You can now support the creators of Dwarf Fortress on Patreon

Dwarf Fortress is like the Ulysees of video games. Many have high hopes of learning it one day, but few succeed because it's so damned overwhelming. So spare a thought for Bay 12 Games, the brother duo of Tarn and Zach Adams. They've been slaving away at Dwarf Fortress since 2002, yet the game is still free for anyone willing to take the plunge.

"Bay 12 Games has been our full-time job since 2007, and we've only been able to do it because of the generous support of our fans," the brothers write on their Patreon page. "Making games means a lot to us -- Tarn gave up his job as a math professor to devote all of his energy to Dwarf Fortress, and contributions from our players are now our sole source of income."

So head over and take a look, or else, here's Wes Fenlon's brave journey as a beginner in Dwarf Fortress.

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.