Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Darwin, a child in the Australian bush inadvertently comes across a great discovery - a chance to document and classify a new species... one that is not of this world.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Modular Board
Build the play area from interchangeable sections that vary between games.
Variable Player Powers
Each player has different abilities, restrictions, or strategic advantages.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Hand Management
Time and sequence a limited hand of cards to preserve future options.
Read the full game description
Darwin, a child in the Australian bush inadvertently comes across a great discovery - a chance to document and classify a new species... one that is not of this world. Follow Darwin's accounts of these creatures throughout the Rise of the Occulites Saga. Dawn - Rise of the Occulites is the first in a series of games that depict the different evolutionary stages of creatures called Occulites. This first foray into the Occulite world sees you control a small tribe of Occulites as they fight for survival. Lead your tribe through a series of campaign scenarios as they learn new abilities and traits from their surroundings. Become stronger or weaker depending on your actions during the game. Or pick and choose your tribe's specialities and then jump right in to a one off game. Dawn - Rise of the Occulites is a skirmish level miniatures game that uses an innovative card based action resolution mechanic that is both interesting and engaging. This system is called the "Natural Selection Deck" and is responsible for everything from activating your tribe members, to resolving movement through terrain and a deep and rewarding combat system. However, Dawn - Rise of the Occulites is not primarily a combat game, but involves each side striving to achieve different objectives. Whether it be to collect Sungems to provide heat for the long night, recruit other denizens like Luftles to help your tribe succeed, take over an uninhabited (or inhabited cave), fight in cooperation against larger predators, protect your land. There are many scenarios and objectives to keep the game fresh. Dawn - Rise of the Occulites is a fun and accessible game that is easy to pick up, but difficult to master.