The sun beating down on your skin, the soothing sound of the wind blowing sand, and swarms of giant sandworms waiting to eat you for lunch – Arrakis is not your typical vacation destination.. still, dunes Awakening is one of the best survival games of the year and provides an experience worthy of Arrakis. If you’ve never played Funcom’s great take on the classic franchise, Dune Awakening is really worth playing, with a hefty discount over Fanatical.
2025 saw many new games added to our list of best PC games, from Expedition 33 to Doom: The Dark Ages. we have been eating well. But if there’s one top hit of the year that I’ve spent the most time on, it’s Dune Awakening. Maybe it’s the heat of Arakeen, or my love for the dangers that await on the sandy beaches, but this is a truly immersive survival game.
Set in an alternate world where Paul Atreides was never born and his father Leto survived an attempt on his life, you play as an undercover Bene Gesserit agent sent to Arrakis to locate the Fremen. While there’s a fascinating story that definitely works as a Frank Herbert novel, it’s mostly just a setting for getting lost in a sandworm-infested desert.
The MMO aspect of this game is heavily touted, but I think it’s more strongly defined by the survival elements. You start without any equipment, and while two suns make your blood boil unless you find shade, you can gradually learn about science fiction world technology and traverse treacherous sand dunes to avoid becoming the sandworm’s dinner. Even for those brief moments when you can put your feet up and relax, you’re never safe on Arrakis.
As a fan of Dune, I’m really impressed with how it stays true to the source material while treading new ground in familiar territory and immersing me in the world of an iconic series. However, let’s assume that you are a beginner looking for an exciting survival game. In that case, Dune Awakening is still for you as it does a great job of introducing the stakes without needing too much explanation.
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to play one of my personal favorites of the year, Dune Awakening is just £33.49 / £28.13 at Fanatical, bringing the game down to its lowest ever price and giving you a first-class ticket to Arrakis at a fraction of the price. However, if you want to enjoy more of the upcoming content, you can purchase the Ultimate Edition for $67.49 / £56.24 during the sale. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens in the upcoming The Water Wars expansion.
Considering that Dune Awakening is partly an MMO and requires you to be online all the time, if you’re looking for an option to play offline, we recommend you give the best sandbox game a try. Or you can always take a peek at our list of the best single-player games to enjoy on your own without worrying about someone killing you while you make your coffee.
dunes Need a great place to hang out with like-minded players and chat about your adventures in Arrakis? Luckily, our Discord server is full of energy, positivity, and no Sandworm.
