Cronos: The New Dawn's Lazarus DLC has a new story trailer and is targeting a Q1 2027 release window for Nintendo's next handheld, Switch 2, with a slightly earlier rollout planned for other platforms.
The expansion is presented as a prequel to the base game, sending players into the origins of the Pathfinder before he became known as the Warden.
Background and context
Cronos: The New Dawn launched last year and has since attracted a player base interested in its blend of survival-horror action and space-set threats.
The newly released Lazarus trailer details a narrative that predates the events of the base game and places the Pathfinder in the early stages of his resistance against the Collective.
The trailer makes clear that this expansion shifts some focus from standard monster encounters to a persistent human-controlled threat: a Tracker assigned by the Collective to hunt the Pathfinder and prevent his rebellion from escalating.
Trailer highlights and gameplay features
The story trailer spotlights several gameplay additions that aim to diversify combat and stealth tactics.
Notable abilities shown include a short-range teleportation skill that enables rapid repositioning for stealth takedowns, summonable decoys to mislead pursuers, and new weaponry including the Gladius.
The expansion emphasizes faster, more aggressive combat that rewards tactical decision-making and mobility.
Key features (as presented in the trailer):
- Discover the Warden’s origins: Play the Pathfinder in the events that lead to his transformation into the Warden.
- Fight on your own terms: Combat in Lazarus leans into quicker, more tactical encounters.
- Master new abilities and weapons: Teleportation, decoys and the Gladius are core additions.
- Escape the Tracker: Survive the persistent pursuit of a new Collective agent.
- Uncover the Collective’s secrets: The DLC promises story beats that illuminate darker aspects of the Cronos universe.
Critical context
Our earlier review acknowledged the base game's strengths while noting its safe approach to the genre.
In journalistic terms, the review characterized the original release as a polished celebration of survival-horror influences that effectively honors genre classics but stops short of delivering deeply original mechanics.
Release timing and platforms
Although a December date appears in the new trailer footage, the developer and publisher indicate that Switch 2 will receive the Lazarus DLC slightly later than other platforms, with the expansion currently targeting a Q1 2027 release window on Switch 2.
Additional platform-specific release timing has not been detailed in the trailer.
The Lazarus story trailer offers a clearer picture of how the DLC intends to expand Cronos: The New Dawn’s combat and narrative scope.
With a prequel focus, new stealth and mobility tools, and the looming threat of the Tracker, the expansion sets out to deepen the base game's lore and gameplay ahead of its Switch 2 launch window in early 2027.
The expansion is presented as a prequel to the base game, sending players into the origins of the Pathfinder before he became known as the Warden.
Background and context
Cronos: The New Dawn launched last year and has since attracted a player base interested in its blend of survival-horror action and space-set threats.
The newly released Lazarus trailer details a narrative that predates the events of the base game and places the Pathfinder in the early stages of his resistance against the Collective.
The trailer makes clear that this expansion shifts some focus from standard monster encounters to a persistent human-controlled threat: a Tracker assigned by the Collective to hunt the Pathfinder and prevent his rebellion from escalating.
Trailer highlights and gameplay features
The story trailer spotlights several gameplay additions that aim to diversify combat and stealth tactics.
Notable abilities shown include a short-range teleportation skill that enables rapid repositioning for stealth takedowns, summonable decoys to mislead pursuers, and new weaponry including the Gladius.
The expansion emphasizes faster, more aggressive combat that rewards tactical decision-making and mobility.
Key features (as presented in the trailer):
- Discover the Warden’s origins: Play the Pathfinder in the events that lead to his transformation into the Warden.
- Fight on your own terms: Combat in Lazarus leans into quicker, more tactical encounters.
- Master new abilities and weapons: Teleportation, decoys and the Gladius are core additions.
- Escape the Tracker: Survive the persistent pursuit of a new Collective agent.
- Uncover the Collective’s secrets: The DLC promises story beats that illuminate darker aspects of the Cronos universe.
Critical context
Our earlier review acknowledged the base game's strengths while noting its safe approach to the genre.
In journalistic terms, the review characterized the original release as a polished celebration of survival-horror influences that effectively honors genre classics but stops short of delivering deeply original mechanics.
Release timing and platforms
Although a December date appears in the new trailer footage, the developer and publisher indicate that Switch 2 will receive the Lazarus DLC slightly later than other platforms, with the expansion currently targeting a Q1 2027 release window on Switch 2.
Additional platform-specific release timing has not been detailed in the trailer.
The Lazarus story trailer offers a clearer picture of how the DLC intends to expand Cronos: The New Dawn’s combat and narrative scope.
With a prequel focus, new stealth and mobility tools, and the looming threat of the Tracker, the expansion sets out to deepen the base game's lore and gameplay ahead of its Switch 2 launch window in early 2027.
