Before Dawn

Lead four heroes through three cursed regions, and survive until dawn.

Before Dawn is a pixel-art, turn-based roguelike where time itself is part of the strategy. Every skill costs beats on one shared timeline: while an enemy winds up a slow, heavy blow, a quick hero can slip in two strikes of their own.

Every move costs beats

Hover a skill and the turn order on top shows where it would send you. A quick jab keeps you at the front of the line; a heavy blow sends you to the back. Haste and delay push anyone along the timeline, friend or foe.

Read the intent. Break the poise.

Every enemy shows its next move and who it will hit. Grind its poise down to zero and it Breaks: it loses a beat, its armor shatters, and your next hit on it is a critical strike.

Three regions, three bosses

Rotroot Forest, Thornwood Abbey, the Dayless Sanctum. Each region is a branching map of fights, random events, shops and campfires, with a boss waiting at the end.

A party that grows with every run

• Seven heroes, each with a trait of their own. Choose four.
• Learn a new skill after every fight, and awaken random upgrades for the ones you know.
• Collect relics and potions. Bargain at blood altars; spend your gold with wandering merchants.
• Hard but fair: every enemy telegraphs its move, so every defeat teaches you something.

Play

Free in your browser on desktop (mouse and keyboard; phones are not supported). For the smoothest experience, download the Windows or macOS version below. Available in English and 简体中文.