The new game by the developers of the Silent Hill 2 remake pleased critics — 79/100 on OpenCritic and MetaCritic. The game will not surpass its predecessors, but it will stand alongside them.
Cronos: The New Dawn by Bloober Team receives praise for its atmosphere and storyline the day before its release. However, publications agree that the combat system drags the game down. Although the title “stands alongside the legends of horror,” it is inferior to Dead Space and Resident Evil 4, which were obviously inspired by the developers.
Reviews are divided into two camps, despite the fact that the scores are decent. Some call Cronos an excellent survival horror experience with “incredible atmosphere, intense gameplay, and a storyline” that does not slow down until the ending. Others point out that “the biggest horror that remains after the game is the realization that bloody, meaty pleasures can be had in hundreds of other games where they are presented in a much more effective way.”
” The clear influences from genre legends are combined with some original touches to make a game that feels familiar but also manages to innovate and surprise players too. The intriguing narrative, the enjoyable progression, and the challenging combat all combine to make an experience that cements Bloober’s place as horror specialists,” — points out The Sixth Axis (8/10).
Despite the criticism of the combat, many publications say that the game successfully combines classic survival horror elements with its own ideas. Among the advantages are the atmospheric world, unique puzzles, challenging progress, and the feeling of heavy movement and aiming. Some even compared the game to Souls-like due to the trial-and-error system.
In the story, the main character, the Traveler, wearing a diving suit, travels through post-apocalyptic Poland in the 1980s. The world is full of hideous monsters that can merge with each other if they are not burned. They’re became victims of the time loop after the disasterand the player’s task is to save those who died in it unjustly.
“There is a great survival horror game at the centre of Cronos, but it would have been much stronger if it had broken new ground rather than wondering tentatively on what came before,” — writes The Gamer (3,5/5).
Bloober Team directly says that it was inspired by its own Silent Hill 2 Remake. Cronos has the “DNA of the cult franchise,” but the developers promise a different approach to horror. The atmosphere, colors, and gameplay do resonate with SH2, but the team is committed to building a new story.
In addition, the development of Cronos cost the studio about $27 million, writes Polish Bankier. This is one of the largest in-house projects of the Bloober Team, which will take about 16 hours to complete. Although the price of $27 million is not so high compared to other projects. The game was first shown in October 2024, and the full release will take place on September 5, 2025. It will be released on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
У Steam pre-orders are already available: the standard edition for ₴1,599 and Deluxe for ₴1,899. Deluxe includes 48 hours of early access and cosmetic bonuses.
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