Announcing RimWorld - Odyssey and the 1.6 update! In Odyssey, you build a gravship and travel across the planet and beyond! Launch into orbit, where an ancient machine mind stirs.
Rimworld is simplified in some ways in that you have only one z level, and it comes with more QoL features.
Rimworld is a lot easier than DF to learn, and more intuitive.
And generally, you have fewer rimworld pawns than DF dwarves, so managing them is easier.
I for one love both games. Sometimes I want the simplicity of Rimworld. Other times I crave the endless complexity of DF and all the possibilities it brings.
it's the better video game IMO. Even after the steam release of DF, Rimworld is a lot more approachable and has more player direction (including multiple end goals). Dwarf fortress isn't trying to compete as a video game, though, it's doing its own thing as a dwarf sim that you just so happen to be able to play. I've incidentally learned so much about metallurgy because of needing to look up what black bronze is and what I need to fit my dwarves in some cool armor
Similar but also different in many ways. One thing is that you can override your pawns' automatic actions with manual things and even queue actions up. Also, no z-levels (unless you use a mod, which actually works decently).
It's not centered around digging/mining, it's mostly collecting resources and building freestanding structures.
I didn't really get into Rimworld until recently after ~100 hours or so in the Steam version of DF, but it has completely sucked me in. Tons of amazing mods as well.
It's really an incredible game with unlimited replayability.
With Dwarf Fortress, I find I can only play a dwarf fortress, so to speak. It's hard for me to do things truly different from playthrough to playthrough.
Rimworld, especially with its DLC, gives you way more options.
The Biotech DLC for example enables you to make different fantasy-races. From the way your colonists look to their abilities to their strengths and weaknesses.
Have a look at the four available DLC on the wiki.
https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Downloadable_content
And not to mention all those mods. So many mods.
There are countless different ways to create a scenario of your choosing.
That's really exciting. I tried Anomaly and I didn't really enjoy it much because of all the bunkering up. I like that we're getting more environments with this one :D