Choose Lord of Dwarves
Choose Lord of Dwarves if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Lord of Dwarves launched in 2020.
Lord of Dwarves vs Dwarf Fortress
Lord of Dwarves and Dwarf Fortress both land in Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam. Lord of Dwarves (2020) is 2 years older than Dwarf Fortress (2022). Dwarf Fortress scores higher on Steam reviews (95% positive) than Lord of Dwarves (80.7% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Dwarf Fortress
Choose Dwarf Fortress if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 23,734 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Lord of Dwarves and Dwarf Fortress sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Lord of Dwarves |  Dwarf Fortress | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 23.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 80.7% positive (57 reviews) | 95% positive (23,734 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Stellar Sage Games | Bay 12 Games |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Lord of Dwarves (2020) is 2 years older than Dwarf Fortress (2022).
- Dwarf Fortress scores higher on Steam reviews (95% positive) than Lord of Dwarves (80.7% positive).
- Lord of Dwarves is currently ~17% cheaper on Steam than Dwarf Fortress (19.99 USD vs. 23.99 USD).
- Dwarf Fortress is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Lord of Dwarves has no Deck rating yet.
Lord of Dwarves vs Dwarf Fortress — FAQ
- Should I play Lord of Dwarves or Dwarf Fortress first?
- If you want chronology, Lord of Dwarves (2020) came out before Dwarf Fortress (2022). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Lord of Dwarves and Dwarf Fortress similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.