I by no means obtained spherical to taking part in Shiro’s 4X-plus-RTS adaptation of Dune, however chuckling spice baron Nic Reuben deemed it “intricate”, “polished” and “well-considered” in his early entry assessment final 12 months, and I belief his nostril for this stuff. The sport now has a 1.0 launch date – 14th September 2023 – which can even deliver a sixth main content material replace that includes the politically adept Home Ecaz faction – who, if the press launch speaks true, “wield energy like a paint brush”. You like to see it!
Dune: Spice Wars sees you tussling for management of planet Arrakis, residence to huge sandworms and the paranormal, ultra-valuable substance often called spice. The opposite factions are Home Atreides, who can broaden by way of peaceable annexation, the Harkonnens, who can oppress villages for bonus assets, the Smugglers, who lurk inside opposing settlements, like Warhammer’s Skaven, the desert-dwelling Fremen, who can journey the aforesaid sandworms, and Home Corrino who can play the market and deploy elite Sardaukar models. Relating to Home Ecaz, they’ll apparently manipulate the sport’s Landsraad – a form of interfactional parliament that votes on marketing campaign modifiers – utilizing “the status of their artworks”.
Victory might come about by way of political intrigue, industrial manufacturing, open warfare or subterfuge – most likely, it will be some mixture of the above. Shiro have added multiplayer since Nic’s assessment, and all of it appears like a fairly good time. Have you ever been taking part in the early entry construct a lot? I like Frank Herbert’s admittedly hyper-orientalist setting, and am eager to get correctly to grips with the sport as someone who enjoys 4X, however seldom has the headspace to see an imperial dynasty to its conclusion.
It appears a powerful contender for our listing of one of the best technique video games.