Polish developer Bloober Team has announced that a third difficulty option is being added alongside the existing two, giving players a real chance to survive.
Cronos: The New Dawn takes place across two distinct time periods: the bleak ruins of a post-apocalyptic future and 1980s Poland. Players find themselves in the decaying district of New Dawn, inspired by the real-world Nowa Huta. You play as a Traveler, an agent of the mysterious Collective, who emerges from a dystopian future to journey back in time and rescue key individuals before they are lost to the apocalypse.
As you explore this world on the brink of annihilation, you will encounter grotesque enemies known as the Orphans. These twisted, body-horror monstrosities are born from humanity’s darkest nightmares. The game’s tagline, “Don’t Let Them Merge”, points to one of its core mechanics: defeated enemies do not stay dead for long. If their bodies are not burned, they can be absorbed by others.
Through a grotesque process known as merging, enemies evolve into faster, stronger, more resilient, and far more terrifying creatures, gaining additional abilities in combat. The oppressive atmosphere is further reinforced by the game’s soundtrack, composed by award-winning musician Arkadiusz Reikowski in collaboration with the Polish-Ukrainian indie folk band Zazula. Haunting traditional vocals blend with synth horror and avant-garde textures to create an unsettling soundscape.
“Cronos: The New Dawn was designed to challenge players. But we listened to your feedback and understand that some of you want to experience the story at your own pace. That’s why we’re currently working on a new difficulty setting that will be introduced in early 2026. This is our calling,” Bloober Team stated.
Alongside the base difficulty, Anvil of the Collective, the Forged in Fire mode offers an even greater challenge after the first playthrough. In early 2026, the easier Temporal Diver mode will be added, providing players with more HP and enemies that are easier to defeat on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
Source: Gematsu
