It’s that time of year again! The Lords are at PAX East once more, and we are covering multiple exciting announcements, reveals, and more.
One of the many exciting games at the show is Dune: Awakening. It’s one of the many games playable here at PAX East, and we were fortunate enough to get hands-on with the title.
What is Dune: Awakening?
The team at Funcom describes the open-world survival MMO with the following:
Dune: Awakening is an open-world survival MMO set on the most dangerous planet in the universe. Survive the desert by learning the ways of the Fremen. Expand your potential through combat, spice, building, and trade. As guild intrigue and warfare rage, control the spice and cling to power.
The demo gave some minor story content, with various audio logs commenting on me and other players waking up inside a ship. So I see the story told through NPC interactions in non-combat zones and audio logs.
Demo Impressions – Shooting/Combat
The demo began with me waking up on a ship, with other players nearby to interact with. I decided to approach the session solo, but I did help revive a fellow player when they were gunned down. Using familiar third-person shooting mechanics, I easily shot through waves of enemies with familiar weapon types (pistols, machine guns, etc).
In addition to basic weapons, I was able to use skills, though I didn’t mess with them much. Considering the game’s MMO nature, I could easily see these evolve into deeper mechanics. A mixture of passive buffs and attack skills would be awesome to mix with standard third-person shooting.
A Stern Rifle – Controls/Design
While the combat was enjoyable, something that genuinely impressed me was the game’s controls. Using mouse and keyboard controls with no issue. The game does support a standard controller, with some of the demo units offering that option.
However, my only negative with the demo is that the game isn’t the clearest when guiding you. I got lost during my demo session, and the PR rep had to redirect me onto the right path. It’s not a major deal, but for the more linear dungeons to shoot through, it could be a problem.
I also managed to get outside the base, being teased with the game’s ambitious open world to explore. But didn’t get a lot of time to explore the sand-covered world before my session ended. It did make me curious to see how the game’s third-person shooting works with a traditional MMO structure.
The Dreaded Sandworm – Potential Console Release
When my session ended, I learned more about Dune: Awakening. While PC is confirmed for a June 10th release, console versions (PlayStation 5 and Series X/S) are still being considered.
Considering the game’s controller-friendly nature, a console release is more likely.
Closing Thoughts on Dune: Awakening
I walked away from Dune: Awakening, curious. As a newcomer to the Dune franchise, seeing Funcom adapt the franchise into a survival/action MMO RPG is exciting. I could easily imagine this taking off and being a success after enjoying the demo.
Offering solid third-person shooting, impressive visuals, rock-solid performance on PC, and tons of story for hard-core Dune fans to experience, this will be a major release to play on June 10th. You can learn more about the game via its Steam store listing, alongside various pre-order options.
Stay tuned for additional PAX East coverage here at Lords of Gaming!
