Bloober Team has released the first extended gameplay video for Cronos: The New Dawn, offering over 10 minutes of uninterrupted footage. The video provides a closer look at the game’s survival systems, combat mechanics, and narrative design. Scheduled to release in Fall 2025, the game is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and Epic Games Store.
The trailer introduces two of the game’s early environments: Islands in the Mist and The Hospital. Both areas bring a different type of tension. Islands in the Mist features heavy fog and limited visibility, where threats emerge without warning. The area appears to emphasize slow movement, resource awareness, and environmental traps. On the other hand, The Hospital leans toward psychological tension, with tight corridors, cold lighting, and unexplained phenomena that create a disorienting experience for the player.
Enemy Evolution Through the Merge Mechanic
A core gameplay feature shown in the trailer is the Merge system. In this mechanic, enemies called Orphans can reanimate through a process known as Merging. If a fallen Orphan is left unburned, another nearby Orphan can absorb it. This triggers a transformation, evolving the creature into a more dangerous form with enhanced speed, strength, and abilities. The mechanic raises the stakes in combat, requiring players to finish enemies completely to prevent stronger variants from emerging.
Dual Timelines and a World in Collapse
Players control The Traveler, an agent from a dystopian future sent back in time to extract individuals before they die. The story unfolds across two distinct periods: a decaying future and 1980s Poland. Gameplay alternates between these timelines, allowing players to manipulate time to solve puzzles, access hidden areas, and learn more about the story.
One of the central locations, New Dawn, is based on the real-world Kraków district of Nowa Huta. It combines Brutalist architecture with environmental anomalies, suggesting that the passage of time has physically distorted the space. The use of real locations adds weight to the game’s atmosphere, and the time-jumping mechanics influence exploration and survival decisions.
Boss Preview: Terror
The trailer closes with a brief encounter against a boss character referred to only as Terror. The short segment focuses more on atmosphere and buildup than raw action, using lighting, sound, and setting to create tension. It offers a preview of the type of large-scale threats players will face later in the game.
Launch Plans and Availability
Cronos: The New Dawn is planned for release in Fall 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Players can now wishlist the game across all platforms to stay updated on upcoming announcements and pre-launch information.
More details are expected in the coming months, including deeper breakdowns of game systems, additional characters, and further gameplay segments.
