In a nutshell:

• At Summer Game Fest, we had the opportunity to witness a hands-off demo of Dune Awakening.
• In this most recent build, we witnessed the intriguing world of this survival MMORPG.
• Certain gameplay sequences were demoed for us to see what to expect from the launch.

Announced during Summer Game Fest, we were able to experience Level Infinite and Funcom’s Dune Awakening. In a hands-off preview, we could see what to expect from this open-world survival MMORPG set in an alternate reality of the Dune universe.

In this world, Paul Atreides did not exist, as his mother fulfilled her destiny instead. It is a completely different Arrakis that’s much closer to Frank Herbert’s works but adapts to the particular visual style set by the recent films.

Dune Awakening to a New Reality

During our short time with the game, we were introduced to the lore and the background of the reality that was introduced to us in its latest trailer. What’s important about this fact is that we are now aligned with factions: either House Atreides or House Harkonnen. In this build, we are from House Harkonnen and progress through the ranks of that house.

From there, we’re able to meet mentors from your faction and learn the skills that are unique to that faction. Since Dune Awakening is a survival MMO, there is a lot of stress on resource management. The loot and resources you collect are available while you’re alive.

Arrakis is a harsh environment, and the demo features environmental diversity closer to the books. While the films look a lot more uniform, there is some nuance to the different biomes in different areas.

If you are traversing the sands, you will encounter different hazards, such as quicksand that impede your movement and affect your health. Out of all the hazards, none stand out more than the fearsome sandworm. There’s a particular way of traversing the dunes by foot, as the sandworm can track you using sound. While dying can allow you to keep your loot, you lose everything when eaten by the sandworm.

The Spice Must Flow

As we said resources are scarce, when you invade certain faction towns, much of the water you need to collect and replenish will belong to humans of a different faction.

Gear has durability, so when engaging in combat, take note of the status of your items. While there is friendly fire and you can deal damage to people of your own factions, PvP is optional. Certain maps allow for that to happen, while there are areas dedicated to missions and exploration.

30 minutes isn’t nearly enough, but we have a rough idea of what to expect from Dune Awakening. We’re looking forward to seeing more of the world and gameplay, but until there, color us intrigued about what the game is looking to deliver.

Dune Awakening is coming soon on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Our Summer Game Fest 2024 coverage is powered by Lenovo Philippines and Lenovo Legion.