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 20
I USE THIS GAME TO RELAX. I let it run overnight often. I can build and survive in pretty much any environment. The people are real stupid but boy do I love them. Working on super large populations now but haven't gotten past 600 people. Love the community creations as well, scenarios, free builds, you name it. One of my faves.
Steam User 22
Steep learning curve; first play through can be difficult.
When you have a good grasp of this games mechanics it is a LOT of fun.
I highly recommend this game and rate it 9.5 of 10.
Steam User 12
I absolutely love this game; it's one of the best city builders in my library. The soundtrack is gorgeous, the game play is immersive and feels naturally progressive, and I love that the developers have obviously put effort into making it as historically accurate as possible.
I do have one constructive criticism - I'm now 130 hours in, have played through many, many times, and I think I've basically exhausted the game's current potential. It appears that the developer is no longer working on this game (which I'm okay with - games can't be worked on indefinitely!), but there's also no real capacity for modders to continue where the developer left off. Games like Cities: Skylines, Banished, and Timberborn are all fantastic examples of how the modding community can expand upon a great city builder game (adding new assets, modes, levels, research lines, etc.) and extend a game's lifespan.
I suggest, as a final update, add good modding support so the fans can continue on this game's legacy. Maybe in 5 years' time, I could be watching my villagers updating roundhouses to Roman villas, raising chickens, or having trackable family trees.
Steam User 12
If you do not like overly difficult games, this one might not be for you. As a gamer, this game has the worst game play curve and difficulty scales I've ever seen. As an archaeologist, this game is pure black tar heroin. 10/10 would recommend.
Steam User 12
I absolutely love this game. I have played it in full, several times and have completed it in hard mode too, which included several failures and redos because it is challenging.
The historical aspect of it and feel of accuracy really brings this game to life.
It is a firm favourite and I really wish there was more content so I can enjoy continued play with new challenges.
Steam User 9
Major issues, but it's fun enough it's worth a play if you buy it on sale. The AI is painfully and unforgivably stupid, it makes what should be simple tasks stressful, and lets be real, this is a task oriented game. Villagers die from the absolute dumbest and preventable reasons, they won't pack a lunch before leaving, they won't forage on the way home on long trips while starving, they walk into predators, they won't change into warm clothes while working because either they won't programmed to do it or their task priorities are deadly rigid - once they start a job it's do or die. It's pretty inexcusable because this is a basic problem that settlement survival sims have been handling and solving for decades.