But even then, developers like Freehold Games and Bay 12 Games believed.
So we decided to find out, once and for all, which game is better.
The windows and menus are surprisingly well-organized and player-friendly.
Caves of Qud also has an actual title screen and clearly labels its modding options.
Dwarf Fortress’s title screen reminds us of the good old days of MS-DOS.
Overall, Caves of Qud is a much easier game to navigate.
It’s enough to make a ZX Spectrum look positively seventh-gen.
If you really want spectacle out of these games, you’ll have to rely on your imagination.
Dwarf Fortress, on the other hand, is an indiscernible mess of ASCII hieroglyphs.
6Sound
Winner: Dwarf Fortress
There isn’t much to compare in the sound department.
On the other hand, Dwarf Fortress’s music, while much more limited, is still more evocative.
True enough, though, both these text-heavy games would be just asplayable on mute.
However, the main difference is: Caves of Qud is mostly random, while Dwarf Fortress isentirelyrandom.
Dwarf Fortress simply has a much richer setting.
Dwarf Fortress, with its familiar creatures in absurd situations, feels much more believable.
4Controls
There’s no debate to be had about this: Caves of Qud simply controls better.
The game can be played with the keyboard, the mouse, or both.
Commands are bound to intuitive keys, like G for Get and L for Look.
Arrow keys are used for navigation.
you might also use your mouse for everything if you so prefer.
Dwarf Fortress, on the other hand,controls like a piano atop a flight deck.
Want to try out all of Dwarf Fortress' modes?
Here’s what you should probably know about them.
Dwarf Fortress allows you to play Adventure Mode, focusing on a single dwarf for a more role-playing scenario.
Dwarf Fortress, in comparison, is a game where you set up anentire dwarven civilization.
There’s a lot more to do, and a lot more to focus on.
1Verdict
It must be said that Dwarf Fortress' victory takes nothing away from Caves of Qud.
The latter is a wonderful, entertaining game that is surprisingly accessible,considering the genre.
It has a beautiful UI and presents itself well.
If you’re new to roguelikes, you might end up enjoying Caves of Qud far more.
