Chronos: Before The Ashes Reviews
It has been mentioned on this site that soulslike games come a dime a dozen nowadays. Every developer wants to capitalize on the success of the genre by creating their own take on the intense and extremely difficult style of role-playing game. Chronos: Before the Ashes is yet another one of those soulslike games, but with a developer like Gunfire Games (responsible for some of the Darksiders entries) and a publisher like THQ Nordic, Chronos comes packed with a lot of promise to be something spectacular.
Chronos: Before the Ashes is a calming, serene, yet challenging game that is perfect for gamers who want to try skill-based combat but aren’t ready for classic entries to the genre, like the Souls games. It’s connections to Remnant: From the Ashes are abundant enough to make fans of the game see them with glee, but not so important to make it a necessity. The level design and art style is simple yet beautiful, and the controls are satisfying and tight.
It may not have as much depth, and be more melee-focused, but you’re bound to get a kick out of visiting the origins of the series.
Chronos: Before the Ashes is a fine action RPG game that provided me around a dozen hours of fun. I thought the aging when you die mechanic was an interesting concept that worked well but also could have you feeling like you missed out on certain upgrades if you didn’t die enough. It also has a few issues with the camera and while it borrows a lot of things from the ‘souls’ games it never felt anywhere near as challenging as them. Anyone who enjoys solid combat, good dungeon and puzzle design, and who may want more lore from the Remnant universe will likely enjoy their time in the Labyrinth.
Although this pays homage to industry legends like Dark Souls, as well as The Legend of Zelda series, don't come in Chronos: Before the Ashes looking a worthy successor to these - not even a game that plays like Remnant: From the Ashes, which is actually its sequel. Those who try it out with such expectations will be severely disappointed, especially if in need for something with 100+ hour replay value. You are advised to judge it by its own merits, and discover what is actually a great, immersive ARPG, with simple, yet very good combat, visuals, atmosphere, and story.
All-in-all, Chronos: Before the Ashes is great. It had a decent combat mechanic, the puzzles are entertaining, the age mechanic is interesting, and the level design is phenomenal. It’s not the perfect souls-like title, but it’s one of the more decent ones you can play.
The four-year VR exclusivity period only made Chronos: Before the Ashes a better game. It might not be 2020’s top dungeon crawler, but it shows how much Gunfire Games grew in the last gen from Chronos until Remnants:From the Ashes. A very fun romp.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Chronos: Before the Ashes is a minimalist, imperfect title with a basic spartan aesthetic and a slow pace. Despite this, it is able to give back a vivid sense of discovery and each new ravine or weapon, or power gives us another reason not to detach ourselves from it. The same scenic installation, initially disappointing, fits perfectly with the world hovering between enchantment and technology. A longevity not exactly excellent for the genre and the budget nature that emerges in almost every context of the production, the wings of Gunfire Games, which makes flight worthy of note, but does not go too far.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Chronos: Before the Ashes' biggest issues are some questionable story decisions, and even those aren't wholly damning.
A modest souls-like that doesn't excel at anything you've seen before in this kind of game, but with some unique ideas that work really well within the formula.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Chronos: Before the Ashes is an enjoyable Soulslike that doesn't feel as unforgiving as most other games in the genre
Add to this a genuinely unique aging mechanic and Chronos: Before the Ashes manages to stand out from the crowd in a genre that seems bent on enraging its player base. While I wish the Switch version, particularly handheld mode, was more robust, I still greatly enjoyed my time with it. There is a very satisfying adventure here, but on Switch you may need to dig a little deeper to find it.
Chronos: Before the Ashes is a pretty traditional Action RPG Soulslike game with adventure flavor that manages to present the player with a pretty normal and standard experience in the genre. It features exciting mechanics like the age system, but it isn't woven coherently in the game structure. Chronos: Before the Ashes can be an enjoyable game for Soulslike fans, but it doesn't offer anything significantly different or better than other Souls clones.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Chronos: Before the Ashes is a solid action-adventure that doesn’t overstay its welcome or try to be something that it isn’t. If you’ve played the VR original, you’ll find quality-of-life improves, but this is still the same challenging adventure that you’ll remember. The gameplay is tight, responsive, and consistently fun; there’s nothing more I could really ask for from an action-adventure game.
Where Chronos: Before the Ashes goes wrong is in comparison to Remnant: From the Ashes. As a prequel, this comparison can’t be helped. The reduction in action, lack of complicated boss fights, and the removal of guns are a step-down. But alone, it’s a good game. The puzzles are fun, and the story is interesting, especially when used as a foundation for the events of Remnant.
The only part it disappoints in - is the story itself, which is short, almost forgettable, all-the-while, somehow enjoyable once you really dig beneath the surface and begin connecting the dots together in the universe that THQ Nordic has built.
A great example of how to craft a new game from an existing idea.
Even without the original's VR elements, Chronos: Before the Ashes' compelling and somewhat challenging combat is still its main draw, in which you have to attack, dodge and parry your way, with refined precision, towards victory. Its aging system also adds an interesting twist to combat, imbuing your battles with a sense of prudence. That said, it doesn't offer anything new to the genre. Just watch out for its clumsy camera angles and you'll do fine.
Chronos: Before the Ashes is a tough game to recommend to Remnant fans due to its comparatively flawed combat system and less amount of content overall. Nevertheless, I still believe that while the game does not live up to its full potential, it still has just enough charm to be worth at least a try for hardcore fans of the action-RPG genre.
Chronos: Before The Ashes brings to the Souls formula some interesting ideas that, if further explored, could expand on a beloved formula quite nicely. However, in its present form, these ideas contradict themselves, creating more of a red herring than a legitimate risk-reward system. Regardless, the game is fun to play, but the narrative and initially appealing age mechanic don't reach the end of the game with the same intensity.