Bloober Team, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Silent Hill 2 remake, is hard at work on their upcoming survival horror game, Cronos: The New Dawn. This sci-fi horror title draws inspiration from The Thing, Dark Souls, and, most notably, EA’s Dead Space series.
Dead Space has been a defining force in survival horror, setting new standards with its visceral dismemberment mechanics, grotesque Necromorphs, and relentless tension. However, with the series currently dormant after EA put it on hold, fans have been left wondering if anything could fill the void. Now, Bloober Team is stepping up with their first original title in years, following the success of their psychological horror games like Layers of Fear.
Humanity Is Dead
In Cronos, humanity no longer exists. Players step into the role of a Traveler, navigating a post-apocalyptic version of Eastern Europe defined by brutalist architecture and retro-futuristic technology, as seen in the cinematic trailer. The game unfolds in an alternate history, shaped by a catastrophic event known only as The Change.
As an agent of the enigmatic Collective, the Traveler is uniquely equipped to survive encounters that would be fatal to ordinary soldiers. Cliche, but effective. Their mission: locate time-rifts, travel back to the past, and extract key individuals before The Change wipes them from existence. Using a device known as the Harvester, the Traveler collects the Essences of those lost to the apocalypse, bringing them into the ruined future.
It’s an ambitious concept, but the blend of sci-fi horror and time-travel mechanics looks promising.
Creepy Crawlies
Like Dead Space’s Necromorphs, Cronos introduces its own breed of nightmare fuel—creatures known as The Orphans. These entities are the last remnants of a world long gone, but while they may have once been human, they have since lost all traces of their former selves. Warped beyond recognition, The Orphans come in a variety of grotesque forms, some shifting and evolving in real-time.
Bloober Team has clearly stepped up its monster design, and the game’s trailers and screenshots showcase horrifyingly detailed abominations. After working with Konami on Silent Hill 2, the studio seems to have refined its approach to psychological and body horror, creating enemies that feel both disturbing and relentless.
The Return of Dismemberment
One of Cronos: The New Dawn’s most intriguing mechanics is its emphasis on limb dismemberment—an iconic feature that Dead Space revolutionized. It’s a callback to a survival horror staple that has largely been forgotten in modern gaming.
Early gameplay footage suggests Cronos shares DNA with Dead Space in more ways than one. While Cronos offers a far more expansive world and deep lore, its brutal melee combat and strategic dismemberment feel reminiscent of Isaac Clarke’s desperate struggle aboard the USG Ishimura.
With time travel as a central feature, there’s speculation that players may gain unique abilities, such as manipulating time to outmaneuver enemies. However, as a survival horror experience, the game is unlikely to turn the protagonist into an overpowered action hero. Instead, Bloober Team appears to be crafting a tense, atmospheric journey that pushes players to think strategically while keeping them on edge.
Apart from their upcoming Silent Hill Remakes, Cronos: The New Dawn looks to be one of Bloober Team’s most ambitious projects yet. With its chilling world, terrifying enemy designs, and brutal combat, it could very well be the next Dead Space—or perhaps something even more terrifying. No release date yet.