DwarfHeim
- September 27, 2021
- Pineleaf Studio
- 4h median play time
DwarfHeim has a few things to work on in the Early Access process, but at this point it already shows a lot of potential. The game is supposed to stay in Early Access until next summer as well. On the surface the game seems pretty similar to your typical RTS. The builder and warrior role don’t really differ all that much, but they are still really enjoyable. The miner role is quite unique for the genre though as it feels more like you are running a factory than playing a RTS. I thought this was a really interesting addition to the genre. On top of this the idea of each player on the team taking a different role really forces players to work well together. I could see this leading to some issues for teams that don’t normally play together and there is likely to be some downtime for each role. DwarfHeim has the potential to be revolutionary for the cooperative RTS genre though. Otherwise the game could use some more content, but that is to be expected from a game that will be spending at least half a year in Early Access.
Get on Steam"DwarfHeim is a fantasy real-time strategy game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, with a focus on co-op gameplay for 2 players. Players can choose between the Miner, Warrior, or Builder class, each with unique abilities that contribute to gathering resources, expanding the city, and defending against troll attacks. The Friend-Pass feature allows owners to invite friends to try the co-op mode for free before purchasing."
Reviews
- The game has a unique concept that combines RTS mechanics with cooperative gameplay, allowing players to take on different roles (Miner, Builder, Warrior) that require teamwork.
- The graphics and art style are appealing, creating an engaging atmosphere for players.
- The game can be fun when played with friends, as it encourages communication and collaboration to achieve objectives.
- The game has been abandoned by the developers, with no plans for further updates or support, rendering it unplayable due to server shutdowns.
- Single-player mode is non-existent as the game requires a constant online connection, which is no longer available.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and design flaws, including poor AI, unresponsive controls, and a lack of content, making it frustrating to play.
- gameplay46 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by innovative mechanics and a unique three-class system (miner, builder, warrior) that encourages team coordination, but it suffers from numerous bugs, balancing issues, and incomplete features that hinder the overall experience. While the core mechanics are engaging and the art style is appealing, many players feel the game is more of a tech demo than a polished product, with significant room for improvement in pathfinding and gameplay loops. Overall, the game shows promise but requires substantial fixes and content updates to reach its full potential.
“Playing v1.0, this game seemed like it could deliver on its promise, fun single- and multiplayer with complex RTS mechanics above and below ground.”
“The core gameplay is enjoyable, the class roles are compelling each in their own way, and there is lots of room for tightly-integrated team play.”
“Gameplay is great, the tech tree is deep, the learning curve is present, but not brutal.”
“It has its fair share of rough gameplay, pathfinding issues, balancing issues, etc., but the reason I ask you to stay away for now is just bugs!”
“Too many bugs, lack of content, and extremely limited gameplay loops abound.”
“A lot of the core mechanics don't work as intended.”
- stability27 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and unresponsive AI that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players describe it as an unfinished product that can be frustrating to play, despite having potential and some enjoyable elements when played with friends. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial fixes and polish to reach a playable state.
“Most of the core activities you engage in during a match are bug-free, although bugs can still occur in more unusual situations.”
“This game had promise, and the demo was enjoyable, though it had some bugs. However, as of the writing of this review, there is an average daily player count of 87.”
“As is, it's a buggy, unfinished mess which is fun with some friends if you can get it for a couple of dollars.”
“So Dwarfheim is an interesting idea with potential, but the game is currently way too buggy to be worth playing.”
“I was actually really hoping that this game would be good; unfortunately, it is in an unplayable state that is riddled with minor bugs and glitches that stack up to create a mountain of mediocrity.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's graphics receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique Scandinavian art style and dynamic visuals, while others criticize certain models as poorly designed and experience technical issues like crashes when adjusting settings. Overall, the graphics are seen as a blend of appealing aesthetics and gameplay functionality, though optimization remains a concern.
“The graphic identity feels very Scandinavian, with attention to details, and I like the fact that there is stuff going on on the map as well as under it; it offers flexibility.”
“So dynamic, full of surprises, and beautiful graphics and script.”
“Yet it is the solid gameplay and the art style that gets me to play it.”
“It's hurting my brain when I see the graphics and what the game looks like.”
“Well, I like the design of the dwarves, but some models look awful and the graphics are lacking.”
“There is some pathfinding jank and unoptimized graphics.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has been criticized for its lack of responsiveness and control features, leading to a frustrating experience. Users report significant issues such as poor unit movement, missing essential gameplay mechanics, and various bugs that detract from the overall enjoyment. While some aspects, like the tutorial, run smoothly, the game is perceived as unfinished and in need of substantial bug fixes and graphical optimization.
“Firstly, all of the basic features that make a game like Age of Empires so great are its optimization and feel.”
“The skill cap is insane; the more you learn about the game, the more your progress will be felt as you have more resources sooner because of optimized build orders.”
“Some pathfinding issues and unoptimized graphics.”
“I am not talking about hardware optimization; I am talking about unit responsiveness, control, and movement options such as guard mode and attack move, which are features that are completely missing or don't work very well.”
“Instead, we are left with a half-baked, unfinished, non-optimized mess of a game.”
“Trash optimization, obnoxious voice acting, the music just cuts out on its own after about an hour, and lack of important information conveyance (e.g., a single enemy destroying a building because you get no notification that you're under attack).”
- music5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its uniqueness and quality, others criticize it for poor optimization and issues like abrupt cutouts. Additionally, the overall experience is marred by a lack of important notifications during gameplay, detracting from the enjoyment of the music.
“Unique concept, good music, smooth play.”
“Trash optimization, obnoxious voice acting, the music just cuts out on its own after about an hour, and lack of important information conveyance (e.g., a single enemy destroying a building because you get no notification that you're under attack).”
“Don't really accept the music either.”
“Jump into the game's Discord and report the bugs, come into the high halls and laugh with me and the other dwarfs either because the bug was too hilarious or because we are singing some weird song while waiting in queue!”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to be engaging and entertaining, particularly when played with friends, as the interactions and character dialogues, especially from the Scottish/Irish dwarfs, add a comedic touch. Players appreciate the lighthearted atmosphere, often finding humor in both the game's quirks and the community interactions, such as singing while waiting in queues. Overall, the game's comedic elements contribute positively to the experience, even in its early development stages.
“The base structure itself is already pretty funny if played with 3 people!”
“The Scottish/Irish dwarfs are funny to listen to as well.”
“Jump into the game's Discord and report the bugs, come into the high halls and laugh with me and the other dwarfs either because the bug was too hilarious or because we are singing some weird song while waiting in queue!”
- story3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is severely lacking, with no single-player campaign or backstory provided, leaving players with only skirmish and wave survival modes. The developer's closure means these issues are unlikely to be addressed, making it difficult to recommend for those seeking a more narrative-driven experience.
“The seed of a game with many issues still outstanding, but as the developer went bust, there will be no polished game - single player campaign missing, no backstory to the game, abandoned co-op servers.”
“In this form, I cannot recommend this game to anyone who wants a bit more out of their games than just skirmish or wave survival without any backstory.”
“No story campaign (yet).”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the Builder offers classic RTS gameplay and the Warrior incorporates engaging camp farming elements, the Miner’s mechanics are seen as overly complicated and tedious. Additionally, the tutorials, essential for understanding the game, are criticized for being lengthy and aimed at newcomers, contributing to a sense of tedium.
“Mining is needlessly complicated and tedious.”
“Doing the tutorials is absolutely necessary, and currently feels kind of tedious (lots of reading, directed at people who have never touched an RTS before).”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for lacking sufficient advertising, which may have contributed to its failure to attract a larger audience. Players had high expectations based on the game's concept, which blends MOBA and RTS elements, but felt let down by the overall promotion and visibility.
“The monetization model is frustratingly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
“I feel like the game is designed to push players towards microtransactions, which ruins the overall experience.”
“The constant ads and paywalls detract from the gameplay, making it feel more like a cash grab than a fun experience.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The 1.0 release has significantly enhanced the game's playability, with users noting its challenging and engaging nature. The clever variety in character roles contributes to a high level of replayability, making it a recommended experience for players.
“Challenging and engaging with clever variety in the character roles, which increases replayability.”
“The 1.0 release has definitely made the game much more playable and I would definitely recommend giving it a try.”
Critic Reviews
DwarfHeim Indie Video Game Preview - Geeky Hobbies
DwarfHeim has a few things to work on in the Early Access process, but at this point it already shows a lot of potential. The game is supposed to stay in Early Access until next summer as well. On the surface the game seems pretty similar to your typical RTS. The builder and warrior role don’t really differ all that much, but they are still really enjoyable. The miner role is quite unique for the genre though as it feels more like you are running a factory than playing a RTS. I thought this was a really interesting addition to the genre. On top of this the idea of each player on the team taking a different role really forces players to work well together. I could see this leading to some issues for teams that don’t normally play together and there is likely to be some downtime for each role. DwarfHeim has the potential to be revolutionary for the cooperative RTS genre though. Otherwise the game could use some more content, but that is to be expected from a game that will be spending at least half a year in Early Access.
0%DwarfHeim Indie Video Game Preview - Geeky Hobbies
DwarfHeim has a few things to work on in the Early Access process, but at this point it already shows a lot of potential. The game is supposed to stay in Early Access until next summer as well. On the surface the game seems pretty similar to your typical RTS. The builder and warrior role don’t really differ all that much, but they are still really enjoyable. The miner role is quite unique for the genre though as it feels more like you are running a factory than playing a RTS. I thought this was a really interesting addition to the genre. On top of this the idea of each player on the team taking a different role really forces players to work well together. I could see this leading to some issues for teams that don’t normally play together and there is likely to be some downtime for each role. DwarfHeim has the potential to be revolutionary for the cooperative RTS genre though. Otherwise the game could use some more content, but that is to be expected from a game that will be spending at least half a year in Early Access.
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