Summary
Developer Bloober Team has been at the forefront of many gaming conversations recently for a number of reasons. After releasing the highly awaitedSilent Hill 2 Remaketo good receptionearlier this month, the studio garnered praise and attention from fans and critics for its modern reworking of one of the most famous and popular survival horror games of all time. Building on that accomplishment, it seems the studio isn’t slowing down, as it also just revealed an upcoming new horror title and original IP,Cronos: The New Dawn, at the Xbox Partner Preview.
WhileBloober Team’s earlier entries, like theLayers of Fearseries andObserver, displayed a clear interest in exploring dark psychological horror, they were mainly first-person narrative experiences, usually emphasizing atmosphere and storytelling over gameplay. However, in the wake of theSilent Hill 2 Remakeand now withCronos: The New Dawn,it appears as if Bloober is continuing to venture out further from its previous established designs.Cronos: The New Dawnwill be a fully-fledged third-person survival horror experience, and going by the material shown so far, it looks to resemble another beloved entry in the genre,Dead Space, in a variety of ways.
Cronos: The New Dawnis currently set to release in 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X.
LikeSilent Hill 2, Dead Spaceis counted as one of the best and most well-liked horror titles. Last year, EA Motive released its reworking of Visceral Games' 2008 original, expanding on the story and gameplay in satisfying ways and bringing a fresh polish to an already excellent title.Reception to theDead Space Remakewas positive, and there was initially hope that the other two titles in the franchise would be given the same treatment, as well as a possible fourth entry.
These hopes were dashed, though, after it was alleged that publisher EA deemed it not financially successful enough to continue. Instead, it seems thatEA Motive’s Iron Mangameand its work onBattlefieldmay have taken priority, with futureDead Spaceprojects apparently on ice for the foreseeable future. Given this situation andDead Space’s enduring popularity,Cronos: The New Dawnmight thus be perfectly poised to provide a similar experience for those fans craving one.
According to the official description ofCronos: The New Dawn’s premise and gameplay:
After The Change, acataclysmic event that forever altered humanity, you are a Traveler acting as an agent for the enigmatic Collective. Tasked with scouring the wastelands of the future in search of time rifts that will transport you back to 1980s-era Poland, your mission is to locate key people from the past who perished in the ensuing apocalypse. Using your all-powerful Harvester, you extract their Essences and have them accompany you into the future.
Notably, thetrailer forCronos: The New Dawnfeatures a number of elements that bring to mindDead Space’s vision. An imposing figure in an armored spacesuit is seen exploring a range of creepy locations in a claustrophobic atmosphere. This character appears to utilize a few weapons, one of which bears a close resemblance to Isaac Clark’s signature plasma cutter, as they confront “nightmarish creatures, born from the remnants of humanity.” This description could also apply toDead Space’s iconic Necromorphs, and the creature designs on display inCronosgive off quite similar vibes to those classic and terrifying enemies.
Along with these glimpses of what looks to be some crunchy and intense combat inCronos: The New Dawn, other details, such as what appear to be zero-gravity sections, mirror more ofDead Space’s memorable aspects. Based on everything known and shown about it so far,Cronos: The New Dawnseems very much akin toDead Spacein some key areas. Bloober Team’s upcoming foray into third-person sci-fi survival horror could thus be aiming to put its own twist on theDead Spaceformula, andCronosmight end up giving fans of the series a new game that feels likeDead Spacein significant and satisfying ways.
