Bloober devs say Cronos: The New Dawn is a "strange combination" of horror greats like Silent Hill, Dead Space, and Bloodborne, but they wanted a sci-fi story "deeper" than a typical Resident Evil: "Not to offend, of course"

A greasy-looking monster stands in a black hallway.

I see monstrous enemies puking green like they're in Dead Space, collapsed sidewalks and dirty toilet bowls that remind me of Silent Hill in Cronos: The New Dawn – the first original title from Bloober Team since it released the Silent Hill 2 remake in 2024 – which its devs tell me showcases its heroes as much as it wants to outgrow them.

Cronos is a "love letter to survival horror," says director Jacek Zięba during my recent two-hour hands-on with the clammy science fiction game. As such, its visuals, atmosphere, and level design all happily reference "a little bit of Death Stranding, Nier: Automata, Bloodborne," says Zięba, plus Resident Evil, which is "perfect survival horror, in a way. It's a perfect blueprint." In Cronos' night fog and diseased version of '80s Poland, Bloober will try to put it to good use.