Cronos: The New Dawn Is Unabashedly Polish, But Could Still Use Polish

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The Nowa Huta district in Poland was born from the ruins of World War II, a tragic conflict that severely affected the country. This socialist realist ideal, named “New Steelworks,” was founded on the belief that workers would gain power through its massive steel mill. The idea behind it was to foster unity among people as they rebuilt the Soviet-influenced nation, having all endured the hardships of war.

In the 1980s, martial law was enforced and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics disintegrated, shaping Nowa Huta with its collectivist ideals. The upcoming horror game Cronos: The New Dawn, developed by Bloober Team, is set in a district reminiscent of Nowa Huta (New Dawn in English or Nowa Świt in Polish). This game aims to explore the idea that the communal spirit that built this district and aided its liberation from Soviet rule may have also contributed to an apocalyptic outbreak.

In this game, the mantra is echoed not only through spoken words but also visually, as the walls are frequently smeared with grotesque clusters of bodies that seem to have turned into a gelatinous mass, much like strawberries left out during summer. However, the concept is more prominent in the combat and enemy forces, which are called Orphans. These oozing, misshapen remnants share similarities with traditional zombies, perhaps transformed by some otherworldly evil or curse. Yet, what truly reflects the game’s themes isn’t their appearance but their actions.

In many games, after being hit multiple times, a character’s weakened form eventually falls. However, in this game, the fallen foe serves as a dangerous object because other Orphans can combine with it to enhance their power. For instance, an armored Orphan absorbing the abilities of a ranged Orphan would result in thicker skin and the capacity to launch attacks. Much like the solidarity among Polish workers in the mill, these grotesque creatures gain strength by working together.

According to lead writer Grzegorz Like, the harmonious combination of themes and gameplay elements started to take shape once the concept of merging was initially envisioned. He appreciates it when a game’s layers mirror each other, an approach that harks back to Bloober Team’s work on Silent Hill 2. On a higher level, Cronos represents the amalgamation of two game concepts conceived by Bloober after The Medium, demonstrating consistency even in its meta-narrative.

Whenever you take an artistic route, consider if it reinforces the central idea,” suggests Like. “By doing so, it seamlessly fits because it adds depth. What’s impressive about Silent Hill is its depth and how everything ties back to the main theme. We aimed to achieve that same quality in Cronos, ensuring a strong connection to the core concept throughout the game.

As a gamer, I’ve found the mechanics intriguing but a bit wobbly at first glance. The need to remember fallen enemies adds an exciting strategic depth to each confrontation. Choosing which bodies to torch and which ones to protect, only to have things go awry when least expected, creates a tension that sets this horror shooter apart from others in a unique way.

In the film “Cronos”, there’s a minor issue: the gunfire doesn’t seem quite as immediate or intense as in similar films. This might be due to a slight delay on standard shots, which can take away from the impact. Additionally, when characters are shot, they don’t experience the same level of graphic violence that we see in games like “Resident Evil 4” and “Dead Space”. The enemies in “Cronos”, being quite resilient, also make skirmishes a bit choppy at times, which could be improved. This is further highlighted by the fact that the ammunition in the game seems scarce at this point in the story.

The initial stages of battles in Cronos seem to have a somewhat unstable foundation. Instead of creating an eerie and suspenseful environment, the first two hours of Cronos fail to deliver the finesse necessary to instill fear. The orphans appear abruptly with little build-up, or are too predictable, and the excessive light sources do not effectively conceal the infected monsters. The rudimentary jump scares rely on outdated tricks like furniture collapsing and using mannequins to suggest danger when none exists. Given Bloober’s history of mediocre scares, it’s challenging not to see this as an extension of its less successful tendencies. However, the terrifying Silent Hill 2 remake and sneak peeks from later levels of Cronos offer some reassurance that these lackluster opening scenes might not be a true reflection of the entire game.

This shift towards gameplay mechanics is a positive development for Bloober Team, which has often leaned too heavily on basic or even dull mechanics in the past. By incorporating elements like loot collection, resource management, upgrades, and an inventory system, it’s demonstrating its commitment to improving its skills. While there may be some missteps along the way, it remains to be seen how significant these errors are or if they can be gradually adapted to.

In the development of Cronos, gameplay is given a greater focus, but the narrative remains important, as it has in other Bloober games like Layers of Fear, Observer, and The Medium. However, unlike previous projects, the team drew inspiration from games such as Returnal and FromSoftware’s works to create a more engaging and less straightforward experience for players. Players shouldn’t expect every event to be explicitly explained; instead, they should prepare for replaying the game or discussing their theories on Reddit after finishing it. As game director Jacek Zięba passionately declares, he dislikes it when stories in games, movies, and TV shows pretend to be secretive when there’s little depth beneath the surface. He is confident that Cronos will not suffer from this issue because the team has thoroughly researched their craft.

After the initial act of the game Cronos, it’s hard to predict how the story will unfold due to its enigmatic protagonist, The Traveler, who maintains an unusually monotone demeanor. This character and the decayed world he inhabits are captivating from the get-go, hinting at a veil of mystery that encourages exploration. The developer is eager to share the numerous surprises that await players, suggesting that their perspective on both the world and the protagonist will change significantly. He even likened Cronos to Silent Hill 2 in terms of the depth of content available for players to discover.

In the game Cronos, while it’s set against a backdrop of events from decades past and speculative future scenarios, its theme of a global catastrophe caused by a pandemic could unintentionally resonate with contemporary issues like the COVID-19 pandemic. However, according to Zięba, the game is not intended as a direct commentary on COVID-19. Despite the opportunity for critique regarding ineffective governments or misguided conspiracy theories, Zięba and Like emphasize that the developers drew a line they didn’t want to cross and found the pandemic itself too recent to tackle effectively at the time of development.

Despite movies such as “Help”, “Kimi”, and the latest “Eddington” that delicately explore COVID-19’s impact on society or individuals rather than disrespecting victims, Zięba and Like argue it would be insensitive to exploit the situation for sensationalism. They acknowledge the potential for thoughtful commentary in media, as with any societal issue. However, Like concedes that Bloober may have unintentionally expressed their shared experiences of those challenging times through their work. Initially, discussions took place to eliminate the pandemic from the game entirely, but Zięba confirms it remained due to enhancing the overall experience. If such elements are retained, Like emphasizes, they should be tasteful, avoiding sensationalism and disrespect.

Bloober Team is clearly showcasing its identity as a studio based in Poland within the game Cronos. While their previous cyberpunk horror game, Observer, was set inside a single building in Poland, their latest release, The Medium, expanded the setting to an otherworldly hotel near Kraków. In Cronos, players will have the opportunity to delve into a Polish neighborhood.

In comparison to Bloober Team’s previous titles, Cronos is exceptionally grandiose in scope. The game’s Polish influences are evident in its broader elements such as the crumbling apartment buildings with distinctive architecture, neon signs displaying Polish text, and ominous graffiti written in Polish. However, it also contains subtle nuances that might only be noticed by those familiar with the region. This is illustrated by a story about a local player who was struggling to advance. Upon being asked why he wasn’t progressing, this person revealed that they were captivated by minor details like specific cups, chairs, and telephones, which reminded them of items owned by their elders.

Just like him, the game’s setting, Nowa Huta, is where he was born and brought up, creating a stronger emotional bond with the game. However, Bloober Team alters history to suit their narrative; for instance, the two-year martial law in Poland is depicted differently within the game. Nevertheless, there are numerous real-world connections. A replica of the hospital where he was born appears in the game, along with a bookstore his grandfather frequently visited to buy comic books for him as a child. He jokes that he was challenging for the 3D artists due to his meticulousness about capturing Nowa Huta and its intricate details. Although most players of Cronos may not recognize these elements, they contribute to the game’s unique atmosphere, one that Bloober Team has a deep attachment to.

“I can’t imagine [setting] Cronos somewhere else,” says Zięba.

The historical backdrop of Nowa Huta aligns with the game’s themes of solidarity and self-expression, while its stark, futuristic architecture echoes the aesthetic Bloober aimed for in their Alien-inspired cassette futurism design. All pieces fit together to showcase how this district, as Zięba suggests, is ideal for the kind of game Bloober intended to create. However, it remains to be seen if Cronos will live up to its potential, despite the intriguing merging mechanic. Some inconsistencies could potentially undermine its impact. The vivid and picturesque setting seems fitting for the story but may not deliver the requisite terror for a survival horror game. Despite these uncertainties, it’s clear that Cronos represents a significant advancement in Bloober Team’s work beyond Silent Hill 2, even at this early stage. But the question remains: just how substantial will this leap be?

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2025-07-28 16:13