We Are the Dwarves is a real-time tactics video game developed and published by Kyiv-based Whale Rock Games.[1] It was first released in 2016 and is about a trio of spacefaring dwarves who must save their homeland.
| We Are the Dwarves | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Whale Rock Games |
| Publisher(s) | Whale Rock Games |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | Linux, macOS, Windows
|
| Genre(s) | Real-time tactics |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
A race of spacefaring dwarves discover their sun is dying. Three dwarven kingdoms jointly send an expedition to find a new home. Instead of empty space, the universe is filled with stone, and new planets exist inside caves. Players control three dwarves, each of whom has unique skills and a different focus, representing one of the dwarven kingdoms. Smashfist uses melee weapons, Forcer is a ranged specialist, and Shadow attacks from stealth. Players initially control one dwarf at a time and later control the entire team. Some of the missions have stealth game elements.[2] It is a real-time tactics game[3] that can be paused to issue commands.[2]
Development
The developers, Whale Rock Games, were influenced by the Commandos video game series and R. A. Salvatore's novels about Drizzt Do'Urden. The idea to make a video game about dwarves came first, and they added a universe made of stone for the dwarves to mine and explore.[2] Whale Rock Games failed to fund the game via Kickstarter in 2014, but it was accepted into the Steam Greenlight program.[4][5] It was released for PCs on February 26, 2016,[3] for Xbox One on February 24, 2017,[6] and PlayStation 4 on March 28, 2017.[7]
Reception
We Are the Dwarves received mixed reviews on Metacritic.[8][9] Although they said the game "shouldn’t be completely dismissed", Hardcore Gamer called it "viciously unfair" and recommended it only to hardcore fans of the genre.[10] Digitally Downloaded said it is "different, interesting, and often quite clever".[11] 4Players criticized the game balance.[12]