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9th Dawn III similar games & best alternatives

9th Dawn III

PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Android, Nintendo Switch • 2020

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Quick resume

9th Dawn III: Shadow of Erthil is a massive open world RPG/dungeon crawler packed full of content – featuring more than 270 monsters to fight and capture, a fun card game with 180 cards to collect, and over 1,400 unique items to hoard!

Global score

87/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Card & Board Game

Similar games

    Pros

    • Large open world with exploration freedom
    • Deep crafting and skill progression systems
    • Local co-op and pet taming features
    • Addictive gameplay with long playtimes
    • Active developer engagement and updates

    Cons

    • Graphics and ui are basic and sometimes clunky
    • Some grind and repetitive crafting minigames
    • Lack of online multiplayer
    • Combat can become repetitive and unbalanced
    • Some quality of life features missing or limited

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Leadership, Survival, Violence, Strategy. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Cooperation, Fellowship, Exploration.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players have freedom to explore a large open world, choose quests or ignore them, and customize their character and playstyle extensively."

    • Competence
      3

      "The game involves skill progression through use, crafting minigames, and combat challenges including bosses requiring attention."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is on personal progression and exploration; multiplayer is local coop without ranked or leaderboard competition."

    • Continuation
      5

      "Players report long playtimes, addictive gameplay, and habitual grinding and exploration over many hours."

    • Cooperation
      2

      "Local co-op is supported with a companion character and pets, encouraging teamwork but no online multiplayer."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Deep crafting system, character customization, skill builds, and pet taming allow creative player expression."

    • Domination
      -4

      "Interactions emphasize cooperation and shared progression; no evidence of dominance or power imposition over others."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game for relaxation, stress relief, and immersion in a large fantasy world."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment rather than obligation or pressure."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "The game encourages trying different builds, exploring dungeons, and experimenting with skills and crafting."

    • Exploration
      5

      "Huge open world with many dungeons, secrets, and puzzles incentivizes curiosity-driven discovery."

    • Expression
      4

      "Character customization, pet taming, and equipment choices provide avenues for self-expression."

    • Fantasy
      5

      "Strong fantasy setting with magic, mythical creatures, and imaginative lore."

    • Fellowship
      1

      "Some community engagement and local co-op, but mostly individual play with limited social connection."

    • Growth
      4

      "Skill and ability progression through use and exploration supports learning and personal development."

    • Health
      -4

      "Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires active attention during combat and crafting; some grinding but not background or idle play."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Social interactions are limited to surface-level exchanges; no evidence of close relationship formation."

    • Leadership
      1

      "Players can manage companions and pets, but no evidence of leading other human players or authoritative roles."

    • Progression
      5

      "Strong emphasis on leveling skills, acquiring items, crafting upgrades, and evolving pets."

    • Relaxation
      3

      "Players find the game relaxing and enjoyable, though some difficulty spikes and grind exist."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Visual and auditory style is retro pixel art with satisfying combat feedback, but not highly stimulating."

    • Status
      -3

      "No competitive ranking or social status systems; achievements exist but social recognition is limited."

    • Story
      2

      "Story is present but not the main focus; quests and lore provide context but gameplay is primary."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Skill builds, ability choices, and dungeon puzzles require planning and problem solving."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Combat includes some challenge and tension, especially bosses, but overall gameplay is steady and predictable."

    • Value
      5

      "Players report high value for money with extensive content and hours of gameplay."

    • Violence
      4

      "Combat and defeating enemies is a core enjoyable element involving destruction and violence."

    • Survival
      2

      "Players must avoid death and manage resources; some challenge but not extreme survival mechanics."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026