Getting all the Cronos The New Dawn achievements is a journey, but this guide will make it a painless one. To hit 100%, you absolutely need to complete the game twice, as some trophies are locked behind a Hard Mode and New Game+ playthrough. This roadmap is built to be efficient, guiding you through a first run focused on grabbing every single collectible and a second run to clean up the rest. We’ll cover every missable item, critical story choice, and combat trophy so you don’t have to worry about a third trip into this nightmare.
Before we dive in, here’s the quick and dirty master plan for your platinum trophy hunt.
| Roadmap Step | Focus | Key Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Playthrough 1 (Normal Difficulty) | The Collector’s Run | Find all collectibles (cats, comics, weapons, Essences). Fully upgrade your suit and all weapons. Spare the Pathfinder at the end. |
| Playthrough 2 (Hard + NG+) | The Cleanup Crew | Complete the game on Hard Mode. Make the opposite story choices (shoot the Pathfinder, skip optional Essences) and get the secret NG+ ending. |
| Critical Rule | Points of No Return | This game is linear. Once you leave a major area, you can never go back. Explore every corner before moving on or you’ll miss collectibles permanently. |
Before you start your hunt, it’s crucial to master the game’s core mechanics. If you’re new to the brutal world of Nova Huta or just want a refresher on combat and survival, check out these essential Cronos: The New Dawn Tips and Tricks to make your journey smoother.
What is in our Cronos The New Dawn achievements
The Two Playthrough Master Plan
You might be wondering, “Why two playthroughs?” Simple. The game is designed that way. Certain achievements are literally impossible to get on your first run.
You’ve got trophies for beating the game on Hard Mode (Shell Not Compromised) and New Game+ (You Never Give Up), which are only available after you finish the story once. On top of that, there’s a secret ending (Free From All The Scars) exclusive to NG+. Finally, you have to make conflicting story choices that lock you out of other achievements, so a second run is mandatory to see and do everything.
Playthrough 1: The Collector’s Run
Your first journey is all about being a loot goblin. Your goal is to explore every single nook and cranny to get all missable collectibles and upgrades. Follow a step by step walkthrough if you need to, because if you miss one cat, you’re out of luck until the next run.
Your Collection Checklist
This is your main focus for the first run. By thoroughly exploring, you’ll naturally knock out the biggest and most time consuming achievements. You’re hunting for everything needed for The Catfinder (all 10 cats), Unadulterated Joy (all 10 comics), and The Boon Of The Relics (all 7 weapons). While you’re at it, be sure to grab all 27 Travelogs and 5 optional Fallen Traveler Essences to secure The Archivist and The Preserver.
This run requires meticulous exploration. While this guide tells you what to collect, you may need a more detailed, step by step guide for the exact locations. For a moment to moment guide through the story, use this complete Walkthrough.
Upgrades and Key Decisions
While you’re grabbing loot, make sure you’re spending it, too. You should have more than enough resources from your thorough searching to fully upgrade your suit for the Forged In Fire achievement and all 7 weapons for The Praetorian.
Finally, at the very end of the game, you’ll be faced with a choice regarding the Pathfinder. For this run, spare the Pathfinder’s life to unlock the A Flicker Of Hope achievement.
Playthrough 2: The Cleanup Crew
This run will be much faster. You already know the layouts and puzzles, so you can sprint through the story. Ignore all the collectibles you found last time and focus solely on the remaining achievements.
Finishing the Fight on Hard Mode
Start a New Game+ file on Hard difficulty. This will let you tackle three major achievements at once. Your upgraded gear from the first run will help, but Hard Mode is still no joke. Your primary goals here are to beat the game on this difficulty for Shell Not Compromised and to finish the NG+ mode itself for You Never Give Up. On top of that, completing specific objectives will unlock the secret ending and the Free From All The Scars achievement.
Making Different Choices
Now’s your chance to do things differently and unlock the achievements tied to the opposite choices from your first run.
At the end of the game, when faced with the same decision, shoot the Pathfinder this time to earn I Am Free.
Most importantly, for the The Orthodox achievement, you must finish the game without collecting any of the 5 optional Fallen Traveler Essences. Only use the ones the story forces on you. This makes the run a bit spicier, as you won’t have those extra buffs to help you on Hard Mode.
Combat Trophies and Other Missables
These can be done on either playthrough but are often easier on your first run when you’re exploring more and encountering more enemies.
Efficiency Discipline
For this, you need to kill two enemies with a single Sword projectile. The charged shot pierces targets, so just wait for two enemies to line up in a tight hallway. It’s the most satisfying two for one deal since happy hour.
The Anvil Of The Collective
This requires you to defeat four enemies with a single Hammer (shotgun) shot. Find a nice, cozy group of weak enemies, get uncomfortably close, and let ’em have it.
Fire. Spreading.
To get this one, set five enemies on fire with a single burst from your Torch. Again, find a pack of enemies, herd them together like angry sheep, and then light them up.
To Pave The Path
This is a simple crafting achievement. Just fabricate (craft) all 8 unique item types at a workbench as you unlock the recipes to get it.
The rest of the achievements are story related and can’t be missed. Follow this roadmap, and that platinum trophy (or 100%) is as good as yours.
Cronos The New Dawn Official Website
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