Dune: Awakening is finally here, and it’s already proving to be one of the most ambitious survival MMOs ever released. It combines deep survival systems, open-world exploration, housing simulation, and even player-vs-player systems, all inside the harsh, sand-filled universe of Arrakis.
But after playing over 30 hours, here’s the truth: most players probably won’t make it to the true endgame. And that’s not a flaw, it’s a feature. Here’s our review of Dune: Awakening!
Survival First, Strategy Later
You begin your journey with nothing but scraps. You’ll craft simple tools, collect fiber and ore, and slowly build your first base. The core loop: gather, build, upgrade, is familiar, but Dune: Awakening makes it feel different.
At first, survival is all about basic needs: shelter, water, and staying out of the path of giant sandworms. But even 30 hours in, the rhythm of survival remains satisfying. You’re always working toward your next big upgrade: a better bike, a stronger base, or a new piece of gear.
A Desert That Feels Alive
The world of Arrakis is huge. Most of the game takes place in the Hagga Basin, a massive open area full of heat, hidden secrets, and other players. Visually, it’s mostly brown and sun-scorched, this is Dune, after all, but different zones bring new challenges. Some get hotter, forcing you to manage water more carefully. Others are full of way more dangerous enemies and vertical cliffs that test your gear and skills.
And yes, the worms are terrifying. Altho, it did go missing on our server for a whole day. Maybe it was tired as well. Or it ate too many players… If he eats you, your gear is gone forever. And by that we mean EVERYTHING: your brand-new gear you just made, your gold, every item in your bag… You will respawn naked, literally. But that danger is part of what makes exploration so intense! You’re always risking something, or everything.
Sometimes, You’re Barely Hanging in There
As you get deeper into the game, the survival systems give way to more MMO-style gameplay. You start seeing other players more often. Bases pop up. Ornithopters fly overhead. The desert begins to feel like a strange, dusty suburb full of creative neighbors, some friendly, some not. One thing is sure: it becomes harder to survive. You need more resources, more water, better gear. And you may want to make sure your house has doors if you don’t want a horde of unknown players parking in your garage.
The MMO elements grow quietly in the background. Around 30 hours in, players begin interacting with factions, custom cosmetics, and the Landsraad system: a political structure where guilds vote on powerful server-wide buffs. It’s here the game’s PvP and social systems start. You will also encounter the first PvP zones, meaning other players can start to shoot you down if they feel like it.
Even if you’re not into politics, you’ll feel their impact, like when your neighbor gets a faction-exclusive vehicle from a shop you can’t access. It’s hard not to feel a little envious… or motivated.
You will also have to pay taxes. Yes, even in the middle of the desert. You may find yourself loosing money as time goes on, and not directly know why you suddenly went from 50 000 Solaris to 2 000, despite being sure you did not invest in a new Buggy or fancy gear.
Housing & Base Building: Your Slice of Arrakis
One of the most surprising joys in Dune: Awakening is housing, or more specifically, building your own base in the desert. At first, it’s purely practical. You need somewhere to store gear, craft materials, and take shelter from sandstorms. But as you unlock better materials and tools, basic base building turns into a housing sim.
Soon you’re placing wall panels, platforms, furniture, and even little decorative items like rugs or portraits. You’ll see the difference between a survival hut and someone’s full-on dream home, and yes, it will make you jealous. Just wait until you see a neighbor’s house with glass walls, landing pads, and fancy lighting, while you’re still patching holes in your roof.
And it’s not just cosmetic, location matters. Setting up near tradeposts or key travel routes can give you a big advantage. As more players join the server, neighborhoods start to form. It’s like a dusty residential area, but with worm attacks and potential neighbors blocking your access because they decided to build in the middle of the only road leading up to your own place.
And honestly? That’s part of the magic. You don’t have to chase the top-tier loot to feel proud, sometimes it’s enough to build a cool base, park your buggy, and admire the sunset while plotting how to make your house cooler than John’s next door.
Progress at Your Own Pace
Many players, especially those who play casually or focus on base-building, may never reach Dune: Awakening’s high-level content. And honestly? It’s okay. With such a huge world, there’s no rush. It does not matter if you’re climbing towers for loot, collecting gear, or building your dream desert base, the game lets you set your own goals.
Some guilds may push toward the endgame, unlocking powerful gear and controlling lands. But most players will simply enjoy the long, beautiful journey, and that’s where Dune: Awakening stand out.
It isn’t just about reaching the end, it’s about the slow, rewarding grind through one of the richest, most dangerous sandboxes ever made. It’s a game that pulls you in for hours at a time, even if you’re just modifying your base or riding a buggy across the dunes.
It’s massive. It’s slow in the best way. And for many players, the fun won’t come from the finish line, but from every dusty step taken to get there.
After 30 hours, Dune: Awakening is a solid 4/5 for us. It has a place for any type of gamer: you can craft, explore, build a house, complete contracts, run after a dusty worm… The only downside of the game right now would be the many bugs we’ve encountered along the way. You will get stuck in weird places, worms disappear, items de-spawn randomly, enemies bug out, your gear will be clipping through your character… We hope Funcom will focus on fixing the bugs as soon as possible, so the fun is not interrupted by your character endlessly stuck between two rocks.
And for more information or guides about the game, check out our latest news!
