Bloober Team has finally given us a proper glimpse of gameplay for its latest project, Cronos: The New Dawn, following a brief teaser at the end of the initial reveal in October. The trailer boasts a distinctly Dead Space-like atmosphere, which is hardly surprising given that this is a third-person survival horror game. However, the game also seems to draw inspiration from other sources, and one particular feature stands out as particularly terrifying.

The game is set across two time periods: a post-apocalyptic future and 1980s-era Poland. As a Traveller, you are tasked with rescuing certain individuals before they meet their demise in the apocalypse. To accomplish this, you will need to battle creatures known as Orphans, which Bloober describes as “twisted, body-horror monstrosities born from humanity’s darkest nightmares.” Nevertheless, it is crucial to incinerate the bodies of fallen monsters, as failure to do so can have severe consequences.

Living Orphans have the ability to absorb the bodies of their fallen counterparts, a process referred to as Merging. This evolution enables the creatures to become faster, stronger, and more resilient, while also granting them new abilities. Therefore, it is essential to destroy the bodies of any Orphans you defeat.

The trailer showcases a plethora of other elements, with the action and visuals drawing comparisons to games like The Last of Us Part 2, Returnal, Bioshock, and Control, particularly in terms of the shifting, fractured Brutalist architecture. The creature designs bear a resemblance to those found in last year’s Silent Hill 2 remake, a game that Bloober Team is also behind.

These similarities are not criticisms, as there is nothing wrong with drawing inspiration from other sources and creating something new. Cronos: The New Dawn appears to be a compelling game, and it has already earned a spot on my wishlist.

Cronos: The New Dawn is scheduled to be released later this year, with planned releases on Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.