Dwarf Fortress is something of a legend in the gaming world. It has been in development since 2003, and will still continue to be updated and developed for the foreseeable future. Some may make the mistake of imagining that this means the game is half complete. But quite the opposite — it is already one of the most advanced games in existence. It simply has a development duo with insatiable ambitions for further improvement.
With almost exclusively rave reviews from critics and gamers alike, more people than ever are falling in love with the rich, complex charm of Dwarf Fortress. It describes itself as the deepest, most intricate simulation of a game ever made. Players quickly discover this to be true as they venture down the beautiful rabbit hole that never seems to end. Here are some similar games that Dwarf Fortress players will adore.
10 StoneHearth
A superb colony sim title, StoneHearth starts players off with a small group of settlers beginning their journey into a new land, to live there and survive off its resources. There is a lot of general base-building and management in the early game, followed by defense from aggressive locals. However, at a certain point, players get to choose their own direction, to decide how their new empire turns out.
Some players will push for a mercantile specialty, setting up production and trade routes to churn out big profits. Others will build armies and conquer the whole world by force. There are several other ways to progress in the game, which allows players to feel they are shaping their own unique empire. The only caution is that the developers do not update the game anymore, although the modding community has found superb ways around many gripes that concern players.
9 Stranded: Alien Dawn
Imagine if Dwarf Fortress was recreated in a different setting and in resplendent 3D graphics. This title tries to make life difficult at every step of the way, making even simple survival in a makeshift shelter a real challenge. Players battle not only against enemies, but also disease, morale, hunger and ever-changing weather.
Eventually, players are expected to advance enough to create their own civilization of survivors, building up an advanced base with advanced technology, which can be very satisfying to achieve. Just be aware that the game is still in Early Access, and is still adding content and balancing out the gameplay.
8 Dwarfs!?
This entry is decidedly a tongue-in-cheek recommendation. Since Dwarf Fortress is all about dwarfs, there may exist a certain niche of gamers who play the game out of appreciation for its eponymous citizens and their delightful beards.
With that in mind, true dwarf fans will find their fix in this kooky little title. Dwarfs!? tasks players with controlling a gaggle of dwarfs digging tunnels to get riches, then building a base, and upgrading it. Players then defend that base against monsters that attack in tower-defense style gameplay.
7 Farthest Frontier
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Farthest Frontier follows a traditional base-building formula, leading a group of settlers to the edges of the known world to start off a new society under the control of the player. Special commendation goes to the intricately detailed farming system. This title teaches gamers real-life skills and knowledge about optimal soil conditions and ways to enhance crop production.
Randomly generated maps add different challenges each time, and numerous starting options help tailor the experience to the player. For example, for those who don't like combat, the game allows a pacifist mode, where the challenges will come from other sources. The title is still in Early Access, but the developers are proven names for quality and are regularly updating it.
6 Banished
This title has its own unique features to the traditional colony-sim recipe. It tries to simplify some of the deeper mechanics to make them more accessible to the general gaming public. For example, despite building up a civilization from nothing and then engaging in trade with traveling merchants, there is no money in the game, just resources and a barter system.
Also, there is no complex technology tree. Players can construct any building or item at any time if they have the right resources and tools. No unlocking is needed. It is a streamlined way to handle the genre, and it works well as a starting point for new players.
5 Frostpunk
The post-apocalyptic setting, tasking gamers to build the last city on Earth, is a very compelling backdrop to Frostpunk. That, along with the fact that the whole world is now frozen, means survival is even more difficult. Players need to survive the cold, and then find ways to build from nothing.
There is little time to relax. Several unforeseen situations will continue to crop up, many of which must be handled delicately to maintain the carefully balanced social ecosystem within the fledgling society. Truly awful decisions will need to be made, each one leading to consequences for the city and its inhabitants. Rule with love or with iron? Try various strategies to see what works.
4 Against The Storm
Many games are mixed-up versions of previous game styles and genres. This title is an intriguing blend. The core game is a roguelite city-builder, but it stirs in a touch of strategy, survival, management and crafting. The mix works incredibly well, and as an Early Access title, there is even more room for refinement and expansion from very supportive developers.
Being a roguelite, players are not expected to perfect the game in their first try, but rather keep moving ahead and gaining new abilities which will set them up even better for their next attempt. There is superb balance in the pacing, so new content and scenarios keep adding new situations to deal with, but without throwing so much that it becomes too difficult. With decent graphics and a great musical score, this is definitely a title to consider.
3 Prison Architect
It is claimed that Dwarf Fortress directly inspired the developers of Prison Architect when designing their game. But the latter still stands on its own right as a superb title for any gamer's collection. While all the mechanics of a base-builder are well-executed, the prison environment adds a whole new level to the experience.
The choices facing a prison director range from the wacky and humorous, to dark and deranged. The game forces players to watch and face the consequences of morally questionable dilemmas. Satisfying and disturbing in equal measures, it unquestionably merits attention.
2 Minecraft
One of the most famous base-builders in gaming history, Minecraft never seems to age. It features surprising shapely 3D blocks from which the word is constructed, and is played in first or third-person perspectives, which makes a compelling difference in gameplay from many other titles in this list.
As usual, players start with nothing and must gradually accrue enough materials and resources to build a base and better weapons, armor, and materials. Meanwhile, they must hold off monsters that wish to nibble on them. There is an end game, but gamers can keep playing and building their world forever if they wish to. This is a classic survival base-builder that every gamer should own.
1 RimWorld
When it comes to the greatest game in the style of Dwarf Fortress, and also being directly inspired by it, there can really be only one contender. RimWorld brings all the elements that make up a fantastic base-building colony sim, with a vast amount of extra detail and diversity. With building, crafting, trading, taming, fighting, and more than can ever be described, the potential options for new world governors are virtually endless.
One of the biggest draws is that every single colonist is unique. They each have their own character, sense of humor, background, tastes, desires, education and things that annoy them. This brings the real sense of managing a group of actual people, not just nameless figures. It makes decisions harder and emotions stronger as the storyline keeps throwing curveballs at the player. With a great modding community and developers that are still doting over it and adding more content, RimWorld can be considered the most recommended game for all fans of Dwarf Fortress as well as most other gamers.