Dune: Spice Wars is an RTS set on the desert planet we have seen a lot of within the books, motion pictures, and different Dune video games, however excitingly, it is not nearly pushing a military round: It additionally includes the alliances and economies of Dune’s broader galaxy. Throughout a current hands-off demonstration, I watched as a Home Atreides participant unfold out from a single beginning territory to discover the floor of Arrakis whereas additionally participating in imperial intrigue, one thing you possibly can glimpse within the new trailer above.
Spice Wars shares numerous design fundamentals with Shiro Video games’ critically acclaimed Northgard, an RTS centered on capturing and controlling territories somewhat than spreading out over a wide-open map. That works fairly effectively with the 4X DNA current in Spice Wars. Expanses of desert terrain kind outlined territories which every comprise a small city. Conquering the city confers management of the territory, and every part of desert may be exploited for sources like Spice for commerce, Plascrete for buildings, or varied uncommon commodities to promote for chilly exhausting money.
Taking territory is simply not nearly choosing some troops and marching them on over such as you may’ve performed in a Command & Conquer recreation. Factions just like the Atreides can diplomatically annex small cities if they need, though it takes numerous time. They’ll additionally roll within the troops, however that is costly and harmful: The locals put up a struggle, and conquering one city will set others towards you as Fremen bandits then come to raid your territory. Additional, any troops venturing outdoors your turf are mechanically on a clock: As soon as they run out of provides, they will rapidly die.
The desert is not a homogenous expanse of sand. Deep Deserts are the equal of oceans in different 4X video games, and foot models there quickly run out of provides and are at large danger for sandworm assaults. In the meantime, particular territories just like the polar ice caps can provide sources in any other case very exhausting to get. Water, advertising and marketing lead Adrien Briatta mentioned throughout the streamed preview, is “going to be an issue.” Gamers will probably be drawn to the ice cap on the north pole, which implies battle.
No place like CHOAM
Most of Northgard’s sources went in direction of constructing apparent materials issues. For that, Spice Wars actually simply has Solaris, Plascrete, Manpower, and Water. Actually taking management of Dune would require intelligent use of soppy political currencies, along with brokers to infiltrate and foyer essential organizations. In the meantime, your exhausting sources go in direction of backing up these performs by increasing your holdings on-world.
Dune is a much more political than navy work of science fiction, and Spice Wars seems to respect that. Although the sport takes place solely on Arrakis, the politics of the broader Imperium and its factions are important to success. Gamers will curry favor within the Landsraad, attempting to move resolutions and legal guidelines that favor themselves over others. The purpose is to be appointed Governor of Dune, however that is a path they will discover troublesome in the event that they’re too aggressive in navy battle.
Landsraad favor is simply one of many currencies gamers can accrue and spend. Your Authority goes in direction of pleasing factions such because the Spacing Guild, Bene Gesserit, Emperor, and others, for which you get direct rewards. There’s additionally the Spice gross sales and distribution firm, CHOAM, which buys all of the Spice you do not personally hoard—and it’s important to hoard some, for the reason that Emperor additionally calls for a direct tax in Spice. (You could have heard someplace that it should movement.)
Dune: Spice Wars will launch in Early Entry on Steam this spring. Multiplayer, new factions, and the complete marketing campaign will probably be added as updates to that unfinished model.
