We are on the cusp of Dune: Awakening releasing soon and as the guy who receives Dune memes from everyone simultaneously, I figured that I would help you, the reader, with sorting yourself out when it comes to jumping into this wonderful franchise and familiarize yourself with the Dune universe and ease you into the game itself with some good ole culture recommendations. I am going to mention the books, comics, and maybe a few games. So let’s get started!
Read the Books
Frank Herbert’s novels are absolutely great and I know that there isn’t enough time to read the books before the game comes out, but if you can get even halfway through the first book you will be equipped with all the information you need to draw a few lines. While the game does a great job to tell you what changes in the universe because Paul isn’t born, it’s great to know exactly how the story normally goes with the additional details.
Plus, there is an excellent scene that takes place just before a major part of the story revolving around Lady Jessica and how she eagerly anticipates an oncoming ruse. There are also additional chapters that focuses on Hawat and how he suspects another character for betraying the house, ultimately discovering how he was wrong.
Now, the one thing I will say is that it does lack action that you might find in the movies (we will get to it) but there is a lot of intrigue. Dune has always been a political drama with a logistical backdrop that makes this entire universe work. It is rich in lore and characters while also finely crafting the harsh world of Dune. It isn’t an easy read but it’s a good one.
If you wish to go beyond the first book, that is great! You get to learn a bit more about Paul’s Golden Path and more about Fremen culture from many different perspectives. Frank Herbert wrote six books total with his son, Brian Herbert taking the reins after Frank’s passing. Brian Herbert wrote a ton of books, bringing the total number to 23 Dune books total. You don’t really need to read Brian Herbert’s volumes to understand what is happening in Dune Awakening, but they do focus on the political rise and fall of the multiple houses as well as give you some perspective into the universe’s governing council– The Landsraad.
I’ll also add that there are comic books out there as well. One series is the retelling of the books while other comics focus on various side characters like Shadout Mapes who is seen in Dune, gifting a crysknife to Lady Jessica. If you have Spotify Premium, Dune is also available on the service as an audiobook.
Watch the Denis Villeneuve Films
Dune Part One and Part Two take some of the elements of the book and change it around. Denis’ vision is absolutely fantastic, it’s vivid, and the core aesthetic is lifted from the films. From the great big guild ship that floats over Arrakis to some of the CHOAM building segments, the impact of Denis’ vision is present all over.
Most of all, the films are just great. They are visual masterpieces that will put you right in the mood to take over a desert planet with your friends and future guildmates. It also acts as a great sparknotes version of the book and comes incredibly close to the source material, although there are a few changes. Once again, those changes don’t impact the experience with the game, but it is cool to know because a few names pop up here and there that make you sit up like the Leonardo DiCaprio meme.
Watch the David Lynch Dune Movie
I know that not everyone likes the more nuanced pacing of Denis Villeneuve’s films and want something that features 100% more Kyle MacLachlan, look no further than David Lynch’s Dune. Sure, it cuts out a ton and it seems kinda wacky all around, but it has a sense of charm while also showing some of the more grotesque parts of this universe.
In Dune Part 1 and 2, everything feels sanitized to an extent. Here, we see Dune in a more gross fashion. From the weird bloated and scarred Harkonnens to the weird brain-like Guild Navigators who are kept in a tank and fed spice so it can fold time and space and allow ships to travel quickly and safely. This movie is also where the quote, “The Spice must flow” originated from.
Once again, it is a bit over the top, silly, and borderline insane, but the charm is still there. Patrick Stewert holding a pug while fighting enemies is the insanity that exudes David Lynch’s style. Do you like Sting? Well he’s here too! There really is a ton of style within the movie and it is worth checking out.
Watch Dune: Prophecy
It might not have much to do with what is happening in the game, but it has everything to do with the Dune universe. Taking place aeons before the events of the movie (and in turn, the game), Dune: Prophecy is all about the growth of the Bene Gesserit and how it became the force you see in the games. You learn more about the different houses and how important House Corrino is within the grand scheme of it all aside from that being the house from which the Emperor originated from.
I wouldn’t say that Prophecy is necessary viewing but it does help lay the groundwork a bit even though there is a bunch of relative information that occurs before it such as the Butlerian Jihad. There are a few name drops as well which should make fans of the series incredibly excited for the second season of the show.
Play Other Crafting Survival Games
Funcom are the developers of one of the more popular crafting survival games– Conan Exiles. While Dune Awakening is their next foray into the genre, playing games like Conan might help you get into Dune Awakening.
Conan isn’t the only option out there. Enshrouded is another title that is absolutely great and one that I am jumping back into after it received a major patch. Also in early access is RuneScape: Dragonwilds which is another fantastic crafting survival game that is going to be receiving it’s next major update quite soon! Of course, you can also play Valheim which is still revered as one of the godfathers of the genre.
Despite these games being quite different, they all share a similar skeleton when it comes to the core design. This is a loop that will play into itself where you start with nothing and slowly build your way up, having a more robust selection of tools at your disposal.
I’ll note that if you don’t want to pay for any of those games, that is fine. LEGO Fortnite is a free-to-play crafting survival game set with the LEGO aesthetic and is quite fun. Like other games, it is constantly evolving and you can use most of the skins you have for Fortnite within LEGO Fortnite.
Play Other Dune Games
Of course there are other Dune games! Currently there is the 4X strategy Dune: Spice Wars, a game that takes all the nuance of Dune’s universe and places it in the palm of your hands (via the mouse). Much like the David Lynch vision, it takes its liberties in classifying all the factions with their own brand of aesthetics. It also has a ton of proper lore in it, giving you multiple factions to explore. I haven’t put much time into the game, but I like what I have played so far.
There is also Dune: Imperium based on a board game that I currently own and have yet to play! This is very much like Spice Wars in a way that it is a strategy game but also seems to have some element of worker placement. There is a lot going on here and much like Awakening, it does rely on Denis Villeneuve’s vision.
Prepare Yourself for Failure
Hear me out here, Dune: Awakening is a risk/reward game. You can play a lot of it solo or with a small group of friends, but if you want the good weapons and the good tools, you’ll need to explore the reaches of Arrakis.
Funcom recently had a whole breakdown of the Deep Desert mechanic where all the spice is located. It is a huge PvP zone and it is your job to run in, get the spice, and run out. But, there is a chance that you will be killed or swallowed whole by one of the giant ringmouth sandworms. At one point, you have to be okay with losing the gear you bring in. By this time though, you’ll have everything you need to not feel the loss too harshly though. But always remember that Dune is a political drama, so things like betrayal and “plans within plans” is a thing within this universe.
Watch Funcom’s Streams
Yes, perhaps the most simplest way to get into Dune is to watch Funcom’s developer streams on YouTube. Each video focuses on one certain aspect of the game, adding more clarification. If you were already interested in the game, this will just pull you in more. In addition to these livestreams, plenty of content creators have videos interviewing creative direct Joel Bylos amongst other important members of the Funcom team.
Okay, so that is all I have for you. We are just a few days from the full launch as well as an early access launch occurring on June 5th. Are you looking forward to getting your hands dirty on Arrakis? Let us know in the comments section and if you are looking for a guild to join, then you might as well let us know too!
Love all the recommendations you suggest for beginners; the only thing that bothers me in the article is the exclusions of two SyFy miniseries from the early 2000s.Both Frank Herbert’s Dune and Children of Dune are exceptionally solid adaptations of the books despite its rough edges and outdated CGIs, not to mention the fact that the former fleshes out elements from books that are missing in both cinematic versions.