Creative Assembly has a long history of supporting and updating the total war series, especially with Total War: Warhammer. They have connected, managed, upgraded, and polished one of the best and most content-rich strategy games through all three titles. With Forge of the Chaos Dwarfs, CA has finally completed its original mission; to get every major Warhammer Fantasy faction into the game. While this is a milestone for the series, it is held back by the same familiar troubles we have had since Total War visited Warhammer. The AI is still woefully inadequate, and while the DLC is significant, its increase in price doesn’t feel warranted compared to previous similar add-ons like Rise of the Tomb Kings and Curse of the Vampire Coast.

The Good

Forge of the Chaos Dwarfs represents some of the publisher's best work; the faction is diverse, especially through its economy and unit roster. The Dawi Zharr are brutal, industrial, and powerful; their units exude that energy. Giant flaming behemoths, flying bulls, and heavily armored warriors make up their best assets. Still, they are bolstered by Orc and Hobgoblin workers that act as fun fodder and mix up their tactics much more than their Dawi cousins in Karaz-a-Karak.

The Chaos Dwarfs add some much-needed variety to the playstyles offered by other Chaos factions, and they feel like a wonderful in-between, mixing Chaos power, dwarf tech, and goblin spunk. They feature an in-depth economy that is satisfying and fun to manage, as well as a conclave system where you vie for power with rival Chaos Dwarf factions, and all of this is on top of three new legendary lords, each with their own (relatively) unique moves, gear, and more.

The Bad

This is a DLC that exemplifies some of the series’ worst tendencies. It is overpriced and only boasts as much or less content as previous similar DLCs. On top of this, the game is still hampered by many fundamental issues that have plagued the series for what seems like eons. The AI is laughably bad and downright frustrating most of the time, as they game the economy, the fog of war, and more to harass and avoid you, making for lore-breaking tactics that constantly brought me out of the game world.

Fighting these same frustrations for so long never feels good, especially when an expensive add-on sees focus before these fundamental issues. CA has always been incredible at supporting the game, but now that the Chaos Dwarfs are here, there needs to be a real focus on the fundamentals, because as it stands, sieges are still basically pointless, and the AI all but refuses to engage in them.

What Surprised Me

The Dawi-Zharr economy is a particular highlight. Total War has long focused more on the WAR element and less on the management and empire-building, and while these facets never felt too shallow, they never really felt like a draw either. With the Chaos Dwarfs, they have a complex economy (by TW standards), and it suits them. Not only that, but managing your economic resources, convoys, battles, and labor makes them a dynamic and exciting faction to play at every turn. So much so that it will be hard to go back to any others that don’t have this level of depth and detail. The Chaos Dwarfs have shot to the top of my list of favorites, which in a game this stacked, is no easy feat. I just never thought it would be the economy mechanics that got them there.

What Was Predictable

While Forge is a great addition, price aside, as I mentioned earlier – the same issues plague this DLC that has been a problem in Total War: Warhammer 3 since its launch. AI is bad most of the time, crashes and disconnects remain surprisingly frequent in multiplayer. If anything, this DLC was predictably more Total War. Whether that is good or bad, remains up to you.

Bottom Line

While overpriced and a bit content-light, Forge of the Chaos Dwarfs is still an essential addition, adding one of the most diverse and fun factions Total War has seen in a long time. The new economy mechanics are something I would love to see translated to more factions, as it makes the campaign gameplay far more engaging, something Creative Assembly has seemingly struggled with throughout the franchise. This DLC is a step in the right direction; I just wish it didn’t have to be such a costly one.

Visuals: A+

Total War: Warhammer remains one of if not the most visually impressive strategy games available. The animation work and variety of assets are astounding by any game standard, and Forge is no different. The Chaos Dwarfs exude evil swagger at every turn, and they are a blast to play as - from Hobgoblins to Atragoth, Creative Assembly lets their passion for the source material and Total War in general shine through.

Sound: A+

Total War: Warhammer attacks audio with equal aplomb. The soundtrack is suitably epic but also experimental. Factions have their own unique themes that feel true to their roots and the Dawi-Zharr is no different. Their artillery is a particular highlight, as you can bombard enemies with off-map abilities that sound suitably earth-shattering. The depth and breadth of sound design and voicework are astounding, with pitch-perfect accents and hilarious writing. The sound perfectly encapsulates the self-serious absurdity that makes Warhammer so appealing to begin with.

Playability: B

Total War is Total War, for better or worse. Many of the basic mechanics, especially on the battlefield, haven’t seen any significant changes for over a decade. While “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” applies here in many ways, the density of Total War’s mechanics are not lost on a longtime fan, and the game can be downright obtuse for new players. While this most recent entry helped alleviate that with a dedicated tutorial campaign, the series still suffers from over familiarity after so many years clashing swords.

Story: C+

This is a hard one, for me, dynamic and reactive procedural storytelling is my preferred way to experience games, and Total War is at the top for these kinds of experiences. Each campaign delivers unique moments and awesome personal narratives that you will remember far longer than many recent AAA games. But, for those looking for more structured storytelling with characters and arcs, you will be disappointed. Total War is all about creating your own path, and Forge is no different.

Replay Value: A+

Total War: Warhammer 3 is the strategy game to beat. Even without Forge the amount of content is staggering, and Forge just adds to that with the fantastic Chaos Dwarfs. This is a game that can offer thousands of hours of enjoyment, even to casual players.

Overall Grade: B+