Update: Read our Dawn Of Man review here!

We’re in the middle of a fairly busy gaming release schedule; major titles like Anthem and Far Cry New Dawn have just hit the scene, with more big names like Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy's The Division 2 and Square Enix’s Left Alive coming in the very near future. Yet, in the midst of this craziness, indie survival sim Dawn of Man has quietly shot to the top of the Steam sales charts.

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It’s clearly the odd one out among a series of hotly-anticipated games slated for release, and it’s almost strange to see a relatively unknown game receive so much attention immediately after release. Developer and publisher Madruga Works haven’t built much rapport among the gaming community thus far, as they’ve only lent their talents to a single game, the far-future survival sim Planetbase.

Dawn of Man Steam
via: steamdiscovery.com

So, why is it that the somewhat unassuming Dawn of Man has attracted so many players? A quick glance at the Steam store page for the game doesn't show many must-buy features, although the setting is certainly appealing; there are many positive user reviews, though some complain about the title’s lack of content so far.

It seems like the setting and the calm pace are the major selling points for the title; few strategy survival sims are set in the stone ages, and the few that are typically focus on more than one era of human history. For those interested in slowly transforming a neolithic tribe from a loose band of hunters and gatherers to a steady agriculture-based community, then this is pretty much the definitive experience. The closest alternative might be something like Bitbox’s Life is Feudal or Shining Rock Software’s Banished, though neither venture into the same period of prehistory.

Youtubers and streamers can't be discounted for the game's success, mind you. Keralis on Youtube, who plays a number of simulation and strategy games, ran through a very popular series in which he took his tribe through the ages, garnering nearly a million views on the first video and giving a good idea of what the game is capable of.

Madruga Works Dawn of Man
via: twitter.com

Madruga Works’ scrappy, up-and-coming neanderthal simulator definitely doesn’t have the production value of most Steam chart-toppers, but that’s part of what makes the platform great. Valve doesn’t do much to regulate who and what makes the top sellers list, and, as a result, the market is free to dictate what sells and what flops.

As it stands right now, Dawn of Man is a niche product intended for those with a love for this specific genre. Though it isn’t for everyone, it’s currently on a fifteen percent markdown, so curious players should give it a shot.

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