Bloober’s Silent Hill 2 Sequel Channels Dead Space Vibes

After experiencing Bloober Team’s stellar remake of Silent Hill 2, I’m more than willing to place my trust in their unique brand of horror games. Their upcoming title, Cronos: The New Dawn, looks particularly impressive, bringing with it a sinister vibe reminiscent of the legendary Dead Space.

The game’s co-directors, Wojciech Piejko and Jacek Zięba, have openly shared their inspirations behind this sci-fi survival horror project. They’ve drawn from a rich tapestry of influences including John Carpenter’s The Thing, the German series Dark, and Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys. Furthermore, they nod to gaming giants like Dead Space and Dark Souls. There’s a clear connection to Dead Space, particularly with its unnerving human mutations as foes, the intense over-the-shoulder shooting view, and a focus on limb-severing action. Though, Piejko assures us, the approach to dismemberment has its own unique twist, setting it apart from what Visceral Games crafted.

Following the cinematic reveal trailer for Cronos: The New Dawn that dropped last October, Piejko and Zięba unveiled more gameplay details in a fresh developer diary released on Thursday. They delve into how players will step into the shoes of the Traveller, a character they compare to a deep-sea diver venturing into the depths of time. The Traveller’s mission is daunting yet intriguing—rescue survivors from the decaying remnants of human civilization. This alternate reality has been devastated by a mysterious event known as the Change, which in the game’s lore, obliterated the world during the 1980s.

Piejko and Zięba aren’t strangers to the genre, having previously collaborated on Bloober Team’s Observer and The Medium. With Cronos: The New Dawn, they’re crafting an original narrative for Bloober, which is also expanding its horizons with a new project alongside Konami.