RuneScape: Dragonwilds – My First Impressions Playing Solo and Co-op

I finally got around to playing RuneScape: Dragonwilds. And after spending almost 24 hours playing it within my first week, I’m left wondering why on earth it took me so long.

The funny thing is, I hadn’t actually planned on playing it quite so much. I’d bought it with the intention of playing alongside my wife, thinking it would be another survival game we could enjoy together over the winter.

Instead, while she was busy developing a slight obsession with Supermarket Simulator, I decided to give Dragonwilds a quick go on my own.

That was a mistake.

A very enjoyable mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.

What started as a little introduction to the game quickly turned into hours of exploring, gathering resources, upgrading equipment and building a base. And the more I played, the more I fell in love with it.

I’ve since spent an entire weekend playing it cooperatively with my wife, and somehow, that’s made me enjoy it even more.

So, after quite a few hours exploring Ashenfall both alone and with company, I thought I’d share my first impressions of RuneScape: Dragonwilds, what I’ve loved about it, and a few things that haven’t quite clicked with me yet.

Why Did It Take Me So Long to Play Dragonwilds?

Considering how much RuneScape means to me, I’m genuinely surprised it took me this long to try Dragonwilds.

I’ve written before about why RuneScape is my favourite game of all time, and it’s a game that’s had an enormous impact on my life.

I’ve spent countless hours exploring Gielinor over the years, and even recently found myself returning to the original MMORPG with a new free-to-play Ironman account. I’ve also been enjoying experiencing RuneScape again at a much slower, healthier pace, without feeling like I need to spend every spare moment playing it.

When Dragonwilds was originally announced, I was immediately interested. A survival game set within the RuneScape universe, developed by Jagex? It sounded like something I’d naturally enjoy.

But over the last year or so, I’ve been making a conscious effort to spread my free time across different hobbies rather than spending all of it gaming. As a result, Dragonwilds kept getting pushed further down my list.

What eventually changed that was a conversation with my wife.

After a particularly busy and expensive year, we’d decided that we should try to save some money and spend more time at home over the winter.

Naturally, that plan has already been somewhat derailed by a last-minute bargain holiday to Rhodes and a day out in London for our anniversary. Because of course it has.

Still, we started putting together a list of games we could play together over the coming months.

We’d recently upgraded her Xbox Series S to a Series X, partly in preparation for GTA VI, but also because we’d struggled to play ARK: Survival Ascended together when it first released in 2023.

Dragonwilds seemed like an obvious addition to the list.

My wife loves the resource gathering, crafting and base-building aspects of survival games, and I enjoy pretty much everything about them. With Dragonwilds supporting cross-platform multiplayer, I could play on my PC while she played on the Xbox.

So I bought it, installed it, and prepared to give it a go.

Then Supermarket Simulator happened.

While she spent her evenings running a virtual supermarket, I thought I’d spend a little time exploring Dragonwilds to see whether it was something she’d enjoy.

I really wasn’t expecting to become quite so obsessed with it myself.

First Impressions: RuneScape, but Completely Different

One of the things I deliberately avoided before playing Dragonwilds was watching too much gameplay.

I’d seen the announcement trailer, a few screenshots and the occasional clip, but I didn’t really know what to expect beyond the fact that it was an Unreal Engine survival game set within the RuneScape universe.

I think that helped.

Rather than going into it expecting a particular experience, I was happy to see what Jagex had created and enjoy it for what it was.

And my initial impressions were excellent.

Visually, Dragonwilds looks fantastic. I’ve been playing on my laptop with the graphics set to high, and performance has been buttery smooth. The environments look great, and I really like the balance Jagex has achieved with the art direction.

It’s detailed and modern, but still has that unmistakable RuneScape personality.

One of the first things I noticed was the default character outfit. The familiar light green top and dark green trousers immediately reminded me of the iconic RuneScape character design.

Such a small detail, but one I really appreciated.

The opening tutorial was fairly straightforward, introducing the basic mechanics without dragging things out unnecessarily.

Although I was surprised by the combat.

For some reason, I’d expected something a little closer to Skyrim. Instead, the action-focused combat reminded me more of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which took a little getting used to.

Of course, being the resource hoarder that I am, I didn’t immediately follow the tutorial anyway.

I spent the first five or ten minutes wandering around the initial area near the church, picking up everything I could find and experimenting with the mechanics myself.

It’s something I do in almost every survival game I play. Give me a few trees, some rocks and a handful of crafting materials, and I’ll quite happily entertain myself for hours.

What impressed me most was how familiar everything felt while still being something completely new.

The goblins, chickens, cows, familiar names and iconic skill system all reminded me of RuneScape, but the gameplay itself felt fresh.

For a franchise with such an established identity, I think that’s quite an achievement.

Exploring Ashenfall and Finding My Own Adventure

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about Dragonwilds is simply exploring.

The environments I’ve encountered so far have been surprisingly varied, and I’ve found myself constantly wanting to see what’s around the next corner.

There’s something really satisfying about heading into an unfamiliar area, gathering whatever resources you can find, and gradually working out what you’ll need to progress.

I’ve also deliberately taken things slowly.

During my first week playing alone, I barely touched the main storyline. Instead, I spent most of my time gathering materials, improving equipment and working towards whatever little goal caught my attention.

I’ve never really felt the need to rush through survival games, and Dragonwilds has been particularly enjoyable when played at my own pace.

That said, exploration hasn’t been without its frustrations.

The map is enormous, and travelling between resource locations and your base can become a little tedious, particularly when you’re making repeated journeys.

Lodestones help with this, and I’ve only just started properly experimenting with where to place them strategically. I’m also looking forward to unlocking mounts as I progress further.

Still, even with the occasional lengthy journey, I haven’t found myself getting bored.

The atmosphere helps enormously, too.

The soundtrack is excellent, with refreshed versions of familiar RuneScape music appearing throughout the game. Hearing those recognisable melodies while exploring an entirely new world adds a lovely sense of nostalgia without making the experience feel like it’s relying on it.

It’s RuneScape, just not quite as I’ve known it.

Base Building Might Be My Favourite Part of Dragonwilds

I’ve played quite a few survival games over the years, and base building is almost always one of my favourite parts.

But I genuinely think Dragonwilds has one of the best building systems I’ve experienced.

The controls are intuitive, the selection of building pieces is fantastic, and the way everything snaps and clips together feels incredibly well thought out.

I’ve often found building systems in survival games frustrating, particularly when you’re trying to create something slightly more elaborate than a simple wooden box.

In Dragonwilds, I’ve rarely felt like I’m fighting against the building mechanics.

Instead, I’ve been able to focus on what I actually want to create.

During my single-player adventure, I recently relocated and upgraded my base, creating a little collection of buildings surrounded by a defensive wall.

My next project is a mage tower, which I’m hoping will fit nicely alongside everything else I’ve built.

Do I actually need a mage tower?

Probably not.

But that’s hardly the point, is it?

There’s something incredibly satisfying about starting with a few basic structures and gradually transforming them into somewhere that genuinely feels like home.

And now that I’ve experienced base building in multiplayer, I appreciate it even more.

My wife has been having an absolutely brilliant time designing and expanding our shared base. We’ve created a lovely little walled compound where she can craft, build and generally do her own thing without constantly worrying about wandering goblins or hostile warbands attacking her.

Meanwhile, I’m usually somewhere outside the walls gathering resources or getting myself into trouble.

It’s become one of my favourite parts of playing together, watching our little settlement gradually develop as we both contribute in different ways.

Survival, Crafting and That Familiar RuneScape Progression

The survival mechanics in Dragonwilds are relatively straightforward, and I actually appreciate that.

There are hunger, thirst and resting systems to manage, but none of them have felt particularly punishing during my time playing.

Food replenishes your health alongside satisfying your hunger, which works rather conveniently for someone who’s as terrible at combat as I am.

I’m eating so much to recover my health that keeping myself fed is rarely a problem.

Hydration requires a little more attention, but even that is easy enough to manage. I typically keep a stack of my best available food and a useful stat-boosting drink on my hotbar, and then more or less forget about the survival mechanics until I need them.

I also like the resting system.

If you go too long without sleeping in your own bed, your maximum stamina becomes reduced. It’s a simple mechanic, but one that encourages you to return home every so often without making survival feel like a chore.

Where I think Dragonwilds really succeeds is its equipment progression.

Working towards new crafting materials and unlocking better equipment has been incredibly satisfying.

During my first week, I’d reached iron equipment and unlocked the Abyssal Whip, and every major upgrade felt like a noticeable improvement.

It creates that familiar cycle of setting yourself a little goal, gathering what you need, crafting something new, and then immediately wondering what you should work towards next.

That’s the kind of gameplay loop that can keep me occupied for hours.

One thing I’m not quite as convinced by, however, is the skill levelling system.

In the original RuneScape MMORPG, levelling skills feels important. There’s something meaningful about reaching a new milestone, unlocking equipment or gaining access to activities that were previously unavailable.

In Dragonwilds, I haven’t quite developed that same connection.

I know I’m levelling skills as I play, but I’m not always particularly aware of what each level is unlocking or why I should be excited about reaching the next one.

At times, it feels like the levelling system is there because it’s part of RuneScape’s identity rather than something I’m actively working towards.

That might be unfair, though.

I’ve been so absorbed in exploring, building and crafting that I haven’t spent much time properly understanding the skill progression. It’s entirely possible that I’ll appreciate it more as I progress further into the game.

For now, equipment upgrades have been far more exciting to me than watching my skill levels increase.

Combat Has Been My Biggest Learning Curve

If there’s one area of Dragonwilds I’ve struggled with, it’s definitely combat.

Not necessarily because there’s anything wrong with it.

I’m just not very good at it.

The controls feel smooth, and the basics are easy enough to understand, but I’ve found combat surprisingly punishing, especially during the early stages.

The action-focused system requires considerably more attention than traditional RuneScape combat, and I’ve had to spend time learning when to attack, defend and avoid taking unnecessary damage.

I’ve mainly been playing as a melee character during my single-player adventure, although I’ve also experimented with ranged combat.

The first proper boss battle was a particularly good example of the learning curve.

Initially, I struggled to understand its attack patterns and spent quite a bit of time switching between melee and ranged combat, trying to work out the best approach.

Eventually, things started to click.

Once I’d learned the patterns, the fight became much more predictable, but defeating it still felt rewarding.

It’s actually made me more interested in experimenting with different combat styles.

When we started our multiplayer game, I decided I wanted to focus more on magic, partly to experience something different and partly because I’ve always loved the idea of playing a mage.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the different approaches compare as we get further into the game.

And who knows? Maybe I’ll eventually become reasonably competent at combat.

Although I wouldn’t count on it.

The Story Has Been a Pleasant Surprise

When I first started playing Dragonwilds, I deliberately avoided progressing too far into the main storyline.

Partly because I was enjoying the survival elements so much, but mainly because I wanted to experience the story properly alongside my wife.

Now that we’ve started playing together, I’ve finally had the opportunity to explore more of it.

And so far, I’m really enjoying it.

I’m still relatively early into the story, having only reached the first major boss, so I don’t want to spoil anything.

What I will say is that the characters have been interesting, their motivations have given me a reason to care about what’s happening, and the quests do a good job of naturally encouraging you to explore new areas.

The rewards have been enjoyable too, giving me another reason to keep progressing rather than spending every available moment building things.

I’m currently focusing on the main storyline, although I fully intend to double back and complete all the side quests eventually.

There is one criticism I have, though.

At times, I think the game could benefit from providing a little more guidance during certain quests.

One early objective involving Bloodwood Sap had me wandering around for far longer than I’d like to admit, trying to work out what I was supposed to do.

I know I could have simply Googled the answer.

But I don’t really want to.

Part of the enjoyment for me is figuring things out myself, and I think there are occasions where a little more information within the game would improve the experience without taking away that sense of discovery.

Still, that’s a relatively minor complaint compared to how much I’ve enjoyed everything else.

Playing Dragonwilds Together Has Been Even Better

As much as I enjoyed my first week playing Dragonwilds alone, I think the game really came into its own when my wife and I finally started playing together.

We ended up spending pretty much the entire weekend playing it.

And it was brilliant.

Before we started, we even went out to the shops and stocked up on snacks and easy freezer food, knowing full well that we were planning to spend most of the day gaming.

It’s not something we do very often, but there was something really nice about making a little occasion of it.

We were both genuinely excited to spend the weekend doing something together, even if that something involved sitting indoors for hours eating far too much unhealthy food.

Our setup was slightly ridiculous, too.

I was playing on my PC while she was on the Xbox, and we ended up moving my desk into a rather awkward position closer to the centre of the bedroom so that we could communicate more easily.

It wasn’t particularly practical, especially when we were trying to squeeze around the desk to bring each other snacks during the rare breaks we actually took.

But we had an absolute blast.

What I’ve particularly enjoyed is how naturally we’ve found different roles within the game.

My wife isn’t especially interested in the combat. She much prefers gathering materials, crafting equipment and creating new additions to our base.

Meanwhile, I love heading out into the world, exploring unfamiliar areas, fighting enemies and bringing back whatever resources I can find.

It works perfectly.

She gets to enjoy designing and improving our little settlement, while I disappear into the wilderness and return with materials for whatever project she’s decided to work on next.

Or more food, usually because I’ve eaten everything we had while trying not to die.

We’ve also spent some time fighting enemies together, which has been great fun, and I’m hoping we’ll do more of that as she becomes increasingly comfortable with the combat system.

What I love most is that neither of us feels forced into playing the game in a particular way.

We can be working towards completely different goals but still feel like we’re contributing to something together.

And I think that’s one of Dragonwilds’ biggest strengths.

It’s enjoyable enough as a single-player survival experience, but the freedom to divide responsibilities and work towards shared goals makes multiplayer feel particularly rewarding.

There’s also something quite lovely about watching a little collection of buildings gradually turn into somewhere you’ve created together.

It’s made the whole experience feel that little bit more special.

My Verdict: I Wish I’d Played RuneScape: Dragonwilds Sooner

I’ve genuinely been surprised by just how much I’ve enjoyed Dragonwilds.

Not because I expected it to be bad, but because I didn’t really know what to expect.

RuneScape has been such an important part of my gaming life that I think I was always going to be interested in whatever Jagex created next. But translating such a familiar world into an entirely different genre could easily have gone wrong.

Instead, they’ve created something that feels comfortably familiar while still offering a completely new experience.

The environments are beautiful, the soundtrack is excellent, the crafting progression is satisfying, and the base building is easily one of my favourite features.

It’s not perfect.

Combat has taken some getting used to, travelling long distances can become tedious, and I’m still not entirely convinced by the way skill levelling fits into the overall experience.

But none of those complaints have stopped me from wanting to play.

If anything, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to put down.

And considering I’ve only scratched the surface of what the game has to offer, there’s still an enormous amount for me to discover. With the full 1.0 release now behind us and more content planned, I’m excited to see how Dragonwilds continues to develop.

I think what’s made the experience particularly enjoyable is that I’ve stopped worrying about progressing quickly or achieving anything specific.

I’ve just been playing it.

Sometimes that means spending an evening exploring a new area. Other times, it means gathering enough materials to upgrade some equipment or spending far too long trying to get the roof of a building to look right.

And now, it also means having something really enjoyable to play alongside my wife.

Looking back, I think that’s exactly what I wanted from Dragonwilds.

A familiar world, something new to discover, and a game that I can enjoy at my own pace.

For now, we’ve got a base to expand, quests to complete, equipment to upgrade and, hopefully, a mage tower to build.

I’m sure there’ll be plenty more distractions along the way.

But that’s half the fun.

Have you played RuneScape: Dragonwilds yet? I’d love to know what you think, particularly if you’ve played both solo and cooperatively. And if you’re a longtime RuneScape player like me, do you think Dragonwilds has managed to capture some of the magic of the original game?