Dwarf Fortress is an old game that inspired the likes of Minecraft and RimWorld as well as countless others. The legacy of this game precedes itself as the foundation of many modern games arrives in the 21st century with better graphics. However, does this ancient game still hold up to modern standards, or should it have been left in the shadows of history?
Dwarf Fortress: a game ahead of its time
I could gush for pages upon pages about this game. There is so many incredible and advanced features and content to talk about and the history of the game itself, but I will try to contain myself and get to the main points. Just keep in mind that Dwarf Fortress is a game larger than words could ever describe, and it was truly ahead of its time.
It is quite incredible to think was a passion project released in 2002 has elevated to the point where it is, inspiring countless other games in its wake. The team continues to update and support the free, classic version of the game, but be warned that the art style remains true to the classic nature of the game. This version, and the steam version will continuously receive support and updates, as the team wish to make this world as realistic and large as possible.
I hold so much respect and awe for the game and its developers, it has been a rather surreal time playing the game. If you want to try the game but aren’t fond of the price, then try out the classic version. If you enjoy it, then you can upgrade to the more graphically pleasing version.
The greatest world generation
One of the most impressive features of the game, and one of the reasons it has been so influential, is the deep and detailed procedural world generation. Before you embark on your journey, the game will create a whole world for you. Now this isn’t just a regular procedural world generation like in the other games, no. This world will have years of history built into it.
You can decide how long you want the history to run for, from 25 years to even 1,000 years. As the years go on, villages and cities are established, ruins are left, wars are wages, legends are born, the map changes. You will be stepping into a world already steeped in a rich history. Unique dances and instruments will be made.
Instead of embarking right away, you can simply view the legends of the world. Every geological, and cultural feature will be names, with hundreds of characters and beasts and legendary items that have forged the world.
Additionally, the world itself is incredible, with hundreds of stones and ores that are generated in geologically-accurate locations. Bodies of water form naturally. You can choose to embark to a location of your choosing, landing you in a portion of the map that will unique to all others. You can then expand, interacting with the other established denizens and hostiles.
And one of the best features is, you can create numerous games in the same world.
Stout dwarves and complex systems
When you have actually landed in the game, the real fun will begin. You will arrive to the location with seven dwarves and a pack of animals. As soon as you arrive, you will have to get busy immediately. You will have to make sure your dwarves have food and water sources if your location doesn’t have any on the surface. You’ll need to make sure they’ve got shelter and booze.
Related: How to get drinkable water in Dwarf Fortress
The beginning of the game is hectic, and if you haven’t played the classic version, the complex array of systems may confound you. I will admit, many systems are confusing and aren’t explicit without effort on your part. You can either attempt to figure out the systems yourself, or read pages upon pages of the wiki. This may not sound fun, and typically it wouldn’t be, but actually managing to perform the tasks you need and managing to solve problems is hugely gratifying, with or without the use of the wiki.
The trial and error stage won’t last too long, and soon you’ll have complex chains keeping your fort together. There will be a lot to keep track of and a lot of problems to solve, but your dwarves will be up for the tasks.
Once you have established yourself, you can focus on what you want to become. A pretty good end-goal is described in the game itself, to house the existing monarch of the civilization through elevating your fortress all the way to a duchy. From there, you must become a Mountainhome by sitting the ruler on a mythical throne whilst surrounded by 7 mythical symbols of office. At that point, you will be a very accomplished and capable player.
Alternatively, you can set your sites on becoming the best library, attracting visitors from all around the world. You can become the greatest tavern the world has ever seen. What you want to do, you can do. The game only allows more and more creativity the more you play with it.
Failure is fun
However, you do need to be prepared to fail. You may accidentally flood your base, killing all. You may not have prepared for the winter, starving everyone. You may have been overrun by vampires or beasts. You may have driven everyone mad. You may have taken too long to figure out what everything does, only to watch your dwarves waste away.
Failure is inevitable, and unavoidable for new players. But through your failure, you will learn and create better, stronger fortresses. Learning from your failures is an important aspect of the game. If your dwarves do die, then you can simply embark on another expedition with new dwarves in the same world. Maybe this time you will choose a better location, or will decide to reclaim a ruin instead of embarking in the middle of nowhere.
This is only the beginning
As previously mentioned, this monumental game will only receive more and more updates, improving and adding systems that will really elevate this game to even greater heights. I highly recommend Dwarf Fortress, whether the steam release or the classic version.
Keep an eye on Gamer Journalist for more gaming and Dwarf Fortress content, such as how elevation works.
Published: Dec 7, 2022 07:06 am