New Survival Game on Steam is Essentially a Single-Player Take on Dune: Awakening

Last year, fans of Dune could immerse themselves in the world of Arrakis with the release of Dune: Awakening, thanks to the growing popularity of the Dune franchise. With both Dune: Awakening and Denis Villeneuve’s critically acclaimed films featuring stars like Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, it’s a fantastic time to be a Dune enthusiast. Now, another game in a similar style is coming to Steam. While not a direct part of the Dune story, it draws significant inspiration from the entire franchise.

Keep an eye out for Lysward, a new single-player game coming to Steam soon. If you enjoy Dune: Awakening but are looking for a different kind of experience, this survival adventure might be for you. Set in a large and difficult desert environment, Lysward offers a fresh take on many of the features you’ll find in Dune: Awakening.

Every Feature Confirmed for Lysward So Far

Single-player
First-person perspective
Desert map
Strange creatures
Survival-focused gameplay
Resource management
Tool and item crafting
Magical abilities
Speeder vehicle
Companion character

In Lysward, Players Are Trying to Survive Life on an Unforgiving Desert Planet

Unlike Dune: Awakening, Lysward doesn’t let you create your own character. Instead, you play as Kiran, a man with a forgotten past. He’s a failed experiment with no memories, forcing him to fight for survival without knowing who he once was. While some players might miss the character creation options found in Dune: Awakening, Kiran’s mysterious background and the secrets surrounding his origins could be a major draw. In fact, his story is more similar to that of Paul Atreides than the customizable characters in Dune: Awakening.

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Lysward’s Desert Could Be Just as Challenging as Dune: Awakening’s Arrakis

Both Lysward and Dune: Awakening share a striking similarity: a tough, desert landscape. The deserts of Arrakis are central to the Dune story and have become legendary in science fiction. Lysward also intends to make its harsh environment a key part of both the gameplay and story. While matching Dune: Awakening‘s vision will be difficult, Lysward‘s desert looks set to offer its own distinct challenges.

In the world of Lysward, set on the planet Zenit, the sun always shines, creating a constant daytime and making it hard to survive. Players need to carefully manage Kiran’s hunger and thirst, or the intense desert heat will quickly become deadly. Overheating leads to certain death, so resource management is crucial. This focus on survival and resourcefulness is similar to Dune: Awakening, and will likely appeal to players of that game.

Parts of Lysward‘s world are trapped in eternal night instead of constant sunlight.

If you like gathering resources and crafting in Dune: Awakening, you’ll find even more of that in Lysward. Finding the best places to collect materials in Dune: Awakening makes exploring the desert feel worthwhile, and Lysward is really emphasizing this aspect of the game. To help with exploration, Lysward introduces a vehicle called the Speeder, which makes traveling across the desert much faster. However, the Speeder isn’t maintenance-free – you’ll need to keep it in good condition, as surviving in this harsh environment wouldn’t be very challenging if vehicles were completely reliable.

So, I’m playing as Kiran, and I’ve got this awesome companion, Gjorna. She’s been a huge help exploring the desert – seriously, I couldn’t do it without her! Plus, she keeps giving me new crafting recipes, which are a game-changer. It’s like she’s constantly upgrading my stuff, which is amazing.

Lysward May Not Have Spice, But the Game Features Its Own Unique Resource

The valuable substance ‘Spice’ is central to the story of Dune, and Lysward explores a similar idea. While Lysward doesn’t have Spice, it features ‘Amri,’ a potent magical substance derived from the rays of Zenit’s sun. Kiran can harness Amri to improve resource gathering, but there’s a catch: prolonged exposure to the sun is deadly. This creates a compelling challenge – players must carefully balance gaining Amri with avoiding fatal sun exposure. This kind of risk-reward mechanic is common in successful survival games, preventing players from simply becoming too powerful by constantly staying in the sun.

Okay, so this Amri device isn’t just some gadget – it’s literally how I stay alive in this game. I’ve gotta get really good at using its power to deal with everything this world throws at me. Seriously, whether it’s crazy heat, impossible landscapes, or weird enemies, the Amri is my best friend. But here’s the thing: you can’t just button-mash. You actually need to understand how it works if you want to make it far.

So far, two unique abilities for Kiran in Lysward have been shown. The first, called Tremor, lets Kiran collect materials from afar and also use them in battle. The second ability allows Kiran to clean water and cultivate trees for farming.

Curious Gamers Can Check Out Lysward Before It Even Launches

Currently, there’s no confirmed release date for Lysward. However, a free demo is now available on the game’s official Steam page for players to experience. While Snowcastle Games hasn’t specified a 2026 launch window, the demo’s release suggests development is progressing well and a release may be coming soon.

If you enjoy the massive online world of Dune: Awakening, Lysward offers a similar experience, but designed for a single player. It captures what makes Dune: Awakening great while adding its own unique touches. If you’re looking for a game set in a mysterious desert world with intriguing characters, Lysward is definitely one to watch.

2026-03-31 17:12