Play Ascendant Dawn Demo

About This Demo

Ascendant Dawn is a grand strategy game where you lead a nomadic tribe in a brutal bronze age world. Choose how to play from peaceful herders to blood thirsty raiders. The fate of your tribe lies in your hands will you lead them to glory or fall victim to your foes. Ascendant Dawn is a fresh take on the grand strategy genre where instead of growing a nation you grow a nomadic tribe. Improve your tribe with technology and traditions over time.
This demo covers the tutorial which has a small space to play and explore the game.



Pick from dozens of cultures to play as each with their own unique modifiers and traditions. Additionally choose from five different starts of varying difficulty.
Enact and remove traditions to influence your culture and enable different mechanics and play styles.


The world of Ascendant Dawn is based of the bronze age and features a variety of environments. Tundra, steppe, forest, mountains and desert all have their own unique impacts.


A diverse array of unit types with cultures having additional unique units. Building armies requires the right resources, population and even livestock. Command your armies on 2D battlefields where terrain heavily impacts your success. Use diplomacy and trade to ensure victory before the war even starts by cutting enemies off from vital resources such as tin.



As a tribe found or conquer a settlement to start your journey to being an empire. Settlement management adds a whole new dimension to Ascendant Dawn. Focus on building up while avoiding pitfalls such as disease and famine. As settlements grow and shrink in population this is reflected on the map.



Manage and grow your dynasty and guide it to greatness. When your character dies take control of their heir. But beware of your family as they may plot against you.


Your population is your most valuable resource. The population system forces you to think long term problems like demographic collapse are an ever present threat and if you force your farmers to be soldiers then no food will be produced. As well as human population you can also



Seasons have a major effect on the world. If you are unprepared winter will ravage your tribe but if you survive intact you might find your enemies to be easy pickings.



Ascendant Dawn has an expansive layered technology system that unlocks and improves abilities. Advance from the early bronze age to the height of the iron age.