Cronos: The New Dawn

About

Cronos: The New Dawn is a single player action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Bloober Team S.A and was released on September 5, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Deluxe Edition Contains • Base Game • 1x Core Resource • 8x Pistol Ammo • 3x Shotgun Ammo • 2x Small Health Pack • 1500 Energy • Two Unique Armor Skins • Digital Artbook and Soundtrac

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,369 reviews

story985 positive mentions

optimization181 negative mentions

The game features a captivating atmosphere and stunning visuals, drawing players into a dark, retro-futuristic world.
The story is intriguing and keeps players engaged, with unexpected twists and a unique narrative structure.
Gameplay mechanics, including resource management and the merging of enemies, create a tense and strategic combat experience.

The game suffers from performance issues, including stuttering and crashes, particularly on lower-end hardware.
Inventory management is overly restrictive, making it difficult to carry essential items and leading to tedious backtracking.
Some players find the combat clunky and frustrating, especially due to the lack of a dodge mechanic and the bullet sponge nature of enemies.

story
2,202 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The story of "Cronos: The New Dawn" has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its intriguing and atmospheric narrative that unfolds through environmental storytelling and collectibles. While some found the plot engaging and layered, others criticized it for being convoluted and lacking clarity, particularly in the latter stages. Overall, the game is noted for its strong world-building and character development, though some players felt the story's execution fell short of its potential, especially towards the end.
- “Completely fantastic story, and really good environmental storytelling.”
- “The way the story unfolds, paired with incredible voice acting, strong visuals and immersive sound design really makes for a great experience.”
- “The story captures your attention as you play along and find yourself asking what is really going on.”
- “My second problem with this game is that the story makes absolutely no sense, even if you read each log and note that you can find: at the beginning, you are sent to the past by some sort of AI called 'the collective' to collect the souls ('essences') of a few individuals during an apocalyptic outbreak of some sort of disease that turns people into merging biomass, but about halfway through the game it loses the thread and instead focuses on the connection between two individuals that seems completely irrelevant to the overall space-time continuum.”
- “The story is all over the place, makes little sense from the player's perspective.”
- “The story is a bit complicated, but the gameplay is very addictive.”
gameplay
1,372 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
64%
6%
The gameplay of "Cronos: The New Dawn" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its blend of survival horror mechanics reminiscent of "Resident Evil" and "Dead Space." The unique merging mechanic, where enemies can absorb corpses to become stronger, adds a layer of strategy to encounters, though some players find the lack of a dodge mechanic and the rigid pacing frustrating. Overall, while the game offers a solid atmosphere and engaging resource management, it struggles with repetitive gameplay and some underdeveloped mechanics, leading to a varied experience depending on player expectations.
- “The mechanics felt responsive, well thought-out, and unique.”
- “The gameplay is a pitch-perfect blend of survival and action horror.”
- “The merging mechanic ensures every fight is tense, and the collectibles/upgrades are essential for the full experience.”
- “Gameplay is too bare-bones, too predictable and, sometimes, just silly.”
- “The gameplay glitches and lags even on high powered PCs.”
- “The gameplay itself is serviceable, which doesn't warrant much praise considering how it's just aping better franchises, but it's just too bloated, generic, self-serious, poorly paced and poorly written to be anything but a slog to play through.”
atmosphere
1,005 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
40%
1%
The atmosphere in "Cronos: The New Dawn" is widely praised for its immersive and oppressive qualities, drawing comparisons to classic survival horror titles like "Dead Space" and "Silent Hill." Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional sound design, detailed environments, and a haunting aesthetic that effectively builds tension and dread throughout the gameplay experience. While some critiques mention repetitive elements and combat mechanics, the overall consensus is that the atmosphere is the game's standout feature, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.
- “What immediately surprised me was the attention to detail in bringing this dark world to life, along with an extraordinarily well-crafted atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is where Cronos truly excels.”
- “The atmosphere is masterfully crafted: it's oppressively heavy, almost suffocating.”
- “The atmosphere is thick and depressing, music appropriately moody, with some nice 80s synth.”
- “The atmosphere is bleak and disturbing.”
- “The atmosphere is haunting, the visuals are crispy as hell, and the pacing pulls you in from the start.”
optimization
692 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
58%
26%
The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many players reporting frequent stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, particularly when using ray tracing. While some users with high-end systems managed to achieve stable performance, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, especially for mid-range hardware, and requires adjustments or mods to run smoothly. Many reviewers suggest waiting for patches to address these performance issues before fully committing to the game.
- “The game is surprisingly well optimized; not a single bug or lag was found in my playthrough.”
- “Performance-wise, it ran really well. It's surprising to see a UE5 game run so smoothly; this game is well-optimized.”
- “Wow man, this game is amazing and it works with no bugs, no glitches, no crashes, and plays perfectly optimized to perfection.”
- “The game is riddled with technical issues—poor optimization, frame rate drops, and stutters that drag down the experience.”
- “The optimization is not just bad, it's completely absent.”
- “The biggest downside is probably the poor optimization.”
graphics
591 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
37%
3%
The graphics of "Cronos: The New Dawn" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, immersive atmosphere, and detailed environments, often compared favorably to titles like "Dead Space" and "Resident Evil." Many players noted the game's ability to create a chilling aesthetic through its art direction and sound design, although some experienced performance issues, particularly on lower-end hardware. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's engaging horror experience.
- “The graphics are stunning, and this might be the best use of HDR I’ve seen in any game.”
- “The visuals and sound design for Cronos are absolutely fantastic - the atmosphere is dripping with Beksinski-inspiration that feels deeply unsettling.”
- “The graphics and atmosphere are superb, creating a chilling experience that enhances the gameplay.”
- “The only major fault is the graphics optimizations; even on top-of-the-line hardware, this game really struggles to top 40 fps.”
- “Graphically, the game leaves a lot to be desired and doesn't look like a modern triple-A title.”
- “Very boring story, atmosphere is a little bit hollow, graphics aren't really at a 2025 level for a 70 euro game.”
music
321 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
45%
1%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, often described as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the retro synthwave soundtrack, which evokes a strong 80s vibe reminiscent of classic horror films and games, effectively complementing the game's dark and eerie atmosphere. Overall, the combination of haunting melodies and well-crafted sound design contributes significantly to the game's tension and emotional impact.
- “The soundtrack is beautiful and fits the world perfectly.”
- “The music is both futuristic and deeply unsettling.”
- “The atmosphere is thick and depressing, music appropriately moody, with some nice 80s synth.”
- “The ambient music is far too similar to themes from Silent Hill, which is then cut to a jarring synth soundscape in cut scenes.”
- “The soundtrack and sound design in general are mediocre, not touching at all.”
- “I don't like the choice of soundtrack because it is not what I would have picked; the vibes of the game feel like something that belongs in Netflix's Stranger Things, but the rest of the ambience and music really gives you vibes of being completely depressed and hopeless.”
grinding
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
5%
91%
The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium associated with grinding in the game, particularly due to tedious inventory management, backtracking, and repetitive combat mechanics. Players express frustration with the need to repeatedly perform actions, such as burning bodies or managing resources, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and pacing of the game. While some appreciate the atmosphere and story, many feel that the grinding elements make the gameplay experience feel unnecessarily drawn out and unenjoyable.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “The twitchy controller inputs and spongy enemies make for tedious combat.”
- “There is no need to do any of the things it does here, especially if it makes these moments also very tedious to do right (for example: why on earth do I need to burn about 10 bodies in one section, when I need to head back to the loading station after every single use to get exactly 1 fuel capsule? Wouldn't it have been fine to just give me 10 this once or just make it less needlessly strewn about bodies to get your point across? This is not teaching me anything, it makes me groan and be bored.).”
- “The whole entire game feels like a tedious slog.”
replayability
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
7%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the inclusion of new game plus modes, multiple endings, and various secrets to discover, which encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some reviewers criticize the lack of significant changes in enemy placements and difficulty options, which can diminish the incentive to replay after the initial runs. Overall, while there are elements that enhance replay value, such as different weapon builds and narrative choices, the experience may not sustain interest for extended playthroughs.
- “It's a long game; my first playthrough was 23 hours, and there's plenty of secrets and items to find while fighting and surviving the horrors to add to replay value.”
- “You're looking at a good 15 to 20 hours your first run, and there's replay value with new game plus and extra endings.”
- “With plenty of replayability, there's a lot of content here to keep you entertained and devoted to uncovering the secrets.”
- “Only downside, it's quite short for a full-priced game since it doesn't have a lot of replay value.”
- “There's no replayability; even on hard mode and new game+, the items and enemies are placed in the same spots, absolutely nothing changes.”
- “The lack of difficulty options hurts replayability, and at times the game just feels unfair: too many enemies, too few resources, and unavoidable no-win situations.”
stability
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
56%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and minimal bugs, others experience significant glitches, crashes, and optimization issues, particularly during cutscenes. High-end systems and the Steam Deck seem to handle the game well, but users with older hardware or mods often encounter more frequent problems. Despite these inconsistencies, some players find the game enjoyable and well-optimized, highlighting its impressive visuals and engaging story.
- “Wow man, this game is amazing! It works with no bugs, no glitches, no crashes, and plays perfectly optimized to perfection. The story is just exciting and gripping, really pulls you in and keeps you on your toes. I was losing hope in a game being released this good and this polished, yet this game did just that.”
- “I thought it wouldn’t run well on the Steam Deck, but the devs pulled off some real wizardry because it runs great.”
- “I was also happy that it was bug-free for me, a rarity for modern games.”
- “The gameplay glitches and lags even on high-powered PCs.”
- “This game is buggy as hell.”
- “Games a buggy crashing mess, looks fun and story is cool but crashing often in cutscenes.”
emotional
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The emotional aspect of "Cronos: The New Dawn" is a mixed bag, with some players finding it deeply immersive and resonant, particularly appreciating the unique time mechanics and character depth, while others criticize the lack of emotional investment in the protagonist and the story's convoluted elements. The game is praised for its heartfelt tribute to survival horror classics, yet some feel it falls short of delivering the emotional weight expected from the genre. Overall, it offers a blend of emotional highs and lows, with standout performances and a visually stunning presentation, but also areas needing improvement in narrative coherence and character relatability.
- “I loved the time mechanic—it gives the story a unique emotional weight.”
- “It’s not just creepy for the sake of it — it’s emotionally heavy, thematically rich, and the more you uncover, the deeper it gets.”
- “The story is beautiful and heartbreaking, yet full of hope.”
- “The story is very boring, and the atmosphere feels a little hollow. The graphics don't meet the expectations for a 70 euro game in 2025.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The humor in the game is largely unintentional, stemming from over-the-top animations, absurd character expressions, and amusing bugs that detract from the intended atmosphere. Players find humor in the game's mechanics, such as the absurdity of certain enemy types and the ironic situations that arise, like the ineffective flashlight and the exaggerated documentation of characters' thoughts. Overall, while the game aims for a serious tone, its comedic elements often shine through, making for a uniquely entertaining experience.
- “And the funny thing about it is that the game just doesn't bother to explain what will happen because of your choices.”
- “The animations of the human NPCs are ridiculously over-the-top and involuntarily funny (stupid facial expressions and wild gesticulation... no real person does that).”
- “I get that you can't have an atmospheric survival horror game without files to read and listen to, but this really does start to get funny the length through which everybody in this world documents every thought they have, and that stripped me right out of the atmosphere of the game when I began noticing it.”
- “Some funny bugs.”
character development
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs are frequently praised for their uniqueness and creativity, drawing comparisons to iconic sci-fi aesthetics, the narrative and character progression are often seen as lacking depth. Players appreciate the atmospheric elements and visual appeal, but many feel that the plot and character arcs do not deliver a satisfying experience, particularly for those seeking a strong story. Overall, the game excels in visual design but falls short in narrative engagement.
- “It may take a few playthroughs to fully piece together all its mysteries, but it’s a very rewarding plotline to follow that delivers in big ways during the rare moments of narrative or character development.”
- “The character design is awesome, the monster's look grotesque and dangerous, and the traveler has such a unique design that I didn't really like at first but have come to absolutely love; the inspiration from old school diving suits is most definitely there and I dig it.”
- “Character design for me is 10/10, really interesting characters.”
- “However, its plot, character development, and narrative delivery are weak, making it a hard recommendation for those who value story or expect a true survival horror experience.”
- “It may take a few playthroughs to fully piece together all its mysteries, but it’s a very rewarding plot line to follow that delivers in big ways during the rare moments of narrative or character development.”
- “While the graphics and character design have room for improvement, this is a strong start.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy is perceived as a cheap cash grab, indicating that players feel the game prioritizes profit over quality and player experience.
- “It's a cheap cash grab.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative and unfair.”
- “I feel pressured to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”