This real-time strategy game centres on the planet Arrakis and three houses going to war for the precious spice. Although a deviation from the books, the gaming universe has introduced a mysterious third faction, House Ordos. They follow stealth and deception, which contrasts nicely with the noble and more conventional House Atreides and "evil" and heavy-handed House Harkonnen. The cutscenes in this game really tell a cool story, all the while as the player takes territory upon territory on the planet Arrakis. There's mystery and intrigue - betrayal and suspense. It truly plays out like a tv series and does an outstanding job.
9 Reviews
Beats the original film
jekd-2659020 March 2019
Great
gillmurphydogg4 January 2023
Much like the Dune 2000 game, this game's cutscenes carry a great compelling story in a parallel world of Frank Herbert's Dune.
There's 3 houses: the Atreides of Caladan, noble and just- siding the native Fremen. The brutal Harkonnen from Giedi Prime headed by the savage Barron and Ordos- the more enigmatic faction that have been added to the gaming universe. They all converge on the world of Dune to seek control and power of the mysterious and addictive substance: spice.
The intersecting storylines go well with the gameplay, which pairs well with the style of real time strategy and a battle for Dune. Worth watching/playing!
There's 3 houses: the Atreides of Caladan, noble and just- siding the native Fremen. The brutal Harkonnen from Giedi Prime headed by the savage Barron and Ordos- the more enigmatic faction that have been added to the gaming universe. They all converge on the world of Dune to seek control and power of the mysterious and addictive substance: spice.
The intersecting storylines go well with the gameplay, which pairs well with the style of real time strategy and a battle for Dune. Worth watching/playing!
Excellent real time strategy game
Sentinel-1523 July 2002
By the time this title was released - sometime late 2001 - RTS games had been done to death already, with RTS titles being a dime a dozen, but this offering by Westwood managed to release a game that rises above the competition. Only fitting, and well-deserved, since they practically invented the real time strategy genre with a game called "Dune 2" - the distant predecessor of "Emperor: Battle for Dune".
The game has excellent production values, featuring wonderful 3D graphics; you can rotate the view of the battlefield, and zoom in and out. It also has a great soundtrack that varies depending on which of the three Houses you play House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Ordos (which was first introduced in `Dune 2').
Game play works very intuitively, and is close to flawless. Not surprising, perhaps, since Westwood have had many years of practice in the business...
Also worthy of mentioning are the many excellent cutscenes that flesh out the world of Dune, featuring a look based on the David Lynch movie, while adding new characters and settings, not to mention the original storylines for each House you happen to be playing.
If you like RTS games, check it out. If you like SF in general, and `Dune' in particular, you will no doubt be able to appreciate this game.
The game has excellent production values, featuring wonderful 3D graphics; you can rotate the view of the battlefield, and zoom in and out. It also has a great soundtrack that varies depending on which of the three Houses you play House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Ordos (which was first introduced in `Dune 2').
Game play works very intuitively, and is close to flawless. Not surprising, perhaps, since Westwood have had many years of practice in the business...
Also worthy of mentioning are the many excellent cutscenes that flesh out the world of Dune, featuring a look based on the David Lynch movie, while adding new characters and settings, not to mention the original storylines for each House you happen to be playing.
If you like RTS games, check it out. If you like SF in general, and `Dune' in particular, you will no doubt be able to appreciate this game.
Excellent Game, Capturing the Spirit of DUNE
ChadGent200116 October 2001
After the entertaining, yet somewhat dissapointing DUNE 2000, we get a new RTS game in the Dune Universe which exceeds all my expectations. First off we have the new movie chapters, setting up the story and giving you orders for your missions, which not only are visually superior to those of the previous game, but at times to both the movie and the miniseries! Though the plot is barely like in the classic novel, it remains more faithful to the feel and visual style that Dune still deserves in a movie form. Once again the visual work is kept close to the David Lynch film, but offers plenty of new sights. Not only that, but visuals in the actual gameplay are better than in any other RTS game I have ever seen, and in 3D! The sandworms, made very small in D2K, now often take up the entire screen! This game definately kicks ass, and is a must for all Dune fans.
Another great Dune instalment
cherylkyrandia29 March 2023
Honestly, real time strategy at its finest. It's almost as though the Dune universe was destined to be used for the purposes of this gaming genre. There's a great deal of thought and effort that was put into this game, from the writing to acting; the costumes to the set design/animation. The game once again follows three warring factions fighting for the world of Arrakis, home to the addictive hallucinogen, spice.
The actors do an expert job at paying homage to the original film and the book - with performances that will make you feel like you are actively part of the Dune universe. The gameplay is fun and the graphics are upgraded into 3D. Definitely worth a whirl.
The actors do an expert job at paying homage to the original film and the book - with performances that will make you feel like you are actively part of the Dune universe. The gameplay is fun and the graphics are upgraded into 3D. Definitely worth a whirl.
Above average RTS game - mostly for those who liked the Lynch movie
Aylmer1 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I gotta say as one fascinated by the effects, design, cast and music of the original 1984 Lynch movie (but not enough so to suffer through the books), this game did the most for me of any of the post-84 Dune incarnations I've seen or played, including the lifeless miniseries and both the earlier computer games.
The plotting and acting are both very good, somewhat sub-Lynch movie, but definitely above the miniseries. Vincent Schiavelli makes an excellent Harkonnen mentat (complete with gaunt, depressing look and a slight lisp) who follows you around for the entire game offering instructions and advice. Michael Dorn give the Atreides a professional presence - more so than just being the "good guys", and thankfully Michael McShane from "Whose Line is it Anyway?" is used sparingly.
It's neat to see the Space guild as the main villains who in the end try to breed a man-worm hybrid to conquer the galaxy. Of course it's the final mission to destroy the giant worm before it becomes too powerful, and this is made VERY difficult by the space guild's advanced weapons. The cut-scenes have some bad blue-screening, but I guess that's necessary when the bulk of the game's budget goes to the gaming.
Though a standard RTS, there is a bit of a steep learning curb in figuring out how a lot of the weapons work. Stuff like the Tlexiu or Ix monsters which can mutate enemy units and tanks seem to work a lot better for the computer than for you, and for some reason the enemy ALWAYS knows to attack your harvester at the worst possible moment... but the lighting / explosion effects and animation of the tanks and little Sadaukar terror troops is amusing and more than makes up for it. I found it significantly more fun than the similar Command and Conquer games from the same period (this was around when Red Alert 2 came out) and an exciting retread to David Lynch's Dune universe, needed ever since it's mutilating by the Sci Fi channel miniseries.
The plotting and acting are both very good, somewhat sub-Lynch movie, but definitely above the miniseries. Vincent Schiavelli makes an excellent Harkonnen mentat (complete with gaunt, depressing look and a slight lisp) who follows you around for the entire game offering instructions and advice. Michael Dorn give the Atreides a professional presence - more so than just being the "good guys", and thankfully Michael McShane from "Whose Line is it Anyway?" is used sparingly.
It's neat to see the Space guild as the main villains who in the end try to breed a man-worm hybrid to conquer the galaxy. Of course it's the final mission to destroy the giant worm before it becomes too powerful, and this is made VERY difficult by the space guild's advanced weapons. The cut-scenes have some bad blue-screening, but I guess that's necessary when the bulk of the game's budget goes to the gaming.
Though a standard RTS, there is a bit of a steep learning curb in figuring out how a lot of the weapons work. Stuff like the Tlexiu or Ix monsters which can mutate enemy units and tanks seem to work a lot better for the computer than for you, and for some reason the enemy ALWAYS knows to attack your harvester at the worst possible moment... but the lighting / explosion effects and animation of the tanks and little Sadaukar terror troops is amusing and more than makes up for it. I found it significantly more fun than the similar Command and Conquer games from the same period (this was around when Red Alert 2 came out) and an exciting retread to David Lynch's Dune universe, needed ever since it's mutilating by the Sci Fi channel miniseries.
Supreme
ventidiusrex6 March 2022
By far the best RTS game around
overdrive_maniac1 December 2002
I picked up this game when I saw it on sale. I liked Dune 2000, though it wasn't that great. This game however, broke the mold. I have never seen a cooler real time strategy then this game. The graphics are incredible, the story is cool, the units are sweet, and the videos rock. What more can you ask for!? Buy this game, it's awesome!
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