9th Dawn III

9th Dawn III is the kind of RPG that whispers just one more quest until you realize the sun’s been up for hours. Valorware’s latest 2D open-world adventure builds on its retro roots with a massive, seamless map full of crypts, fortresses, and fishing spots, and yes, you can lose a shocking amount of time to all three.

Your story begins with ghostly sightings near Elmson Lake, a suspicious king in Lorwyck Castle, and the faint hum of prophecy in the air. That premise quickly explodes into an odyssey across snowy Halstom, swampy Scorn, and every perilous dungeon in between. Along the way, you’ll battle over 270 unique monsters, recruit some as allies, and hoard loot like a magpie with an adventuring license.

Combat uses an intuitive twin-stick system that makes melee brawls and spell-flinging equally satisfying. The deeper you go, the more you’ll fine-tune your stats, craft gear, and discover that “just popping into this cave” is a 90-minute commitment. And when you’re not fighting? You might be cooking, mining gems, or collecting all 180 cards for the in-game card battler, Fyued.

What makes 9th Dawn III special isn’t just its size, but its refusal to waste a single square of it. Every corner hides something, a sidequest, a weird NPC, or a dungeon begging to be cleared. It’s approachable, endlessly rewarding, and refreshingly unconcerned with chasing trends.

If you’ve got the time, Cedaltia’s got the adventures. And it won’t let you go without a fight.