The Dwarf Run

About

The Dwarf Run is a single player tactical role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Alexander Mirdzveli and was released on October 21, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

The Dwarf Run is a fast-paced, arcade-style running game. Players control a dwarf on a mission to reclaim stolen gold, avoiding obstacles, battling enemies, and collecting power-ups along the way. With simple controls and procedurally generated levels, each playthrough offers a new challenge.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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74%

Audience ScoreBased on 81 reviews

story12 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features charming humor and engaging dialogue, making it a fun experience.
The turn-based combat system is deep and requires strategic thinking, providing a satisfying challenge.
Exploration and puzzle-solving elements are well-integrated, adding variety to the gameplay.

The arena section of the game is overly long and can feel like a grind, detracting from the overall experience.
Combat can be frustrating due to clunky mechanics and a lack of clarity in targeting and actions.
The graphics and interface feel outdated, which may turn off some players looking for a more polished experience.

story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
56%
9%
The game's story is generally well-received, characterized as humorous, engaging, and quirky, with some players appreciating its twists and light-hearted nature. However, the linearity of the narrative and the lack of dialogue choices detract from the experience for some, while others find the gameplay mechanics cumbersome, which can hinder enjoyment of the story. Overall, the writing is noted as good, with a mix of fun scenarios and interesting plot developments, though opinions on its depth and execution vary.
- “The story is humorous, engaging.”
- “It's not perfect, but good writing, well-designed scenarios, and a rather twisty plot all work together to make for an excellent game.”
- “The storytelling is funny and well done.”
- “The graphics, sound (and there's very little sound and no voices), and interface are 1990s to early 2000s and the story is okay, but has lots of cheese.”
- “At some point, is it 10, 15 or 20 consecutive fights (each of increasing difficulty) you have to endure to keep the story progressing?”
- “Not only too many fights, it also needs some adventure, dialogue or plot between the fights.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised as its strongest aspect, featuring engaging and funny dialogue, quirky character banter, and unexpected twists that enhance the overall experience. While the story and graphics may not be groundbreaking, the light-hearted writing and amusing situations consistently elicit laughter, making it a standout element in the gameplay. Overall, players appreciate the blend of humor with classic RPG mechanics, creating a fun and entertaining atmosphere.
- “The humor is its biggest strength; the graphical style works very well with this. No one will call it a pretty game, but it makes it work, and the way it works with the humor gives it a very unique style that's a blast to play.”
- “Excellent Baldur's Gate-style RPG with a touch of humorous and short point-and-click segments held together by a funny cast on ridiculous adventures.”
- “The humor was spot on, not too much but not too serious either.”
gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
44%
12%
The gameplay is characterized by original and deep mechanics that offer a challenging experience, particularly in combat, which requires strategic thinking. However, the enjoyment is often marred by instability, minor bugs, and a lack of immersive level design. While the game provides a rewarding experience for those who appreciate turn-based RPGs, its difficulty curve may deter casual players.
- “Admittedly, the combat mechanics are meaningful, deep, challenging, and damn close to perfect.”
- “The puzzles are fun and not too hard, rewarding when you work them out, and the overall gameplay is great if you like a party RPG where you are constantly trying to get better loot.”
- “What I really enjoyed in this game is the game mechanics - I am not saying it is something new, but you cannot just hack and slash the entire game without some strategy.”
- “Thumbs up for gameplay, but ruined by instability.”
- “It's a playable game, but due to minor bugs and the way the gameplay fails to immerse or show off any skills in level design, mechanics, or even a fresh idea.”
- “Cons: dull humor and dialog, broken gameplay mechanics, and a difficulty curve that puts it out of the range of casual gamers.”
graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
47%
16%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simplistic and reminiscent of the 1990s to early 2000s, with many reviewers noting they are not cutting-edge or particularly impressive. While some appreciate the indie aesthetic and find the visuals complement the humor and gameplay, others criticize them as outdated or lacking depth. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, with some positive elements but not a strong selling point for the game.
- “The humor is its biggest strength; the graphical style works very well with this. No one will call it a pretty game, but it makes it work, and the way it works with the humor gives it a very unique style that’s a blast to play.”
- “Graphics are pretty good for that kind of game.”
- “The graphics and animations are good for this type of game and add to the enjoyment.”
- “The graphics, sound (and there's very little sound and no voices), and interface are 1990s to early 2000s and the story is ok, but has lots of cheese.”
- “Graphics are a tragedy.”
- “Ps2 graphics, lack of sounds, no voice acting (that might be a plus considering the crummy voice acting in some games).”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The music in the game is generally catchy and memorable, with some reviewers praising its excellence and atmospheric contribution. However, a few feel that while the music is nice, it could have been stronger to enhance the overall experience.
- “Either way, you're gonna have the music stuck in your head; it's catchy.”
- “Nice music and graphics.”
- “The music is excellent, and the game does a good job of creating atmosphere.”
- “Most of the music was adequate but could have been stronger to add more atmosphere.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “While some tracks are enjoyable, many feel generic and forgettable.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Reviews indicate that the game features a light-hearted story with minimal grinding, making it enjoyable and accessible. Players appreciate the absence of mindless grinding, as there are no random encounters or opportunities for excessive character leveling, contributing to a smoother gameplay experience. Overall, the lack of grinding is seen as a positive aspect that enhances the game's appeal.
- “No grinding for an easy playthrough; you can only collect arrows/ammo once, and there's no way to grind your characters up.”
- “The game offers a refreshing experience with minimal grinding, allowing players to focus on the story and exploration.”
- “I appreciate how the game balances progression without excessive grinding, making it enjoyable and engaging.”
- “Light-hearted story, with teeth-grinding gameplay.”
- “I think this really shouldn't be underestimated in a game; at no point was the dwarf run grindy for me, and as a result, it's one of the few RPGs that I've played through to the end.”
- “There is also no mindless grinding in this game, as there are no random encounters or random monsters.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is praised for its quality, indicating that the characters are well-crafted and undergo meaningful growth throughout the game.
- “The character development is incredibly well done, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
- “The depth of character development adds layers to the story, making each character's growth feel meaningful and impactful.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with users reporting it as rarely buggy; however, there are occasional instances of pop-in issues and minor shoddiness.
- “Rarely buggy, but there are occasional pop-ins and shoddiness.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
- “I experienced several glitches that disrupted my gameplay.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game's atmosphere is well-crafted, with strong elements that effectively immerse players. While the music is generally good, some reviewers feel it could be enhanced to further elevate the atmospheric experience.
- “The music is excellent, and the game does a good job of creating atmosphere.”
- “Most of the music was adequate but could have been stronger to add more atmosphere.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game may initially appear to be a cash grab due to its presentation, but players find that it is a well-crafted experience that justifies its price through solid gameplay and controls.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, delivering smooth performance and appealing visuals, while also providing an enjoyable combat system.
- “Runs smoothly, looks nice, and the combat system is fun.”