Game Details

• Publisher: Jagex
• Developer: Jagex
• Release Date: 21st August 2026 (Early Access)
• Platforms: PC
• Genre: Survival
• Price: £24.99

Story and Concepts - A new world to explore

The survival genre has one of the simplest gameplay loops: build, survive, improve, repeat. Runescape: Dragonwilds doesn't reinvent that formula, nor does it need to. It just needs to make the game feel like Runescape in the survival genre.

Mechanically, it is a well build game. You have your two modes of control, player controls which follow the routine of any other game, left click to attack, WASD to move. Then you have the building aspect where it still fits the mould of the genre, rotate, place, build and elevate all in the same few keys.

Where it really comes into its own is the difficulty and balance. At no point are you beyond dying to an early area enemy if you aren't paying attention. Yes, having end-game armour makes you stronger but not paying attention to that goblin over there could be the difference between getting home with all your loot or the run back to get your dropped items. The worst/best bit, depending on your thoughts, is that to get the next zone to be survivable you need to get the items from the next zone. Fractured Plains has all the ores, but to be able to survive Fractured Plains, you need bronze gear. I personally enjoy it, but for others it adds a new layer of difficulty to the game.

Following that, the game is a fairly simple progression design. You start with stone, then bone, then bronze, so on and so forth. Currently it stops at Adamantite but Runite is scheduled to drop in the next major update (September 2026). But that is the simple form of progression, the much more fun form comes from the fact you have skills and skill capes. It is still Runescape with the skills we all know and love. The chance to grind them up to level 99 for the cape and needing to level them to get the better gear. It really does feel like I am there, clicking trees to get that Woodcutting to 99 but this time I can't just walk away leaving my character at the Oak tree for a few minutes.

Now, unless you are insane like me and want to have everything on one single character in one single world, there is always a reason to come back. Want to focus on using magic this time rather than hitting things with a bigger and harder stick? Want to do one based around stealth and archery/daggers? Want to just become a walking bastion of fearsome metal that cuts down the mightiest foes? You can do all of that, or you can just build a cosy base where you fish, farm and cook until you are ready to go out and face the world. As it is a multiplayer game, there is something for everyone, including the crafting homebody.

Story – A new world with old friends

Runescape: Dragonwilds is not a sprawling RPG with dozens of stories and hundreds of NPCs and secrets to find. But it does have a story behind it. You discover it following the quests that you find in the world, the NPCs and the notes that tell you the history of this wild land.

Well-known characters fill this world to explore from the party hat wearing Wise Man to the slayer master himself. They each have quests and stories of their times in the wild for you to discover.

is prevalent in the survival genre, you can take as long as you want with the story, but it paces well even if you try and rush it. You can go as quickly as you like sprinting to the next upgrade in order to get closer to the final quest, or you can take your time, stocking up, building an armoury that would make dragons weep and cooking to make Martha Stewart proud. You are the story and you get to enjoy the pace it gives you.

But the basic story remains the same, you are stranded on the island and dragons are causing issues. You must survive and thrive, and Dragonwilds does this amazingly well. You don't just have the goblins trying to take you out, but even dragons come overhead and throw death and destruction your way. It really brings the world to life and makes even the most peaceful player yearn to put the beast's head on your wall.

Graphics and art direction – A new look on a familiar style

The art direction and visual design are something I really enjoy about Dragonwilds, it doesn't just have some Runescape characters and gameplay ideas, it looks like Runescape as well. While stylised and taken into the more 3D design of an over the shoulder game, you can still see the roots of Runescape with characters that look exactly like they do in the source material to the point where you can even have the same hairstyle as your actual character.

They didn't just make a game and slap Runescape on it to make it familiar and get fans to buy it. It really does feel like I am playing Runescape when I look at the world, and it makes me feel like a kid exploring the world again.

Of course, they have had to step up their game. The animations needed here are far more than are needed in the original games, and they have met this well, I haven't had any issues from animations and everything has looked crisp even when I was playing the earliest of releases.

Sound and Music – A Perfect Blend

The score in Dragonwilds fits the world perfectly, each zone with its own music track and each one fits the zone perfectly. A more intense track playing over when you enter combat for a beautiful yet heartbeat raising backing to the game.

But what really makes a game isn't just the music, it is also the sounds that you get from the world around you. The growls of wolves, the shrieks of goblins or the deafening bellows of the dragons that threaten you. Peacefully building your home when a deep, deafening roar echoes around the area changing the soundscape into combat creates a true moment of fear and exhilaration. Altogether this creates an amazing soundscape that makes the game something special.

The only issue with the sound is a mixing issue when certain bass sounds hit, they hit hard and seem far too loud for the game. It does make it so you drop the volume, then have to raise it back up to hear everything else.

World and Atmosphere – A whole new world

The world around you in Dragonwilds is one with a history. You find old structures that link to lore beyond the game. A ruined building with a quest that gives you a staff. Ghosts that, with the right bit of jewellery, tell you how they died and ask for help settling. It is a living, breathing world for you to explore.

Hidden caves, chests with "masterwork" weapons and armour that give you stronger versions reward you for looking beyond the base areas. Every part of the world has hidden paths, recipes and something more to find.

As you move from place to place trying to find better gear the world around you changes. The atmosphere in these areas changes as well. The swamp feels dank and gloomy, the Storm Hills feel as charged as the lightning bolts that strike you. As you play, you feel the world around you changing. Each area feels scary at first, the fights being hard and leaving you injured. Then you get the gear. The improvements and the levels, it doesn't trivialise it, but it changes the feeling of the area, less tense.

Performance

The game starts and it starts quickly, one load screen for less than thirty seconds and I am into the game. When I am in, I don't have any major issues with the game. Minor issues do come up, sometimes I get stuttering where the whole game seems to drop frames alongside an audio bug I have found reported over the last month a few times on the Dragonwilds Discord. They aren't game breaking, but they do affect your enjoyment. The audio cracking being the main one that lasts until you restart the game.

Value for money

At £24.99, the game is pretty good value for money. It is still early access, but the game does have a solid roadmap. September 2026 brings the next major update and the game releasing later this year.

Within the game, there is enough for multiple playthroughs, unless you are slightly insane like me and want to get everything in a single run through. You don't have to do it alone either, you have the space for a group of friends.

There are currently no microtransactions, and no DLC has been announced.

Final Verdict – Should You Explore the Dragonwilds?

Dragonwilds does a great job of combining the survival genre and Runescape. The pacing feels good. The building is intuitive. It holds its own in the genre as it is.

Standouts:

Graphics, Sound Design, Gameplay Loop

Personal thoughts:

For me, the only thing holding it back is the sound balancing. It is the only part that actually bothers me. The visual stuttering is something that could be my tech limitations or early-access issues. For others, the difficulty spikes quickly and some players might not enjoy this, which would dissuade some people from purchasing the game. If you like the survival genre, then it is for you. If you are also a fan of Runescape, then it is definitely for you. If you prefer slower or less intense games, then this is not your game. I personally love the survival genre, despite being terrible at it. I would recommend this game to anyone who is looking for a survival game with something a little more.