Some reviews for Chronos: Before the Ashes.

Gaming on PC review

Sadly, that’s not something that I can say about the overall experience of playing Chronos: Before the Ashes. It’s certainly not a bad game, but you can tell that it is a creature from a different age, and also one that was created for a very different input method, with the transition from VR launch title to normal action RPG working against this re-release in many ways. I wouldn’t recommend it over similarly priced games in the same genre, but once it’s discounted, it will certainly be worth a playthrough, especially if you enjoyed the world of Remnant: From the Ashes.

6/10 – Fair.

Link Cable Gaming

After playing so much of Remnant: From the Ashes over the last year, I tried my very best to enjoy my time through its prequel, but sadly, Chronos: Before the Ashes doesn’t provide that same level of quality as its predecessor. Again, I do hope that is something exclusive to the Nintendo Switch version of the game and that the experience found on other platforms provide a more competent result overall. Unfortunately, Chronos: Before the Ashes is one of those few titles that shouldn’t be picked up on Switch for its portable play as it fails to utilize the device’s main attractions of portable play, as well as, being a much more inferior port to its counterparts.

A copy of Chronos: Before the Ashes was provided to Link Cable Gaming by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

4.1/10

RPGamer

One trait that will surely lure many players is the great visual work. The game manages to set a very appealing mood by having darkened places with highly detailed backgrounds as well as enemies with a wide variety of shapes and attacks. The dragon and the three guardians have great animations and devastating attacks that definitely look imposing. Additionally, it is amusing to observe how the hero grows up little by little. The soundscape isn’t very ambitious: there are few voice acting moments as well as few music tracks, but both work well combined with the visuals.

Those who want to grow wiser and older should venture into this labyrinth filled with puzzles and varied enemies and face the dragon. With immersive visuals and a great battle system, an enjoyable journey is guaranteed. Though it may not reach the same atmospheric levels as Demon Souls or Bloodborne, action RPG fans would do well to give Chronos: Before the Ashes a chance to test their killing abilities.

3.5/5

A gameplay video

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GamingBolt reviewed the Souls-like Chronos: Before the Ashes:

 Chronos: Before the Ashes Review - The Final Verdict

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Chronos doesn’t totally shed it’s VR veneer, but the simplicity of it’ roots make it an inviting, uncomplicated option for fans of Souls-likes and RPGs.

The Adventure-RPG Chronos: Before the Ashes has been released:

Chronos: Before the Ashes - Release Trailer

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The great stone has awoken and the way to the other world is open. Will you go through?

Chronos: Before the Ashes is OUT NOW on all platforms.

Begin your lifelong quest to save your homeland from a great evil. Grow wiser, stronger and more powerful as you explore the depths of the mysterious labyrinth. But beware, the labyrinth takes a heavy toll.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is based on the VR-exclusive Chronos from Gunfire Games (Darksiders III, Remnant: From the Ashes), but has been overhauled and optimized to work on all platforms without the need for VR support.

Gamingbolt spoke with the devs of Chronos: Before the Ashes about the combat structure, progression, and more.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is itself an overhauled version of 2016’s Chronos, so how much have you had to go back and change and add things to the story, given the fact that Before the Ashes is a prequel to Remnant?

John Pearl, Design Director: The story of Remnant: From the Ashes picks up just a month after the end of Chronos. We very intentionally followed the story and lore we set up in Chronos as we developed Remnant. This meant in Remnant, we expanded on the ideas and fleshed out elements from the world of Chronos. Sticking closely to this established lore meant we didn’t have to change much post Remnant except for a few dates on some journal logs and give things official names. An example of this would be the World Stones. We never specifically called them anything in Chronos, but we officially named them in Remnant, so we went back to make sure they were named properly.

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Chronos: Before the Ashes’ combat has been described as “unforgiving and brutal”. The same could probably also be said for Remnant: From the Ashes, which also adopted a Souls-like structure in many ways. How much does Chronos have in common with Remnant in those regards?

Pearl: With Chronos, much like Remnant, the game was heavily inspired by Dark Souls and Bloodborne. One of the big differentiators between Chronos and Remnant, is Chronos is entirely focused on melee combat. Similar to Remnant and Dark Souls, you’re never taking on hordes of enemies, unless of course something went terribly wrong. Each encounter is meant to pose a challenge to the player as one wrong move can leave you open for an attack, and like Remnant, your healing options are limited.

The combat, however, is never meant to feel like a slog. Much like Remnant, we designed the combat to be challenging but we give you a lot of tools that once you master them, you can always remain in control of a combat encounter. In fact, fans of the combat of Darksiders 3 will find a lot of similarities with the combat in Chronos. The moment to moment combat is built around perfectly timed dodges and parries followed up by powerful arcane counters. The combat isn’t supposed to be as flashy as Darksiders since you’re just a human from a remote island and not a Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Unlike Dark Souls games, we do offer difficulty settings. We really love the world and lore of our games and want as many people as possible to experience all of the story and cool moments we packed into the game. We offer an easier difficulty which is balanced to allow a player to get through the game’s story without punishing them. On the other end of that, we offer a hard difficulty that should feel closer to that “brutal” difficulty Souls fans look for in a game.

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A new trailer for Chronos: Before the Ashes explains what the action RPG is all about.

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Chronos: Before the Ashes will be out on December 1st. But what is the action RPG all about? Check out the new explanation trailer, telling you all the details about the prequel to the 2019 smash hit Remnant: From the Ashes.

You will face the mysteries and the challenges – and the dangers – of the Labyrinth and carefully study the behavior of your enemies to overcome them. But don’t be afraid, in Chronos: Before the Ashes death is not the end but part of your heroe's journey.

The game is based on the VR-exclusive Chronos from Gunfire Games (Darksiders III, Remnant: From the Ashes), but has been overhauled and optimized to work on all platforms without the need for VR support.

@PC Gamer Chronos: Before the Ashes was announced last month by THQ Nordic and is set for a December 1st release.

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Chronos is an RPG from Gunfire Games that we liked quite a bit when it was released in 2016. "Gunfire Games knows how to imbue combat with weight and a sense of rhythm," we said in our 84/100 review. "The Chronos team previously worked on Darksiders and Darksiders 2, and like those games, Chronos requires that you master the basic techniques of attacking, dodging and parrying, or even simple enemies will take you down."

Unfortunately, it was released exclusively for the Oculus Rift VR headset, and so despite the positive critical response it didn't get a whole lot of attention from mainstream audiences. So now, THQ Nordic is taking another run at it with Chronos: Before the Ashes, revealed today and set to come out on December 1.

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