The art of city construction offers a wide spectrum of possibilities. This genre, which initially blossomed in the vibrant early ’90s with SimCity 2000, has ceaselessly produced intricate masterpieces, with series like Tropico, Frostpunk, and Anno culminating in the resounding success of 2015’s Cities: Skylines. Yet, it has also presented more unconventional interpretations, with the captivating Surviving Mars, Before We Leave, and Dorfromantik.
But do you realise what all these games are missing? A luminous being of magic harbouring a tale waiting to unfold. Hence, we greet Dawnfolk, a magnificent refinement of the genre that not only streamlines and simplifies but also intricately weaves its enchanting storyline. Dawnfolk offers a refreshing take on town-building, featuring small, goal-oriented tiled worlds where you must craft miniature rural communities with thriving farms, mines, and increasingly complex buildings.
Additionally, you will navigate trade agreements or conflicts with local orcs and elves while combating the forces of darkness. This is achieved with a captivating simplicity. Dawnfolk’s brilliance lies in making a vast array of systems exceptionally accessible, enhancing the experience with battles, hunting, fishing, and other activities that unfold as tiny minigames directly within the tile.
These are pretty simple, yet they contribute a surprising amount. You might enjoy a small game of catching falling fruit while picking berries or need to spin a sword in the centre of the tile to repel invading pixels. There’s a tiny hunting minigame where you shoot arrows at passing deer or perhaps to protect your people from invading wolves. And no, they don’t become frustrating, as, after a certain point at any level, you can invest resources in a building that will play them for you.
Each level starts in darkness, and by collecting light, you can reveal new tiles. This illumination will partially show what’s on adjacent tiles that remain hidden, guiding your expansion. You may find an open space to construct tents, the simplest shelters for your people. Alternatively, there might be wild sheep, which you can hunt for food or farm for resources. Establish a farm, plant some crops nearby, and consider setting up a mine on a mountain tile. Throughout this process, maintaining balance is crucial. Homes are necessary for population growth, but they require resources, and people need food. Consequently, you need people to gather supplies and food, making it standard city-building fare, aside from the looming danger of darkness.
Dawnfolk features a narrative that weaves through its story mode’s thematic elements. You are accompanied in your journey by a minor flame character named Lueur, who begins the game with no recollection of his identity. His counterpart is a dark creature named Nuit, who occasionally brings dark storms to your town. You can anticipate these storms by the onset of rain, prompting you to conserve light to fight against them. The storms encroach upon tiles you’ve already explored and must be countered with light through various arcade minigames until they weaken enough for you to destroy their cores. Each level experiences this sequence multiple times, adding another layer to manage.
Additionally, the game features puzzle levels (including daily challenges), an endless mode that allows for continuous play of any scenario after reaching the objectives, a sandbox mode, and a series of levels named Curious Expeditions that introduce unique gameplay changes. There are also various difficulty settings and Easter egg modes, and all these components are unlocked by using currency earned through completing levels and achieving numerous minor goals. Remarkably, this is the creation of a single individual.
This is simply fantastic. I can’t express how much enjoyment I’m experiencing; each level takes only fifteen minutes to half an hour and is uniquely rewarding as it raises the stakes, introduces new elements and dangers, has me fighting ogres or befriending dragons, all while keeping the essential balance of light, people, resources, and food intact. It is truly delightful, with plenty to accomplish, and everything feels satisfying to finish. Additionally, since it’s best played with a gamepad, it’s an ideal game for the Steam Deck as well.
If city builders aren’t your thing, give this a tryit’s quite different. However, if you enjoy city builders, you should also play this, as it captures the essence of the genre in a beautiful, substantial, and meaningful way. In short, I highly recommend playing Dawnfolk if you’re alive and kicking.
Dawnfolk is now available. The best place to purchase it is on Itch, where most of your payment goes straight to developer Darenn Keller. It can also be found on Steam.
This review is based on a piece originally featured on Buried Treasure, a site focused on highlighting indie gaming excellence. You can support its mission here!
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