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The Dwarf Run

The Dwarf Run Game Cover
72%Game Brain Score
story, humor
music, grinding
72% User Score Based on 127 reviews

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The Dwarf Run Game Cover

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 an old-fashioned RPG featuring turn-based combat, elements of point-n-click adventure and intriguing story line.

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The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
The Dwarf Run screenshot
+5
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72%
Audience ScoreBased on 127 reviews
story18 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • Challenging and strategic turn-based combat system that requires tactical thinking and offers meaningful decisions.
  • Humorous and quirky story with entertaining dialogue and unique characters.
  • Well-balanced character progression and rewarding exploration with puzzles that complement the RPG gameplay.
  • Combat can be frustrating due to RNG reliance, pathfinding issues, and clunky interface especially during battles.
  • The arena section is overly long and repetitive, causing a slog that disrupts pacing and enjoyment for many players.
  • Graphics, sound, and interface are dated and can feel unpolished or unintuitive, which may hinder immersion and accessibility.
  • story
    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is generally praised for its humor, engaging and quirky writing, and interesting plot twists, with many reviewers finding it to be a key strength that motivates progression despite some gameplay frustrations. While the narrative is often linear with limited player choices, its lighthearted tone and unique scenarios make it memorable and enjoyable for fans of classic, story-rich RPGs. However, a few find it simplistic or cheesy, and the heavy combat can sometimes detract from fully appreciating the story.

    • “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 story is fun, without giving spoilers, it's different, it'll have you scratching your head a couple of times, and in some ways pretty simple, but put simply it’s engaging and leaves you always wanting to see around the next corner. I was a lot more curious about where everything was going than in some AAA titles.”
    • “The story is decent, gear upgrades and loot are rare, which makes them more valuable, and some of the dialogue and cut scenes are quite funny, particularly one where your party meets a... er... I'm not going to spoil it.”
    • “This game barely has graphics from 1990, a non-existent and nonsensical story line with the facial rendering of the devs slapping semi human parodies of themselves on bodies like they did in basement jaxx - where's your head at?”
    • “I really tried to play it to the end, just to see how the story ends, but I can't force myself to do it.”
    • “Not only too many fights, it also needs some adventure, dialogue or plot between the fights.”
  • humor
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game’s humor is widely praised for its quirky, goofy, and often clever writing, with character banter and unexpected twists providing consistent laughs. While the story and dialogue are sometimes silly or cringeworthy, many find the humor to be a standout, charming element that complements its old-school RPG style and adds a unique, lighthearted tone throughout.

    • “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 dialogue has made me laugh more than once.”
  • graphics
    31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics are generally considered simple, outdated, and unpolished, often reminiscent of late 1990s to early 2000s styles, with many reviewers noting a lack of modern visual appeal. However, the style complements the game's humor and personality, giving it a unique charm that some players appreciate, especially those with nostalgia for older games. Despite their shortcomings, the graphics and animations support the gameplay experience without detracting significantly from its enjoyment.

    • “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.”
    • “Dwarf Run may have simple 3D graphics and sound but boasts bags of personality.”
    • “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.”
    • “This game barely has graphics from 1990, a non-existent and nonsensical story line with the facial rendering of the devs slapping semi-human parodies of themselves on bodies like they did in Basement Jaxx - where's your head at?”
    • “The dev did use only standard assets, so also graphically the game is very boring.”
  • gameplay
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is generally praised for its deep, challenging, and original combat mechanics that require strategy and understanding, offering a rewarding experience especially for fans of turn-based RPGs. While it features enjoyable puzzles and humor, some users note issues with minor bugs, instability, and a steep difficulty curve that may deter casual gamers. Overall, it delivers solid, engaging gameplay with room for improvement, particularly in refinement and immersion.

    • “Admittedly, the combat mechanics are meaningful, deep, challenging and damn close to perfect.”
    • “The game has a lot of humor in its writing, the core combat and puzzle solving gameplay is fun, and you really notice that this is one man's labor of love.”
    • “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.”
    • “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 humour and dialog, broken gameplay mechanics, and a difficulty curve that puts it out of the range of casual gamers.”
    • “Mechanics are just not streamlined.”
  • music
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music is generally catchy and contributes well to the game's atmosphere, with some praising it as excellent. However, opinions vary, with some finding it adequate or too loud and not very good. Overall, the soundtrack is memorable but could benefit from stronger composition and better sound balance.

    • “Either way, you're gonna have the music stuck in your head, it's catchy.”
    • “The music is excellent, and the game does a good job of creating atmosphere.”
    • “Nice music and graphics.”
    • “Limited score for music and sound effects.”
    • “Most of the music was adequate but could have been stronger to add more atmosphere.”
    • “The music was super loud and also not very good.”
  • grinding
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in this game is minimal to nonexistent, with no random encounters or mindless repetition required. Completionists benefit from side quests providing sufficient experience, making the gameplay smooth and grind-free. This aspect contributes to an enjoyable and accessible RPG experience.

    • “Light-hearted story, with teeth-grinding gameplay.”
    • “If you're playing this game as a completionist, then there shouldn't be any grinding done at all, because you've already done all the side quests which should give you enough experience to be fine.”
    • “I think this really shouldn't be underestimated in a game; at no point was Dwarf Run really grindy for me, and as a result it's one of the few RPGs that I've played through to the end.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its rich story and appealing visuals, while the music generally enhances the mood, though some feel it could be stronger to further elevate the ambiance. Overall, it effectively creates an engaging and immersive environment.

    • “This game was well thought out; the story actually feels rich with the atmosphere looking pretty nice.”
    • “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.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is inconsistent, with smooth performance and appealing visuals noted, but poor overall performance and numerous gameplay issues—such as ineffective perks, attributes, and items—result in a lack of tactical depth and a subpar experience.

    • “Most perks are absolutely useless, most attributes are also useless, many items don't work as they should. Overall, the game has no tactical depth and the performance is bad. Well... a waste of time.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game’s monetization may seem superficial at first glance, but it does not negatively impact gameplay, which is well-designed and enjoyable. Overall, the monetization feels reasonable and does not detract from the user experience.

  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is generally praised for being well-executed and thoughtfully crafted.

  • stability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is generally stable with rare bugs, though occasional pop-in and minor graphical issues are present.

  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users find the game evokes strong nostalgia, reminiscent of classic Sierra On-Line adventures and Gold Box RPGs, creating a deeply sentimental and emotionally engaging experience.

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2h Median play time
2h Average play time
2-2h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

The Dwarf Run is a tactical role playing game with fantasy theme.

The Dwarf Run is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 2 hours playing The Dwarf Run.

The Dwarf Run was released on October 21, 2015.

The Dwarf Run was developed by Alexander Mirdzveli.

The Dwarf Run has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its music.

The Dwarf Run is a single player game.

Similar games include Blackguards, Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest, Lords of Xulima, Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs, The Bard's Tale IV and others.