Without a Dawn

Released

Release Date: May 19, 2025

A visual novel set in a style of a psychological horror, made by the developer behind Distraint series. The visual aspect of Without a Dawn was inspired by the ASCII technique. We play as a woman who ventures into the cabin in the wilds to try and overcome her inner demons.

9.7

Steam

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Ratings

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Story
Gameplay
Graphics and other technical bits

Without a Dawn is a psychological horror presented as a visual novel production. The development of this game was done by Jesse Makkonen - an independent Finnish developer, who has thought-provoking adventure games under the Distraint brand in his portfolio.

Story

In Without a Dawn we play as a woman who decides to escape from civilization and hide in a remote cabin to silence her restless thoughts. The protagonist quickly realizes that instead of improving her condition, staying in this place only deepens her problems. To make matters worse, she begins to be haunted by disturbing visions, and the line between fiction and reality seems to blur.

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Gameplay

Without a Dawn takes the form of introspection, allowing us to look deep into the mind of the protagonist trying to face her problems. The woman is having conversations with herself, questioning the choices she has made, and also making new decisions.

In this way, we gradually uncover the next elements of this philosophical-psychological puzzle, step by step shaping the course of the story, and consequently - the further fate of our ward. All of this is presented in the form of static images showing the places and situations in which the protagonist finds herself.

Graphics and other technical bits

The visual design of Without a Dawn is heavily inspired by the ASCII technique (referring to the character encoding system that allows creating simple graphics using letters, numbers, and symbols).

The game allows us to change the color palette and adjust its appearance thanks to hand-made frames and textures. Additionally, we can prepare our own audio recordings and implement them in the game.

Platforms:

PC Windows

Developer: Jesse Makkonen

Publisher: Jesse Makkonen

Age restrictions: 16+

Similar Games:

World of Horror

OMORI

Undertale

Features

System Requirements

System Requirements for Without a Dawn Video Game:

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
Dual Core 2 GHz, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 512 MB, 100 MB HDD, Windows 7.

Ratings

Game Ratings for Without a Dawn Video Game.

97%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Positive (36)

STEAM

Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Unique Visual Style: The game features a striking pseudo-ASCII art style that stands out and captivates players. Many reviews highlight its beauty and originality.
Atmospheric Sound Design: The sound design effectively creates a haunting ambiance that enhances the overall experience, immersing players in the psychological horror theme.
Engaging Story: The narrative is introspective and thought-provoking, touching on themes of mental health, anxiety, and existential dread. Players find it relatable and impactful, often provoking deep emotional responses.
Short Yet Memorable: While the game is brief (around an hour), many players appreciate its concise storytelling and the intensity of the experience, making it feel like a complete artistic piece rather than a lengthy game.

The main cons of the game

Short Length: The game is criticized for being too short, with many players wishing for more content or a longer experience.
Illusion of Choice: Players express frustration that many choices feel inconsequential, leading to a predetermined outcome. This can diminish the sense of agency and engagement in the story.
Limited Gameplay Mechanics: The interactivity is minimal, with some players feeling it lacks traditional gameplay elements, reducing it to more of a visual novel experience than a game.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to s

More Branching Paths/Endings: s desire a greater variety of choices and alternative endings to enhance replayability and engagement.
Deeper Narrative Exploration: Some players wish for more context and depth in the story and character backgrounds to better understand the protagonist's struggles and experiences.
Expanded Gameplay Mechanics: There are requests for additional gameplay elements, puzzles, or challenges to make the experience more dynamic and interactive rather than solely narrative-driven.

Summary

Overall, "Without a Dawn" is celebrated for its artistic merit and emotional depth, but it faces criticism for its brevity and the limitations of player choice.

Summary generated on: May 29, 2025

BG3 Interactive Map