Cronos: The New Dawn Devs Detail Its Brand of Psychological Survival Horror

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The game titled “Cronos: The New Dawn” is a survival horror masterpiece that not only showcases the best aspects of the genre but also offers a fresh perspective on psychological terror. A key feature in its gameplay is the “merging” mechanic, where enemies can devour other corpses to grow into larger, more formidable creatures. Given Bloober Team’s expertise in horror, it appears that this upcoming title could be truly extraordinary.

Game Rant had a conversation with the lead writer Grzegorz Like, along with co-directors Wojciech Piejko and Jacek Zieba from the team behind ‘Cronos: The New Dawn’. They discussed their efforts to make the game feel genuine, using transformation as a central concept, and incorporating robust survival horror mechanics throughout every aspect of the game. For your convenience, the conversation has been condensed and clarified.

How Bloober Team Puts Authenticity into a Fictional Horror Game

A: Since you know that this place is where I was raised and consider it my home, I was wondering if you could inquire about the experience of embodying this location in a video game development process.

The idea was captivating, and it wasn’t as if it were my personal idea. It wasn’t a matter of ego dictating that the game should be set in Krakow again, but this time in Nowa Huta due to its aesthetic alignment with the game’s chosen style. When they approached me with the proposal for a new game, I was all for it. The rich historical context and people’s past struggles in Nowa Huta provide an excellent backdrop for numerous stories, offering us an opportunity to delve into these fascinating tales.

As a gamer, I firmly believe that infusing a game with a real-life location adds an authenticity that truly resonates. It allows us to inject a piece of ourselves into the game, making our experiences feel more genuine and meaningful. When I speak of this place, it’s not just fictional; it’s rooted in truth, and people are drawn to truth.

In the case of Silent Hill, the decision to set the game in a real location was crucial because Silent Hill was all about exploring the darkest corners of human psychology. We wanted to delve deeper, discussing broader themes like society, the end of society, time, and more. This town isn’t just a backdrop; it becomes a character in its own right, providing a rich canvas for philosophical contemplations when you enter The New Dawn.

A: Hey there fellow gaming enthusiast! Working side by side as co-directors on this game was an incredible journey. We collaborated closely, sharing ideas, visions, and challenges throughout the process. Together, we breathed life into this game, constantly refining it to make sure it delivers the best gaming experience possible for you, our players.

Creating a game together with a buddy is simply fantastic! We complement each other, yet remain unique in our own ways. We can cover for one another’s weaknesses, and we even collaborated on “The Medium”. Following that collaboration, they granted us the opportunity to develop a survival horror game, a genre we both adore passionately. It’s an incredible dream come true to create a game you love with a friend.

Zieba: Over the course of eight years, our partnership has felt like a harmonious duo. It’s amusing when others realize…

Like: People sometimes think they are each other.

In sync as if we share a collective consciousness, we often complete one another’s thoughts, much like twins do. This synchronicity adds an extra layer of strength to our decision-making process since we can cross-verify and validate each other’s choices.

…occasionally they engage in friendly competition, propelling the game onward. As the saying goes, “No one is at the top alone,” so it’s beneficial to have a partner to support you.

Zieba: We can also cover more, working with different departments at the same time.

Absolutely, we can distribute tasks among ourselves, and if a designer queries me about responsibilities, I can tell because he has previously agreed.

As a gamer, I frequently find myself attempting a strategy reminiscent of asking my dad first who denies my request, then turning to mom hoping for a different outcome – only to discover that both parents are off-limits in this scenario.

Don’t Let Them Merge

A: One of the main aspects that caught my attention about Cronos is their focus on Merging. Initially, I was curious to discover just how much I could allow this process and for how long I could endure it. Unfortunately, I didn’t last very long. Can you tell me how the concept of merging developed within Cronos, and what does it contribute to its survival horror elements?

In the inception of Cronos, our goal was to develop a unique mechanism that would set our survival horror game apart from others in the genre. While Dead Space boasts an impressive limb-cutting mechanic and Alan Wake features a flashlight, we sought something distinctive for our title. John Carpenter’s The Thing served as our inspiration at the outset, even though the mechanics differ significantly. At first, our characters were cannibalistic, but combat design advised against it since they tended to move less frequently. In search of an alternative, we introduced the concept of technicals. Designing this aspect was a lengthy process, but once we had it, we structured the entire game around it.

In the process of monster merging, there is a designated boundary beyond which the fusion occurs. This fusion serves as a means of healing for the monsters. Interestingly, during our initial design phase, we permitted the monsters to continually merge indefinitely. They grew to such immense sizes that they were no longer able to pass through doors, necessitating the establishment of a size limit.

The game became more strategic; it’s not just about shooting blindly. Your equipment becomes crucial rather than your aim, focusing on crowd control and making tactical choices. For instance, should I torch this corpse or let it be? Perhaps you could utilize that flamethrower to stun opponents. It significantly enhanced the game’s appeal and quality.

We too appreciate it when different aspects of the game have rhyming names, so as the writing crew, we understood that this would significantly enhance the game. To reflect the integration system in the narrative, we felt it essential to incorporate it into the story’s themes. Additionally, with the current global climate, a tale about unity seems particularly relevant. This is precisely what unfolds: they begin to combine forces. It’s a complex scenario towards the end of the world, and there’s a deeper meaning behind it – the hedgehog dilemma, where you yearn for companionship but inadvertently cause harm during the process. We aimed to integrate some of this interconnectedness into the psychological aspect of the game, and thus we concocted this peculiar blend of horror genres.

Zieba: The bottom line: don’t let them merge. This is not something we want you to do.

Pieljko: Or you’ll make a small boss fight for yourself.

Zieba: Having fun and not letting them merge, that’s the sweet spot.

On several occasions, I sensed that a body was close by, and my aim was to prevent the enemy from reaching it before they did. I understand your point.

A significant success we experienced was playtesters showing a greater fear of merging compared to getting hit. In fact, they have abandoned their tasks in an attempt to prevent the merging event.

Accepting Change

Question: The Traveler seems quite one-dimensional, focusing mainly on making declarations like ‘We need to locate the predecessor. We must find Edward.’ I was wondering what motivated your decision to develop this character as more of a neutral figure rather than giving them a distinctive personality?

Similar Phrase: Since we’re merely at the start, it’s a narrative that focuses on character development. Her tale will progressively reveal itself as the game continues.

At the conclusion of the game, the traveler has undergone a significant transformation compared to their initial state.

It was clear that turning her into a completely blank character at the start carried a significant risk. Some might think, “Alright, I can relate to this character, but I suppose it’s acceptable.” People may lean more towards appreciating the professional aspects and all, but then, suddenly, “Oh no! There’s a story unfolding here!

As an enthusiastic player, let me assure you that this game holds some surprising twists that will significantly alter your perspective on its core concept. Initially, you embark on a massive mission to save mankind, but as the story progresses, it transforms into a deeply personal and psychologically engaging journey.

Zieba: She will change.

Like: She will change because change is unstoppable.

She will change. The Change. I see what you’re doing there.

Yes, The Change serves as a significant element within the game, encompassing its pace. When we are apprehensive about change, it often influences our choices and decisions differently. It seems to me that each character in the game grapples with the concept of embracing change in some way or another.

As a dedicated gamer peeking into the development process, I can confidently say that, while we haven’t nailed down a specific launch date just yet, the team is buzzing with excitement and satisfaction over the current state of the game. The progress we’ve made so far has us all feeling pretty optimistic about what’s to come!

Zieba: Incredibly awesome! Indeed, excellent. Truly exceptional. This sneak peek was also somewhat of a trial run. There’s always apprehension when presenting your work to multiple people, and observing their reactions is quite unique. However, even before that, we felt prepared for it.

In simpler terms, during the development process, there’s a special moment when all the components like music, sound effects, graphics, etc., align perfectly, creating an “ah-ha!” moment for us developers. We’ve already passed that stage in our game creation.

As they say in game development, projects aren’t completed – they’re left behind. And it seems like the time has come for us to move on from this one.

[END]

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2025-07-28 20:50