| Dawn of Defiance | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gameplay & Story | Release Date | Pre-Order & DLC | Review |
Dawn of Defiance is a Greek Mythology-themed open-world survival sandbox game where you survive the wilds as a pariah of the Olympians seeking justice. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn’t do well, and if it’s worth buying.
Dawn of Defiance Review Overview
What is Dawn of Defiance?
Dawn of Defiance is a survival sandbox game set in an open world inspired by classical Greek myths, real-world Greek countrysides, and high fantasy realms. You play as someone who either defied the Olympians or was forsaken by the gods, forced to survive in the wilderness of an uncharted island where they've banished you. With Hades having gone mad and unfit to rule, your ultimate goal is to escape the island, track him down in the underworld, and prove to those who doubted you that you are, indeed, a hero of legend.
Dawn of Defiance features:
⚫︎ High stakes combat against creatures from Greek Mythology
⚫︎ 100+ crafting recipes and building prefabs
⚫︎ Expansive overworld exploration
⚫︎ 1 to 4 player co-op multiplayer survival
⚫︎ Foraging, base-building, crafting, and combat mechanics
For more gameplay details, read everything we know about Dawn of Defiance's gameplay and story.
 Steam |
 Epic Games |
Dawn of Defiance Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Wide Arsenal of Weapons and Armor Tier-based Progression is Fun Massive Map |
Clunky and Samey Combat Titan of a Tutorial High Graphical Requirements |
Dawn of Defiance Overall Score - 70/100
Dawn of Defiance is another early-access open-world survival sandbox, but it has the potential to become something exceptional once it overcomes its early-development hurdles. Right now, the clunky combat, oversized maps, frustrating stamina management, and sparse content place it in an awkward middle ground between playable and frustrating. However, the game’s strong art direction, aesthetics, and well-designed base-building and crafting systems keep it from being completely written off. It's still early in the game's journey, and I'd hate to miss out on an epic in the making.
Dawn of Defiance Story - 7/10
The narrative in Dawn of Defiance could use some work in terms of pacing and originality. It's a bit frustrating to see Hades cast as the villain once again, even though the gods live up to their famously petty reputations. While it might not offer the most authentic portrayal of Greek mythology, this doesn’t detract much from the overall experience. Ultimately, I'm just glad they chose to frame the game with a story, rather than skipping it entirely.
Dawn of Defiance Gameplay - 7/10
Dawn of Defiance’s gameplay is a bit clunky in some places, but it’s largely bearable and even fun at times. Combat is certainly a low point, especially in its lack of fluidity and balance, but I’m a huge fan of its base-building and management mechanics. It’s also a bit light on content right now, but that’s to be expected from Early Access.
Dawn of Defiance Visuals - 8/10
Dawn of Defiance offers a visually captivating blend of modern, stylized interpretations of ancient Greek designs with the diverse and imaginative biomes of high fantasy. This rich and vibrant combination results in stunning vistas, especially across the rolling countryside of its massive map. The game's assets also stand out, delivering a surprisingly high-quality base-building experience and impressive character designs that add depth to its visual appeal.
Dawn of Defiance Audio - 6/10
There's not much to remark on regarding the game's audio—it’s mostly generic when it does play. For the majority of the time, you’re left with just the sounds of nature or complete silence, which I found a bit underwhelming. I’d love to see more effort put into the music and voice acting, though there’s always hope that these elements will improve over time.
Dawn of Defiance Value for Money - 7/10
The price of Dawn of Defiance is typical for its genre, but it feels a bit steep given its current state of development. At $20, it’s hard to justify the cost for an Early Access game that’s light on content and padded with a lengthy tutorial. While it might be worth buying if you’re interested in supporting its future development, just be prepared for it not to feel like a full return on your investment at this stage.
Dawn of Defiance Review: An Epic Still in the Making
Dawn of Defiance is the latest addition to the growing trend of early-access open-world survival sandbox games that have been popular since 2020. Nearly five years later, the sub-genre is crowded with half-finished titles and games that have lingered in Early Access since the trend began. Genre fatigue is starting to set in as each new indie game brings fewer fresh ideas, although a few standout titles still manage to emerge from a sea of mediocrity.
Unfortunately, Dawn of Defiance isn’t one such title—at least not yet. Like the demi-gods of classical Greek literature, this game has many more labors and quests to accomplish before it can truly shine. However, it shows more promise than most, and I believe it has a better shot at success. And so, with a divine wind at our heels and the providence of the Olympians upon us, let us embark on an epic journey through what exactly makes Dawn of Defiance an epic still in the making.
Like most tales of legendary heroes, our journey with Dawn of Defiance begins with its humble origins and glaring flaws. At its core, this game is an open-world survival experience, though much of that "open world" feels like empty space filled with basic resources and uninspiring landscapes. While there are notable locations and interesting land formations scattered across the game's massive map, the density of points of interest is disappointingly low. It often takes around five minutes to travel between each one—a far cry from CD Projekt RED’s 40-second rule, which points out the ideal amount of time between each location for maximum player engagement.
Take a moment to consider the sheer amount of backtracking Dawn of Defiance expects you to do between resource-collection runs, shrines, and places of power, and it becomes clear that this game is primarily about running. With how little stamina your character starts with, it quickly turns into a frustrating experience, completing the trifecta of annoying open-world survival tropes. If I’d known I’d be running this much and micromanaging my stamina so closely, I might have opted for a walk outside instead.
Combat doesn’t fare much better, feeling clunky and edging into the realm of being unfun with its odd animations, deceptive attack ranges, and horribly imbalanced encounter difficulty. Missing an attack can be a death sentence, as the sheer number of enemies in each encounter means a single whiff can lead to being stun-locked into oblivion in kind. Ranged combat is far superior to melee, as picking off targets from afar prevents them from ganging up on you so quickly, although you still have to build your own arrows and can run out mid-fight if you’re not managing your ammunition.
Lastly, I have to mention my disappointment with the game’s unoriginal "Hades is the bad guy" storyline—a trope that modern interpretations of Greek mythology seem to love. It’s a narrative choice we've seen in Disney’s Hercules, Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, and even to some degree in Supergiant’s Hades. This cliché doesn’t align with the richness of Ancient Greek mythology that the game claims to evoke, and its implementation here is particularly poorly paced. Furthermore, the story just feels disconnected from the gameplay as you progress, though that's somewhat expected in a survival game.
While this unoriginal premise and lackluster pacing aren't entirely detrimental to the game’s narrative, they do act like hubris to a godling-in-training—a flaw that holds Dawn of Defiance back from achieving true greatness.
Moving on to the seeds of heroism that all classical Greek heroes had, let’s discuss what the game does incredibly well. We’ll start with its base-building and management features, which shine with its exceptional design, smooth progression, and deeply satisfying execution. The game offers the freedom to construct living spaces wherever you choose, and the provided prefabs are nothing short of stunning. Imagine the rustic charm of thatch walls, the intricate beauty of wooden beams and columns, and the grand, chiseled elegance of stone and marble. As you lay out your floor plan, you'll be crafting temples that even the Olympians would envy.
You're not just confined to basic walls, foundations, and floors either—the game offers an impressive variety of building prefabs that cover almost any structural piece you can imagine. From Grecian columns and pottery to arches, roofs of every shape and size, stairs, railings, rugs, plants, and even furniture, the possibilities are nearly endless. Add to that the various worktables and processing areas you can construct, and you've got all the tools you need not just to survive on this island of Olympus' pariahs, but to truly thrive in its breathtaking beauty.
Another area where the game excels is crafting. The resources you collect aren't just for building; they also allow you to forge your own weapons and armor. While your arsenal may not be divine, it is extensive, featuring everything from protective gear to a wide array of weapons and shields. The best part? You can customize their appearance, no matter what materials you use to create them. So even if you find yourself stranded on this island indefinitely, at least you'll do so as the demigod of fashion.
Now, we arrive at the pivotal moment in every hero's journey, where their flaws are exposed and their abilities put to the test. What sets Dawn of Defiance apart from the countless other early-access, open-world survival sandbox games, giving it a real shot at rising above the crowded genre? For starters, Dawn of Defiance boasts a distinct and stylized aesthetic that immediately differentiates it from the rest. The game masterfully blends high fantasy elements with Ancient Greek designs, even incorporating black and gold art-deco pinstripes into its UI. While the audio design isn't quite on par yet, there's plenty of room for improvement, just as there is for balancing, combat, and content density.
These are the common challenges of early access, but if the game's current state is anything to go by, Dawn of Defiance isn't using that as an excuse for subpar work. However, even with a stronger shot at success, nothing is guaranteed. An epic in the making can still lead to tragedy. While I won't say the developers have an easy road ahead, a Greek hero's path is never one of least resistance.
Pros of Dawn of Defiance
| Things Dawn of Defiance Got Right |
|---|
|
Wide Arsenal of Weapons and Armor Tier-based Progression is Fun Massive Map |
Wide Arsenal of Weapons and Armor
Dawn of Defiance’s wide arsenal of weapons and armor does more than just pad out the game’s scarce content density, it grants the game a sense of fashion and really homes in the Ancient Greek aesthetics it's going for, from the traditional Hoplite armor of the lighter variants to the heavy and iconic crests of the Spartans.
That said, each piece of armor also has a functional use, adding a much-needed layer of strategic item-crafting to the game’s combat system above "taking less damage". Certain armor sets make exploration a breeze by improving stamina recovery, while others transform you into a formidable frontline warrior. Plus, the ability to mix and match pieces to suit your specific needs adds an extra layer of customization and strategy—definitely a bonus!
Tier-based Progression is Fun
I haven't touched on the game's tier-based progression yet because it truly deserves its own spotlight as one of the game's standout features. While tier-based progression is common in open-world survival games, Dawn of Defiance elevates the concept by framing it as the journey of building a hero from nothing, rather than just "going from sticks to stones." This approach adds depth and context to the progression, making it feel more meaningful.
The tiers don't just make you or your structures more durable—they also unlock additional features, particularly in base-building. You start with Thatch and move up through Lumber, Stone, and Marble, unlocking better building tools as you go. Thatch offers basic walls, floors, and roofs, but once you reach the Lumber tier, you can start incorporating Grecian columns and pottery into your designs. Stone unlocks even more complex statues and etchings, and by the time you reach Marble, you're essentially recreating the Temple of Zeus from scratch. It's a deeply satisfying and motivating progression system that keeps you hooked, urging you to play just one more hour, even if the rest of the game feels a bit sparse.
Massive Map
The game's massive map is both a blessing and a curse, though it leans more toward the former. This sprawling landscape serves as a stunning backdrop for a generous array of well-designed divine temples, altars, basins, and places of power, making the countryside feel like more than just endless stretches of bushes and trees. The map is also dotted with breathtaking land formations—dark forests, towering buttes, and a massive mountain that dominates the center—adding much-needed variety to the otherwise flat skyline.
However, the sheer size of the map also introduces a significant downside: the frustratingly long travel times between points of interest. CD Projekt RED, the creators of The Witcher III (one of the most highly regarded open-world games ever), established that 40 seconds is the ideal interval for points of interest on a map. In Dawn of Defiance, the average travel time between key locations is around 5 minutes, which far exceeds that threshold. While this is a drawback, it's likely to improve as more content is added during the game's early access period. For now, I'm inclined to view this expansive map as a potential asset rather than a current liability.
Cons of Dawn of Defiance
| Things That Dawn of Defiance Can Improve |
|---|
|
Clunky and Samey Combat Titan of a Tutorial High Graphical Requirements |
Clunky and Samey Combat
There's no sugarcoating it: the combat in this game is one of its most frustrating aspects. The animations feel delayed and clunky, the enemy AI frequently glitches out, and what should be skill-based combat is often undermined by the game's difficulty imbalance. If the developers can address these issues and refine the combat loop, I can see this game ascending to greatness, much like the heroes it draws inspiration from. But for now, it handles like a novice wielding a sword—awkwardly and poorly.
The combat is also disappointingly repetitive. While you're equipped with a vast arsenal, your enemies aren't given the same variety. You'll mostly be fighting golems, footsoldiers, and gorgons, each with a few variants that do little more than ramp up the difficulty. These enemies can be handled predictably: golems with arrows, footsoldiers with swords, and gorgons with a mix of both. With few bosses to encounter outside of the one on the tutorial island, the combat quickly becomes monotonous, losing its appeal far too soon.
Titan of a Tutorial
I usually love in-depth tutorials, especially for games as complex as this one, but this tutorial is overwhelming. It takes about 3-4 hours to finish, and while it's extremely hands-on and detailed, the pacing is slow. The missions and goals are so spread out that you’re on an entirely separate island from the main game just to complete it. I appreciate that no newcomer will leave the tutorial feeling lost, but the sheer length might turn some away before they even reach the core gameplay. And to make matters worse, once you're through, the content that follows is disappointingly sparse.
High Graphical Requirements
As if the game’s clunky animations and oversized map weren’t enough to discourage potential players, it also demands relatively high graphical specs. While it can still run on lower settings for those with mid-to-low-tier setups, don’t expect the game’s grandeur to shine through. On lower settings, much of its visual charm gets lost in translation.
Is Dawn of Defiance Worth It?
Play It Now, or Maybe Let It Simmer
The game is definitely playable—enjoyable, even—but if you're seeking a fully fleshed-out experience, you might find yourself left wanting. It boasts an excellent base-building system and a solid crafting mechanic, though the combat and exploration still need some time to develop. It's certainly worth trying, especially if you have a group to play with. Just be ready to spend $20, as the game charges like it's a finished product. If that doesn’t sit well with you, it might be wise to let the hero’s journey unfold a bit longer before diving in
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam |
Epic Games |
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| Price | $19.99 | ||||
Dawn of Defiance FAQ
Where Can I Find Hard Resin, Tin, and Hardwood in Dawn of Defiance?
Hard Resin, Tin, and Hardwood are all available on the game’s main island, which you can access after completing the tutorial on The Isle of Arrival. These resources are specifically located in the Dark Forest area.
How Do I Unlock New Crafting Recipes and Building Tiers in Dawn of Defiance?
In Dawn of Defiance, new crafting recipes can be unlocked through several methods. You can discover them hidden in chests and temples scattered throughout the wild. Additionally, completing missions may reward you with new recipes directly or in exchange for gold rewards from quests. Another way to unlock recipes is by advancing through new building tiers.
To unlock new building tiers, you'll need to upgrade your Building Hammer. The first and second-tier upgrades are obtained by finishing the game’s tutorial, while the third and subsequent upgrades can be purchased on the main island using gold.
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Dawn of Defiance Product Information
 | |
| Title | DAWN OF DEFIANCE |
|---|---|
| Release Date | August 15, 2024 |
| Developer | Traega Entertainment |
| Publisher | Traega Entertainment |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic Games) |
| Genre | RPG, Adventure, Survival, Simulation |
| Number of Players | 1-4 (Online Co-op Multiplayer) |
| Rating | RP |
| Official Website | Dawn of Defiance Official Website |
