When Bloober Team released Cronos: The New Dawn, it was praised as an atmospheric, tense survival horror game with shades of Resident Evil and Dead Space. But alongside the positive feedback, a recurring criticism popped up. Many players argued that the lack of a dodge or sidestep mechanic held the game back. Some even said it would have been a much better experience if they could roll out of danger.
Just take this one person’s frustration due to the lack of a dodge ability in that game. Obviously, I removed the person’s name so people don’t go trolling them, but you see what I mean.
Still, seeing this mentioned got me thinking about the dodge mechanic altogether. Specifically, have gamers become too reliant on dodging as a quick way to get out of danger, even when it doesn’t need to be used?
The Dodge as a Modern Comfort
Dodging — and to a similar effect, sidestepping — has become second nature to a lot of players, especially those who grew up on action RPGs, action-adventure games, and Soulslikes. Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and so many other games taught us that quick rolls and sidesteps are survival tools. Over time, this idea spread into other genres until players began expecting it in almost every third-person game with combat. And yes, we’ve even seen dodging and sidestepping in fighting games. In fact, one specific fighter, The King of Fighters ’94, had a dodge mechanic before anyone had even uttered the word “Soulslike.”
It’s easy to see why so many people want this added to games that are supposed to make us panic. Dodging gives you a burst of safety, a satisfying escape, and a sense of control when things look bad. It empowers the player. But does it always fit? More than that, does it even belong in a horror game? Survival horror thrives on tension, vulnerability, and resource management — not twitch reflexes. These games are about planning, making tough choices, and dealing with limited tools. When a monster corners you, the point is to panic, make a desperate decision, and feel the weight of your mistakes, whether you survive or end up cursing as you hover over the “Load Game” option.
A dodge button would undercut that design. It can turn fear into action and survival horror into an action-horror hybrid. Cronos: The New Dawn embraces slower, more deliberate gameplay. You are supposed to use your wits, not rely on a dodge roll and the invincibility frames it offers to stay alive — or at least try to.
It’s not surprising that players want dodges everywhere. In recent years, dodge mechanics have spread across almost every genre: action adventures, RPGs, even shooters. Dodging has become a kind of design shortcut for fairness in combat. The problem is that this creates the expectation that every game needs it. When a title leaves it out, some players immediately see it as a flaw. I’ll admit, I’ve sometimes wondered if a game might have benefited from a sidestep, but I still hold fast that adding one would break the experience.
The irony is that this mindset waters down what makes certain genres stand out. Not every fight should feel like a Soulslike encounter, and honestly, I’m beyond tired of people making the comparison. Not every encounter should be escapable through reflex alone. I’m sure I’m not the only one who would lose it if Capcom added a dodge to Resident Evil Requiem or if any other developer shoved it into a survival horror game.
Cronos: The New Dawn proves that survival horror doesn’t need a dodge mechanic to succeed. By forcing players to rely on their wits instead of reflexes, it keeps the tension high. Maybe it’s time we stop expecting dodges in every game. Sometimes the scariest moment is realizing you have nowhere to run.
Now, that inventory system frustration, where I have to spend currency or in Cronos: The New Dawn’s case, precious cores that I could be using to upgrade my suit, that’s a whole other story.
