Chronos: Before the Ashes

Chronos: Before the Ashes is not a groundbreaking twist on the formula of souls-likes, but delivers a rock-solid package of gameplay and rarely gets frustrating. The only real issues are the almost non-existent story-telling and the missing map makes backtracking a little tedious.

The varied, but technically tame action-adventure appeals to Souls-like beginners. It also offers a refreshing ageing system and puzzles.

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.

A great example of how to craft a new game from an existing idea.

This title is a really strange one. Its small scale and simplistic nature betray just how much it has going on when you get down to it. Whilst it could be improved in many ways and the aging thing needed to be explored more deeply, I actually really enjoyed my time with it. It’s a great game with just a couple of things holding it back and I think that says a lot for something that was made just for VR, although I expect there’s a story behind that. It very clearly does not need VR to function and is nothing like any other game in that category.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is a Soulsborne title in which your character becomes older each time you die. With well-timed dodges being an important aspect of the gameplay, hit-and-evade style gameplay makes this an experience that is just as exhilarating as it is nerve-wracking. The balance between battles and puzzles is struck well, but while the idea of aging with every death is an interesting concept, it doesn’t work well, as the ways you can level up become more limited the older you become. Furthermore, the idea doesn’t connect to the story either, making it feel like a wasted opportunity.

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 more casual take on the Souls-like formula. It has the weighty action and focus on learning enemy patterns to punish, but at eight hours to beat it’s relatively short and is lacking depth in many of its systems. At $30 and with an easier learning curve this is a good starter for anyone who hasn’t played this style of game, but veteran players may find the experience underwhelming. That said, I still had fun, and if you’re a fan of Remnant: From the Ashes you’ll likely appreciate this look into how everything began.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is a good action role-playing game, its proposal to gain age with each death is interesting, although it could have been explored in greater depth. Despite this, the adventure places the player on the razor's edge in each combat and knows how to accompany his exploration of good and original puzzles that are perfectly integrated into his design. Unfortunately, the game loses consistency during combats where its virtual origins may have ended up being too great a burden to get rid of. All in all, this is a recommended game for those who love souls challenges looking for a somewhat different experience.

Removing the VR "gimmick" that made the original Chronos release noteworthy back in 2016, results in an adequately fun Action-RPG that doesn't really stand out when compared to either Gunfire's Remnant: From the Ashes or to other Souls-like games currently available out there.

Chronos: Before the Ashes isn't bad and isn't good either, it's somewhere in between where you don't have a reason not to play it, but you don't have a reason to play it either.

Chronos: Before the Ashes entails stalking through ancient corridors in alien worlds, and an innovative death mechanic, to boot. There are puzzles a-plenty, and boss fights, just as one would expect from an adventure like this. Nevertheless, Gunfire Games’ latest offering is an action RPG that forgets to deliver on the fun.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is an interesting enough title, one that does feature some interesting environments that really support a strong level of world-building. Even those not familiar with Remnant would find this interesting. However, looking beyond the environment and storytelling, you're going to find aspects of the game lacking. The combat is far too forgiving, and you'll have completed the game before encountering most of the perks to the fascinating ageing system. Do I recommend this? For an easy-going souls-lite title, it's not bad, but it isn't great either.

The denouement is especially drab, and after six to eight of hours fairly linear exploration, you’ll have seen nearly everything on offer. There’s definitely fertile ground here for further developments, but currently, it’s strangled by a lack of scope and ambition.

Far from the most complex, in-depth or even immersive game it may be, Chronos: Before the Ashes‘ straightforward, if a little dry, non-VR trip does avoid overstaying its brief, pleasant-enough welcome.

But if you don't own a PS5 and wouldn't mind staring at those bright red World Stones from Remnant again, then Chronos: Before The Ashes might make for a decent distraction. Especially since completing this lifelong journey may not take you all that long.

Α classic for Ocullus, is a lackluster for traditional gaming. It’s a wannabe soulsborne action-RPG, with a clever idea of levelling up through the aging of the character, that covers some basic points, but never reaches the depth and the quality of the games it borrows it’s basic premise. The combat can be both fun and clunky and its starting price point is outrageous.