Chasing the Dawn / CTD

Chasing the Dawn / CTD is an indie roguelike that embraces the idea that every choice matters. Developed and published by Wave Games, the title combines dungeon exploration, probability-based strategy, and town restoration mechanics into a surprisingly addictive gameplay loop. Rather than focusing on flashy spectacle or cinematic storytelling, the game leans heavily into thoughtful decision-making and repeatable adventures. Its premise is straightforward: venture into dangerous territories, gather resources, survive against unpredictable threats, and use your successes to help rebuild a struggling settlement. The result is a game that feels modest in scope but remarkably focused in execution. One of the most notable aspects of Chasing the Dawn is its emphasis on randomness and player agency. Dungeon expeditions are shaped by numerous variables, including enemy encounters, rune effects, item discoveries, and environmental conditions. This creates a constant sense of uncertainty that keeps each run fresh. Players are encouraged to weigh risks carefully, as a seemingly harmless decision can quickly lead to disaster. At the same time, the game avoids making failure feel unfair. Success often comes from understanding the systems and learning how different elements interact rather than relying solely on luck. The probability-driven mechanics add a layer of tension that is uncommon even among other roguelike titles, rewarding experimentation and adaptability in equal measure. Replay value is undoubtedly one of the game's greatest strengths. With a wide assortment of runes, monsters, and dungeon layouts, Chasing the Dawn offers enough variation to make repeated sessions worthwhile. The roguelike formula is handled effectively, ensuring that no adventure unfolds exactly the same way twice. Players who enjoy refining strategies and discovering optimal combinations will find plenty to appreciate here. Even after several hours, there remains a sense of curiosity about what lies behind the next door or which unexpected challenge may appear during the next expedition. Beyond the dungeon walls, the game introduces a village reconstruction system that gives meaning to the resources collected during each journey. This feature adds a welcome sense of permanence to an otherwise cyclical genre. Instead of resetting completely after every failed run, players gradually witness their efforts contribute to the growth and recovery of the settlement. Buildings can be restored and progress becomes visible over time, creating a satisfying balance between short-term accomplishments and long-term goals. It is a simple addition, but one that significantly enhances player motivation and helps the game establish its own identity. The presentation also deserves praise. Chasing the Dawn utilizes hand-crafted pixel art that captures the charm of classic role-playing games while maintaining a polished and modern appearance. Character sprites and environments are colorful and expressive, helping to establish an inviting fantasy atmosphere. The visual style complements the game's mechanics well, ensuring that even tense moments remain visually appealing. Coupled with a fitting soundtrack and clean interface design, the overall experience feels cohesive and accessible. The controls are easy to understand, making it simple for newcomers to jump in without being overwhelmed by unnecessary complexity. That said, the game's appeal will largely depend on a player's tolerance for randomness. Those who prefer heavily scripted adventures or narrative-driven experiences may find its focus on systems and replayability somewhat limiting. Likewise, players seeking extensive customization options or deep character development may feel that certain areas could have been expanded further. However, these are less shortcomings and more reflections of the game's intended design philosophy. Chasing the Dawn knows exactly what kind of experience it wants to deliver and rarely s…

A stage takes place on a 4×4 grid filled with tiles that can contain enemies, treasure, or traps. How you move across the grid depends on your movement cards. These let you move within an entire row, a column, or a 2×2 area. The movement cards available to you depend on the character you choose, so the examples above are only available to the first character. What makes the game stand out is that while you always know the area you'll move within because you choose the row, column, or 2×2 section yourself, you never know the exact tile you'll land on. That part is completely random. Sometimes luck is on your side and you find treasure, while other times you have to deal with the consequences of an unlucky landing. Some movement cards have a cooldown, so you can't use the same one twice in a row. Your odds of landing on a specific tile also change over time. Whenever you land on a tile, it becomes inactive and can't be selected again. For example, if you've already landed on two tiles in a row, only two remain active, giving each of them a 50% chance of being chosen. Tiles can contain chests with gems, food that restores health, traps that deal damage, or enemies. What happens when you land on an enemy depends on your strength compared to theirs. Both you and your enemies have sword and staff values. If your matching stat is equal to or higher than the enemy's, you'll defeat them without taking damage. If the enemy is stronger, you'll get hurt, and the amount of damage is clearly shown beforehand. You don't receive rewards for defeating enemies, so there's no need to grind them. Some enemies also evolve as the stage progresses. For example, a goblin pulls out a sword after three moves, making it much tougher to defeat, or a totem switches each turn between strong and weak variant. A common threat are also traps, which also change from turn to turn. Most stages require you to move enough times to unlock the door to the next stage. Occasionally, you'll encounter special objectives instead, such as defeating specific enemies. You can always check the current objective by hovering your mouse over the stone beside the exit. Even after opening the door, you're free to stay and collect any remaining rewards, although pushing your luck isn't always the best idea unless you have great chances. When you decide to continue, you'll either be sent to a random stage or get to choose between two options. These can include battles against normal or elite enemies, with elite fights offering better rewards, random events that can help or hurt you, shops where you spend gems on three random items, or a mini game where you smash eggs for prizes. The first two hits are free, while every hit afterward costs gems. Since movement is heavily influenced by luck, you can shape the odds with runes. You can buy them in shops or find them in chests after tougher battles. Every rune increases the chance of some outcomes while decreasing the chance of others. For example, one rune might make landing on traps less likely while increasing your chances of landing on sword-based enemies. You can equip several runes at once, and all probability changes are displayed through five easy to read sliders as well as directly on the affected tiles. This makes it much easier to see how your choices change the odds. For instance, if the only remaining tiles are a trap and a treasure chest, a treasure-focused rune will noticeably improve your chances of landing on the reward. If a rune doesn't fit your strategy anymore, you can destroy it at any time. Runes can also be upgraded at campsites, which appear just before the final stage of a run. At a campsite, you'll have to choose between upgrading your runes or restoring a few hearts because you can't do both. You can also improve your sword or staff strength, although this is only possible at a special upgrade stage that's clearly marked so you won't accidentally miss it. Even then, you must choose which stat to i…