Dune: Awakening takes one of the most famously unpleasant places in science fiction and somehow makes you want to spend dozens of hours there.
The planet of Arrakis is hot, hostile, full of people who would happily steal your stuff, and occasionally a gigantic sandworm decides that you look like lunch. In other words, it’s a fantastic setting for a survival game. Set in the Dune universe, Dune: Awakening combines survival mechanics, exploration, crafting, base building and multiplayer into one massive adventure. Rather than simply retelling the story of the books or films, the game gives you your own character and lets you carve out a life on Arrakis. And by “carve out a life,” I mostly mean desperately searching for water while trying not to become worm food.
The first thing that really stands out is the world itself. Arrakis looks incredible. Huge deserts stretch out in every direction, rocky cliffs tower over the landscape, and abandoned structures invite you to investigate even though you know there’s probably something unpleasant waiting inside. The scale of the desert does a great job of making you feel tiny, which is exactly how Arrakis should feel.
Travelling across open sand is also surprisingly tense because of the sandworms. Staying out in the desert for too long can attract one, and when that happens, running suddenly becomes your number one priority. Few things destroy your confidence faster than seeing an enormous worm heading towards you while your supposedly brilliant escape plan falls apart.
Survival is obviously a major part of the experience. Water is incredibly important, and the game constantly reminds you that Arrakis isn’t exactly the sort of place where you can wander over to a nice little stream for a drink. You’ll gather resources, craft equipment, improve your character and eventually build increasingly impressive bases.
Base building is particularly enjoyable. Starting with very little and slowly creating your own desert stronghold gives the game a satisfying sense of progression. There’s always another upgrade to work towards or another resource you suddenly realise you desperately need. As with most survival games, however, this can occasionally turn into a shopping list simulator. Need one item? Great. That item needs three other materials, one of those materials requires another tool, and suddenly you’ve forgotten what you were trying to make in the first place.
Combat adds another layer to the experience. You can use melee weapons, ranged weapons and various abilities, giving fights more variety than simply hitting an enemy until one of you falls over. There’s also a progression system that allows you to learn abilities associated with different groups from the Dune universe. Experimenting with different abilities and equipment makes developing your character genuinely rewarding.
Where Dune: Awakening becomes especially interesting, though, is when other players enter the picture. Arrakis feels much more alive when you’re sharing it with other people. You might encounter someone peacefully gathering resources, stumble across an impressive player-built base, or find yourself wondering whether the stranger approaching you is friendly or currently calculating how much your equipment is worth.
The social side can create some brilliant unscripted moments, particularly when exploring with friends. Heading into the desert as a group makes resource gathering and exploration more entertaining, and there’s something wonderfully ridiculous about watching everyone panic at the first sign of a sandworm.
That said, Dune: Awakening isn’t going to suit everyone. Survival games naturally involve repetition, and there are moments where gathering materials starts feeling more like a job than an adventure. Players who prefer tightly scripted single-player experiences may also find the open-ended structure takes some getting used to. The game is at its best when you enjoy setting your own goals rather than waiting for it to constantly tell you what to do next.
There’s also a lot happening mechanically, so the opening hours can feel slightly overwhelming. Between crafting, building, combat, exploration and character progression, Dune: Awakening throws plenty at you. Once everything starts clicking, though, the different systems come together nicely.
Overall, Dune: Awakening does an impressive job of turning Arrakis into a place that feels dangerous, mysterious and genuinely exciting to explore. The combination of survival mechanics, multiplayer encounters, character progression and the wonderfully intimidating desert makes it easy to lose track of time.
It has the occasional grind and certainly won’t convert anyone who already dislikes survival games, but for Dune fans and players who love exploring huge worlds with friends, there’s plenty to enjoy.
Just remember the most important rule of Arrakis… If the ground starts shaking, stop admiring the scenery and RUN.
Author: David, Sheffield Store
