When we think of dwarves, we tend to think of the middle ages or some distant fantasy world filled with magic and dragons, rings of great power and alliances to defeat some evil scourge. These are the things writers, film makers and game developers have thought us to be the ideal environment for these height challenged, bearded creatures. For years this has just been an accepted norm unquestioned simply because, it works, but not anymore.

Whale Rock Games have broken the mold and deviated from what is expected in order to bring us this wonderful real time strategy adventure entitled We Are The Dwarves.

We are The Dwarves tells the story of a Dwarven race who have lived their entire existence by the light of the “Stars” that empower their homes and lives. When the stars begin to go out, the three Dwarf kingdoms join forces to launch an expedition into deep space to find a new home for the Dwarf race to begin anew and be saved from extinction. When the expedition takes a turn for the worst resulting in a crash landing the surviving three Dwarves must find a way to survive, using each of their unique traits and combat styles to their advantage as they venture on for the sake of the entire dwarf race.

We are The Dwarves is aesthetically beautiful and filled to the brim with an amazing story which is only further emboldened by the fact that it makes use of two familiar tropes which have been blended together seamlessly in a new and innovative fashion.

The gameplay itself is a bit tricky, making use of a point and click move system, a style of gaming I’ve personally have never been a fan of. While awkward and uncomfortable at times, We Are The Dwarves somehow makes the mechanic work though it does take some getting used to. Combat in this game can be even trickier to get the hang of, especially early on, with players needing to quickly grasp positioning both in terms of their opponent as well as the environment around them, as any slight misstep can lead to a quick demise.

The Verdict

All in all, I would highly recommend We Are Dwarves to anyone, “IF” it is your style of gaming. We are The Dwarves does not make things easy for beginners or persons who aren’t able to quickly adapt to the mechanics. Once you are able to grasp the gameplay however, this game is definitely one worth it’s $14.99 asking price on Steam. The story and graphics hold an allure of their own and the game just feels fresh and new. THEY’RE DWARVES! IN SPACE!!