Funcom is once again excited to talk about Dune: Awakening and its big Gamescom arrival as the studio’s latest video focused on the sandbox in a pretty general sense, discussing overall gameplay mechanics and features to effectively condense all of the event’s reveals into one 22-minute showcase.
The point in the video that most will care about (and the timestamp the embed below should begin on) is at the 4:55 mark, when Creative Director Joel Bylos sits down to explain the game. This portion elaborates on the “survive, expand, control” tag line and how it translates into overall character progression, talks about the importance of harvesting flour sand and spice, the various abilities players can learn, and the “push and pull” of switching from ranged to melee combat.
Bylos also drops a few little hints along the way without spoiling too many things about the game experience, including the fact that inhaling spice can cause players to see visions or enhance their abilities somewhat. He also confirmed that players don’t have to join with the game’s two major factions if they don’t want to; they can still take on contracts or participate in the Landsraad, though he also said it would be a shame for players to miss out on the benefits of doing so, such as their high-end gear, unique building sets, and the political interplay narrative. Finally, Bylos confirmed that players will be allowed to betray their chosen faction if they decide to go turncoat.
