Chronos is an RPG from Gunfire Games released in 2016 that we liked a lot. In our 84/100 review we said, "Gunfire Games knows how to give weight and rhythm to combat." The Chronos team previously worked on "Darksiders" and "Darksiders 2," and like those games, Chronos requires players to master basic techniques such as attacking, dodging, and parrying."

Otherwise, even simple enemies will take you down.

Unfortunately, because it was released exclusively for the Oculus Rift VR headset, it didn't get much attention from mainstream audiences, despite the positive response from critics. So now THQ Nordic is trying again with Chronos: Before the Ashes, which was released today and will be available on December 1.

The original "Chronos" tells the story of a young adventurer exploring a mysterious labyrinth that opens only once a year, and every time the protagonist dies, he or she is kicked out of the dungeon and forced to wait for it to reopen to try again. Aging affects character growth: attributes such as strength and agility become more expensive to upgrade with age, while arcane abilities become cheaper, reflecting growth in experience and wisdom.

THQ Nordic announced today in an update (title only in the September 9 announcement) that "Chronos: Before the Ashes" will be "based" on the 2016 version and "overhauled to work on all platforms without VR support. and optimized." Promising brutal and unrelenting combat, the game will employ the same unique aging mechanic where players will begin the game "young, agile, and quick," but will come to rely on their wits and magic as the game progresses.

Players of another Gunfire game, Remnant: From the Ashes, will recognize the connection to Chronos: Before the Ashes. Chronos exists in the same world as Remnant (indeed, it is an action game in which players travel to other worlds through portals), and the end of the first Chronos takes place about a month before the beginning of Remnant. This is a clever connection that is not immediately apparent.

Chronos Before the Ashes will be released on December 1. Screenshots are below. More information at chronos.thqnordic.com.