9th Dawn III similar games & best alternatives
9th Dawn III
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
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
Motivations
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Autonomy4
"Players have freedom to explore a large open world, choose quests or ignore them, and customize their character and playstyle extensively."
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Competence3
"The game involves skill progression through use, crafting minigames, and combat challenges including bosses requiring attention."
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Competition-3
"Focus is on personal progression and exploration; multiplayer is local coop without ranked or leaderboard competition."
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Continuation5
"Players report long playtimes, addictive gameplay, and habitual grinding and exploration over many hours."
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Cooperation2
"Local co-op is supported with a companion character and pets, encouraging teamwork but no online multiplayer."
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Creativity4
"Deep crafting system, character customization, skill builds, and pet taming allow creative player expression."
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Domination-4
"Interactions emphasize cooperation and shared progression; no evidence of dominance or power imposition over others."
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Escapism4
"Players use the game for relaxation, stress relief, and immersion in a large fantasy world."
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Expectation-4
"Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment rather than obligation or pressure."
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Experimenting4
"The game encourages trying different builds, exploring dungeons, and experimenting with skills and crafting."
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Exploration5
"Huge open world with many dungeons, secrets, and puzzles incentivizes curiosity-driven discovery."
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Expression4
"Character customization, pet taming, and equipment choices provide avenues for self-expression."
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Fantasy5
"Strong fantasy setting with magic, mythical creatures, and imaginative lore."
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Fellowship1
"Some community engagement and local co-op, but mostly individual play with limited social connection."
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Growth4
"Skill and ability progression through use and exploration supports learning and personal development."
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Health-4
"Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements."
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Idle-3
"Requires active attention during combat and crafting; some grinding but not background or idle play."
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Intimacy-4
"Social interactions are limited to surface-level exchanges; no evidence of close relationship formation."
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Leadership1
"Players can manage companions and pets, but no evidence of leading other human players or authoritative roles."
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Progression5
"Strong emphasis on leveling skills, acquiring items, crafting upgrades, and evolving pets."
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Relaxation3
"Players find the game relaxing and enjoyable, though some difficulty spikes and grind exist."
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Sensation2
"Visual and auditory style is retro pixel art with satisfying combat feedback, but not highly stimulating."
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Status-3
"No competitive ranking or social status systems; achievements exist but social recognition is limited."
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Story2
"Story is present but not the main focus; quests and lore provide context but gameplay is primary."
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Strategy3
"Skill builds, ability choices, and dungeon puzzles require planning and problem solving."
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Thrill2
"Combat includes some challenge and tension, especially bosses, but overall gameplay is steady and predictable."
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Value5
"Players report high value for money with extensive content and hours of gameplay."
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Violence4
"Combat and defeating enemies is a core enjoyable element involving destruction and violence."
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Survival2
"Players must avoid death and manage resources; some challenge but not extreme survival mechanics."
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Where to buy
Last update: 06/03/2026