Cronos: The New Dawn Is Shaping up to Be the Next Dead Space

The team behind the critically lauded Silent Hill 2 remake, Bloober Team, is currently busy developing their next survival horror game titled Cronos: The New Dawn. This forthcoming title in the sci-fi horror genre takes cues from movies like The Thing and Dark Souls, but it’s most evidently influenced by EA’s Dead Space series.

Dead Space has significantly shaped the survival horror genre by introducing innovative dismemberment mechanics, gruesome Necromorph creatures, and unyielding suspense. Yet, as the series remains in hiatus due to EA’s decision to pause its development, enthusiasts have been left pondering if there could be anything to replace this void. Now, Bloober Team is making a bold move with their first original game in quite some time, following the acclaim of their psychological horror titles such as Layers of Fear.

Humanity Is Dead

In the game called Cronos, humans are no longer present. Instead, players take on the character of a Traveler, exploring a post-apocalyptic Eastern Europe that features harsh brutalist architecture and advanced technology with a nostalgic touch, much like what’s shown in the trailer. The events in this game occur in an alternate reality, which has been drastically altered by a devastating occurrence called “The Change.

In the role of an enigmatic group’s representative, the Traveler possesses extraordinary abilities that allow it to endure situations lethal to typical soldiers. This tried-and-true method works well. The Traveler’s objective is to discover temporal fissures, journey back in time, and salvage crucial individuals before they are erased by an event known as The Change. Utilizing a device called the Harvester, the Traveler gathers the vital energies of those who perished during the apocalypse, transporting them to the devastated future.

This idea seems quite daring, yet the combination of science fiction horror and time travel elements appears intriguing.

Creepy Crawlies

Similar to Dead Space’s Necromorphs, the game Cronos presents its own type of terrifying creatures – named The Orphans. These beings are leftovers from a world that no longer exists, but they have shed all resemblance of their previous forms. Deformed beyond belief, The Orphans manifest in various grotesque shapes, some even transforming and adapting in real-time.

Bloober Team has significantly improved their monster creations, as evidenced by the game’s trailers and images which reveal grotesquely detailed monstrosities. Following their collaboration with Konami on Silent Hill 2, it appears that the studio has honed its skills in crafting psychological and visceral horror, designing adversaries that are both unsettlingly terrifying and relentless.

The Return of Dismemberment

Among the captivating elements of Cronos: The New Dawn, one that stands out is its focus on dismembering limbs – a signature trait that Dead Space pioneered. This mechanic harks back to a classic horror survival trope that has seen less use in contemporary video games.

The initial gameplay previews indicate that Cronos bears a resemblance to Dead Space in several aspects beyond just sharing genetic material. Although Cronos provides a vast, intricately detailed world and rich backstory, its intense melee combat and tactical dismemberment echo the desperate battles Isaac Clarke faced onboard the USG Ishimura.

In this time-travel based game, there’s discussion about how players might acquire special skills, including the power to alter time to dodge adversaries. Yet, since it’s designed as a survival horror adventure, the main character is unlikely to transform into an all-powerful action hero. Instead, it seems that Bloober Team is creating a suspenseful, eerie journey where players must employ strategy and stay on their toes.

Beyond the anticipated Silent Hill Remakes, Cronos: The New Dawn appears to be one of Bloober Team’s most daring ventures thus far. Its haunting setting, fear-inducing monster concepts, and intense battle sequences might just make it the next Dead Space, or possibly something even more petrifying. As of now, there’s no announced release date.

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2025-03-21 20:14