Dune: Awakening Needs to Capitalize On Its Greatest Strength

Dune: Awakening Needs to Capitalize On Its Greatest Strength

As a die-hard sci-fi enthusiast and survival game aficionado with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I’ve seen it all – from the humble beginnings of Minecraft to the sprawling worlds of ARK: Survival Evolved. So when Funcom announced Dune: Awakening, my interest was piqued, but my skepticism was raised as well.


As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension as Funcom’s upcoming title, Dune: Awakening, approaches. This game, set in the expansive universe of Dune, is undoubtedly something I’ve been eagerly anticipating. However, it finds itself standing at the crossroads, facing a barrage of potential challenges.

It’s only fair to give Dune: Awakening credit for appearing to move beyond the formula established by Conan Exiles. Judging from the previews, Dune: Awakening seems to boast significantly improved technical polish compared to its predecessor, with visuals, animations, and combat mechanics that are noticeably sleeker and more engaging. Essentially, the game appears to be aiming for a standard in line with modern AAA titles rather than Conan Exiles. However, it must tackle the competition within the crowded open-world survival genre, and utilizing its source material effectively is the most effective strategy for standing out.

Dune: Awakening Has Rich Lore That It Needs to Draw Upon

Survival Games Like Dune: Awakening Are a Dime a Dozen

Over the last several years, there has been a surge of survival-themed games, with pioneering titles like Minecraft paving the way. Some of the standout achievements in this genre are:

  • V Rising
  • Valheim
  • ARK: Survival Evolved
  • Sons of the Forest
  • Rust
  • Subnautica
  • Grounded
  • Palworld

Top-tier survival games continue to flourish by offering distinctive perspectives within the genre. For example, the longevity of “V Rising” extends beyond its early access phase due to its captivating vampire concept. Similarly, “Subnautica” stands out with its intriguing alien underwater setting, providing a fresh and innovative survival sandbox where crafting and resource gathering can evolve in engaging ways. To succeed, “Dune: Awakening” must emulate this trend by leveraging its unique strengths as an adaptation.

Dune: Awakening Is Uniquely Positioned for Success Because of Its Source Material

Despite being set in a distinct timeline compared to the original Dune novels, Dune: Awakening retains similar elements. By featuring Arrakis as a setting and incorporating key components like spice and rival factions for players to interact with, it offers a unique gaming experience. This distinctiveness is particularly notable given that licensed survival games are not common in the market.

Dune: Awakening can’t just be Conan Exiles with a Dune-colored coat of paint—it needs to fully leverage the lore of the original Dune franchise in unexpected and meaningful ways. Confirmed features like the shifting sands of Arrakis, which can radically change the world design in real-time, are a good start, but Funcom should take care to make these sorts of ideas meaningful and distinct, rather than simply a lore-supported excuse for things like the procedural generation that survival fans have grown accustomed to.

In the realm of Dune: Awakening, spice offers another opportunity to excel. This fictional substance, central in the world of Dune, holds significant value as both a coveted resource and potent mind-changing drug. By skillfully incorporating this element into the MMO gameplay, Dune: Awakening can deliver a captivating and engaging experience centered around the struggle for spice. This struggle should be treated with due respect and importance to achieve an authentic and immersive gameplay.

As a passionate fan, I’ve seen my fair share of games that cash in on popular licenses without delivering anything substantive or engaging. However, with the rich tapestry of Dune, there’s an incredible opportunity for Dune: Awakening to steer clear of this pitfall and cultivate captivating gameplay mechanics. Funcom, if they tread carefully like a thoughtful gardener, can truly bring the intricate world of Dune to life in a way that respects its depth and complexity.

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2024-09-01 02:04