Dwarf Fortress

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 237 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 201 out of 237
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 237
  3. Negative: 27 out of 237

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  1. sgt0pimienta
    Oct 23, 2011
    10
    Dwarf fortress is a game about telling a fantastical story in an imaginary, abstract world, it is amazing and it covers a lot of things about fantastical in a tolkien like way, a lot of fun, you get 3 game modes, the fortress mode in which you embark your dwarves to settle wild lands and have amazing adventures and a horrible death, where you get controll of 5 dwarves and build a fortressDwarf fortress is a game about telling a fantastical story in an imaginary, abstract world, it is amazing and it covers a lot of things about fantastical in a tolkien like way, a lot of fun, you get 3 game modes, the fortress mode in which you embark your dwarves to settle wild lands and have amazing adventures and a horrible death, where you get controll of 5 dwarves and build a fortress as the number increases to up to 200 dwarves.

    you must get miners, farmers, soldiers, woodcrafters, stonecrafters, masons, cooks, brewers, tanners, leatherworkers up to around 73 proffesions, evry dwarf is unique and has a mood, likes and dislikes things, every dwarf in this game is a living, breathing (and breeding) living, this game mode issn't for lazy people, seriously, you MUST learn to play it, its not like other cheap pick up and play games, wich mike make it awkward for the regular gamer, but with time and love, everyone can learn to play it easily.

    After looking at fortress mode you can go on adventure mode, where you take controll of one character of the world in its adventures, this mode is incomplete, crappy, and difficult to play but yet, fun, its incredible how many people play it because as incomplete as it is, it is AMAZING.

    Also, you get legends mode, where you can see the story of your world, because when you generate a world you must know you are not playing a level, it is a world, when your fiirst fortress dies, the world will stay there, and you can visit it again right where you left it in adventure mode, or reclaim your fortress, or build a new one, because the world goes on.

    That feature, generating a real world has cautivated the hearts of millions of people, because your world itself is a story that advances with you.

    Now, the game has ASCII graphics, wich means its made with symbols and letters, at first this freaks out everyone, and i mean EVERYONE, you must pull yourself together and drop your lazyness off so you can learn to play, but as i said, with time, and love, you can play this game in 2 days, it is amazing, how
    " " " "
    " D " " " "
    becomes a dog standing on some grass, how meaningless symbols become tunnels, caves and mountains, this game is as famous as minecraft, only that it issn't so talked about.

    You will freak out a bit at the beggining, use the magmawiki to understand the symbols and you'll see how those triangles adn green things become bushes and hills, i strongly recommend you use captnduck's tutorial on youtube ;)    … Expand
  2. HAMS
    Aug 2, 2012
    10
    Dwarf Fortress gets a 10, despite ASCII graphics and possibly the worst user interface ever created for a piece of software. Dwarf Fortress is a story generator. It helps you make amazing stories that you will tell friends and co-workers, leaving them in awe and disbelief. It's steep learning curve is worth the climb. The developer has stated that Dwarf Fortress is his life's workDwarf Fortress gets a 10, despite ASCII graphics and possibly the worst user interface ever created for a piece of software. Dwarf Fortress is a story generator. It helps you make amazing stories that you will tell friends and co-workers, leaving them in awe and disbelief. It's steep learning curve is worth the climb. The developer has stated that Dwarf Fortress is his life's work and it won't be finished for another twenty years. But it is already one of the best computer games ever created. If you are looking for immense depth, complexity, and a steep challenge, then equip yourself with patience and play Dwarf Fortress.… Expand
  3. Kackur
    Jun 24, 2012
    10
    Little to no graphics, brutal learning curve, almost entirely keyboard based controls and yet undoubtedly one of the best games ever made. Having more content than just about any other game made, incredibly challenging game play and procedurally generated worlds leads to almost infinite replay value. Also at the price of 0 it just can't be beat!
  4. Swadhams
    Oct 5, 2011
    10
    Dwarf fortress is a game with a very steep learning curve, poor graphics and a difficult to navigate menu. However once you can get past these flaws it is an amazing game simply because of how in-depth it is. every dwarf has all its organs and body parts monitored individually, leading to humorous moments when your dwarfs bites another dwarf and shakes him around by the front tooth. EvenDwarf fortress is a game with a very steep learning curve, poor graphics and a difficult to navigate menu. However once you can get past these flaws it is an amazing game simply because of how in-depth it is. every dwarf has all its organs and body parts monitored individually, leading to humorous moments when your dwarfs bites another dwarf and shakes him around by the front tooth. Even when you get past the basics the game still provides a good challenge as there is no goal, no 'You win' screen, whether it be Goblins, Famine, Flooding or simply your fort becoming so great your pc can not run it smoothly anymore you can not win which has led to a motto among the community of 'Losing is Fun'

    Overall, i'd say if you have the time to get past the rough flaws mentioned earlier you will not regret it, And since this game is still in alpha it is free and the developer is constantly putting out free updates    … Expand
  5. Shadexx7
    May 15, 2012
    10
    Dwarf Fortress is amazing. There's not much more to say about it. It's complex enough to warrant hours upon hours of tutorial videos. It's addicting enough to make you stay up all night playing it. With the developers releasing updates somewhat frequently, there's always new things coming out. The most fun though, comes from losing; watching your hours of hard work destroyed by demons,Dwarf Fortress is amazing. There's not much more to say about it. It's complex enough to warrant hours upon hours of tutorial videos. It's addicting enough to make you stay up all night playing it. With the developers releasing updates somewhat frequently, there's always new things coming out. The most fun though, comes from losing; watching your hours of hard work destroyed by demons, trolls, or goblins is oddly funny to watch. You're always learning from your mistakes in this game, and it's a great feeling when you fend off your first siege, find your first vein of adamantine, or take down that forgotten beast that has been tormenting your fortress. Adventurer mode is enjoyable, but not to the extent of fortress mode. I still get brutalized almost every time I make an adventurer, but it's still quite fun to try and see how far you'll get. Either way, this is a free game that I recommend with every ounce of my body. Praise to Armok!… Expand
  6. Lokathor
    Dec 6, 2013
    10
    Dwarf Fortress is the ultimate example of a game that favors system and simulation over interface and graphics. There are a lot of things going on, and it's easy for a fort to collapse when the unexpectedly bad happens. Because of this, the game has a pretty brutal learning curve, even if the interface weren't totally weird and borderline nonsensical. I can't entirely deny that the gameDwarf Fortress is the ultimate example of a game that favors system and simulation over interface and graphics. There are a lot of things going on, and it's easy for a fort to collapse when the unexpectedly bad happens. Because of this, the game has a pretty brutal learning curve, even if the interface weren't totally weird and borderline nonsensical. I can't entirely deny that the game might simply rely on a form of Stockholm Syndrome to keep a large portion of its fanbase.

    However, "Losing is fun" is the game's motto, after all. There's even a "reclaim" mode so you can try to take back an old fort (if you dare). So go out and strike the earth!    … Expand
  7. mrrip
    Mar 7, 2012
    10
    I think that day then ordinary people in two or alone became capable to create games is a most wonderful day in game history. And Dwarf Fortress is a game that confirms this statement.
    Dwarf Fortress is a most complex and difficult â
  8. angmarec
    Aug 7, 2023
    10
    Great game. With incredible possibilities. Pixel art sprites from steam version are great. Some systems are bit confusing, but it is normal for game of such kind and possibilities. Real masterpiece.
  9. koolaid0101
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    Complex is the one word that encapsulates this game and the experience of LEARNING to play it.

    I first downloaded this game about a year ago; the idea of building a fortress in the mountains or ground sounded awesome; the idea of having to chop trees, fish, hunt, skin and tan the carcasses, or, raise chickens, goats, train war dogs or any other kind of animal including dragons to hunt    Complex is the one word that encapsulates this game and the experience of LEARNING to play it.

    I first downloaded this game about a year ago; the idea of building a fortress in the mountains or ground sounded awesome; the idea of having to chop trees, fish, hunt, skin and tan the carcasses, or, raise chickens, goats, train war dogs or any other kind of animal including dragons to hunt along side my hunter, I mean, come on!

    But it didn't stop there, you could also farm, brew ale, beer and wine, create hundreds of crafts made from wood or rock, make levers to lower or raise a draw bridge, build moats, stone masons, carpenters, smelters; Vampires, Goblins, Necromancers, whoa, say what?

    I couldn't wait to play this free game, and when I opened it up, I was like, WTF is this garbage?!? The GFX are ASCII, it was like I was trying to read the matrix. I quickly closed the game and never opened it again till now.

    I came across the LAZY NEWB PACK, which has a tile set included in with it that makes the game look normal. And that was all she wrote.

    As I opened, so I will close, by saying that this is the most complex game I have ever played.

    It is simply AWESOME.

    P.S. Go watch some Let's Plays on YouTube for an intro into the game.    … Expand
  10. JranZu
    Jan 1, 2023
    10
    Best game of 2022 and the past decade. If you played the ASCII version support the devs. If you haven't played the steam version you should!
  11. Patient19
    Jul 15, 2012
    10
    If i had to sell somebody on Dwarf Fortress the biggest challenge i would run into would be the first impression. Dwarf fortress is really impossible to enjoy until you can get into the narrative of it. the beauty of the game is what a fantastic story all of the features make once they've all done their magic. And so in order to sell you on Dwarf Fortress i would have to recommend that youIf i had to sell somebody on Dwarf Fortress the biggest challenge i would run into would be the first impression. Dwarf fortress is really impossible to enjoy until you can get into the narrative of it. the beauty of the game is what a fantastic story all of the features make once they've all done their magic. And so in order to sell you on Dwarf Fortress i would have to recommend that you read Boatmurdered. just google it and follow the appropriate link. This entertaining narrative, to me, sums up why i enjoy playing Dwarf Fortress. Give it a try, and if after enjoying Boatmurdered you have difficulty enjoying Dwarf Fortress, just try again in a new fortress. Eventually you will have that magical moment in video gaming where the whole setting just clicks and you finally understand and become immersed in the world of Dwarf Fortress. vorpalsponge was absolutely right, Dwarf Fortress is truly a game about stories.… Expand
  12. thvaz
    Feb 17, 2013
    10
    This game set the parameters I judge all the others. It is a game so complex that there isn't just one way of having fun with it. You could have fun making great projects, trying to optimize the processes of your fort, or just doing how I prefer, to observer all the little stories the game procedurally is showing you all the time, making you completely absorbed by them.
  13. FurballHero
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    When I first opened the game I just sat there stunned... I'd never seen such a low tech "ugly" game. After a little searching on google I found the easy noob pack and installed one of the graphical mods. MUCH better. The learning curv was the next challenge and it wasnt AS bad as I thought it was going to be, with the help of a few online guids and youtube videos I got the hang of it.When I first opened the game I just sat there stunned... I'd never seen such a low tech "ugly" game. After a little searching on google I found the easy noob pack and installed one of the graphical mods. MUCH better. The learning curv was the next challenge and it wasnt AS bad as I thought it was going to be, with the help of a few online guids and youtube videos I got the hang of it. (INTERFACE WTF!?!?)

    The charm of the game comes from its complexity and depth.. and I mean.. SERIOUS depth. There's so much to this game, i've only been playing off and on for the past 6 months and I still discover something new on nearly every play session.

    The only downfall to DF is once you get the hang of it, every other RTS game seems shallow in comparison so If you're looking for a deep rewarding RTS experience, and willing to let go of all pre conceived notions of what you know of RTS's then this is your game, however If you're a casual player who just wants a quick thrill then DF will chew you up and spit you out. I tried a recent title: A Game Of Dwarves hoping for that DF 2.0 experience... and found it to be lacking in almost every department. I will keep my fingers crossed for a proper and i mean PROPER DF 2.0 game.

    Closest thing ive found to DF is a game called TOWNS, and even then.. very lacking.    … Expand
  14. Me929
    Aug 3, 2014
    10
    Dwarf Fortress is one of the best game experiences I have ever had. Although the very steep learning curve will turn away many players, and the very basic graphics may dissuade others, players who stick with the game will find an incredibly rewarding experience. Dwarf Fortress offers an incredibly deep, albeit complex world that can be enthralling, infuriating, hilarious, and more. TheDwarf Fortress is one of the best game experiences I have ever had. Although the very steep learning curve will turn away many players, and the very basic graphics may dissuade others, players who stick with the game will find an incredibly rewarding experience. Dwarf Fortress offers an incredibly deep, albeit complex world that can be enthralling, infuriating, hilarious, and more. The game has two gameplay modes:

    -Fortress mode
    In this mode, the player is initially given 7 dwarves and a wagon-full of supplies, and is tasked with creating a new fortress for their civilization. Beyond that, there are few limitations on what the player can do. One must take into consideration all aspects of dwarven life when planning their fortress- or possibly just ignore the needs of their citizens and build a giant statue out of obsidian that cries lava and shoots minecarts full of rocks at attacking armies from its mouth. Fortress mode is nearly limitless, and the graphics can be altered to your liking by simply installing a tileset or graphics set.

    -Adventure Mode
    What it says on the tin. Adventure mode offers a very rougelike experience in an open, randomly generated world (oh also you can generate entire worlds with fleshed-out histories of individuals, civilizations, wars, and more) that is once again very deep. The recent DF2014 update has increased the variety of adventure mode greatly, making it another amazing experience. In adventure mode, for example, one could visit the ruins of a previously lost fortress and loot its remains- or become the lord of nearly anywhere you want.

    I have barley scratched the surface of what Dwarf Fortress offers. I highly recommend that everyone try this game, even if it take a bit of effort to learn it.    … Expand
  15. Chongychoo
    Dec 11, 2022
    10
    Yep. Masterpiece.

    A whole underground world for you to discover. Deep and brilliant emergent game-play. Endless stories unfolding before you once you get past the initial learning curve. Get past it. You're in for something genuinely unique. A true labour of love, nearly twenty years in the making with more is being added all the time. Simply stunning.
  16. DeimosMeta
    Mar 12, 2013
    10
    An amazingly complex game wrapped up with a somewhat frustrating user interface. It seems like it will one day be even more incredible, although for the time being development cannot really focus on making it more user friendly, since later development would just break it. That said, for those who can look past the ASCII graphics and the sometimes unintuitive gameplay, Dwarf Fortress isAn amazingly complex game wrapped up with a somewhat frustrating user interface. It seems like it will one day be even more incredible, although for the time being development cannot really focus on making it more user friendly, since later development would just break it. That said, for those who can look past the ASCII graphics and the sometimes unintuitive gameplay, Dwarf Fortress is very entertaining.… Expand
  17. Dozmo
    Feb 17, 2013
    10
    Possibly the best strategy game ever made. Free, but you will need a graphics pack (Google: "Dwarf Fortress Lazy Newb Pack") and a willingness to spend literally hours reading a wiki following tutorials in order to learn how to play. Once you do know how to play, though, you can do pretty much anything. Many games claim you can do anything you can imagine. DF, however, is the only gamePossibly the best strategy game ever made. Free, but you will need a graphics pack (Google: "Dwarf Fortress Lazy Newb Pack") and a willingness to spend literally hours reading a wiki following tutorials in order to learn how to play. Once you do know how to play, though, you can do pretty much anything. Many games claim you can do anything you can imagine. DF, however, is the only game I've ever played where this is actually true.… Expand
  18. Zarniwooop
    Jan 31, 2014
    10
    This game is only for the intelligent or those with a love of complex simulations. It's the most complex game ever created in terms of simulating events and behavior.

    The "Lazy Newb Pack" contains a tile overlay and utilities to better manage and understand the game (and make it look less arcane). If you have a short attention span or demand wonderful graphics, stick to the console.    This game is only for the intelligent or those with a love of complex simulations. It's the most complex game ever created in terms of simulating events and behavior.

    The "Lazy Newb Pack" contains a tile overlay and utilities to better manage and understand the game (and make it look less arcane).

    If you have a short attention span or demand wonderful graphics, stick to the console.

    But, if you love games that are incredibly deep and surprising and never play out the same way twice, and don't mind a learning cliff, this is a truly astounding game.    … Expand
  19. Turnip
    Dec 8, 2022
    10
    This game is only for intelligent people. If you have a low attention span, I'd recommend the game Call of Duty by Activision.
  20. wuy21
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    Amazing game, every single variable is randomized and simulated, the difficulty requires actual skill and commitment to be able to play, and it is impossible to master. The graphics only add to this amazing difficulty. 10/10.
  21. MeltingSky
    Feb 26, 2014
    10
    Dwarf Fortress is a game unlike any other when it comes to its depth and complexity and it is such a unique gem that I have given a perfect score despite a couple of glaring deficiencies and the fact that the game is only roughly 1/3 complete as of right now. Dwarf Fortress is at its heart a procedurally generated fantasy world simulator with two modes of play. In adventure mode you playDwarf Fortress is a game unlike any other when it comes to its depth and complexity and it is such a unique gem that I have given a perfect score despite a couple of glaring deficiencies and the fact that the game is only roughly 1/3 complete as of right now. Dwarf Fortress is at its heart a procedurally generated fantasy world simulator with two modes of play. In adventure mode you play from the perspective of a single adventurer exploring the randomly generated world around you. Adventure mode is very rouge-like in feel and execution. The second more popular mode of play is fortress or dwarf mode which explores the same procedurally generated fantasy world but as seen through the filter of an extremely deep civilization simulator type game where you control the destiny of a fledgling dwarf settlement. The game models the world it creates down to the individual organs of the creatures which inhabit it. Everything from the motor peripheral nerves, circulatory and pulmonary systems to the indivicual bones, teeth and organs of each creature in the world is modeled and tracked in exquisite detail. Even the personalities and psychology of the individual dwarves is modeled and directly effects how they interact with one another and the world around them. The physical world itself is modeled in similar detail with dynamically generated climates, weather, geology, biomes etc. All of this creates some amazing emergent game play which ranges from epic sagas such as the hilarious tragedy known only as Boatmurdered to player generated masterpieces such as a working in-game calculator created from a complex system of water and gear driven logic circuits not to mention weaponized magma flinging mine carts and crazy doomsday devices that flood the entire region with lava or cave in the an entire city. Having espoused upon that which makes this game so amazing and unique its time to get to the down sides. The learning curve is more like a cliff... that is covered in spikes and has a load angry goblins at the top pelting you with boulders and burning oil. On top of the horrible learning curve is the worst user interface I have ever had the displeasure of using. Both of these problems are somewhat understandable given that the game is currently in early alpha development but they are so glaringly bad that they need to be mentioned anyway. Also as a work in progress the game is very buggy which is actually one of its charms sometimes. Bugs can create some truly hilarious behavior in a game this complex. Another draw back for many is the graphics which are very primitive even after installing the various graphic mods which are a major upgrade from the native ASCII graphics although it makes the game more like reading a book where your imagination fills in the imagery. Despite the circa 1980's graphics Dwarf Fortress will bring a modern computer's processor to its knees with all of the complex modeling that goes on and you need a pretty nice machine to run it properly in Fortress mode. All in all Dwarf Fortress is a unique and amazing gaming experience for those with the chops to tackle the learning curve and the God forsaken user interface. This is certainly not a game for everyone but for those seeking true depth and complexity none can compare to the beautiful and ingenious disaster that is Dwarf Fortress.… Expand
  22. Silaith
    Oct 8, 2014
    10
    FUN

    A lot of fun in this game. Just CRAZY. Really. There is no other one like this one. I love it because of the huge gameplay, full of surprises, impossible to understand without take it and torn it apart during two weeks, night and days. The wiki is very helpful, as the tuto everywhere on internet (youtube, wiki, blogs).

    Losing is fun! DF is VERY fun. :)
  23. ThePerfectLink
    Aug 3, 2014
    10
    A brilliant game with an in depth community, with each new world brings new history and life. The amount of stuff to this game is also amazing, just the whole research part can be pretty fun.
  24. Anacleto
    Aug 3, 2014
    10
    .This is simply the best game ever. Whoever says the opposite is a console peasant. I've been playing only DF for 5 years straight and i can't get enough.
  25. ErikValdr
    Aug 3, 2014
    10
    After playing this game for several hours, Carter81's mother was so impressed by my skills that she gave me her phone number, and now I'm his new dad.

    Thanks, Dwarf Fortress!
  26. Gorban
    Dec 7, 2022
    10
    I had long since played the Lazy Newb pack fan bundling of a tile set and utilities for the previous free version of Dwarf Fortress. Few other games I have played were both good a decade prior, and received solid improvements that entire time. It figures that one of the best games this year was mostly the work of two brothers with independent control. The new updates for the paid versionI had long since played the Lazy Newb pack fan bundling of a tile set and utilities for the previous free version of Dwarf Fortress. Few other games I have played were both good a decade prior, and received solid improvements that entire time. It figures that one of the best games this year was mostly the work of two brothers with independent control. The new updates for the paid version prevent the need for a third party pack just to make it minimally viable for a dedicated fan to play. Now, I could see it opening up the game to include those that are only semi-dedicated.… Expand
  27. nnetacritic
    Oct 16, 2014
    10
    Difficult as hell and unimaginably complex. Dwarf Fortress makes you work for your fun. This is no "Press X to Win" casual game. Even the controls and UI require serious research and it will probably be a while until you get a successful fortress up and running. Fortunately, the community is wonderful and there are plenty of well written guides to get you started, but ultimately all theDifficult as hell and unimaginably complex. Dwarf Fortress makes you work for your fun. This is no "Press X to Win" casual game. Even the controls and UI require serious research and it will probably be a while until you get a successful fortress up and running. Fortunately, the community is wonderful and there are plenty of well written guides to get you started, but ultimately all the decisions are yours and the successes & failures of your dwarves are ultimately up to you.… Expand
  28. TurambarFR
    Dec 20, 2014
    10
    This game is the best game is ever played - and a game really made with love. Yes, its graphics are awful at the beginning, but once you have understood the basics, you'll enjoy this game. You're free to do what you want, and the randomization of the universe causes all sorts of things to happen to you. There's such a diversity mixed with humor and absurd situations (try to read anThis game is the best game is ever played - and a game really made with love. Yes, its graphics are awful at the beginning, but once you have understood the basics, you'll enjoy this game. You're free to do what you want, and the randomization of the universe causes all sorts of things to happen to you. There's such a diversity mixed with humor and absurd situations (try to read an after-action report), that this game is both interesting and fun.
    Don't forget : "Losing is FUN!"    … Expand
  29. NABIRIY
    Dec 9, 2022
    10
    Do not treat this game as an ordinary one that you will abandon forever in a week. Dwarves can be thrown as much as you want, but they will constantly evolve and give out new content that will make you come back. And this content will not be released for a year or two, but as long as the developer brothers are alive
    ------
    Не относитесь к этой игре как к обычным, которые вы навсегда    Do not treat this game as an ordinary one that you will abandon forever in a week. Dwarves can be thrown as much as you want, but they will constantly evolve and give out new content that will make you come back. And this content will not be released for a year or two, but as long as the developer brothers are alive
    ------
    Не относитесь к этой игре как к обычным, которые вы навсегда забросите через неделю. Дворфов можно забрасывать сколько угодно, но они будут постоянно развиваться и выдавать новый контент который заставит вас вернуться. И этот контент будет выходить ни год, ни два а до тех пор пока братья разработчики живы    … Expand
  30. SKETYCH
    Jul 31, 2015
    10
    This is one crazy-ass game.

    You will not learn it by yourself. You will need help. The interface is one of the most insane things that has ever existed, and I, a 5 year vet, still don't know what some of it does. You will need a guide, maybe a friend, maybe the expertly maintained wiki, but do not try to do it yourself, or you will become incredibly frustrated. That being said, once    This is one crazy-ass game.

    You will not learn it by yourself. You will need help. The interface is one of the most insane things that has ever existed, and I, a 5 year vet, still don't know what some of it does. You will need a guide, maybe a friend, maybe the expertly maintained wiki, but do not try to do it yourself, or you will become incredibly frustrated.

    That being said, once the initial shock to the system is out of the way, WELCOME, to the greatest simulation game ever created. I can't explain it better than everyone before me. The only way to know is to experience.

    Strike the earth, and always remember, losing is FUN!    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PC Game of 2006
20
#20 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
28
#28 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. GameSpew
    Jan 3, 2023
    90
    Dwarf Fortress is, initially, a little daunting. Not because it’s inaccessible, but because you just know that it’s going to turn into a real time-sink. Is it the prettiest game around? No, but it’s wonderfully, ridiculously deep and a sheer joy to play. If you’re prepared to put the time in, Dwarf Fortress will drag you into its depths and you won’t regret it for one second.
    Read full review
  2. Launcher (The Washington Post)
    Dec 15, 2022
    100
    Dwarf Fortress is a storytelling engine as much as it is a game, spitting out associations and facts and details that you can shape into a coherent and specific narrative. This is also what we do to our own lives, personifying random events so that they feel significant rather than a matter of chance. Life isn’t usually a satisfying narrative. It isn’t so much that “Dwarf Fortress” is a perfect simulacrum of life, but that it shines a bright light on the human tendency to look for meaning in everything. I care about my dwarves because the stories I make up about their lives are also the ones I make up about my own.
    Read full review
  3. GameStar
    Dec 13, 2022
    91
    A truly masterful fantasy simulation.
    Read full review
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