Lovingly staged RPG with a great story, an orchestral soundtrack and huge, chaotic battles.

The Dwarves is the game that every dwarf fan was waiting for. It has a well-narrated plot and challenging-but-satisfying gameplay.

Based on the successful fantasy-bestseller, written by author Markus Heitz, the homonymous videogame takes place in an action-rpg, focused on massive battles with orcs. The story is well told, but shortened in comparison to the book. The battles are fun to play for a while, but they’re lacking on AI- and pathfinding-issues. Moving the camera can be tricky too. The rpg-elements are minimalistic, there are no collectible weapons or gear and characters can be equipped with only five skills max. Your main character, the young dwarven-smith Tungdil will be accompanied with up to 14 companions, most of them well transformed from the book into the game. You’ll spend a lot of time in listening to many dialogues and to a well performing narrator, so in the end The Dwarves feels more like an interactive audio-book than an rpg.

For $40, I feel like THQ Nordic might have an idea on their hands. If there was to be an integrated loot system, updates to the movement system, and general bug tweaks, I would be open to playing the game more. I love single player games and was really excited to try this out. However, I feel a little underwhelmed. It’s fun, and it has opportunity, but right now I feel like I was left with a half empty plate.

It won’t beat The Witcher 3, replace Baldur’s Gate or overshadow Divinity: Original Sin, but it does offer 10 hours of solid, straightforward RPG fun with a strong emphasis on tactical combat. [01/2017, p.50]

As an interactive audio book The Dwarves works surprisingly well even though some of the cutscenes seem rushed. But as soon as you enter the battlefield the fascination fades and is replaced by hectic, chaotic and sometimes buggy skirmishes.

The Dwarves brings the novel setting into the videogame with a compelling and well-narrated plot. Unfortunately the game is overwhelmed by its own ambitions, and the gameplay part is not as good.

Instead of an RPG, studio basically made an interactive fiction game with combat, which wouldn’t be too bad if it wasn’t for the combat system. Typical encounter consists of dozens of enemies that quickly surround heroes and proceed to ineptly poke them. Protagonists are no better – you either have to microcontrol each one of them, or watch as they stand idly while their friends are dying an axe’s swing away. [Issue#216, p.53]

The Dwarves boasts a strong story that's taken from a bestselling novel, and it generally honors that lineage with a cast of likable and ably voiced characters. It's a good foundation, but unfortunately it's not strong enough to make up for the deficiencies of its gameplay, which include unfulfilling RPG elements and a stubborn camera.

The promise of "game about dwarves" is fulfilled only from a half. Written story is accompanied by physical engine in the battles, but those are confused just like sleepy dwarf, unfortunately.

The Dwarves is a really uneven RPG. It has some original ingredients and can be quite fun but sooner or later the joy is destroyed by weak combat and an empty world. And even if you become fond of the story or characters, ultimately you'll be disappointed by the short time needed to finish the game.

A great fantasy story with wonderful dialogues and well-crafted heroes is ruined by the most important aspect of a video game... gameplay.

A weak retelling of a mediocre fantasy book.

There’s a lot of love that went into the creation of The Dwarves but the glimmers of brilliance are dulled by the numerous problems with the combat, as well as the conflicting nature of the narrative with the few moments where you are able to make your own choices. Chances are those who will enjoy this game the most are fans of the books, but it’s a largely forgettable game for everyone else.

The Dwarves is a big disappointment. King Art tried too hard to stick to the books and released an unfinished product that offers neither challenges nor interesting plot. Serious limitations in gameplay, not very interesting interactions between characters and poor overall quality make the story about brave dwarves difficult to recommend.

An unsatisfying, forced march through the source material.

The Dwarves would like to achieve a better rating, but their own companions in the fight undercut this effort. Simple technical state is not always a recipe for a success. [Issue #271]