A few days ago, THQ Nordic released a teaser for a brand-new game that is being developed by Gunfire Games. While the title Chronos: Before the Ashes seemed to allude to Gunfire Games’ Remnant: From the Ashes, it was not fully confirmed until yesterday, when THQ Nordic finally revealed more information about this upcoming third-person action game.
Chronos: Before the Ashes is a direct prequel to Remnant: From the Ashes, playing out as a third-person action game, but this time with a much heavier focus on melee combat rather than guns as in Remnant. It is also worth noting that Chronos: Before the Ashes is based on Chronos, a virtual reality-exclusive from Gunfire Games which is the official start of the in-game universe and subsequent series. Check out the first trailer for Chronos: Before the Ashes below.
The trailer plays out in a rather unconventional manner, showing off an 80s vibe with a girl playing parts of Chronos on a retro console. From the footage shown, the art style seems to be a bit different from Remnant: From the Ashes, as Chronos: Before the Ashes features a much more cartoony and colorful palette. It also seems to be set in a place different from Remnant’s version of Earth, which would be safe to assume is due to the fact that the game will be set on one of the many worlds in the same universe.
According to the press release, Chronos: Before the Ashes lets the player take on the role of a young hero who is trying to save his home from an ancient evil. In order to achieve this, he is sent to a mysterious labyrinth filled with monsters and other creatures, as well as presented with challenging puzzles. Like Remnant, death is not the end in Chronos: Before the Ashes, as you can easily come back to life. However, there is a catch: the player is cast out of the labyrinth after dying, during which time he can only try again after a year.
This essentially means that each death will age the player by one, which introduces an aging mechanic, a first for Souls-like action RPG titles. Age plays into your play style as well, as starting out young will directly impact your speed and strength, while growing older allows your character to better harness arcane powers as he grows in wisdom. It is a unique concept, one that will be received positively or negatively from different kinds of players. Either way, I am excited to try it our for myself to see it.
Chronos: Before the Ashes is set to be released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC via Steam this December 1.
