Here Be Dragons

Strategy· Adventure· Turn-Based· Pirates

Released Jan 2020

Here Be Dragons is a satirical turn-based strategy game featuring unique "living map" graphics, where you lead a group of crazed captains and eradicate legendary monsters in order to allow Christopher Columbus the discovery of the New World.

68% positive · 154 reviews

Done

All announced content has been released

High confidence

Done

All announced content has been released

High confidence

Where to buy

Steam Updated 12 Oct 2026 $2.49 $9.99 −75%

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Evaluation

Here Be Dragons entered Early Access on August 16, 2019 and launched its full 1.0 version on January 30, 2020, with the developer confirming the complete story of Avant Armada was included. During Early Access, the team shipped multiple major campaign updates (Blackbeard in September 2019, Sir Green in October 2019, RoboCap 2 in November 2019, and Trifle in December 2019), fulfilling their stated goal of adding 6–8 new campaigns before launch. After the 1.0 release, the developer issued a small number of maintenance and compatibility patches. The most recent developer communication was a feature patch on July 5, 2022 (V1.3), which applied fixes from other platform ports (Nintendo Switch and iOS) and made the game compatible with Steam Deck. There are no unreleased DLC items listed on the store, no announced future content, and no roadmap pointing to additional expansions. The developer's January 30, 2020 launch post stated the full story was complete and promised ongoing bug support — but no new campaigns or content have been announced since. The last patch in July 2022 was maintenance-focused with no content additions. The game appears to have shipped as a complete product and has received no content additions since its 1.0 launch over four years ago.

Evidence

Developer announced the full 1.0 release, stating the complete story of Avant Armada is included with 13 campaigns, 40+ battles, and 10 captains. Noted they would support the game with bug fixes but made no promises of new content.

news post · Jan 30, 2020 source development ending

high

Pre-launch announcement confirmed the game leaving Early Access on January 30, 2020, listing all content included in the full version with no mention of post-launch expansions.

news post · Jan 24, 2020 source development ending

high

Media

Details

Developer

Red Zero Games

Publisher

Pansolo

Achievements

Platform

Windows, macOS

Controller

—

Steam Deck

Verified

Players

Single-player

Strategy Adventure Turn-Based Pirates Tactical Funny Sailing Story Rich Turn-Based Combat Turn-Based Tactics Puzzle Board Game Tabletop Historical Memes

About this game

Here Be Dragons is a satirical turn-based strategy game featuring unique "living map" graphics, where you lead a group of crazed captains and eradicate legendary monsters in order to allow Christopher Columbus the discovery of the New World.

STORY

Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492. In 10 weeks. With 100 men. With 3 ships. This is a LIE!

Firstly, someone had to defeat kraken and tritons. Someone had to vanquish the Leviathan. Someone had to banish all the ghost ships. The information about these deeds is missing from the archives, and you can’t find it in any great statesmen’s memoir. The knowledge of the “Avant Armada” was completely erased by some bloody officials.

The people who took part in the expeditions were not sane people. Maniacs, psychos and common crackpots were forced by royal orders to eradicate Evil in the uncharted seas. “Here Be Dragons” describes these events.

GAMEPLAY

Use original Dice Activation System to attack enemies, heal your crew, and upgrade the fleet.
Collect Ink and use Errata to turn the tide of the encounter.
Cross the seas with an ancient, living map, full of terrible creatures that want to devour you!
Confront the most fierce beasts that ever lived: leviathans and krakens, predatory whales and lustful mermaids. Decimate tritons, awake Dagon, and then erase them from human memory.

SATIRE

Meet an extraordinary company of weirdos, madmen and oddballs. Their vices and virtues fuel the journey.
Experience clashes with bureaucratic machine. Don’t lose your mind when confronted by absurdities spewed by authorities and royal advisors.
Sniff at pirates. Ignore the settlers. You are above them. You are a monster hunter traversing through the aqua incognita. Who cares if you are insane?