Running into chained doors in Cronos: The New Dawn and wondering how to open them? To break through these barriers, you’ll need to track down the bolt cutters—but getting them isn’t as simple as just picking them up. Here’s a step-by-step guide to finding the bolt cutters and making the most of them.
Where to Find the Bolt Cutters in Cronos: The New Dawn
As you head toward the apartment building for your first extraction, you’ll pass through a hardware store. This is where the bolt cutters are located. However, the door you need is locked, and you’ll have to find a key first.
Where to find the Hardware Store Key
Progress through the main story until you reach the apartment building. Climb the stairs all the way to the top floor. In the very last accessible room, you’ll find the key to unlock the hardware store.
Before heading back, make sure to stock up on ammo, repair kits, and supplies. You’re about to face one of your first big challenges, and being underprepared will make it a lot tougher.
Unlocking the Hardware Store
Once you have the key, return to the hardware store and open the locked door. In the back, you’ll spot a small window into the supervisor’s office. The doorway here is blocked by a flammable nest and surrounded by fire barrels.
Shoot a barrel to clear the blockage, but be ready—this will trigger your first encounter with a big Orphan. The fight is tight and intimidating, but you can survive by staying calm, looping the enemy around obstacles, and timing your shots carefully.
Finding and using the Bolt Cutters
After defeating the Orphan, you’ll finally grab the bolt cutters. From here, you have options:
Progress the story by using them to unlock the elevator in the mission area.
Explore hidden rewards by cutting open chained doors you passed earlier.
For example, exiting through the back of the hardware store and climbing the stairs to the right leads you to a cozy room with a cat. Back at the apartment building, another chained door hides a stash of supplies—but beware, opening it comes at a cost. If by now you haven’t upgraded your inventory slots (you should have) then you’ll want to because these bolt cutters become a handy item for finding stashes of resources through the entire game.
