Dawn of Defiance
- August 15, 2024
- Traega Entertainment
- 14h median play time
Get on Steam"Dawn of Defiance" is a survival action-adventure game set in a mythical world, where you must explore ruins, endure natural challenges, and defeat corrupted heroes to prove your worth and uncover an elusive plot against the Gods. Gather resources, craft items, arm yourself, and level up to survive and unlock the greater trials that lie ahead. The game features heightened movement abilities and impressive graphics to enhance your gameplay experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and immersive environments that capture the essence of ancient Greece.
- Engaging building mechanics that allow for creative freedom and intuitive construction.
- Fun combat system with unique abilities that enhance gameplay, such as gliding and special attacks.
- The world feels empty with limited enemy and wildlife variety, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- Quest progression can be tedious, often requiring players to gather large quantities of items without clear guidance.
- Lack of character customization options and some quality of life features, such as inventory sorting and crafting from storage.
- story209 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally perceived as underdeveloped and lacking depth, with many players noting that it feels more like a series of basic fetch quests rather than a compelling narrative. While the setting and potential for a rich mythological backdrop are appreciated, the current quest design is often criticized for being tedious and unfulfilling, leaving players without a clear sense of purpose or direction. Overall, there is a strong desire for more engaging storytelling and quest variety to enhance the gameplay experience.
“I appreciate the developers' ambition to weave a compelling mythic plot into the game; a survival-craft game was a surprise!”
“The story and quest elements were compelling, and it felt satisfying working as a team to take down foes.”
“Unlike most survival games, there is a solid quest system which gives you purpose and direction.”
“The story is not very fleshed out, and you don't really know what you are doing there or why; you get objectives but no real 'drive' to get them done, as the story is not clear.”
“Story: pretty much non-existent in its current stage; every time you load your game, the one NPC you purchase and sell things to repeats his lines about just arriving on the main isle.”
“There is little to no story, or at least not one that leaves an impact.”
- gameplay130 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by solid building and crafting mechanics, which many players find enjoyable and well-executed. However, the overall experience is marred by a lack of content variety, repetitive environments, and shallow survival mechanics, leading to a gameplay loop that can feel tedious and uninspired. While there are promising elements and potential for improvement, particularly in quest design and enemy variety, the game currently struggles to differentiate itself from similar titles like Valheim.
“The level of detail allows for incredible architectural creativity, which adds depth to the gameplay experience.”
“The building mechanics are the best of any game I've played.”
“The gameplay is smooth and quick to understand.”
“This makes most of the gameplay loop consist of walking around with little content, and pretty much no variety: all places kind of look the same and have the same stuff, for the most part.”
“Moreover, the variety of enemies is very poor, combat is clunky, and game mechanics are questionable to say the least... for example, to open new recipes you need to open some chests but the game does not even give you a hint where those chests are.”
“The gameplay loop itself is very boring, repetitive, and feels like a walking simulator.”
- graphics127 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received a mixed reception, with many praising the stunning visuals, beautiful environments, and attention to detail, particularly in the ancient Greek aesthetic. However, some users noted performance issues, such as frame rate drops and blurry object edges, even on high settings. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered impressive and atmospheric, optimization concerns and occasional technical hiccups have been highlighted by players.
“The graphics are gorgeous and atmospheric, the sound is top notch.”
“The graphics are outstanding: this is a high resolution Valheim, with Greek flavor, vegetation is lush, enemies look great, environments look lovely, the skybox is amazing, especially when the sun sets and you see the stars appearing.”
“The graphics are absolutely stunning with the addition of lumen and ray tracing.”
“Graphics are meh, blurry object edges even with graphics on ultra.”
“It's felt like a 640x480 picture got upscaled but still extremely blurry even on ultra setting and I have a XFX Radeon RX 6700 XT graphics card, so it shouldn't be an issue.”
“The graphics are quite a bit prettier, but this is actually a downside quite often as the game is not yet well-optimized and occasional jankiness and frame-rate issues are very common.”
- grinding49 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some appreciate the resource gathering and crafting mechanics, many criticize the tediousness of tasks such as traveling, farming, and building, which can feel repetitive and time-consuming. Despite these frustrations, some players believe that the game has potential for fun, especially when played with friends, and that future updates could improve the overall experience.
“Pretty limited for die-hard survivalists at this point, but the mechanics are fun and it's not too grindy.”
“It's not too tedious.”
“The resources are extremely tedious to gather to the point you need to build 1 main base and 4 small bases to store and gather, because like in ores, despite not needing much materials since they only really go in gear, there isn't much of said material and it's extremely spread out.”
“There is the foundation of a good game here, but right now, it's just resource grinding and fetch quests in a mostly barren map.”
“I do not recommend this game in its current state because you get around 15 to 20 hours of exploring and finding things for the fetch quests and buying of recipes, but the only reason it takes that much time is because quests are tedious, time-consuming, and not very impactful or fulfilling.”
- optimization33 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
Overall, optimization for the game is mixed, with many players experiencing good performance and smooth gameplay, particularly on higher-end systems. However, some users report significant performance issues, including low frame rates and mouse lag, especially on modest hardware. While the game shows promise with its graphics and controls, further optimization is needed to ensure a consistently smooth experience across a wider range of systems.
“Performance is good with plenty of graphics options to adjust to your hardware if needed.”
“Optimization is incredible for early access, lots of toggles to up or lower settings already in.”
“I haven't encountered a single bug, I haven't had any performance issues at all, and it's clearly well optimized.”
“I did run into some performance issues (very low frame rate + mouse lag even in menus), but they were generally resolved by saving and then restarting the game.”
“System resources - I don't know if it's an optimization issue, but this game runs very poorly on my modest gaming laptop with an RTX 3050/16GB RAM, causing me to have to play with low settings.”
“The graphics are quite a bit prettier, but this is actually a downside quite often as the game is not yet well-optimized and occasional jankiness and frame-rate issues are very common.”
- stability19 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 63 % negative mentions
Overall, the stability of the game is mixed, with some players experiencing minor glitches and bugs, while others report smooth performance, particularly on specific devices like the Steam Deck and Rog Ally X. Common issues include freezing at startup, stuck mechanics, and combat-related glitches, but many users appreciate the developers' efforts to improve the game. While some find the game enjoyable despite its bugs, others express frustration with the stability, indicating that it may still require further refinement.
“I've been on Steam Deck for my entire 20 hours and it runs great.”
“It looks amazing and runs great; can't wait to play more.”
“Game runs great with ROG Ally X!”
“Would love to play it on my PC, but it freezes on the start screen almost every time.”
“Buggy in some ways: stuck in terrain without stamina (you can only log off and log in to fix it), golem throwing stones in any direction (even behind him), skills stuck at athletic and can't get more experience, inability to fly (have to die to be able to fly again), unable to use bow (same solution, have to die to be able to use bow again).”
“I feel straight up insulted by this empty, boring, buggy joke of a game.”
- music15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players noting a lack of variety, citing only two soundtracks that can become monotonous. While the combat music is appreciated, many feel that the game would benefit from more Greek-themed tracks to enhance the atmosphere. Overall, the ambient sounds are considered decent, but music is generally seen as a minor aspect of the experience.
“Music is chosen well; if you are in combat, there's different music that enhances the experience.”
“For being a game in early access and not a massive survival game fan, I am very impressed with the character movement, menu system, music, and the Greek mythology theme!”
“Music is just 2 soundtracks and will lull you to sleep.”
“The scenery is really beautiful, but to get that Greek feel, it needs more Greek music.”
“Music is essentially non-existent.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning graphics, impressive sound design, and effective use of lighting, particularly during the day/night cycle. Players appreciate the immersive Greek/Roman setting, highlighted by awe-inspiring giant statues and a well-crafted environment that enhances the overall experience. While some comparisons to other games suggest a lack of depth in gameplay, the atmosphere remains a standout feature that captivates players.
“The graphics are gorgeous and atmospheric, the sound is top notch.”
“I love the atmosphere, and the light transition of the night/day cycle is awesome.”
“The Greek atmosphere is unique, the giant statues of the gods are awe-inspiring.”
- humor8 mentions
- 88 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing physics and quirky glitches, such as trees "exploding" during harvest and comical enemy behaviors reminiscent of classic gaming moments. While some animations and combat mechanics may feel stiff, the overall experience is entertaining enough to warrant a purchase, especially for those who appreciate lighthearted moments in gameplay.
“A bit stiff animation, the combat is janky... and when the trees 'explode' when harvested, it's hilarious.”
“Let's call it a con that trees do not fall and kill you in this game... because who doesn't think it's funny as hell when that happens in other survival games?”
“The graphics are great, and the physics are hilarious in some settings, making it definitely a worthy buy.”
“We walked through this game so fast it's not funny.”
“The jokes fell flat and felt forced throughout the entire experience.”
“I expected a lot of laughs, but the humor was more cringeworthy than comedic.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the sense of accomplishment and understanding players feel when interacting with the environment, as well as the connection to the game's mechanics that evoke a sense of responsibility and care for their creations.
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Players highlight the potential for high replayability due to the introduction of diverse challenges and monsters, enhancing the survival experience. Some users even describe the game as "infinitely replayable," indicating strong engagement and variety in gameplay.
“This could also introduce a wider array of challenging monsters or divine retributions, adding even more layers to the survival experience, and can have potential replay value.”
“Infinitely replayable.”
“This could also introduce a wider array of challenging monsters or divine retributions, adding even more layers to the survival experience; and can have potential replay value.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for being phenomenal and highly creative, contributing significantly to the overall game experience.
“The character development is phenomenal, showcasing a highly creative approach within the game space.”
“The depth of character development truly enhances the overall experience, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
“I was impressed by how the characters evolve throughout the game, with their backstories and motivations adding layers to the narrative.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as bordering on a cash grab, with users expressing that the current price is already on the higher side.
“If the price tag were any higher, I would call this a cash grab.”
“The monetization model feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, which ruins the overall experience.”
