Dune: Spice Wars – Spotlight
Earlier this week, Shiro Games’ Dune: Spice Wars was added to Steam’s Early Access programme. For the first time, gamers will be able to play as one of the many characters from Dune’s universe in a new real-time strategy game (RTS). So, how do you like the RTS from Shiro Games? Dune: Spice Wars’ Early Access review answers this question.
Since this game is based on Frank Herbert’s groundbreaking series, players may have high expectations. House Atreides, House Harkonnen, Smugglers, and the Fremen can all be found on the planet Arrakis. Those familiar with Dune will also be able to find resources, vehicles, and soldiers.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much to see or do in Dune: Spice War in terms of story. There is no campaign yet, so communication with the other factions may feel generic. Shiro Games has yet to release a full version of the game, so it’s safe to assume that there will be more to come. Even if they don’t have a story at the moment, they have a lot of lore to draw from.
Dune: Spice Wars is primarily an RTS game. For a game that is about to enter early access, the level of complexity is respectable. While it lacks the same level of nuance as, say, Civilization VI or Crusader Kings III, you can still have a lot of fun with it. However, this does not imply that Dune: Spice Wars lacks in gameplay depth or replayability.
Two of the four generals can join any of the four factions, but only if they are assigned to it. Because each general has its advantages and disadvantages, the player must make an informed decision. The game begins here.
While playing, the player will be given a central faction building that can be upgraded throughout the match. A scout will also be available to the player, who can use it to scout out new territories. The landscape of Dune: Spice Wars is divided into territories with clearly defined borders.
The vast majority of territories will be generic, with a few containing a unique resource. Among these territories are cities that have already been occupied, and you’ll have a variety of options for dealing with them. There are a variety of side objects scattered throughout the landscape that the scouts, spies, and soldiers will pick up and collect, which will reward the player with various resources.
You can begin to explore each territory once you’re confident enough in your abilities. While we tried every faction in Dune: Spice Wars for this Early Access review, the House Atreides faction was our favourite because it allowed us to peacefully take over cities. Although the city was taken longer, the lack of resources meant that there was less opportunity for rebellion.
Upon acquiring a new territory, players have the option to build up to five facilities within the territory. Resources, defence, and diplomatic bonuses are all examples of actions that can produce or reduce resource costs. During our evaluation, we discovered that it was best to head straight for a region with spice to mine right away.
In order to pay the imperial spice tax, players will have to deal with a variety of resource demands. This will make it difficult for your faction to stay afloat, but Shiro Games has devised a workaround. This is done by using trade and diplomacy. In order to get what they need, players can trade various materials with other factions. Additional agreements can be made regarding borders, spice, science, and other issues.
Diplomacy is a skill that you will need to hone in the future. The Landsraad Council will hold a vote after several years of gameplay have passed. Each faction will be able to use these votes to impose buffs and debuffs on other factions or the entire region, and reap the benefits for themselves. There are a lot of management responsibilities that the players will have to learn to balance. In the meantime, they’re keeping an eye out for small cities, other factions, and rebels within their own borders.
Dune: Spice Wars, a new game from Shiro Games, is now available in Early Access and promises to provide enough replayability and enjoyment for players. Dune: Spice Wars manages to strike a good balance between difficulty and accessibility.
In terms of sound and graphics, Dune: Spice Wars most closely resembles Civilization or Crusader Kings games. You move your army across bordered territories that resemble a board game while playing the game. Each faction will send out messages of happiness or displeasure to the other factions in the same Civilization style. However, this does not mean that this is a negative development.
There is enough lore in the game to make you wish the developers had added more lore-friendly dialogue. But, of course, there may be more to come when the Early Access period ends.
With its sandstorms and sandworms, Arrakis is a sight to behold. In Dune: Spice Wars, the mouse disappears from the main menu on occasion, necessitating a full game restart. In addition, there have been UI issues that have caused a slew of permanent attack icons to crowd out other UI elements at random points in the game, signalling an attack by another faction.
Similar to other RTS games, the audio is also quite good. Sound effects can be heard playing in the background with a light orchestral soundtrack. It may not win any awards for best soundtrack, but the audio is solid and there are no issues with the delivery.
Shiro Games’ Dune: Spice Wars is a solid choice for fans of the Dune series or real-time strategy games in general. A large amount of lore can be used while the story hasn’t been developed yet. The game’s depth, on the other hand, is sufficient to satisfy both newcomers to the genre and seasoned players alike. With the help of spice, Dune: Spice Wars presents a unique twist on the genre’s gameplay mechanics.
