Customer Reviews

Dawn of Discovery

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(30)

 

 

I bought this game because I really enjoyed AD 1701 (aka Anno 1701). Outside of North America, this game is known as AD 1404 or Anno 1404 which makes it obvious that it is another entry in that series. Coming from AD 1701, I was not disappointed at all. This review is more for people who enjoyed AD 1701 and want to know what's new. People who don't know the Anno series should know that it is a city builder/resource management game. You build cities--like in SimCity--but in a fictional/historical context. And you need to use mines, farms, and ships to create and move those resources.

The game mechanics are very similar to AD 1701. The artwork, music, and voice work is similar. Now for the differences--which, fortunately, are mostly improvements.

In this game, you get two sets of populations, the Orient and Occident, with different needs but with some resource needs going across the populations--e.g. the Orient needs wood and tools from the Occident and the Occident needs spice, indigo, and quartz from the Orient. The person you play is from the Occident--you can't choose to play as a Occidental player yourself. As you play, you need to gain prestige with the computer player from the Orient to unlock building types for your cities in the Orient.

The higher socio-economic classes now have their basic needs fulfilled by multiple items, so there is less rioting because you fail to meet a need for a single item. That makes the population more stable. I had a few riots, but they were short lived and not too damaging. There are also ascension rights that create fixed ratios of the socio-economic classes. This fixes the problem of AD 1701 where ended up with snobby aristocrats and nobody else to be snobby to. Beggars are also added. You need to build them a shelter and they make requests. You can also kick them out, but I haven't tried that--they apparently become aggressive.

You can set prices on items to buy and sell are your port, but I haven't really used that. It will probably more useful in the future if they add the multi-player option. Perhaps, this replaces the option in 1701 where if you need a resource you could request a direct shipment that was expensive but guaranteed.

There are a lot of resources to manage with a fair amount of overlapping inputs (e.g. charcoal is needed both to make salt and smelt iron). You set up the fields for farms for more layout options. When mines run out, you can pay to dig some more and get more resources from the mine. Some of the factories have water wheels and have to go on a river site.

The guild house and school/university research system is replaced by a new system. You can get access to special items to purchase from the computer players. These let you add features to warehouses to increase space, add carts, make islands more fertile, levy tariffs, speed up manufacturers, etc. Even better, you can add features to ships such as special crew members, better sails, better arms, diplomatic letters, even a powder keg for damaging fleets. You can also get these through questing.

You can make Occidental ships and Oriental ships to take advantage of the different ships types--they differ by speed, cargo capacity, armaments, and the number of extra sails/special crew/etc you can add.

There are monuments requiring large amounts of resources to try to build--like a big gothic cathedral. The harbor system is really nice and lets you make quays with repair cranes, piers, defense towers and store houses.

I haven't done any fighting except what there was in the campaign mode. But the fighting is done with encampments rather than by micromanaging individual troops. There are even trebuchets to try to knock down the buildable city walls with towers and gates. There is some sort of provisioning system as well, but I haven't used that, either.

What's missing? I play single player, but people who liked the multi-player aspect will miss that since there is no multi-player support. I wish there was an intermediate cloth stage between the hemp and clothing and that the cloth would be necessary for sails. There seems to be a missing Orient socio-economic class. There are only two right now (compared to four for the Occident). Silk is only used for carpets and not for clothing. I'd like to see more use of more of these resources. I want to make indigo dyed silk robes--gosh darnit! Hopefully future expansions will add some of this.

So, I am enjoying Dawn of Discovery. I think it's enjoyable for anyone who likes this type of economic simulation where the emphasis is more on building and less on fighting.

Before I begin, I would just like to say that the ridiculous DRM copy protection has been REMOVED with patch 1.1. Thats right, its gone!!! So I think that everyone that rated the game down should change their review or something, because now people are going to look at this game and see 2/5 stars and assume the game is horrible.

Anyway, I just discovered 1701 A.D. a few months ago, and after playing that and getting hooked on it, I discovered Anno 1404 (known as Dawn of Discovery in America), and it is AMAZING.

The graphics are top notch. Every little detail is shown...it is so relaxing to just watch the hustle and bustle of the city as the citizens go about their activities. But that doesn't mean this game isn't easy...in fact, it might just be one of the hardest games I've ever played. It requires actual resource management, trading strategy, combat, EVERYTHING. I love the depth. But it never feels overwhelming, thanks to an excellent control scheme.

Really, I don't think words can do this game justice, so I advocate that you download the demo for the game, mostly to see if you enjoy the game, but also to see if your computer can run it (it should be able to...I can run it on medium and my computer is average).

Please check this game out! I can guarantee that if you like Age of Empires or SimCity, you will LOVE this game. I can't stop playing!

This is a great game as far as gameplay goes. The graphics are great, the game itself is extremely complex and open ended. The main reason for the low review score is that there used to be a 3 install limit which has been removed. In fact, once I got the latest patch, I didn't even need to keep the DVD in the machine to play. I gave the overall rating only 4 stars because, while the game itself is incredible, official support in English is virtually non-existent. Without the help of user run forums, I'd have been lost.

I have read the reviews online and have experienced the install and registration issues with DRM games. I try to buy all of the good games I play on my PC and occasionally I will Pirate (Arrrrr!) a copy from the vast sea that is the internet to try the game before I purchase it. Main reason for this is that you can't seem to get any real reviews online anymore other that on Amazon bc these game websites are basically being paid to write good reviews by the big software companies.

Now as far as the game goes it is a predictable city builder with trade and exploration. My type of game and it looks amazing. I do recommend it if you like SimCity or Age of Empires or any of those. While not quite the same as those you do get the same feel while playing. Overall this is a very good game.

TO: ALL OF THE SOFTWARE COMPAINES READING THIS.

I FOUND THIS GAME ONLINE AND DOWNLOADED IT FOR FREE AND IT WORKS WAY BETTER FOR ME THAN MOST OF THE PEOPLE REVIEWING THIS GAME ON AMAZON WHO BOUGHT IT. I WOULD BUY YOUR GAME IF IT WAS ACTUALLY MINE AFTER I BOUGHT IT, BUT WITH DRM YOU ARE REALLY JUST LEASEING IT TO ME AND I WILL NOT DO STAND FOR THAT.

P.S. NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO SOFTWARE EXEC SOME GEEK OUT THERE WILL CRACK YOUR GAME AND PUT IT ONLINE FOR FREE. SO STOP ALL OF THIS CRAP AND JUST SELL ME THE GAME!!!!!

FROM:

THE HONEST PIRATE ;)

All versions of Dawn of Discovery / Anno 1404 - including D2D and Steam - include the horrible TAGES copy protection system, with a 3-install limit and no deauthorization tool. Installed it once, then changed some piece of hardware? Used an install. Installed it on a laptop for a trip? Used an install. Reinstall it for the inevitable expansions? Used an install. Hard drive crash? Used an install. Changed your OS? Used an install. Brought the disc with you to a relatives' house for the holidays? Used an install. Said relative doesn't have Internet access? Sucks to be you; no install without Internet for a game with no Multiplayer!

In short, you're paying $50 to rent the game. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS TACTIC - don't buy this game!

The time period for this game is sometime around 15th century. The `discovery' in the title pertains to I-have-no-idea-what since there are no discoveries in the game itself. Maybe it is just a fancy phrase for describing that time period since it precedes Renaissance(?) in Europe. Anyway, historical background is as necessary to play this game as a plow is necessary to play cricket. The fun is with observing little figurines going about their business, some even kneeling before the gates of a church that you built for them. Wherein a priestly character is waving his hands like a madman.

It must be noted here that I played only the `continuous game' on easy difficulty... the campaign seemed a bit too rushed for my tastes. The map is a bunch of islands of different sizes surrounded by seas and it's way too small!

Keeping a delicate balance between consumption, production, upkeep and income can be challenging especially if you want your city (or should I rather say `island') to grow, but money is too easy to come by anyway so don't worry. I found myself continuously checking the levels of goods in my warehouses and my trading routes to see if I got to start producing more of this of that. As your population grows they acquire new demands. For example when you got just a few hundred people (Peasants and Citizens) all they drink is cider; to make cider you need just one type of building, which does both: grow apples and produce cider from them. Then, when you got Patricians in your town they start demanding beer, which needs 3 different types of buildings (or plants) to make it. Then the wine (for Noblemen) needs six or seven different types of plants... and that's just to make something for them to drink!

The game has many quests, which can be anything from transporting supplies for a stranded ship to destroying a fleet of many ships. Apart from gold you gain honor pts, which can be spent on upgrades of various kinds or to `buy' prestige with the Orient. There is a whole aspect of diplomacy. I didn't go into that because on `easy' apparently money is plentiful without getting tributes from AI players.
Despite being too simplistic in many places DoD is entertaining, with many hours of gameplay. Soundtrack is great. Animations are cool. Four stars.

Posted December 5, 2010 - DMR Gone with Patch 1.1. There is no reason now to not buy it. If you like world-building, this game is a must.

Posted July 5, 2010 - Okay, this game is amazing... If you can get over the three install limit, get this game. I'd also like to thank M.Hamann (from Ubisoft?) for his clarifying post that an Internet connection is only required to install the game, not to play it.

Posted June 26, 2009 - On day three I have two big impressions about this game... One is that it is fun and I'm enjoying myself. The second is I've discovered from comments posted here the DRM (Digital Rights Management) on this game are over the top in that it may only be installed (not played) with an Internet connection and that it may only be installed three times. This is wrong in that I'm now a renter of the game and not an owner. I recommend everyone write this company (Ubisoft) and ask them to reconsider their policy.

Posted June 24, 2009 - It's only the first day with this game (since its release), but my first impressions are great! If you enjoy world building, then I highly recommend it. Great graphics, interesting quests, interesting personalities, not bad and I wasn't disappointed. I gave it 4 stars because I've only played for 8 hours and I didn't want to pass final judgment today. Come back in a few days and I'll try to be a bit more detailed in my review.

I never played any of the Dawn of Discovery games before 1404 A.D. This is my first endeavor into the franchise. After looking over countless videos, previews and reviews, I decided to buy this game out of pure curiosity. I could not be happier with my purchase. Of all the city builders I've played, none compare to this game. The graphics are remarkable but the game play is beyond phenomenal.

As I stated in the beginning, I'm a novice at this Dawn of Discovery (DoD). Although I'm familiar with real time strategy and city building icons, I had no idea how this game worked. The manual included with the game is bizarre to say the least, since it doesn't offer a novice player much help at all. Fortunately, the in-game menus offer a good amount of much needed information to help new players get started. However, these menus didn't explain everything and I was still reduced to trial and error methods. Believe it or not, that turned out to be a fun part of the game as well. Just the sense of accomplishment in DoD is incredibly rewarding.

Campaign mode is where I began (you pretty much have to if you're a rookie) with "hard start" set at the beginning of each chapter (I hate playing anything easy). Campaign mode has thrown so many quest at me, that I forget where I currently stand at the present. Not long ago, I received an achievement medal stating I completed 100 quest. My eyes popped as I shouted "REALLY?" I truly had no idea that I had finished that many objectives over the course of playing. And that's the essence of DoD! It brings you in to the point where nothing else seems to matter. When quest pop up, you don't just want to conquer them. There is so much going on within the game, you get to them when you get to them. Before long, bam, you've surpassed 100+ missions and the campaign isn't even halfway done yet. Not to mention the fun you're having exploring.

Micromanagement is the core of DoD. I'm one of those players who likes micromanaging and overseeing everything in my city. It is here where DoD really comes alive. The technology trees used, the different islands' ability to fruit diverse resources, the trading routes than can be set, and the overall balance of capital makes this game worth playing for hours on end. Upgrading peasants to citizens and so forth, is nothing new to the genre. Nonetheless, The handling of them is innovative and challenging. They have needs that constantly require my attention. I feel like a true governor of the state when playing DoD; unlike anything I've ever played.

At the time of this review, I'm only on chapter four; but I've played for well over the first 10 hours. I must share with those who are interested in, but have yet to purchase DoD, my education on the fly. I had to construct most of my city with tools. In the beginning, I was given a limited amount of tools to help start my city. Bing the novice that I am, I kept running out of tools at the most inopportune moment. I became dependent on one of the characters to sell or trade tools with me to support my metropolis. I grew angry with this over a period of time and wished I could make my own tools. Suddenly, without notice, the character stopped providing me with tools and I was shocked. After an hour of "what am I supposed to do now" rants, I finally found the lifeline I was desperately looking for. I'm not giving away the plot, but the next chapter, I made it my mission to figure out how to produce tools on my own. Again, it wasn't easy to say the least. That's what separates DoD from the rest.

In closing, the challenge is only overshadowed by the fun. The game is astonishingly done; and I'm only in the beginning of the erudition campaign mode. There are two or three quirks but they aren't bad enough to mention. I only use one computer for this game so I don't have any quorums about the install restrictions. If you're on the fence about purchasing this game, don't be. I was there but now I'm having an outstanding time playing, trading, exploring, fighting and building. I can't remember ever owning a game where I didn't want to beat, complete or finish it, just to say I conquered it. I don't want to conquer DoD, I'm taking pleasure in living through it!

Do they WANT people to pirate this game? It's just beyond me how companies still just don't get the message. People who are going to pirate are going to do so regardless, and punishing people who wish to purchase this game legally are possibly persuaded to just pirate it to avoid the hassle of the DRM. I don't mind steam DRM or the kind where you need a disc to play the game, but when you have only 3 activations and have to call to get more, blah blah blah.. why even bother? Blah :(

First, the game was patched and starting with version 1.1, all the negative reviews citing DRM are no longer relevant. Second, this is one of the best games I've played in a long time. The story mode is slightly buggy and for that reason I have not finished it. The scenarios mode though involves a great deal of strategy presented in great quality (graphics, sounds, etc).