Dune: Awakening – First Impressions

Dune: Awakening – Review in Progress

Dune: Awakening aims to transplant the intricate world of Frank Herbert’s Dune into a survival MMO setting. After spending a considerable amount of time exploring Arrakis, it’s clear that Funcom has a deep respect and understanding of the source material. The game leverages the brutal environment and the vast emptiness of the desert to create compelling challenges. However, this unwavering adherence to established lore sometimes leads to frustrating gameplay choices. There have also been a few technical hiccups since launch. While it’s not perfect, it’s a captivating experience for Dune enthusiasts.

Survival on Arrakis: Core Mechanics

Dune: Awakening employs familiar survival game mechanics. You will:

• Gather resources scattered across the desolate landscape.
• Construct and fortify a base of operations.
• Craft and upgrade equipment to venture into more dangerous regions.
• Engage with a persistent online world alongside other players.

As with other survival games like Conan Exiles and Once Human, cooperation with other players and limited PvP encounters are potential elements.

Embracing the Dune Setting

What sets Dune: Awakening apart is its commitment to the Dune universe. The environment itself becomes a central antagonist. The game features:

• Deadly sun exposure that requires players to seek shade.
• Frequent sandstorms that force players to find shelter.
• Giant sandworms (Shai-Hulud) that pose a constant threat.

These hazards create a constant sense of urgency, forcing players to adapt and strategize to survive the planet’s perils. Players must frantically seek cover, manage precious water supplies, and avoid attracting the attention of sandworms.

Challenges & Progression

Arrakis’ challenges are integrated into the progression system. Some examples:

• Early on, players are limited to the starting zone due to an expanse of deadly terrain, necessitating the crafting of a vehicle.
• Certain areas are too hot or irradiated to explore without specific protective gear.
• Water scarcity is a constant concern, requiring players to harvest dew and atmospheric moisture.

These environmental obstacles force players to adapt and innovate, making the gameplay feel intrinsically tied to the Dune lore.

What’s the worst way to die on Arrakis?

Dune: Awakening aims to immerse players in the Dune universe. However, strict adherence to the source material sometimes comes at the cost of player enjoyment. Some potential issues:

• The need to frequently relocate bases forces players to dismantle and move their belongings, disrupting the sense of progression.
• Holtzman shields render projectile weapons ineffective against many enemies, pushing players to switch between ranged and melee weapons.

The attempt to uphold Dune’s established lore results in gameplay that may not always be fun or engaging.

Combat: A Weak Point

One of the biggest drawbacks of Dune: Awakening, is its combat system. The system features:

• Gunplay that feels inaccurate and unsatisfying.
• Melee combat that is often repetitive and clumsy.

While more combat options and interesting weapons may be unlocked later, the initial experiences are underwhelming and create a negative feeling. The otherwise enjoyable experience is greatly affected by this issue.

Survival Mechanics: A Strong Point

While combat might be lacking, Dune: Awakening shines in its survival mechanics. Some of the features:

• A steady stream of new technologies to research and unlock.
• A wide variety of gear to craft, with constant progression.
• Materials that keep players busy.

The game provides constant motivation, prompting players to pursue new goals and challenges and presenting meaningful choices regarding resource allocation.

TieGuyTravis’ Favorite Survival Games

The setting in the desert is unique and barren, but the loop is impressive. Some of the features:

• No trees on Arrakis – instead, players use tools to pull water from morning dew.
• Water is pulled from the air.

The game embraces the weird and barren setting.

Technical Issues & Stability

Dune: Awakening still suffers from technical issues:

• Disconnects.
• Visual bugs, such as disappearing terrain.
• Glitches, where sandworms are sometimes missing from the world.

While the game has improved, there are still some flaws.

Final Thoughts (For Now)

Even after logging over 35 hours, Dune: Awakening offers more to explore.

• New areas.
• Story to explore.
• Limited experience with PvP.

Expect an updated review in the coming days as the journey progresses toward the endgame.