Bloober Team, having firmly established itself as a titan of horror with titles like Layers of Fear and the Silent Hill 2 remake, is set to launch its latest venture, the horror shooter Cronos: The New Dawn, on the 6th. Since its debut at the Xbox Partner Showcase last October, Cronos has turned heads with a visual aesthetic that screams Dead Space.

In fact, the development team behind Cronos has openly admitted that they were inspired by titles such as Dead Space and Alan Wake. Expect a tension-filled experience defined by clearing out foes in a desolate sci-fi setting, layered with the psychological dread of trauma and hallucinations. Let’s take a look at what this upcoming sci-fi horror shooter has to offer before it arrives.

Cronos deals with a world shaken by a mysterious event known as the 'Change.' This phenomenon left the future in ruins, birthing grotesque creatures that now roam the landscape. Humanity has been all but wiped out, leaving behind a world overrun by monstrosities and nightmares.

The protagonist, a 'Traveler' from the enigmatic group 'Collective,' is tasked with finding a way to return to the past. While pushing forward, the protagonist discovers a device capable of temporal travel and heads to 1980s Poland. There, the protagonist must manipulate time anomalies, scavenge for ammo, and fight to survive against looming threats.

At the same time, the protagonist must encounter figures from the past who perished due to the 'Change' and extract their essence to bring back to the future. While acquiring essence boosts combat capability, it also triggers harrowing audio-visual hallucinations, cranking the tension up to eleven.

Throughout this journey, players will traverse environments that blend Eastern European brutalist architecture with sci-fi elements. While locations like apartment blocks, hospitals, and trains feel grounded, they are twisted and infested by alien life, showcasing the signature unsettling atmosphere for which Bloober Team is known.

As mentioned, Cronos is packed with a menagerie of monsters. From multi-armed abominations to creatures with gaping maws or tentacle limbs, a variety of foes will hunt the player down.

To stand a chance, players have access to pistols, shotguns, grenade launchers, and explosive gravity bombs. However, ammo is scarce and enemies are bullet sponges, so spraying lead without a plan is a quick way to become monster chow. Much like the Dead Space-style combat, precision is key—target heads for heavy damage or blast off legs to stomp out the remaining threat.

Cronos adds a twist to this formula with its 'Fusion' system. Enemies can merge with corpses left on the floor to evolve into a stronger state. These fused foes feature boosted attack and defense stats; stumbling upon one can quickly turn the tide of battle against the player.

The 'Torch' skill is the answer to this threat. Functioning like a specialized grenade, it releases flames that incinerate nearby corpses, preventing fusion entirely. Enemies hit by the torch may also be stunned, allowing players to dictate the pace of the fight or create an opening for escape.

Beyond that, players can utilize the environment, such as oil drums or gas cylinders, to take out groups of enemies. Since resources like the torch and environmental hazards are limited, tactical usage is the core of survival.