Dwarf Fortress introduces interrogations and lets dwarves have multiple partners

You better make sure your artefacts in Dwarf Fortress are locked away somewhere safe. Don't listen to my advice if you want, but don't come crying to me when a villain sneaks into your fortress and steals your precious goods.

That's probably your biggest concern now that a new Dwarf Fortress update has landed. The best bit, though, is that if a villain does make off with an artefact of yours (you'll be notified if this happens), you can interrogate people as you hunt the perpetrator down. The info you collect builds up a report and opens up a counterintelligence screen. This is proper detective stuff! Catch up with the handler of a thieving dwarf and you might get the name of their master, or you could be thrown into a larger plot. Sounds like an adventure to me.

This can all happen in Fortress mode now, along with receiving petitions for guildhalls and temples, should you accumulate enough dwarves in your fort. It's up to you whether you fulfil their request. If they want a temple, you'll need a priest, who can give sermons and help calm any stressed-out dwarves. I'd imagine there will be more stress going around, too, as dwarves can now have multiple lovers, get divorced, and have children before getting married.

Adventure mode hasn't been left out of this update. You can interrogate and intimidate people in this mode too, though it's limited for now. But there are new conversation variables like confidence and agitation in place. Plus people will lose patience with a conversation if it isn't entertaining them. Sounds great if you have social anxiety, thanks Dwarf Fortress.

Fire up a new game in Adventure mode and you'll now be able to choose a starting background, religion, starting site, plus equipment including mounts and pets. The update also lets you make party members who are from different civilisations now. But the most important bit for me is that pack animals can carry items for you. There's nothing else in the world I want to do more than try that out right now.

Other additions include slow-filling aquifers, using Judge of Intent to see your partner's mood, divination shrines with working dice, and gifting to party members. Oh, and I was joking when I your biggest concern with this update should be villains. That title definitely goes to the "horrible things" that are summoned when necromancers and demons get bored. Better keep them happy by hosting a ball for skeletons or something.

There's still no release window for Dwarf Fortress's arrival on Steam as the game is so wildly unpredictable. But it won't be any time soon given that this villainous update is said to be the first of many on this idea alone. Who needs a release date when the game is already this entertaining, anyway?