Cronos: The New Dawn - DF Review - PS5/PS5 Pro/Xbox Series X|S Console Face-Off

Kronos: The New Dawn - A Technical Overview

Introduction to Kronos

• Developer Blubber Team is recognized for its horror games, with "Kronos: The New Dawn" being their latest release.

• The game combines elements from "Dead Space," the atmosphere of "Alan Wake," and unique creature designs reminiscent of H.R. Giger.

Console Support and Performance

• Currently, there is no PS5 Pro support for "Kronos," as indicated by the absence of enhancements on the PlayStation Store.

• While running on a more powerful system like PS5 Pro offers better performance, it lacks additional visual features such as PSSR upscaler support.

Technical Fundamentals

• The game utilizes Unreal Engine 5, similar to many contemporary titles, featuring a split between 60 FPS performance mode and 30 FPS quality mode across consoles.

• On PS5, texture quality and other settings remain consistent across modes; however, Vtric settings drop in performance mode affecting ray tracing visuals.

Resolution Comparisons Across Consoles

• In terms of resolution during gameplay:

• Series X achieves 1080p,

• Base PS5 records at 1026p,

• PS5 Pro leads with a resolution of 1242p.

Dynamic Resolution Scaling Insights

• All three consoles exhibit similar rendering loads which makes them ideal for demonstrating dynamic resolution scaling to maintain frame rates.

• During taxing moments (e.g., cutscenes), lower resolutions are observed:

• Base PS5 and Series X drop to 864p,

• PS5 Pro maintains slightly higher at 900p.

Quality Mode Performance Metrics

• In quality mode during specific scenes:

• Series X hits around 1080p,

• Base PS5 reaches approximately 864p,

• PS5 Pro again takes the lead at about 1152p.

Series S Limitations

• Series S struggles with lower resolutions (720p in some instances), impacting overall visual fidelity compared to premium machines.

Performance Analysis of Kronos: The New Dawn on Consoles

Overview of Game Performance

• The game maintains a solid 30 fps across all consoles, including Series S, despite visual compromises such as lower textures and shadows.

• Bloober Team has optimized the game well for 30 fps cutscenes, which serve as a significant stress test for performance metrics.

• While a 60 fps mode is not available, the consistent 30 fps performance provides a satisfactory experience despite some drawbacks.

Console-Specific Performance Insights

• PS5 Pro shows the best attempt at achieving 60 fps during gameplay; however, initial cutscenes are not fully representative of overall performance.

• In terms of frame rates, PS5 Pro leads with up to a 10 fps advantage over base PS5. Series X typically falls in between these two readings.

• Base PS5 experiences significant frame drops into the 40s during intense moments like enemy encounters or environmental destruction.

Frame Rate Variability and Issues

• Despite being generally stable at 60 fps, base PS5 suffers from notable drops during blood splatter effects or fire interactions.

• PS5 Pro improves upon base performance but still faces occasional dips into mid-50s during transitions and heavy action scenes.

• Xbox Series X performs better than base PS5 with fewer frame drops, maintaining closer to 60 fps in most scenarios.

Conclusion on Console Experience