The horror genre has had its ups and downs over the years, with significant periods where horror titles have been on a downward trajectory, and then other times when some of the best games available have been horror titles. The Resident Evil series itself has followed a similar trend, with Resident Evil 4 arguably rejuvenating the genre. However, that was a long time ago, and the industry has evolved since then. So, how would a game that follows much of the gameplay style of Resident Evil 4, fare in 2025? Bloober Team is a Polish developer that helped create the 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2, as well as being the developer behind the Layers of Fear series. Now, it has turned its hand to a third-person action horror title in the form of a new IP, Cronos: The New Dawn.
If all else fails, run
Resident Evil 4 isn’t the only title that Cronos: The New Dawn takes inspiration from. Cronos is another title that has taken inspiration from Dark Souls, and that game’s style of slow, difficult combat. Due to the rare nature of fights in many horror games, this style of combat could be a good fit, as it could make the fights tense, atmospheric, and cinematic. However, when combined with a lack of checkpoints, it can be frustrating. Cronos: The New Dawn isn’t generous in its number of checkpoints. However, the “Dark Souls” style combat is still an interesting angle and works well, for the most part, in this cerebral, third-person horror game. Furthermore, if you don’t like Dark Souls-like combat, there is another option, and that is to run away. In Cronos: The New Dawn, running can be a useful tactic. Knowing that a monstrous, violent creature could just be a few steps behind you makes for a scary, tense experience, especially when combined with great, atmospheric sound design.
The game is set in Poland, the same location as where Bloober is based. As you explore in Cronos, you find documents that help to build a picture of the story. These documents tell you bits and pieces of the history of the game world, and why your character finds themselves in this situation. The game uses a third-person, over-the-shoulder camera view. This style of game was pioneered by Resident Evil 4, and Cronos: The New Dawn has many similarities to that title. Imagine a modern Resident Evil 4 with quality-of-life additions and a more mature, realistic story. Cronos also improves on Resident Evil 4‘s clunky controls. You can shoot while moving, and can unleash a ferocious melee attack, which does a lot of damage. You can also perform a charged shot that is very satisfying and does more damage than a regular shot.
Dust and grainy environments
The textures look detailed. The open environments and special effects like fog and rain look especially good. I haven’t noticed any frame rate dips. However, the game looks like a good Switch 1 game. Nothing shouts out to me that this is a Switch 2 title, apart from maybe the special effects, like I’ve mentioned. I was surprised to learn that the title has also been released on the old Xbox One. I wonder if the Xbox One and Switch 2 versions are similar?
When you do get a chance to look out of sweeping vistas, the graphics do look better; it is when you’re up close against textures that things don’t look so good. However, as the game is a third-person horror, rather than an open-world game, you won’t be climbing on any environments to get better views. Saying that, there is quite a lot of exploration in the game, and the title is at its best when you have to use your head to solve a problem. The melee attack can break open certain old doors, which often opens a new path in your adventure. As a third-person horror, the game builds a good, tense horror vibe very well, and it feels like an updated, modern Resident Evil 4 (but without the cheesy voice acting).
Conclusion
Overall, Cronos The New Dawn is a horror action title that works well on the Switch 2. The feeling of running away from a twisted, bulbous creature, only to turn and fire your last shot into its braincase, is fun, and the controls and gameplay are incredibly satisfying. The game is inspired by both Dark Souls and Resident Evil 4. It doesn’t hit the highs of those games, primarily because of drab environments and sometimes boring gameplay. The Switch 2 version doesn’t do much to distinguish itself from a Switch 1 game, but some of the effects do look next-gen. If you see this game on sale and have $20, it’s worth it, but for full price, only horror fans should inspect this animated carcass.
The Review
Good
