Bloober Team’s journey could easily be the plot of a Hollywood film. Since the release of Layers of Fear in 2016, the Polish studio has experienced a rollercoaster of hits and misses, often delivering titles that were met with mixed reactions from both players and critics.
But everything changed in 2024 with the launch of Silent Hill 2 Remake. Bloober nailed it—reviving one of the most iconic survival horror games with a fresh yet respectful approach. The remake’s success catapulted the studio’s reputation, establishing them as true craftsmen of psychological horror. Naturally, expectations for their next original IP, Cronos: The New Dawn, skyrocketed.
Thanks to an invitation from Bloober Team, I had the chance to play the first 30 minutes of the game during a hands-on demo at Gamescom 2025—and I couldn’t be more impressed.
Cronos: The New Dawn Preview – Meet the Traveler
In Cronos: The New Dawn, you play as the Traveler—a kind of soldier dispatched by an entity known as the Collective to a bleak future. Your mission? Travel back to 1980s Poland and rescue select individuals from a catastrophic event.
The opening moments are intentionally cryptic. Who are the Travelers? What is the Collective’s true role? And what exactly caused the event? The game throws these questions at you, trusting the narrative to unravel them gradually.
During my session, I came across several collectibles that added depth to the world and enriched the immersive storytelling Bloober is known for. Surprisingly, the combat reminded me a lot of Dead Space—in the best way possible.
The Traveler starts off equipped with a pistol capable of two firing modes: a standard shot and a charged blast that deals heavy damage and can interrupt enemy charges.
Ammo is scarce, so melee combat becomes essential. You can punch enemies to create space and escape quickly—especially since their reaction time is fast. One standout mechanic is “fusion”: if a living enemy reaches the corpses of two fallen foes, it can merge with them, becoming faster and more powerful. To prevent this, the Traveler can deploy a flame cylinder that burns bodies on the ground.
Intuition and Isolation
I don’t usually play survival horror games, but Cronos: The New Dawn made me reconsider—largely thanks to its smart level design. Exploration, environmental puzzles, and progression are all intuitive and never frustrating. With a bit of attention, even genre newcomers can navigate the world with ease.
The intuitive design is paired with a haunting sense of isolation. Cold color palettes dominate the environments, reinforcing the feeling of desolation. The world has ended—and chaos is all that remains. Complementing the visuals are eerie sound effects and a retrofuturistic soundtrack that blends synthetic tones with organic instruments.
Can Bloober Do It Again?
By the end of the demo, I didn’t want to stop playing. The immersive atmosphere, the unanswered questions, and the brutal, strategic combat left me eager for more. Based on what I played, Cronos: The New Dawn is shaping up to be another major win for Bloober Team.
Thankfully, we won’t need to wait long to see if the final game is great or not. Cronos: The New Dawn launches on September 5th for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series.
For more Gamescom previews, check out our in-depth look at G’AIM’E and Escape from Duckov. Also, don’t forget to share your thoughts about our Gamescom coverage in the Insider Gaming forum.
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