author: Zuzanna Domeradzka
Dwarf Fortress is Coming to Steam After 20 Years
The improved version of Dwarf Fortress will soon appear on Steam. Some would describe the game as the world's most complex strategy game.
Dwarf Fortress is a fantasy strategy game, which has been in development since 2002. The title, which offers rather primitive graphics, is available for free download on the developers' website, bay12games.com. Its refreshed version, on the other hand, is scheduled to appear on Steam on December 6, this year. Below you can see a short teaser of this release, which shows a significant difference in visuals.
The original Dwarf Fortress is the responsibility of Bay 12 Games, specifically two brothers, Tarn "Toady One" and Zach "Threetoe" Adams. The publisher of the new steam version of the game is Kitfox Games.
What is Dwarf Fortress?
The game is set in a randomly generated world, and the player's task is to lead a civilization of dwarves and take care of their needs. As Dwarf Fortress description on Steam reads:
"In this complex construction/management/roguelike simulation, each generated world carries a unique challenge [...]. Watch what makes your civilization fall, and learn for the next time.... until something else inevitably goes wrong."
Since it was difficult to find your way around in the original, The developers decided to add tutorials to the refreshed version of Dwarf Fortress, which will be helpful especially for new players. New audio tracks were also introduced to the game, including one recorded in the dwarven language.
Available game modes
The original title offered three game modes: Adventurer, Fortress and Legends. In the first of these, the player took control of a single character (e.g., dwarf, human, elf, goblin or beastman) and explored the world. Adventurer Mode will not appear for the game's initial release on Steam; however, the developers want to introduce it in the future.
The most popular mode, Fortress, may hit the game on Valve's platform on December 6, but this is not a sure thing. There the player lead a group of dwarves, moreover, the player is tasked with helping them build a fortress and develop a colony.
Legends Mode will definitely be present in the refreshed version of the game for its release. This mode focuses on familiarizing the player with the history of the land and the civilizations that inhabit it. The developers also have plans to introduce achievements and the game's cooperation with Steam Workshop in the future.
Dwarf Fortress will be available for purchase on Steam and itch.io for $29.99.
