Bloober Team shows how studios limit possibilities by not offering remote work options.
Bloober Team is gearing up to release their next big survival horror game. After the incredible launch they had with the remake of Konami’s Silent Hill 2, more than a few fans are interested in seeing what’s next. Cronos: The New Dawn is coming our way this year, and it’s in part thanks to the studio’s remote work options.
Cronos: The New Dawn is a new IP created by Bloober Team. Developed in parallel to the Silent Hill 2 remake, the game shares some similarities. However, don’t expect every mechanic to appear from Silent Hill 2 in this game. We’re still retaining some action-style experience as you’re armed to deal with enemies. But this time around, we’re getting a few key differences.
Thanks to the Game Developer, who noted that the Bloober Team spoke about the upcoming game at GDC. During GDC, the studio noted that some of the components that make Cronos: The New Dawn stand out are in part thanks to remote work. It wasn’t too long ago that we all were familiar with that topic. With the worldwide pandemic, most offices closed, transitioning employees into handling their work at home.
Some offices thrived, while others were quick to issue a back-to-the-office mandate. Bloober Team still has a hybrid option that allows developers to work on projects at home. However, Bloober Team noted that because of this, they were able to open up the pool of potential employees as they are no longer limited to hiring developers directly near the office location.
It’s easier to get better specialists who love survival horror like us. But for some of them, we know there is no going back. There is no reason to go back because we are stronger because of it. – Co-director Jacek Zieba
Because of that, Bloober Team could acquire staff keen not only on survival horror games but also on skills that helped production out. An example of this is the fact that Cronos: The New Dawn doesn’t give players the ability to shoot their guns immediately. Instead, there’s a charge-up effect, giving the enemy a chance to get closer. That mechanic was done by a developer whose sole job was to make this mechanic.
Recently, a new trailer dropped for Cronos: The New Dawn. The focus was on combat, and thanks to Game Developer, we’re finding out that dodging is another feature we’re going to see cut from Silent Hill 2 when it comes to this game. There’s no dodge mechanic here, but instead, a resource that allows players to essentially push enemies back.
Another interesting aspect revealed is that the enemies in this game can evolve. The same resource that allows you to push enemies back will be used to burn up enemy corpses. It’s noted that the enemies you find in the game can use corpses to evolve themselves further, allowing them to become bigger behemoths while also learning new traits. So, get ready to juggle resources throughout the game and make note of what enemies are alive, along with corpses that were not properly dealt with. You can see some of those different types of enemies you’ll face in the combat trailer below.
For those who haven’t kept tabs on the game, Cronos: The New Dawn is set in a timeline where humanity has essentially fallen. A cataclysmic event has caused most of humanity to perish while monstrous beasts roam the world. Players are stepping into the role of travelers. Travelers are those who managed to survive the event and can now use rifts. These rifts will take them back in time, where they can help save people from their impending death. I’m sure more details about the event, the goal of travelers, and these rifts will open up a little more as we get closer to the game’s release.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a release date quite yet. Cronos: The New Dawn is only slated to launch sometime this year and will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S platforms.
