Dawn of Discovery Image
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

  • Summary: (Also known as "Anno 1404: Dawn of Discovery" and "Anno: Create a New World") Dawn of Discovery takes place in the year 1404, when King George's land is suffering from severe droughts and brutal famine. Aware of his people's distress, the king calls on his two sons, William and Edward, to acquire new territories in order to produce enough goods to satisfy the needs of his empire’s inhabitants. Whereas Edward suggests aggressive means to collect the precious resources, his brother William offers a peaceful solution, proposing to explore new and unsettled lands in the south of the kingdom. With his Father’s blessing, William heads south to the mysterious Orient and returns with valuable new technologies such as the water pump that allows dry lands to be cultivated in order to produce enough food for the people. But there are still many unmet needs within the king's empire, and players are tasked with the mission of fulfilling those needs while both expanding and sustaining the vast society. Build and sustain your own expansive empire. Explore the beautifully detailed world and discover new places to create your civilization. Set up trade posts in the spice mines of the Orient and explore new trade routes to keep your nation growing. Learn from other nearby cultures to expand your horizons and master the challenges of establishing a prosperous society. [Ubisoft] Collapse
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 24
  2. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. There aren’t enough words to describe what an incredibly fun experience Dawn of Discovery is.
  2. Aside from those minor quibbles, I really enjoyed Dawn of Discovery, but keep in mind that if you're not already a fan of real-time strategy games, this game might not be the one to suck you in, especially not on a console. It's certainly well-adapted, but the difficulty curve is pretty high, and I'm not sure that people will have the patience to go through the tutorial that's masked as a story mode. However, if you're willing to stick it out, there's a ton of depth here that can keep you busy for hours on end, and it's a great value at $30.
  3. A universally enjoyable game. [Aug 2009, p.84]
  4. Mostly, this is a relaxing Sunday-afternoon game, and good at either accompanying the digestion of a roast dinner or the slow exorcism of a hangover.

See all 24 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. PaulA
    10
    This game is a profound and fun challenge. With over 50 hours of game time over the past 3 weeks, I see no end in sight. And believe it or not . .I am still in story mode!! Yes, I liek to take my time. Every time you think you have the game under control, there is a surprise right around the corner that will keep you active and thinking for horus and hours. I would be surprised to learn of anyone who can play this game for only 2 hours. The time simply warps as 5 hours can seem like 45 minutes. The complexities and timing of this game are simply incredible! Expand
  2. RavenX301
    9
    This is a great hidden gem. It is certainly not as grand as its wonderful PC counterpart, but it still offers a great challenge and great fun. At first it may seem a bit too small, especially if you have played any of the PC versions, but as the game wears on it becomes extremely addictive and fun. I have actually found myself leaving Prototype and Infamous in favor of this game. Plus the price point is fantastic for probably the best surprise on any system in a long, long time. However I would not recommend it for kids or anyone or does not enjoy Settlers or the Civ series. Expand
  3. TimA
    9
    First strategy game I've played on a console - that is excellent. Controls are great on the Wii.
  4. SS
    9
    This game is a lot of fun. The tutorial mode is very long and thorough. But once you get past that, it's a lot of fun.