Hell is Us vs Cronos: The New Dawn

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: War-Torn Hadea (Fictional Country)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Unique Feature: A unique 'no hand-holding' design that completely removes the map, compass, and quest markers, forcing players to rely on instinct and observation to explore.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Post-Apocalyptic Future & 1980s Poland
• Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, macOS
• Unique Feature: A unique 'Merging' mechanic where enemies can absorb corpses to evolve mid-combat, combined with a time-travel narrative and environmental puzzles.

• Amine Prisms: Found in various locations and given by NPCs. These are key items required to close the 14 Timeloops scattered across Hadea.
• Notes and Clues: Scattered throughout the environment. These are essential for solving the game's many puzzles and progressing through the unguided world.

• Essences: Extracted from key 'targets' in the 1980s. These are the main story objective and provide gameplay perks, but also contribute to the Traveler's madness.
• Audio Logs and Text Files: Found throughout the environment. They are the primary source of environmental storytelling, piecing together the history of the world and 'The Change'.

• Supernatural Horror
• Exploration
• Civil War
• Mystery
• Psychological
• Action-Adventure
• Minimalist HUD
• Cosmic Horror

• Survival Horror
• Sci-Fi
• Time Travel
• Alternate History
• Psychological Horror
• Post-Apocalyptic
• Polish History (1980s)

• Melee Weapons: Varies (Swords, Spears, Axes, Greatswords, Polearms)
  The primary form of combat. Rémi wields a variety of melee weapons in a tactical, stamina-based system.
• KAPI Drone: Support
  Rémi's drone companion, which can be upgraded with different abilities to distract, stun, or damage enemies during combat.

• Morphing Handgun: Primary Firearm
  The Traveler's main weapon. It is a handgun that can be upgraded with different modules, such as a shotgun attachment, to alter its function.
• Melee Attack: Emergency Melee
  A slow, clunky punch and stomp finisher. Primarily used in emergencies or on downed enemies due to its high risk and low speed.
• Suit Flamethrower: Utility / Weapon
  A built-in flamethrower with severely limited fuel. Its primary purpose is to burn enemy corpses to prevent the 'Merging' mechanic, but it can also be used as a weapon.

• Rémi's Attire: The game does not appear to have a traditional armor system. Rémi's outfit is consistent throughout the game, with progression focused on weapon and drone upgrades rather than equippable armor.

• Traveler's Suit: A heavy, space-suit-like attire that can be upgraded to improve its integrity (health) and increase inventory space. As the Traveler collects Essences, the suit becomes haunted, leading to psychological effects.

• Cosmetic Packs: The Digital Deluxe Edition includes two exclusive cosmetic skin packs for Rémi and his drone, KAPI: The Hollow Walker Pack and The Phol Guard Pack. The pre-order bonus also includes the 'Military Pack' of cosmetics.

Progression is tied to exploration and combat. Players can upgrade a variety of melee weapons (swords, spears, axes) and the companion drone, KAPI, with different abilities. Weapon upgrades are uniquely tied to 'emotions' like grief or rage, which also manifest as elements in the world.

Progression is based on resource scarcity and crafting. Players use scavenged 'Energy' to upgrade the Traveler's health, suit, and weapons at workstations. A key element is the psychological impact of collecting 'Essences,' which haunts the Traveler's suit and can lead to a descent into madness, but also provides gameplay perks.

The game is not a traditional open world. It features meticulously crafted levels that intricately weave between future wastelands and the historically-based Nowa Huta district of 1980s Poland. The design uses a puzzle-like, non-linear structure with narrative branches and a time-loop mechanic.

• Rémi: Playable Protagonist
  A man who returns to his homeland of Hadea amidst a civil war and supernatural calamity to find his parents and uncover his origins.
• Hollow Walkers: Enemies
  Supernatural creatures that resemble ancient monuments and are immune to modern weapons. They are manifestations of human emotions and trauma.

• The Traveler: Playable Protagonist
  A woman with no clear past, tasked by a mysterious AI to travel back in time to 1980s Poland and 'salvage' the essences of the dead.
• The Collective: Key NPC / Antagonist?
  A creepy AI from a future society that administers cognitive tests and gives the Traveler her missions. Its true motives are unknown.
• The Orphans: Enemies
  The grotesque monstrosities that were once human, transformed by the catastrophic 'Change'. They come in various forms, including runners, rangers, and bruisers.

• Main Story Quests
  A mature, deep narrative following Rémi's quest to find his parents and uncover the secrets of the calamity. Progression is unguided and relies on player investigation.
• Good Deeds
  Optional, often time-sensitive side missions to help NPCs. These require players to remember conversations and connect disparate pieces of information without a quest log.
• Closing Timeloops
  A major recurring objective to find and destroy 14 Timeloops, which are ceaseless sources of enemies. This requires defeating their guardians and using a specific key item.

• Main Story Quests
  A non-linear, puzzle-like campaign that follows the Traveler's mission to salvage the 'Essences' of key individuals from 1980s Poland before they perish in 'The Change'. Player choices can lead to branching paths and multiple endings.
• Environmental Puzzles
  A recurring objective involving the use of the time rift mechanic to manipulate the environment, alongside classic survival horror puzzles like finding fuses or keycodes to progress.

The game is available in a Standard Edition ($49.99 PC / $59.99 Console) and a Digital Deluxe Edition ($69.99 PC / $79.99 Console). The Deluxe Edition includes 72 hours of early access, two exclusive cosmetic packs, an exclusive investigation, a digital artbook, and the original soundtrack.

The game is available in a Standard Edition ($59.99) and a Deluxe Edition ($69.99). The Deluxe Edition includes 48-hour early access, a starter pack of in-game resources and ammo, unique armor skins, a digital artbook, and the original soundtrack.

• Q: What is Hell is Us?
  A: Hell is Us is a single-player, third-person action-adventure with a unique 'no hand-holding' design. Set in a war-torn country beset by a supernatural calamity, players must rely on instinct and observation to explore and survive.
• Q: Is there a map or quest log?
  A: No. A core feature of the game is the complete absence of a map, compass, quest markers, or quest log, forcing players to navigate and solve puzzles using environmental clues and their own memory.
• Q: How does combat work?
  A: It is a tactical, stamina-based melee system. A unique 'Lymbic Pulse' mechanic rewards aggressive play, allowing players to regain health by dealing damage with precise timing.
• Q: Is it a 'Soulslike' game?
  A: While it shares some similarities, such as deliberate combat and a stamina bar, the developers describe it as a tactical hack-and-slash. Key differences include enemies not respawning within a level and the absence of a 'corpse run' to retrieve lost items upon death.

• Q: What is Cronos: The New Dawn?
  A: It is a third-person survival horror game from Bloober Team, the creators of The Medium and Layers of Fear. It blends tactical, resource-scarce combat with a time-travel narrative set between a post-apocalyptic future and 1980s Poland.
• Q: What is the 'Merging' mechanic?
  A: It's a unique system where if you don't burn the corpses of defeated enemies, other living enemies can absorb them to evolve into stronger, faster, and deadlier versions mid-combat.
• Q: Is it a 'walking simulator' like other Bloober Team games?
  A: No. This game marks a significant shift for the developer into a more action-driven, tactical survival horror experience with deep combat and resource management, inspired by games like Dead Space and Resident Evil.
• Q: How does time travel work in the game?
  A: Players can shoot 'time rifts' in the environment to rewind or reconstruct parts of a level. This is used to solve environmental puzzles, clear obstacles, and open new pathways.

• OFFICIAL AND EXTRAPOLATED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for Hell is Us. This information is based on the official PC specifications from developer Rogue Factor, adapted to the requested JSON structure. As a visually ambitious title built on Unreal Engine 5, the game is exceptionally demanding, with the developers noting that all performance targets are achieved with upscaling (Unreal's TSR) enabled. Laptop and future-generation GPU listings are extrapolated based on performance benchmarks.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop versions of the listed desktop GPUs require comparable performance. For a graphically intense Unreal Engine 5 game like Hell is Us, a laptop with a high-TGP (Total Graphics Power) GPU and an excellent cooling system is critical to avoid performance dips and maintain a stable framerate.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: A high TGP is essential. The game's reliance on UE5 features like Lumen means a low-power GPU variant will struggle significantly, especially at higher resolutions.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Unreal Engine 5 can heavily tax both the CPU and GPU. A robust cooling solution is necessary to prevent thermal throttling during long gameplay sessions and in visually complex areas.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A strong CPU with good power delivery is important for handling the game's physics, complex AI, and asset streaming without creating a bottleneck for the GPU.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended to minimize system latency. In an action-adventure game with precise combat, reducing input lag is key to a responsive experience.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: The game officially supports NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS, in addition to Unreal Engine's native TSR. The developer has stated that all official performance targets are based on using upscaling, making it essential for achieving playable framerates.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Performance will be most affected by settings related to Unreal Engine 5's features, particularly Global Illumination (Lumen), Shadows (Virtual Shadow Maps), Reflections, and Post-Processing. The game is known to be very GPU-bound.
• Game Name: Hell is Us

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. These specifications reflect the demands of the Unreal Engine 5 build.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will vary based on the specific model's cooling and TGP. The game's detailed environments and intense combat can be demanding, so a modern gaming laptop is advised.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain stable framerates.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and potential for sudden, intense combat encounters require a robust cooling system to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A strong mobile CPU is important for handling the complex AI and physics calculations without bottlenecks.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is beneficial for reducing input latency, which is helpful for the game's deliberate combat.
• Game Name: Cronos: The New Dawn

• Upscaling Tech: The game officially supports NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS, in addition to Unreal Engine's native TSR. The developer has stated that all official performance targets are based on using upscaling, making it essential for achieving playable framerates.
• Key Settings Impact: Performance will be most affected by settings related to Unreal Engine 5's features, particularly Global Illumination (Lumen), Shadows (Virtual Shadow Maps), Reflections, and Post-Processing. The game is known to be very GPU-bound.

• G P U T G P: A high TGP is essential. The game's reliance on UE5 features like Lumen means a low-power GPU variant will struggle significantly, especially at higher resolutions.
• Cooling Thermals: Unreal Engine 5 can heavily tax both the CPU and GPU. A robust cooling solution is necessary to prevent thermal throttling during long gameplay sessions and in visually complex areas.
• C P U Power Limits: A strong CPU with good power delivery is important for handling the game's physics, complex AI, and asset streaming without creating a bottleneck for the GPU.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended to minimize system latency. In an action-adventure game with precise combat, reducing input lag is key to a responsive experience.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain stable framerates.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and potential for sudden, intense combat encounters require a robust cooling system to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A strong mobile CPU is important for handling the complex AI and physics calculations without bottlenecks.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is beneficial for reducing input latency, which is helpful for the game's deliberate combat.