Anvil of Dawn
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Anvil of Dawn |
Anvil of Dawn is a fantasy role-playing game released in 1995, developed by DreamForge Intertainment and published by New World Computing. It earned the distinction of being named the top RPG of 1995 by both Computer Gaming World and Computer Game Review.
Gameplay
Designed for MS-DOS, Anvil of Dawn represents one of the final dungeon crawl RPGs utilizing blockstep movement within a semi-3D setting. The game presents a real-time, three-dimensional first-person viewpoint. Distributed on CD, it features fully voiced dialogue and pre-rendered cinematic sequences. Players select a single protagonist from five available heroes, encountering additional characters throughout the adventure. The gameplay integrates action elements with puzzle-solving, while character development is driven by skill usage instead of traditional experience points. Multiple possible conclusions contribute to its replayability.
Plot
Taking place in the realm of Tempest, the storyline revolves around a region ravaged by an evil warlord's conquest. The player’s hero is transported into this occupied domain with the mission to overthrow the warlord and his minions, safeguarding the last bastion of good.
Development
Created by DreamForge Intertainment, Anvil of Dawn emphasized creating an immersive atmosphere. Rather than relying on real-time 3D graphics—which were deemed less realistic at the time—the developers chose to pre-render environments using 3D modeling techniques. Outdoor locations were designed using "movement nodes" connected through pre-recorded mini-cinematics to ensure smooth transitions between scenes.
To enhance immersion, the user interface was kept minimalistic, featuring few HUD elements and incorporating conveniences such as automatically updating quest logs, spellbooks, and maps. The design philosophy sought to make the game approachable for newcomers while still offering depth for veteran players. Limiting controls to a single left mouse button led to focusing on controlling one character rather than managing a party, simplifying inventory and interaction systems.
Combat utilized a pseudo-turn-based mechanic where enemies attack at predetermined intervals but respond immediately after each player action, allowing players to regulate combat tempo by varying their attack speed. Considerable time was invested in developing this magic and combat system to deliver engaging gameplay without overwhelming users.
Reception
Anvil of Dawn received widespread critical acclaim as noted by PC Accelerator. It was awarded best role-playing game of 1995 by both Computer Gaming World and Computer Game Review, and was nominated for Computer Games Strategy Plus’s "Role-Playing Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Stonekeep. Editors at Computer Gaming World praised its "playability and balance," while Computer Game Review described it as "an excellent job all the way around."
Trent C. Ward from PC Gamer US regarded it as an "attractive and enjoyable RPG that doesn't stretch the boundaries very far." In Computer Gaming World, Scorpia referred to it as "a dungeon romp with several points of interest, and a couple of pleasant surprises." Andy Butcher from Arcane awarded it an 8 out of 10 rating, calling it "hack-and-slash raised to an art form" and commending its accessibility despite certain constraints. Conversely, Steve Wartofsky of Computer Games Strategy Plus found it less remarkable, noting that "there are both faster and deeper games already on the market or shortly on the way."
In his 2008 book Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games, historian Matt Barton considered Anvil of Dawn among the finest games inspired by Dungeon Master, highlighting its "careful pacing, splendid music, and ... superior interface" as key strengths.
Reviews
- Australian Realms issue #27
Legacy
According to a 1999 report by PC Accelerator, New World Computing originally planned for Anvil of Dawn to become the start of a new franchise but later redirected their efforts towards the Might & Magic series. In 2013, the title was made available again on GOG.com, now compatible with Microsoft Windows.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1995 video games
- DOS games
- DreamForge Intertainment games
- Dungeon crawler video games
- Fantasy video games
- Games commercially released with DOSBox
- New World Computing games
- Role-playing video games
- Single-player video games
- U.S. Gold games
- Video games developed in the United States
- Windows games