Dawn

Dawn is set in an early-2000s alternative-history America, decades after the collapse of a second industrial revolution. When global oil reserves ran out, aura crystals that could generate near-limitless energy from a single gemstone brought in an age of magical technology. Industry drained entire regions of crystals, and their overuse polluted the air and soil; the world went extinct in just three days.

You are a corpse resurrected decades later, kept alive by a flower embedded in your skull. In The Garden, a vast unnamed valley on the coast of New Hampshire, you explore ruins, fight mutated flora, scavenge supplies and try to preserve your sanity. The valley’s natural landscape is dotted with industrial-era ruins, handcrafted locations and characters, and structures that each have their own story.

Survive the day and night

During the day, monsters hunt anything still alive, so you hide. At night, they become dormant and largely ignore survivors, giving you time to explore and scavenge. You face challenging one-on-one encounters with the horrors of the apocalypse, using weapons such as a one-handed buzzsaw, a crossbow or a pipe bomb. Magic lets you evade and reposition, while melodies grant extraordinary abilities that can turn a fight around.

Scavenge and craft

You forge, sew and craft with materials found among the ruins. Break down household objects, dismantle car engines and search industrial remnants for valuable salvage.

Keep your flower alive

As a walking corpse, you do not get hungry, thirsty or ill, but you still need to maintain your sanity. Find smaller comforts such as homebaked goods and incense, or spend a quiet night by the fire. Your life is tied to the flower in your skull: hydrate and fertilize it to keep it alive, since it begins to wilt whenever it is out of sunlight.

Meet the survivors

You encounter a small number of others who were resurrected, though not quite in the same way as you. The quiet, friendly skeletal population returned before you. Help them with tasks they cannot complete alone to build your reputation and learn their secrets, tips and personal stories.