It's very different, but Rimworld gives me a similar feel to dwarf fortress in regards to depth, and has a far better interface.
Not that it's close to done yet.
Not that it's close to done yet.
It has proper graphics (though simple, it is a one man project). It includes utilities like Dwarf Therapist. The random events are not so random, but tries for better story telling.
There are some limitations, which might or might not be fixed. For example, there is no digging down, only one z layer, so you cannot build elaborate fatal traps.
Overall, I really like it. :)