Delight at First Light- Dawn of Discovery Reviewed

One of the best exceptions to this rule has been found in the Anno series. Anno: 1701 Dawn of Discovery for the DS proved to a hidden gem, with an intuitive control scheme, and surprising complexity. Recent Ubisoft release Dawn of Discovery forgoes part of the series moniker, but loses none of the game’s delight or charm.

 
Set in 1404, the aging King George looks upon his kingdom, which is being ravished by an extended drought and famine. The monarch asks his two sons, William and Edward to explore new territories to assist with the requirements of the sovereignty. Where William employs a softer, cooperative approach to cultivating the empire, Edward favors military might. While Dawn’s tale isn’t new (and makes us wonder why a game hasn’t depicted the Athens-Sparta rivalry), it is satisfying as it’s told via picturesque cut-screens and first-rate voice-over.

Players have a choice of the game’s ten-hour Story Mode, or Continuous Play. Story Mode gradually reveals the complexities of the title, as the gamer builds farms, lumber facilities, and stone quarries, on the road to self-sufficiency. Whereas previous Anno titles have presented players with a larger game map as a base of operations, Dawn of Discovery’s land masses are small to medium sized islands. The new system works well to keep to game’s zippy framerate high, and allow the gamer to concentrate on different tasks. Continuous Mode removes the rigid linearity for a enjoyable, open-ended creation experience.

Whereas most console RTS games are burdened by their input method, Discovery’s controls are quite intuitive and well planned. Players hold down the ‘A’ button on the Wiimote (or alternatively, use the stick on the Nunchuck) to scroll across the game’s world. Player can press the ‘B’ button to bring up a Halo Wars-esque building ring. The game includes a handful of handy shortcuts- players can easily copy any preexisting or structure or road. Additionally, pressing up on the control pad gives contextualized information about any unit in the world. On occasion, this data can be a bit vague- we had no idea why a shipbuilding faculty was dormant, and how many production centers are required for a processing center. Concerning taxation, the conveyed information was too unambiguous- the player is told exactly how much they can tax each resident while maintaining contentment.

Although combat is cleverly not one of the focal points of Discovery, when skirmishes do happen they are simplistic and rather unrewarding. The title’s AI largely automates warfare, which is regulated to the later chapters of the game. Armchair strategists accustomed to an intricate tech trees will be disappointed to learn that armed conflict lacks a tactical component.

Dawn of Discovery wisely avoids the photorealistic trend of sim games, to depict its islands and village in a charming cartoonish manner. The game’s vibrant colors are intelligently arranged for effortless identification, even when the game’s adjustable camera is pulled all the way out.  Character portraits, both in the game’s cinematic storytelling sequences, and as icons in the main game, are well drawn and rich in personality.