Shall I describe it to you, or would you like me to find you a box?
The Dwarves is a strategy fantasy-RPG based on the novels of Markus Hetiz. I’m not familiar with them myself, but they do seem to be quite popular among fantasy fans. There does seem to be a lot of potential here, especially considering the source that it’s based on…but is it enough?
If you can get past some clunky gameplay elements as well as a dysfunctional camera, as well as a general lack of polish…then perhaps it will suffice. I wanted to really enjoy The Dwarves since I love fantasy stories, as well as RPGs…but it handles awkwardly and looks dated as well.
There’s also a number of technical issues that get in the way…now I’m sure they will probably be fixed over time through patches, but right now it holds it back all the more. It doesn’t help that I can see the potential, the good ideas that aren’t executed fully. It feels like a collection of ideas that never really came together, which is a real shame. There’s a good story to be found here, plus an amazing soundtrack that screams fantasy at you…but like I said, it’s buried under some real issues here.
The Verdict
The Dwarves has a good story and soundtrack, but sadly a true lack of polish. It’s camera, combat and presentation really hold back what could have been something special.