How to Use the Flashlight in Cronos The New Dawn

By Daniel Hidalgo | 2025-09-04 10:11:15
In the tense, atmospheric world of survival horror, a flashlight is often a player's most vital tool against the oppressive darkness. Cronos: The New Dawn, the latest psychological thriller from Bloober Team, continues this tradition but with a unique and deliberate twist. Unlike most games where you control the light, the flashlight here operates on its own terms, deeply integrating with the game's cinematic horror vision.
If you're struggling to navigate the shadows or are frustrated by the lack of control, this comprehensive guide will illuminate everything you need to know about the flashlight system and how to optimize your visual settings.

How the Flashlight Works: An Automatic Beacon


Forget the familiar toggle button. In Cronos: The New Dawn, the flashlight is not a standard piece of equipment you manually activate. Instead, it functions as a narrative device, automatically switching on and off based on your location and the current scenario.
You will first acquire the flashlight organically during the early game mission, 'Find the Predecessor.' After using the Old Rusty Key on your first locked door along the critical path, the light will be added to your inventory without any fanfare, ready to activate when the game deems necessary.
This design choice may surprise players accustomed to full control, but it's intentional. By governing the light, the developers create a more curated and unpredictable horror experience. You are never truly safe or comfortable, as the environment—not the player—dictates your visibility. This builds incredible tension, as you must venture forward even when the light cuts out, trusting that it will reactivate when you need it most, such as in pitch-black corridors or when facing a new threat.

Optimizing Your Game: How to Make Cronos: The New Dawn Brighter


While the automatic flashlight is a core mechanic, you are not entirely at the mercy of the default visual settings. If you find the overall game environment is too dark for your display or personal preference, you can significantly improve visibility through the in-game menus.

Here’s how to brighten your experience:


  • Pause the game and navigate to Settings.
  • Select the Display tab.
  • Choose HDR Calibration.

  • Adjusting these sliders can make a world of difference. Based on testing, increasing the HDR Brightness and HDR UI Brightness values dramatically improves ambient visibility without breaking thegame's intended atmosphere. Here are recommended settings to use as astarting point:


    SettingRecommended Value
    HDR Max Luminance2000
    HDR Mid Luminance11
    HDR Min Luminance-19.80
    HDR Brightness1.91
    HDR UI Brightness399.90
    HDR UI Contrast1.50


    Experiment with these, particularly the HDR Brightness slider, to find a balancethat maintains the creepy ambiance while allowing you to see essentialenvironmental details clearly.

    Conclusion: Embracing the Darkness


    The flashlight in Cronos: The New Dawn is more than a tool—it's astoryteller. Its automatic nature is a bold design decision thatreinforces the game's themes of vulnerability and cinematic horror.While it requires a shift in player mindset, it ultimately creates amore intense and memorable experience. By combining an understanding ofthis mechanic with finely tuned display settings, you can step out ofthe light and into the terrifying heart of Bloober Team's latestnightmare, fully prepared for whatever lurks in the shadows.

    Platform(s): Microsoft Windows PC, PlayStation 5 PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
    Genre(s): Survival horror
    Developer(s): Bloober Team
    Publisher(s): Bloober Team
    Engine: Unreal Engine 5
    Mode: Single-player
    Video preview



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