Dawn of Man
Take control of a settlement of the first modern humans, guide them through the ages in their struggle for survival. Dawn of Man is a survival/city-builder from the creators of Planetbase. The game starts in the Stone Age, and takes you up to the Iron Age, spanning more than 10,000 years of human prehistory. You will have to get your people to survive, expand and evolve, just like our ancestors, facing the challenges that the environment will throw at you. Hunt Animals were a vital source of food and resources for ancient humans. Use their meat to feed your people and their skin and bones to make clothing and craft the tools you will need to stay alive. Confront Mammoths, Woolly Rhinos, Ancient Bison, Megaloceros, Cave Lions and other species that roamed the earth at the time. Gather Collect a variety resources from the environment: fruit, berries, water, wood, flint, stone, ores. Use them to prepare food, to make tools and to build structures in your settlement.
Game Discussion
Steam User 17
There are a few flaws that players pointed out way back in 2019 that still aren’t fixed but maybe you won't mind. Developers gave up. I’ve had many good moments, but this game has broken mechanics, faulty AI (dumb villagers), and lazy UI development. So only play if you REALLY want this experience (proper primal city-builder with good visuals)
For example, there is no way to empty a villager’s inventory (to replace old or almost broken items) but there is a button to empty an entire building’s inventory… makes NO SENSE (but if you're not playing Hardcore it would be fine because raiders are easier)
and then, why would they program the hunters to walk in a single file line (often spread out)? When the person in the front of the line throws a spear, the animal runs away, then all the other hunters can’t throw because they are too far away now. Why even send 6 hunters if only one will attack? Would it REALLY have been that difficult to program them to walk side by side in a line? So that they all reach the animal at the same time and can all throw at the same time? (Which is what ancient hunters did) This means that if you think a hunt is dangerous, you will have to micromanage it by positioning the hunters carefully (and usually manually sending extra hunters to prevent deaths)
Again, only buy if you know you will enjoy! (and preferably on sale)
and yes I know I have hundreds of hours in the game, that’s why I’m so angry they made such fundamental mistakes and never fixed them! In 2021-2022 I still had hope they would… now in 2025 I’ve been playing this game again and I’m shocked that they took the money and just ran with it, because they would reply to comments saying they'd work on the issues. Shocked enough to write my first long Steam comment. Careless devs should find a new profession. I see them as scammers who release unfinished products and then reply to complaints as if they actually care. Deceitful!
Steam User 13
Amazing game. I just wish development never stopped, there are so few games that start you out as literal cavemen and lead you to a comfortable ending point like the iron age
Steam User 14
Dawn of Man delivers a somewhat authentic experience of the struggle for survival, immersing players in the challenges faced by our ancient ancestors. The game does a commendable job in depicting the harsh realities of prehistoric life.
The game's pace is notably slow, which can be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it allows for thoughtful planning and strategy, but on the other, it can become tedious for players seeking a more dynamic experience.
A significant downside for me is the raid mechanics, which often feel repetitive and occasionally unfair. This aspect detracts from the overall enjoyment, especially when you find yourself dealing with the same predictable threats repeatedly.
The graphics are mediocre at best. While they serve their purpose, they don't quite capture the beauty or harshness of the environments as effectively as they could. One minor Feature i did like though is the ability to change the camera to follow settlers around, allowing you to immerse yourself in the settlement.
Despite these shortcomings, this is a solid survival game with plenty of room for improvement. It offers a unique glimpse into the past and a satisfying challenge for those who appreciate a slower, more methodical approach to gameplay and I had some fun with it.
Steam User 12
It's a bit slow but then again you literally follow your remote little tribe from the Paleolithic to the Iron Age as they settle down and develop. It's not very micro-intensive, which is good because of the aforementioned slow pace. You manage the tribe's resources and advance by unlocking ideas such as taming animals or planting crops. Plan for winter, stockpile warm clothing and continue growing.
Only a few slight points of criticism: It's very lonely, there are no other settled tribes, rather you get attacked by raiders once in a while, which is not that big a deal, but the way walls crumble when they so much as look at them, they might as well be throwing ICBMs rather than spears.
Steam User 15
This is the most unique city-builder I've ever played, because the AI doesn't work like any other game. While most city-builder / management type games reward micromanagement and maximizing workload, this game punishes it. The best villages are given tons of free time and a lot of freedom to manage themselves. Give them proper production limits and let them be on their way.
Dawn of Man runs very smoothly and is beautiful to look at.
10/10
Steam User 9
big recommendation for every gamer interested in settlement-building-simulations
+ huge maps with a vast ecosystem which evolves over time
+ ressource and work balance is a fun challenge
+ steam workshop
- AI (friendly and foe) sometimes is a bit stupid but I've seen way worse
Steam User 9
This game was great, but as many others gave said its not worth the 35$ price tag. The developer gave up on this game and he had a lot more runway to go. There was a lot of potential, migrating to different maps, unlimited resources once certain technologies get unlocked( The game isn't infinite since all the nodes can be exhausted). Heck I would've paid for ocean DLC or shore and I would've paid for a more diverse biome ( jungle fever?!?!) Or maybe even the beginning of more ancient monuments like the pyramids, actual stonehedge there was just so much that could've been done. This game could've been remastered and become one of the greats but games nowadays have captured this games magic and this game will slowly fade away. I recommend trying it but only on a sale not worth 35$ go buy other modern colony builders.