Based on the legendary Frank Herbert novel of the same name and visually inspired by the 1984 David Lynch movie, Dune is a strategy-adventure hybrid where the player takes the role of young Paul Atreides, the son of Duke Leto. The Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV has given the Atreides House the rights to manage the extraction of the most precious substance in the entire universe - the Melange, commonly known as Spice in the desolate desert planet Arrakis (Dune), the only place in the universe capable of producing the substance. While everything indicates the offer is a trap orchestrated by their enemies the Harkonnen, the Atreides family agrees on moving, as he who controls the spice, controls the universe.
The player arrives in Arrakis with the mission of contacting and convincing the Fremen tribes residing in sietches (desert settlements) near the Atreides palace to harvest the spice. Harvesting is the most important part of the game, required to purchase equipment from the smugglers and appease the emperor. To speed up the process of harvesting, the player can equip the tribes with harvesters to increase production and ornis to protect them from the gigantic protectors of the planet: Shai-Hulud - the sandworms.
However, the spice doesn't last forever and new sietches must be prospected before having a mining crew assigned, but the player cannot run Southwards forever, as the Harkonnen enemy controls the North of the Planet, dangerously close to the Atreides Palace. Soon after the initial batches are sent to the Empreror, the player will have to actively deal with the Harkonnen, who will try to take control of player Sietches. For those, Fremen tribes can be assigned to military training with Gurney Halleck, but before doing such work Paul must have a certain reputation, gained by the control of Arrakis.
As the game advances, the player will untap Paul's latent powers, as well as meeting other characters from the Dune universe, such as Duke Leto, Jessica, Thufir Hawat, Duncan Idaho, Harah, Chani, Stilgar and Liet Kynes, the mastermind behind the ecological plans on Dune - the ultimate goal.
You play the character of Paul Atreides (made to look like Kyle MacLachlan, who played him in the motion picture). The game starts in your base castle, located on planet Dune. As you probably already know, Dune is famous for being the only source of "spice melange" which is the most-wanted substance in the universe because it enables interstellar travel. The planet's natives are called Fremen and are dispersed around the planet in small tribes.
Your task will be split into two parts. Firstly you will have to make friends with all of the tribes and get their troops at your disposal. Some will join you instantly, and for others you will have to prove yourself worthy. After successfully convincing everyone to join you, you will have to strategically position the troops around the planet. Your goal is to beat the opposing evil house Harkonnen that is also after the spice.
The game is basically a fine blend between adventure and strategy, and both aspects are very well balanced. As for the graphics, they are beautiful and very well done. I give it a mark of 4 only because it can get a bit tedious at certain points throughout the game.
One last thing - you may find yourself cursing because you don't know how to save, load or exit the game. Well, here's how: at the starting screen, after talking to your father go straight (up arrow) and then look at the mirror. Enjoy!
This game is one of the most controversal games in gaming history - at least as far as I can remember. When it came out one of the two main gaming magazines said it was one of the all time greatest games ever made, while the other said it was crap. Basically I tend to share the first opinion.
The game really got atmosphere and throws you right into the world of Frank Herbert's novel. You play the role of Paul Atreides - the oldest son of the Atreides dynasty that just got the permission from the emperor to harvest spice, a mysterious drug of high value. Their opponents in this story are the Harkonnens who got this "license" before and aren't willing to give it up. The planet this happens on is Arrakis - a desert planet and the only known source for spice. Arrakis is inhabitated by a small tribe called Fremen - they adapted to the hard climate and the constant danger of the sandworms and they developed a religion that awaits the arrival of the Muad'dib - a kind of messiah. This is the role Paul will take - this is one of the goals of the game although many things are yet to come after you reach this.
In this plot of war and religion there is only one thing missing: a love-story - this is one of the few games featuring one - yeah, like I said once - we all need something for the heart sometimes - don't we? ;)
After all this game is very involving and the interface isn't THAT bad after you got used to it - the game is a genre-mix not everyone will like, I did and I know many others do as well and once you got into this game you will love it - for sure!
One of the best strategy games of that time. Harvast spice with your Fremen and defeat the Harkonnen. The graphics are Superb!
How to run this game on modern Windows PC?
People who downloaded Dune have also downloaded:
Dune 2000, Dune 2: The Battle for Arrakis, Emperor: Battle for Dune, Dune 2, Dune, Command & Conquer, Super Dune 2, Command & Conquer: Red Alert
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