Chronos: Before the Ashes is a perfectly successful mashup between the atmospheres of western RPGs like the first Fable or a The Legend of Zelda and the difficulty that only a soulslike like this one can offer.
It serves as a prequel for Remnant: from the Ashes and remastered of Chronos, a title available only for Oculus Rift developed by them Gunfire Games di Darksiders III.
The time is the cornerstone of this adventure and with it the advancement ofage of the protagonist: will your years be just a number or will you let yourself be crushed by the passing of the hourglass?
A journey through time
After choosing whether to start our adventure as a man or a woman, we will be catapulted into what looks like a esoteric meeting place with a shaman who, between a Chinese shadow and the other, explains a little about our destiny and our future tasks (nothing strange, right?).
As can be expected in a soulslike video game, we will understand very little of the plot immediately, and our adventure will begin on the shore of a beach.
Soon the sand will be replaced by metal, giving us a silent welcome in what has every air of being one military base in ruins.
The thing that immediately catches the eye is the almost disturbing difference between our clothes, much more like those of Link than those of a military man, with the surrounding metallic and dilapidated. The beginning is a bit uncertain but soon gives way to the possibility of traveling to different worlds and realities: all are threatened by a Dragon (in the defined game "The Dragon") and only we seem the only living souls willing to counter it. To understand a little better what is happening we will find excerpts of the plot in books scattered along the various explorable areas. Despite the initial confusion, thanks to the help of some NPCs, we will be able to connect the dots and follow the plot.
On the final there will be a interesting implication which will make the plot of the title, so far nebulous, clear and compelling.
Between wood and metal
The strong part of this title is certainly the graphics and the care taken in its realization. Each of the 4 explorable worlds presents distinctive features and styles. The monsters, from level to level, have a very specific lore and storyline, which is deepened by the game through the use of textbooks, scattered around the game areas as if they were collectibles.
We have already talked about time and age: these certainly have an impact on the gameplay but also on a graphic level this mechanic is managed flawlessly: we will notice a gradual aging, imperceptible in some cases, nothing sudden or decidedly fake.
Watchwords: parry, dodge and shortcut
If these words tell you something it is because this soulslike it really has many points in common with the "dads" with whom it shares the category. The game design of the title is well done, inspired by the putative fathers of the genre and functional on several occasions, the level design is also very interesting, which always delights us through the presence of shortcuts to move from level to level. The latter are navigable in comfort even without a real map, a very welcome factor for the genre of third-person action.
The powers that we could use to deal with the various monsters (and their move patterns, really tough at times!) Are well managed and classic for an RPG.
Many are also integrated into the game puzzles. These are part of the plot and will be used to advance in the game: they are therefore not an optional part but real pieces necessary to continue. The degrees of difficulty offered are varied and range from simple combinations of objects to the resolution of entire mazes: a great challenge for logic and ingenuity!
Precisely with regard to this, the game has three possible difficulty levels: the first level, the "casual”, will allow even less experienced players to Souls to enjoy this adventure and its storyline.
The boss fight e il level advancement system rfrom many points of view remind those of Dark Souls, with their strengths and weaknesses.
The real peculiarity is in the system age: in this game, our death will pass well a year before we can return to our adventure. In this time our protagonist will have aged, the monsters will have respawned (cursed ...) and everything will have returned as if we had not faced the level (subject to material progress, those are maintained).
As the years progress, our character will be more able to learn magic skills, at the expense of points in speed or strength. To die, as in every Souls self-respecting, it's really easy, but perhaps in this title there is a very useful resource hidden in death!
A little epic
Our journey will run for a time of about 10 hours, giving us dream scenarios perfectly matched with suggestive music. The care for each setting can be seen from the simple decorations in each scenario, through the characterization of the enemies and their appearance.
Le video parts, made in the same graphics as the game, are well integrated with those of active gameplay. Each environment is characterized by its own color palette and by a skilful use of light, so the dark green of the forest will be counterbalanced by the dazzling light and the monolithic black of the suspended ruins. The game camera follows the protagonist in a fluid way and there are very few occasions when the view creates blind spots and consequent difficulties in the fight. Note of merit to audio compartment, with a soundtrack that varies from the epic notes during the boss fights, to the more relaxed ones dedicated to exploration.
Conclusion
Chronos: Before the Ashes it is a title that offers a great challenge. Unlike a Souls, the atmospheres are more colorful. Too bad for the story, promising but not developed to its full potential. The title absolutely deserves to be played, especially to appreciate the work of game design excelled. You just have to take up your sword, or your ax if you prefer, and immerse yourself in this adventure to discover time and yourself.
