Anyone that knows me by now? Knows that I adore me some good RTS gameplay! Though consoles never, or at least, rarely? Seem to be the perfect target audience for it. While there are exceptions, they still exist. So when it came to be that I was getting the chance to review Dawn of Man created by Madruga Works? I was a bit hesitant yet open towards it. Why? It’s a game that hits a few of my key target points. Ancient civilization and city building. So I put on my time traveler hat, charged up my Delorean, and was ready to hit that 88 mph! Want to find out how this game stacked up? Find out in this short review of Dawn of Man!
If anyone has ever played Banished? Then those people will feel right at home here. The bleak overall graphics instantly reminded me of that little gemstone on Steam. You start off with basically nothing. And it’s up to you to guide your ancient civilization to evolutionary salvation! You’ll need to research the right technologies, so your people can flourish. Provide them homes and protection from the elements and dangerous animals. Eventually other people as well.
The general feeling that Dawn of Man brings is a solid structure. Its gameplay is easy to understand, though micromanagement isn’t its strong point. The A.I. of your people is fairly decent, to say the least. Though they do tend to have a gaff once in a while…
Visually speaking its no marvel to look at, though still aesthetically pleasing. Just don’t expect colors to pop out at you! The sound didn’t impress me all too much either. It’s basic, to say the least. Where it gets interesting is in its gameplay itself. Finding that exact balance that your city grows, but steadily and not too quickly. Thus not to starve your people to death if you expanded too quickly. It’ll always be a churn as to what to prioritize, and that’s something that I really liked. Just like in Banished you’ll have to really think about your City management! Do you go mine stone or minerals? Or should you get a few extra hunter/gatherers at the start? It’s all up to you to make the right decision!
Though the general gameplay did impress me? It didn’t impress me long enough to keep me interested for long sessions at a time. While it has everything to really astonish? Dawn of Man fizzled out. Don’t get me wrong, anyone that enjoys a good city builder will get his money ‘s worth. Just not for hours on end! Madruga Works should be proud of being able to deliver such a solid and hearty game! A recommendation to anyone that enjoys this genre!