For all that ancient Greece gave us – gods, heroes, stories, and more – it’s a relatively unexplored area in gaming. I can only really think of Titan Quest, God of War, Age of Mythology, and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey off the top of my head, but maybe that’s about to change with Titan Quest 2 on the horizon and now Dawn of Defiance.
In the tradition of Hercules, Dawn of Defiance styles itself as a crucible, testing your abilities and forcing you to become stronger. This survival game puts you in the body of someone ejected from the Underworld by Charon himself, plonked on unknown shores to grow in strength through crafting, surviving, and engaging in glorious combat to prove your worth.
It’s not only the tale of Hercules that Dawn of Defiance is cribbing from – there’s a spot of Prometheus thrown into the pot too. While you’ll fight for survival, earning your stripes against a variety of foes – there’s a chance you can grow strong enough to steal fire from the gods themselves. Your ultimate goal isn’t just to build a home to live in, though of course you can, it’s to get strong enough to challenge the gods and sever their connection to the world, casting them adrift.
One thing to really admire about Dawn of Defiance is how much it embraces its setting. Mythology is draped across its shoulders, and the game’s crafting promises Aegean-style buildings and gear galore. You can go from a small wooden hovel to a colossal Acropolis, and everything in-between. If nothing else, you can wear a Spartan-esque helm and stab at foes with a spear while using a giant circular shield, so at least fans of 300 are well catered for.
With up to four player co-op with shared rewards so you never miss out, even if you’re on the other side of the map, Dawn of Defiance has all the signs of a game that may just be the next survival sim hit.
Dawn of Defiance is out now in Steam Early Access and you can save 25% on it until Thursday August 29. Head over to the game’s page to check it out for yourself and see if the spirit of Zeus stirs your blood.
You can also take a look at our guide to the best open-world games out there right now, as well as our picks for the best co-op games you can play in 2024.
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