Anvil of Dawn

Anvil of Dawn is a 1995 first-person RPG from DreamForge Intertainment, designed by Thomas J. Holmes and Christopher L. Straka and published by New World Computing for DOS. Fully voiced on CD, it was named Best RPG of 1995 by Computer Gaming World and Computer Game Review, yet it’s often forgotten today.

An evil Warlord has overrun the land of Tempest, and only one castle still holds out. You play a lone champion, teleported deep into enemy territory to find a way to defeat him.

Gameplay

Anvil of Dawn is a step-based dungeon crawler in the tradition of Eye of the Beholder and Lands of Lore, but with a focus on a single hero rather than a party.

• Five heroes: Choose one of five pre-made characters, each with their own voice and personality.
• Skills by use: There are no experience points; your skills improve as you use them.
• Elemental magic: Over 25 spells drawn from elemental forces such as earth, wind, fire and lightning.
• Combat: Real-time but measured, with enemies counterattacking, so timing matters.
• Large world: Explore a large land and many dungeons.
• Multiple endings: Your choices affect how the story ends.

The pre-rendered graphics are beautiful, with richly detailed environments and atmospheric lighting, and the sound and voice work bring the world to life. Some puzzles are tedious, and moving between fixed nodes in the outdoor areas can feel restrictive.

Verdict

Anvil of Dawn is an underrated gem. Its story is fairly standard fantasy, but its art, single-hero focus and skill system make it stand out. It’s one of the best-looking first-person RPGs of the DOS era.