My Nerd Alert News colleague, Moving Meeples, asked me to take a look at the new issue of Dune. While this is not a full game review, I want to share some thoughts on the game.
Dune first came out in 1979. It was an unusual game at the time, and it developed a cult-like following in the ’80s. Then, with issues involving the Herbert estate, the game fell into licensing hell and dropped out of sight. Flash forward to 2019, and the game has finally been reissued with a few updates.
Lucky for us, the BGG.CON library has both the original and the new Dune.
First, the game is beautiful. It’s got clean, attractive graphics and art, and it’s pleasant to look at.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect of Dune is that it is so asymmetrical. Asymmetrical? What the heck do I mean by that? The game is listed as 2-6 players, but most people agree the game is not much fun with 2 or 3 players. So, the game should really be 4-6 players. There are six factions. You choose if you want to play as the Emperor, the Fremen, the Atreides, the Harkonnen, the Spacing Guild, or the Bene Gesserit. What makes the game asymmetrical is that each faction is very different. They have different goals, tools, styles of play, and most importantly, they each have different advantages and disadvantages. For lovers of the game, this is key. For those who hate the game, this deliberate lack of balance is frustrating.
You see, people do not have weak reactions to this game. I have spoken to people who hate the game; one who bought it and took it back, demanding a refund. I have also spoken to people who have a real love for this game. But both opinions seem to hinge on the asymmetrical nature of the game. Are you Atreides? You get to know where all the spice is. Are you Harkonnen? You get to know who every traitor is. Traitors are one good update to the new version of the game. In the old version, you secretly wrote down traitors; but in the new version, there are traitor cards to draw and hold—a definite improvement.
The nature of the game can make it hard to learn or teach. In fact, I have spoken to people who love the game, but only really understand one or two factions. They ALWAYS play Harkonnen, for example. Learning the best ways to play each of the six factions can take time, but it can also be a source of constant refreshment of the game. Luckily, one of the improvements to the new edition is a great quick start guide. Plan to use it a lot, especially when trying a new faction. In many ways, the game is worthy of the books; you can indeed have a feint within a feint.
The game is highly competitive and includes lots of battling. Think Risk on steroids. The end of the game is fascinating to me and can be shocking. Simply hold three of five territories at the end of a round and you win. The game can take hours, and you may plan for a long session. But sometimes everyone can be surprised and there can be a winner after only one or two rounds. Those fast games can be startling the first time you find yourself in one.
As I say, I haven’t gotten far enough into this game to give it a proper review, but after taking a good look at the new printing, I will be looking for some players to join me. Sadly, my primary gaming partner is one of those who hate this game, so I will have to look around. But whatever happens, “the spice must flow”.
Written by Evan Conroy
