A lifetime of death

Gunfire Games has been on a roll lately. Remnant: From the Ashes was a nice spin on the Souls genre that even piqued my interest not being a fan of the style. With their latest release they are taking a once VR-exclusive game, and bringing it to consoles. Chronos: Before the Ashes is a prequel to Remnant as well as being yet another take on the Souls formula. Instead of losing items upon death, players will instead age and become wiser, but slower each time they perish. This is a unique spin that makes this game more interesting on the surface.

Coming from VR the game has seen plenty of changes. The most notable is a move from first to third person. This gives it a more console-style feel. I never had a chance to check out the VR version, but I can see its roots in the game. From the simplistic design to the moment-to-moment game play it feels like a game that started out as something else. This doesn’t hinder it though. I actually appreciated the design as it made navigation through the world clearer. I wasn’t lost every other second like I usually am in other games of this type.

MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $29.99

As mentioned this is a prequel to Remnant. Players get to pick their character’s gender and a few other tidbits, but customization is light. This is a story based around one character who has to navigate their way through a labyrinth in order to destroy the Root. It is literally their entire life as well. The concept behind playing a character from start to finish might not be unique, but it works.

The way it works is every death ages the character one year. The normal XP applies here as I was adding to my strength and stamina, but then the game tosses in another wrinkle. Every tenth death, or decade, I got to choose one permanent perk to add to my character. The game offers up three options and they range through the normal updates to things like HP or defense. I loved this dynamic of character progression. In my early years I was focused on things that made me stronger or faster, but as I aged it was smarter to take buffs and upgrades that would improve my wisdom. I loved the idea even if I was constantly starting over. It was a unique take on the improving with age mentality.

Combat feels pretty much what I expected. It attempts to mirror the Souls style with a light and heavy attack, a guard, and of course a parry. The timing of the parry never set right with me. I had issues getting the timing down even after hours of play. This is not as big of a deal since the game is a lot more forgiving than normal Souls games. Also not losing anything upon death is a huge boon. This is what really detracts me from the genre. The combat feels good and I had little issue taking down foes and even when I died I didn’t get discouraged, which is a good sign for these types of games. So if you are like me and want to enjoy games in this genre, but get frustrated, this might be the one for you.

In addition to combat there are a host of puzzle solving areas as well. The game is not just combat encounter to combat encounter. These range from simple mechanics to more complex Resident Evil style head scratchers. I actually enjoyed the down time from combat. I may use the term Soulslike throughout this review, but this game is far from those dark and grim tales. It offers up a more manageable challenge with a lighter look. I enjoyed that. I never felt overwhelmed or frustrated while playing it, and getting some backstory on the unique Remnant was an added bonus.

I played the game on Xbox Series X and it defaults to 30fps. It holds it for the most part, but there are some dips here and there that cause issues. I would love to see this game optimized for these new consoles, but am not sure how it would affect the combat mechanics. The simplified look is inviting. While not as dark and grim as others in the genre really works for this title. It feels more like a fantasy game than some twisted tale.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is a solid game for people like me who struggle with the genre. It is not as punishing and the death mechanic is unique and interesting. It kept me going throughout the campaign and I was able to tie some of the lore from Remnant up. I suggest checking this one out if you want to take a baby step into the genre. This game is much more accessible to those that struggle, but want to experience what everyone seems to be talking about. I am stoked to see what Gunfire Games comes up with next.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Clear level design
  • Interesting death mechanic
  • Simplistic aesthetic
Bad
  • Not as deep as some may want
7
Good
Written by
Ken is the Editor-in-Chief of this hole in the wall and he loves to troll for the fun of it. He also enjoys long walks through Arkham Asylum and the cool air of Shadow Moses Island. His turn-ons include Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear Solid and StarCraft.