Dune: Awakening Introduces Unique Hydration Mechanics for Survival
Discover how Dune: Awakening incorporates innovative hydration systems for survival, allowing players to maintain hydration through various intriguing methods. Dive into Funcom's latest game and explore the diverse ways to quench your thirst in the harsh desert environment.
Developer Funcom recently unveiled some exciting details about the upcoming open-world survival MMO, Dune: Awakening. Hydration will be a key element in the game, with players being able to drink the blood of defeated enemies to stay alive. Funcom has not yet announced a release date for Dune: Awakening.
During the showcase, Dune: Awakening also revealed more information about its setting and gameplay mechanics. The game takes place on the planet Arrakis and features giant sandworms that players must avoid rather than defeat. Players start by choosing a mentor to determine their initial strengths, but they are not limited to a specific class. To succeed in Arrakis' harsh environment, players must continually upgrade their skill trees.
Trailer for Dune Awakening
Funcom's Chief Creative Officer, Joel Bylos, shared that in Dune: Awakening, hydration plays a key role in the survival aspect of the game. Bylos emphasized the importance of water on Arrakis, highlighting various ways players can stay hydrated. These methods include drinking the blood of defeated foes, utilizing dew fields, and consuming plant fiber. However, prolonged consumption of plant fiber can have negative effects. Bylos also stressed the significance of avoiding direct sunlight to maintain hydration, suggesting players seek shade during the day and travel at night.
Funcom shared more about the crafting mechanics in Dune: Awakening. Players can gather materials such as stone, copper, and iron to craft bases, weapons, gear, and clothing. They can even sell blueprints for their bases to other players in the game. As players advance, they can utilize the planet's resources to build machines that can produce advanced weapons and tools.
Dune Awakening Steam Screenshot 14 - Similar to the books and movies, Dune: Awakening features sandworms as one of its main threats
Similar to the books and movies, Dune: Awakening features sandworms as one of its main threats. Whenever a player is walking on the desert's surface without using sandworm counters like a thumper, it's only a matter of time until one of the giant worms speeds toward the user. However, there will be varying types of sandworms, with the deep desert harboring the most lethal ones. Funcom confirmed that players are not able to ride sandworms like Paul Atreides, at launch at least.
In addition to this recent showcase, Dune fans on Xbox can participate in a sweepstakes event that gifts the winner with a "floating" Dune controller, Xbox Series S, and Ornithopter stand. The event runs until March 25.
Editor's P/S:
Dune: Awakening, the upcoming open-world survival MMO based on Frank Herbert's iconic novel, has unveiled intriguing details that leave me both excited and apprehensive. The emphasis on hydration, with players resorting to drinking the blood of vanquished enemies, adds a gruesome yet immersive survival element. The intricate crafting system and the presence of formidable sandworms further enhance the game's depth and challenge.
While I appreciate the faithfulness to the source material, I wonder if Dune: Awakening will succeed in translating the complex world of Arrakis into a compelling gaming experience. The lack of sandworm riding at launch may disappoint some enthusiasts, but it could also allow for future expansion and innovation. Overall, I am cautiously optimistic about Dune: Awakening's potential to deliver an immersive and unforgiving survival adventure, but only time will tell if it can truly capture the essence of Herbert's masterpiece.
