Shadows: Awakening - The Chromaton Chronicles is an action RPG that expands the base game with new content centered on the abandoned Arcanum Laboratory at the northern edge of Thole. Players control a demon who commands multiple puppets, each representing consumed souls, and navigate a world shaped by failed magical experiments involving the energy known as Chromaton.
Gameplay
The core loop revolves around real-time tactical combat where the player switches between different puppets to exploit enemy weaknesses and environmental factors. Each puppet brings distinct abilities that influence both fighting and puzzle resolution. Exploration takes players through the Arcanum Laboratory, where they solve mechanical and magical puzzles, gather information on past experiments, and complete quests tied to the remnants of Tholean mage work.
A standout addition is the Chromaton Golem, a new puppet assembled by collecting pieces of the Chromaton Heart. This metallic companion delivers powerful area attacks and benefits from the living metal theme, allowing it to interact with the environment in ways that differ from organic puppets. Combat emphasizes positioning and ability timing rather than button mashing, while puzzles often require combining puppet skills with laboratory machinery and shadow mechanics.
Game Modes
The experience is strictly single-player. There are no multiplayer components or competitive elements. Players progress through a linear story structure that incorporates side quests and optional exploration within the laboratory setting. Progress can begin from a fresh start to focus on the new golem or continue from an existing save to integrate the Chromaton Golem into an established party of puppets.
The Arcanum Laboratory
This new area serves as the central hub for the added content. It features multiple floors filled with traps, research notes, and spectral remnants of the mages who conducted the Chromaton experiments. Players uncover the risks of combining the energy with living flesh through dialogue, environmental storytelling, and direct encounters. The laboratory design encourages repeated visits to fully map connections between rooms and unlock all available intel.
Is It Worth Playing?
Player reception for the base game stands at mostly positive based on thousands of reviews, with the DLC itself receiving positive feedback from its smaller review pool. The expansion suits those who enjoy action RPGs that blend combat switching with puzzle elements and narrative discovery. It provides meaningful new content for existing players through the golem addition and laboratory setting, while the option to start fresh makes it accessible as an entry point for newcomers interested in the puppet system. The title remains available on PC with no ongoing seasonal updates or live-service elements since its 2018 release. Those seeking a focused single-player campaign with tactical depth and light puzzle integration will find the most value here.
