(Image credit: Bloober Team)
Developer Bloober Team has captured significant attention with their highly acclaimed remake of Silent Hill 2 in 2024. Now, they are venturing into uncharted territory with Cronos: The New Dawn, a brand-new survival horror IP. So, what bold statement does Bloober Team aim to deliver after this success with their first original creation?
“That we can delve deeply,” states co-director Jacek Zięba in our conversation during GDC 2025. Alongside him, fellow co-director Wojciech Piejko adds, “Our focus was on creating something distinct from the Silent Hill 2 remake, emphasizing diverse gameplay elements such as limited inventory and complex decisions.”
According to Piejko, Cronos channels a Resident Evil-ish vibe, yet it features a rich psychological narrative. He expresses excitement over their debut as autonomous directors in the survival horror realm, recalling past collaborations on The Medium.
The premise of Cronos involves players embodying a Traveler, an agent from a dystopian future going back in time to rescue key figures from their doomed fate. “This is an alternate history set in the Polish 1980s, showcasing creative Polish aesthetics,” Zięba explains. Key signs and writings remain in Polish, intentionally heightening the otherworldly experience for non-Polish speakers.
The game’s environment, The New Dawn, is modeled after Krakow’s Nowa Huta district. “We meticulously recreated it with slight alterations,” reveals Piejko. Significant attention is also paid to the merge mechanic where enemies combine into monstrous entities, a feature integral to gameplay and combat strategy.
Piejko illustrates how you can fire your weapons strategically for optimal crowd control. “It evokes the classic survival horror feel,” he mentions, where movement during aiming adds a risk-reward dynamic. Inspirations such as Resident Evil, Dark Souls, and Netflix’s Dark are woven into the game’s DNA, weaving a complex narrative tapestry.
Other influences include 12 Monkeys, Blame, and cinematic masterpieces like Annihilation. Despite the myriad inspirations, Zięba assures that the game maintains a unique identity rooted in its Polish ’80s setting and sci-fi aesthetics.
Cronos: The New Dawn is slated for release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in 2025. While no firm date is set, eager players can explore the standout games of 2025 in the interim.