Dune: Awakening

A love letter to the world of Frank Herbert, Dune: Awakening has some of the most immersive survival gameplay in recent years as well as an intriguing entry in the Dune lore. However, the game expects a lot from the player and has a very slow grind to get to the best parts of the game. As it stands, Dune: Awakening is a strong foundation for Funcom to build off of and I can't wait to see where the game goes next.

Dune: Awakening feels like traversing sand dunes: sometimes you’re gliding down with a smile, other times you're grinding your way up a punishing slope. Excellent content pacing meets an increasingly demanding grind. Many of the game’s systems – from sandworms and personal shields to stillsuits, vehicles, and the harsh environment – will delight hardcore Dune fans, but concessions made for the online format chip away at the carefully built immersion. The world can be breathtaking, though its finer details often fall short. The opening hours are bafflingly weak, while what follows becomes dangerously addictive. The latest Dune game is, at its core, a story of contradictions.

I imagine most players will quit shortly after having completed Dune: Awakening's main story and arriving at the Deep Desert. But that doesn't mean all the hours prior to reaching the endgame aren't worth experiencing or aren't enjoyable. Funcom has turned Herbert's legendary sci-fi planet of Arrakis into a captivating video game setting. Part story-driven RPG, MMO, survival base-builder, sci-fi helicopter simulator, and third-person shooter, Dune: Awakening is a multi-headed hydra of experiences that, somehow, coalesces into a largely satisfying whole. While it suffers from a serious lack of variety when it comes to enemies and activities, and its endgame as of writing is a largely pointless endeavor with no real goal to strive for, Dune: Awakening nonetheless succeeds at bringing the universe of Dune to life in a way never before seen. When the Spice is flowing, it's easy to lose oneself to the rhythms of Dune: Awakening's desert for hours at a time. Just take care not to attract Shai-Hulud.

Dune Awakening isn't a typical survival game. Where most games in the genre focus only on surviving or escaping, Funcom goes further. The game offers deep immersion in a legendary universe, a satisfying power curve, a team-based endgame, and PvP with real strategic potential. But this ambition comes with flaws. The experience is still rough in places. The UI is clunky, the AI is weak, and combat lacks fluidity. Some systems shine while others need polish. Dune Awakening won’t suit everyone. Its slow start and demanding design might turn off some players. But those who embrace its rhythm will find a tough, generous sandbox. And like Conan Exiles, it's a game meant to grow over time.

Ride a motorbike across the sand with a worm biting your bum, fly your own ornithopter high in the sky, set down a combine harvester to collect spices. There's so much to do here even though it's all sand. Anakin Skywalker would hate it here.

Dune: Awakening offers a beautifully crafted version of Arrakis, with impressive survival mechanics, good progression, flexible class combinations, and engaging exploration. However, its combat is underwhelming, base building is weak, and the MMO label feels misleading due to its focus on content for soloplayers. The world can feel empty, quests lack depth, and the upkeep system discourages taking breaks. Despite its flaws, the game remains compelling and could become significantly better with future updates, especially for fans of the Dune universe.

Engaging with Dune: Awakening often feels like being in a relationship with someone deeply volatile. There's an undeniable allure, something about it can fully draw you in and make the experience almost intoxicating. But then, like clockwork, come the unpredictable explosion moments of inexplicable frustration where you're left feeling punished for things beyond your control.

The atmosphere, music, landscapes, and an excellent job preserving the original texts alongside the board games are the standout strengths of this MMO. With a simple gameplay system that checks all the boxes for current-generation titles, it offers a more than acceptable experience when it comes to enjoying a space-time adventure that deviates from the original storyline.

Dune: Awakening builds on the solid foundation of Survival gameplay mechanics from Funcom’s prior entry in the genre, Conan Exiles. While aspects of the game, such as combat and questing, are less than great, these flaws don’t prevent players from enjoying the well-executed gathering, crafting and research-advancing progression loop, as well as simply existing in and exploring the world of Arrakis. Those who love survival games OR the Dune franchise will likely have a great time here, though others may have less reason to stick around to the endgame. The solo and group gameplay is distinct from one another, but either approach will allow you plenty of fun time in the sun, the sand, and (if you’re unlucky) the belly of a sandworm.

There is still a lot to like about Dune: Awakening, and it is an experience that is improved by teaming up with friends. If you aren't a big fan of Dune, you might ironically get more out of this game than someone who is, since you won't have to worry about it not living up to your expectations. While I can't help but be a little disappointed in the final product, Dune: Awakening is still worth playing if you are a fan of the survival genre and want to experience its unique location.

Survival game fans will no doubt appreciate the level of polish in the design of its systems and the fun gameplay loop of shooting, looting, and crafting to make yourself stronger, but it doesn’t do much to iterate on expected genre convention. It’s also marred by intermittent technical hiccups and some less-than-stellar interface choices, but I still couldn’t stop myself from sinking more and more of my time into it. It’s a fun foundation that still needs a bit of TLC, in other words, and I hope to see Funcom eventually deliver the best version of what this take on Dune could become.

Dune: Awakening might just be one of the most challenging, difficult, and entertaining survival games I’ve ever played, with the survival aspect standing out head and shoulders above the rest. However, the combat, story, repetitiveness, and the sheer number of bugs are genuinely disappointing. Still, if you're a fan of the Dune universe or simply love survival games, Dune: Awakening is a must-play.

It helps, too, that the story is surprisingly engaging. [Issue#413, p.116]

Dune: Awakening is a story of eternal change. In a year, it won't be the same game it is today. At the present, it has plenty of untapped potential and great ideas, none of which work together. One day, that will change, but we can't review potential. In a way, such contradictions are only fitting for this franchise, even if it's a frustrating experience to actually play.

Dune: Awakening is a game that Dune fans will find rapturous but that has a lot of small annoyances that mar it for players who aren't as engaged in the franchise. A solid but not world changing adaptation of a legendary sci-fi series.