Cronos: A New Dawn – Rising Sun: A Daring Sci-Fi Horror by Bloober Team, the innovative Polish developers. The game openly acknowledges its sources of inspiration, yet carves its unique identity through its audacious artistic approach.
Despite potentially not offering much novelty, particularly in its gameplay aspect, it excels remarkably at what it presents. Being enthusiasts of games like Dead Space and The Evil Within, we found ourselves thoroughly captivated by its intriguing sci-fi enigma.
In the shattered remnants of a once vibrant world, I tread cautiously, scarred by ‘The Change’. Crumbling towers stand as silent sentinels, fragmented landmasses drift aimlessly, and a dense, foreboding mist cloaks everything in an eerie veil. The chilling reality hits me harder as I venture further into the desolate remains of its neighborhoods, reminiscent of Nowa Huta in Poland, for there I find twisted aberrations lurking in the shadows.
In this game, you take on the role of The Traveller, a character who can travel through time. Your mission involves journeying back to 1980s Poland and retrieving the vital elements of influential figures. However, it’s unclear whether your actions are intended to save humanity or not, as the intentions of the enigmatic Collective are rather mysterious and potentially ominous.
The tale presented us with a considerable initial shock regarding Cronos; it’s a type of yarn that isn’t shy about ending on an enigmatic note, leaving you pondering more queries than solutions. The core plotline delves into speculations surrounding the origin of the affliction, the circumstances surrounding the event known as ‘The Change’, and the role your predecessor played in it all.
As a devoted enthusiast, I’d like to share my experience with this captivating narrative. It unfolds across various settings, such as an apartment building or a sprawling steelworks factory. Correspondences and tape recordings help piece together the puzzle, while strategically placed cutscenes provide the missing pieces.
Our protagonist, identified merely as ND-3576, is skillfully portrayed, featuring an offbeat conversation style and fleeting moments of human emotion expressed subtly through her performance. At times, even in the face of a bleak environment, she manages to elicit laughter, making her character surprisingly humorous.
Upon initial encounter with the game’s storyline, there might be a brief adjustment period. However, you’ll swiftly find yourself captivated by its visuals. If Cronos were graded solely based on its visual design, it would receive top marks. This confined world showcases brutalist architecture, exceptional lighting, terrifying creature designs, and intricately detailed environments.
The visual appeal persists through striking cinematography, although the levels may become somewhat repetitive as they progress, there’s always a fresh visual element to appreciate. Additionally, an exceptional soundtrack is present, seamlessly transitioning between suspenseful backgrounds, electronic tunes, and even haunting choir performances. This combination results in a visually and auditorily captivating experience.
To what extent does the gameplay shape the overall experience in Cronos? That’s quite significant, as the gameplay elements in Cronos bear a strong resemblance to those found in other games within its genre. The guns, level designs, and even unique features such as stomping are reminiscent of familiar game mechanics from other titles. It’s possible you’ve encountered something similar to Cronos before, despite the fact that it manages to maintain a high level of quality throughout.
In certain areas, there are unique pockets of magic subtly woven into the environment, such as the intricate nest designs of the creatures. These nests are adorned with remnants of fallen beings, mutated over time. A sense of unease creeps in when you hear an ominous gurgling sound, signaling that an adversary may be lurking nearby. However, it can sometimes be challenging to distinguish between the soundscape of the environment and the presence of the enemy. This intentional design choice keeps players on the edge of their seats.
Additionally, there’s the body scanner indicator, a tiny color-coded symbol on your weapons that signifies whether bodies are still alive and potentially dangerous, or already deceased. This minor detail greatly enhances immersion as you navigate corridors filled with mutated bodies.
Additionally, you’ll encounter parts of the game that push boundaries, where you navigate through platforms using gravitational boots. These sections are mind-bending and boast some of the most stunning visuals in the entire game. Similarly, instances where the environment abruptly transforms will keep you alert and engaged.
One particularly nerve-wracking feature is the “merge mechanism” where defeated enemies attempt to join forces with current ones. If they successfully merge, these new enemies become larger, stronger, and significantly harder to defeat. Carrying a fuel torch allows you to burn the bodies of defeated foes, but even then, it adds an extra layer of challenge due to the aggressive nature of the enemies. This mechanic effectively ramps up the tension in the game.
The diversity among the enemies is impressive; they range from common adversaries, to chargers, massive brawlers, wall- and ceiling-scaling creatures that spit acid, and even formidable combinations of multiple types of foes.
It’s somewhat underwhelming to note the combat experience. The gunplay is satisfactory, particularly in the later stages of the game with the introduction of fresh gear and weapons. However, it seems like there could be more depth, perhaps similar to the dismemberment feature found in Dead Space. While the merge function is an interesting addition, overall, combat feels less dynamic compared to what we’re accustomed to.
While we aim to avoid giving the impression that conflict is inherently negative, it should be clear that this isn’t the case. The game features engaging battles, particularly in combat encounters against bosses, which are genuinely enjoyable, and provide ample opportunities to unleash your weaponry.
During periods between battles, Cronos invites you to traverse relatively straight paths, with a few side branches for optional exploration. These side branches are where you frequently discover a wealth of Energy and Core currency, ammunition, lore fragments, and even alternative weapons. It’s reminiscent of Resident Evil, as you seek out keys, access codes, and miscellaneous items to open doors, or encounter occasional puzzles.
You can enhance your character using Energy and Cores. While Energy focuses primarily on weapon advancements, such as boosting damage, stability, and ammo capacity, Cores are responsible for upgrading aspects like inventory room, health, and equipment.
Throughout the approximately 16-hour gameplay, there’s a continuous supply of currency and advancements, ensuring that you consistently feel like you’re achieving substantial development in your character. This sense of progression is likely to draw players back for additional playthroughs, as a new game plus mode and increased difficulty become accessible upon finishing the game.
Regardless of how advanced my in-game character may be, I always find myself facing a delicate power balance. My inventory capacity is restricted, which means I must carefully select my weapons, ammunition, gadgets, and healing items thoughtfully. Once my bag is filled to the brim, I can’t simply drop excess gear for safekeeping; instead, I have to discard or utilize some items to make room for new acquisitions. It’s a constant challenge of prioritizing resources while immersing myself in the game world!
While some may find it limiting, we found managing our inventory quite satisfying – deciding on the most useful items and assessing if newly-found items are worth storing due to limited space. Essentially, this allows us to strategize effectively during combat situations, focusing on efficient methods to defeat our enemies.
On our PlayStation 5 Pro console, the game features two modes: a quality mode and a performance mode. The quality mode aims for 30 frames per second, while the performance mode targets 60 frames per second. Despite the game’s breathtaking visuals, we encountered occasional frame rate hiccups when transitioning to new areas. Although the frame rate seemed to be striving for 60 frames per second, it wasn’t strictly locked at that rate. We didn’t have specialized tools like Digital Foundry, so we couldn’t provide specific data, but the overall experience suggested a variable frame rate.
While the Dualsense haptic feedback offers decent gunshot sensations, it falls short in other areas. The adaptive triggers have limited implementation and some features lack haptic feedback entirely. This is somewhat disappointing given Bloober Team’s impressive use of Dualsense in their previous project, Silent Hill 2.
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2025-09-03 17:14