Dawnlands Review: A captivating open-world adventure that wishes to do better

Seasun Games, the team behind the recent 3D Sci-fi RPG Snowbreak Containment Zone arrived with another fantastic title Dawnlands, which is an open-world action–adventure. In Dawnlands, players take on the mantle of the land’s savior, setting out on an epic journey across a breathtaking open-world setting. Navigating through a vast expanse, they gather resources, master the art of weapon forging, and bring to life distinctive realms inspired by their creativity. Following the recent launch of Dawnlands, there have been questions regarding the game’s review, for which we have come up with this review for Dawnlands, discussing the hits and misses of the title.

Dawnlands offers a breathtaking visual experience

The plot of Dawnlands unfolds the narrative of an ancient land, slumbering in silence for countless centuries, patiently awaiting its awakening, as the living are corrupted into non-living beings by evil. As the player embarks on their journey of exploration, they will encounter strange monsters and puzzles, each holding a key to unraveling the hidden truths and the ancient powers of this enigmatic land as he sanctifies the silence around him.

Speaking of the gameplay, it unfolds within an expansive open-world environment where you assume the role of the world’s savior. As you traverse this realm, your journey revolves around crafting, engaging enemies in combat, and relying on the resources you gather during your exploration. Survival becomes paramount, and your strength is measured by your ability to thrive in the face of challenges. However, the best comes with the presentation.

To be fair, from the moment I launched Dawnlands, the visuals left me awestruck. The game showcases breathtaking landscapes, intricately detailed characters, and a distinctive art style that truly sets it apart. The dynamic lighting system adds remarkable depth and realism to the environment, making each exploration a visually gratifying experience. There is no denying that it provides a Console experience on mobile, and you get the feeling of much desire to play.

The game boasts a solid plot with good music

The idea behind the plot is also kept in touch with the player, as there isn’t much of a complaint in understanding what the storyline is helping your progress. The audio, including background music, is pleasing to the senses. The addition of movement sounds that resonate naturally further enhances the overall experience, making it even more worthwhile. Hence, we can say that the developers have succeeded in ticking these boxes, considering how crucial it is to maintain a balance between these aspects to capture a player’s attention.

The controls and UI of the game are decent

Open-world games do need to have a good experience in terms of controls, and Dawnlands ticks this box. It is simple yet easy to understand and does have that simplistic look to it that most games fail to keep. This way, it not only lends the game a straightforward aesthetic but also ensures adaptability to each player’s unique style.

Well, I tend to gravitate towards fully polished user interfaces, and most often I poise my complaint regarding the UI of games. This time again, you’ll read my concern. Although the UI does exhibit a few noticeable lags, the game’s extensive content could benefit from a more comprehensive UI that offers detailed explanations of the various roles and functions. Often you question yourself what and why exactly this particular menu is present, hence, it needed a more thoughtful design.

Optimization and glitching is a serious concern that takes the fun away

Now, if you’ve made it this far, let’s delve into some of the game’s drawbacks. The prominent issues revolve around optimization, particularly in the form of occasional frame drops and flickering of the environment around you that can prove to be quite bothersome. Given the game is big and has a vast environment, it is understandable, but this should have been looked at and worked upon by the devs.

I did encounter occasional minor glitches that slightly took away from the overall polish, but they were, fortunately, few and far between, but still, not good. I found a few bugs like clicking on certain menus occasionally leads to dropdowns that stubbornly stay. This is mainly due to the absence of a back button for the dropdown menus, which needs an inclusion.

No ad interruptions are a plus, in-app purchases are plenty

Dawnlands is notably ad-free, a significant advantage for players. For those inclined, there are plenty of purchasing available to your in-game resources using real currency, among which Lucent Leaves is the premium one thanks to which you can buy outfits and gift items in the game. Additionally, a Battle Pass is available for purchase, offering substantial rewards to further enrich your resource pool in Dawnlands.

Final Verdict

If I had to give a final verdict for Dawnlands, we would confidently label it as a fun and captivating experience in this review. The visuals are a treat to behold, the core gameplay elements are engaging, and the forging/crafting system adds a genuine sense of immersion, making you feel truly present within that world. The game’s addictiveness only further solidifies its appeal, and you never know the time spent playing. However, there is no denying it has its own share of problems, with the major one being optimization.

To be fair, I sense that the optimization challenges primarily stem from the game’s intended target audience being geared toward the PC platform. Porting extensive games like this to mobile devices often poses a considerable challenge. However, there are a couple of games that have done very well in managing the open-world setting on mobile with examples like Genshin Impact. Dawnlands can definitely learn a thing or two about getting an enjoyable experience on mobile with a few adjustments.

What are your opinions on Dawnlands and your review of it? Do let us know in the comments!

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