Updated Andrii Kovalenko2 min read

The Lore of KUTO: Kronos and the Gods

The story behind KUTO: The Lock of Time — an outcast time guardian, betrayed by the gods, bound to the titan Kronos, and the Scythe he carries.

Most action games give you a reason to be in the dungeon and leave it at that. KUTO: The Lock of Time builds its whole run-based loop on its story — a betrayal, a titan, and a man who should be dead.

The outcast

Jokoan Kuto belonged to the Order of the Time Guardians — the keepers charged with holding the ages in their proper order. Then the gods turned on him. He was cast out of the Order, betrayed, and left for dead. By every rule that governs his world, that should have been the end of him.

The titan who saved him

It wasn't, because of Kronos. Kronos is the titan of time itself, and his essence does not save anyone gently. Jokoan survives by merging with it — and that bond is the engine of everything that follows. With the titan's power inside him, the rules he once guarded now bend to him: he can slow time, rewind it, tear forward through it. The same gods who threw him away made him into the one thing that can stand against them.

The Scythe of Kronos

The bond comes with a weapon. The Scythe of Kronos is Jokoan's answer to a world that wants him dead — a heavy, physical thing he swings through hordes of the gods' servants and the wreckage of history. The Scythe does the cutting; the titan's power over time keeps him alive long enough to use it.

Escaping through the ages

Set against a crumbling Rome, Jokoan's only way out is forward — not across space, but through time, era by era. Each step deepens his command over the titan's power and carries him further from the death the gods intended. It's a grim premise, and the game knows it, carrying a dark, dry humor through a story-rich campaign about a man making the gods regret leaving him alive.

If you want the systems that sit on top of this, read everything we know about the game and how the five time powers work.

Add KUTO: The Lock of Time to your wishlist on Steam.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jokoan Kuto?
An outcast from the Order of the Time Guardians — betrayed by the gods and left for dead, who survives by merging with the essence of the titan Kronos.
What is the Scythe of Kronos?
The titan's weapon that comes with the bond. It is Jokoan's answer to a world that wants him dead — a heavy melee weapon he swings while time itself becomes his second weapon.
Is KUTO: The Lock of Time set in Rome?
It starts against a falling Rome, but the escape carries Jokoan forward through many different eras — Egypt, the Viking age, the Old West, a neon future and more.
What is the Order of the Time Guardians?
The order Jokoan belonged to before his betrayal — keepers charged with holding the ages in their proper order. Being cast out of it is what sets the whole story in motion.
Why did the gods betray Jokoan Kuto?
The game does not spell out a single reason in the early marketing — the betrayal is the inciting wound, not a solved mystery. It is part of what the campaign unpacks.
What is the titan Kronos and why does merging with him matter?
Kronos is the titan of time itself. Merging with his essence is the only reason Jokoan survives and the source of every time power he wields — Kronos is the engine behind the whole game.
How does the lore connect to the run-based loop?
Jokoan's escape through history is the narrative frame for each run. You die, you come back, you push deeper — and the story justifies why: the gods are hunting him and the only way out is forward through time.
Who is Athena in the game?
Athena appears as a boss — one of the gods whose forces Jokoan fights as he escapes through the ages. She is encountered in the Ancient Greece era.
Is the Minotaur a boss in the game?
Yes — the Minotaur is one of the two confirmed boss fights in the Early Access build, alongside Athena.
What eras does Jokoan travel through?
Ancient Egypt, the Viking age, Ancient Greece, a falling Rome, the Old West, a neon cyber city, a post-apocalyptic world, and the sci-fi far future are all confirmed settings.
Is the tone of the lore serious or does the game have humor?
Both. The premise is dark — betrayal, exile, a war against the gods — but the game carries a dry humor through it and does not take itself entirely seriously.
Does the story affect gameplay or is it just background?
The lore is the reason the mechanics exist. The bond with Kronos explains the time powers; the betrayal explains why Jokoan is alone; the Scythe is the physical result of that bond. Story and systems are the same thing here.
What does 'the lock of time' refer to in the title?
The title points to Jokoan's mission to break free from the judgment the gods imposed on him — time itself is the mechanism of his imprisonment and the weapon of his escape.

Keep reading

KUTO Playtest — Sign Up for the September Build

The first playable slice — one level, the Minotaur, Athena, and time rewind — goes to testers in early September. Here's what you'd be playing, what isn't in yet, and how to sign up.