The Dwarves Review for Xbox One

The Dwarves is a Strategy Role Playing Game that wastes no time and throws players right into the action. Its story and characters are memorable and enjoyable for fans of fantasy and epic storytelling. Though it is easy to pick up and play, there are some moments of frustration that make this game a lot less enjoyable.

My biggest problem with the game is undoubtingly the camera. I can’t help but feel that the game would be more enjoyable to play on a PC, because it plays like Dragon Age Origins to an extent. For instance, your heroes auto-attack hordes of enemies, but here you need to use the abilities yourself. That’s where the strategy comes in, especially because there is no friendly fire and you can very easily knock allies and enemies alike off a cliff. Don’t get me wrong, the gameplay is fun and engaging. The combat is fluid, it’s fun to watch, and there are a variety of skills between characters. It’s all great, but I wish my companions would take some more initiative.

I also have a problem with the scripted events. In one instance, my party was confronted by a boss, and she raised the dead all around us. I was expecting the fight of my life, but instead … the conversation ended and nothing happened. I could move Tungdil around, push zombies around by touching them, but I could not initiate the fight. I had to reload the autosave and reexplore the area. Besides this, the only other thing I can complain about is a scene in which I was a part of a dialogue sequence, my were characters motionless, and the enemy mobs were free to attack us and we were defenseless. I was dead before the battle even started. I managed to win through sheer dwarven stubbornness.

As the title so aptly reminds us, this is a series about the Dwarves, who defend the land between the mountains from all foes who lurk beyond their gates. The map is impressive to look at, and exploration is key to understanding this world. You play as Tungdil, a dwarf scholar, who was raised by the powerful magus, Lot-Ionan. Your past is a mystery, and your origin is a constant motif that becomes entangled with the main plot. There are many companions to meet along the way, and you can develop your relationship with them. There are forces at work that aim to destroy the elves, men, and dwarves and give rise to a new order. The alfar are introduced as the antagonists, alongside their orc allies, but you’ll find that the other races are not entirely so innocent either. What defines who you are in this game are your choices, which often delve into grayer areas.

The game’s aesthetic is visually stunning. It looks beautiful: the landscapes, the characters, the armor, the map, the game menu, etc. There is a certain jerkiness to the animation, but it works in most instances. The soundtrack is epic, mostly adventurous, and persistent. No action is made too dull with the boom dwarven theme in background, but I think I would like to hear some more softer music for conversation scenes. The voice acting is terrific and diverse enough making no two characters the exact same. Each character gets his and her own portrait as well, and they are not often overused.

The Dwarves is such an interesting game. I personally want to start a new campaign to see what other side quests I skipped while perusing the main story. I hope that the developers patch the game that makes the camera more bearable and fixes some script errors. I think this game has earned an 8 out of 10. I think the game has a lot of potential, and I would definitely recommend trying it out especially for those of you who enjoy fantastical stories.

Here is The Dwarves teaser trailer:

The Dwarves is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac and Linux.

John Pruitt

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I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.

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