight is as important as how you fight.

And by that, we mean that you could try luring an Orphan to where there are explosive materials for you to shoot, ensuring that your bullets are put to good use instead of having to use more of them to take it down. Your other tools are equally limited, requiring you to think very carefully about which encounters you should take on, and which ones you would rather avoid if the situation allows you to.

5. The Merging Mechanic

An important reason for trying to avoid risky encounters comes from the Merging mechanic, in which downed Orphans can be consumed by others, allowing them to become dangerous hybrids that are likely to cause you a lot of problems in the field.

The Bloober Team’s creative chops are on display here, and while some of you might prefer the added challenge, most of us would probably want to ensure that we burn the corpses of Orphans we take down lest those very corpses serve as the reason for the Traveller’s untimely death later down the line.

6. Weapons and Upgrades to Suit Your Playstyle

While the Traveller must be careful as they navigate the scary world that Cronos places them in, that’s not to say that they are not entirely helpless. The Bloober Team has been quite enthusiastic about providing you with options when you find yourself threatened by the Orphans, with a variety of weapons that you gradually uncover as you go.

There’s even an option to generate flames from your suit when you need a breather or to incinerate a corpse in a pinch. If all else fails, you could always let your fists do the talking! Nifty upgrades could also add a layer of functionality to your loadout, such as the weapon-mounted scanner that lets you see how much health your opponent currently has.

7. Terrifying Enemy Classes

Those weapons are sure going to come in handy, considering the many terrifying enemy types that the developers have created for you to take down. There are Runners who like to quickly close the distance and come at you with melee strikes, while other Orphans stay out of range and pester you with their attacks. The Bruisers tank a lot of damage while dishing out some of their own, while Doppelgangers currently come with a classified skill set.

There are “special” enemies too, and of course, the Merging mechanic could mean that you could find yourself facing down deadly combinations of Orphans that mix and match their abilities, intent on sending your Traveller back to their timeline.

8. Excellent Level and Audio Design

One thing that stood out to us during the previews is how each level is designed to build tension, backed up by a very well-implemented soundtrack that operates in the background to great effect.

Even though we weren’t actually playing the level on our screen, our hackles were definitely up as the Traveller entered new areas, and even jumped at the sight of an Orphan that chose to pull off an admittedly brilliant jump scare.

9. Exploration Is Key to Your Success

In Cronos, you are encouraged to go off the beaten path to try and uncover as much of the world as you possibly can. Finding NPCs, potential upgrades, ammo, and health drops, and perhaps even shortcuts that make backtracking through hostile areas a bit easier are all crucial parts of the experience and should not be neglected.

You’d do well to explore as much as you can, although you might want to be careful about taking on every Orphan that happens along.

10. Recruiting Survivors

An interesting facet of your journey in Cronos is the fact that the Traveller is going to find survivors of The Change out in the world, and gets the option to recruit them to the cause after rescuing them. While the rewards for doing so are currently a closely guarded secret, the developers have confirmed that there is a “gameplay element” to these rescues.

According to The Bloober Team, they are a part of your journey and contribute to the overall experience.

11. Your Choices Carry Weight

In an interview with WCCFTech, the developers clearly state that your choices carry weight during a playthrough, confirming that there is no coming back from certain decisions and that you will have to replay the game if you want to see what happens if you pick another option.

That could mean a lot of replay value for Cronos: New Dawn, especially with the next couple of entries on this list.

12. Multiple Endings

With branching paths to take based on your choices, it’s no surprise that multiple endings have been confirmed for the game. That’s a great addition considering the unique story that Cronos is offering, giving you a reason to dive back in once you roll the credits.

It also helps that each of these endings comes with its own pros and cons, with even the developers being on the fence about which one they would choose, apparently.

13. New Game Plus Confirmed

The presence of varying consequences for your choices and multiple endings for the game is made even better by the addition of a New Game Plus mode. While details are scarce about what you get to keep from your previous run, the developers have confirmed that there will be difficulty modifiers for those of you who want to test their skills even further.

 14. A Switch 2 Version Is Available On Release

Nintendo Switch 2 owners will be glad to know that the game is available to play right off the bat, with a physical release matching other consoles on 5th September, 2025. While details about how it will perform on the new console are currently unavailable, expect it to run at 30fps on medium to low resolution settings when compared to its counterparts on other platforms.

15. System Requirements

Speaking of other platforms, if you’re planning to experience Cronos: The New Dawn on your PC, you might want to know what specs The Bloober Team believes you should be running. The minimum requirements include Windows 10 x64, an Intel Core i5-8400F, Intel Core I5-8600K | AMD Ryzen 5 3600,16 GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080, or AMD Radeon RX 5700-XT, or Intel Arc A770 graphics card, DirectX Version 12, and 50GB of storage.

A recommended setup includes Windows 10 x64, an Intel Core i7-10700K | AMD Ryzen 5 3600X,16 GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3080, or AMD Radeon RX 6800-XT, or Intel Arc B580 graphics card, DirectX Version 12, and 50GB of storage.

And that’s a wrap on everything you need to know about Cronos: The New Dawn. Will you be picking up a copy? Let us know in the comments below!