Dune: Awakening vs Dying Light: The Beast

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
• Setting: Arrakis (Alternate Timeline)
• Platforms: PC (Steam), PlayStation 5 (2026), Xbox Series X/S (2026)
• PC Release: 2025-06-10
• Unique Feature: A blend of deep survival crafting with a persistent MMO structure, featuring a player-driven political system and a world physically changed by weekly Coriolis storms.

• Perspective: First-Person
• Multiplayer: 4-Player Online Co-op
• Setting: Castor Woods (Inspired by Swiss Alps)
• Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One
• Unique Feature: A standalone story marking the return of Kyle Crane, featuring a new 'Beast Mode' mechanic that allows him to unleash his inner monster, and a return to the gritty, intense survival horror of the original game.

• Other Players: As an MMO, the primary 'companions' are other players. Players can form official Guilds (representing minor houses) to build massive bases, harvest spice together, and wage large-scale PvP warfare.
  Human

• Schematics: Found in points of interest, looted from enemies, or traded on The Exchange. Essential blueprints for crafting all items.
• Spice: Harvested from spice blows in the open desert. The game's most important resource for wealth, power, and character progression.
• Lore Databanks: Scattered across Arrakis in abandoned research stations and ancient ruins. They provide insight into the game's alternate timeline and the deep history of Dune.

• Blueprints: Schematics found throughout the world that are essential for crafting and upgrading weapons and equipment.
• Upgrade Materials: Scavenged from the environment, these resources are vital for repairing weapons and vehicles, which degrade rapidly.

• Survival
• Sci-Fi
• Open World
• Crafting
• Base Building
• Political Intrigue
• Faction Warfare
• Exploration
• MMO

• Survival Horror
• Post-Apocalyptic
• Parkour
• Open World
• Body Horror
• Vengeance
• Zombies

• Melee Weapons: Daggers, Swords
  Close-quarters combat weapons, including the iconic Crysknife. Essential for fighting in tight spaces and when stealth is required.
• Ranged Weapons: Pistols, Rifles
  Standard projectile firearms for engaging enemies from a distance. Effectiveness varies based on range and enemy type.
• Heavy Weapons: Lasguns, Flamethrowers
  High-powered weapons for dealing significant damage. Lasguns are extremely powerful but can cause a catastrophic explosion if they hit a shield.
• Explosives: Grenades, Demolition Charges
  Used for area-of-effect damage, breaching structures, or creating tactical advantages in combat.

• Melee Weapons: Varies (Axes, Wrenches, Swords)
  The core of the combat system, with over 100 different weapons. A new 'Gore Nodes' system allows for hyper-detailed, directional dismemberment.
• Firearms: Varies (Pistols, Rifles, Shotguns)
  Firearms have been given more prominence with improved gun combat, realistic sound, and effective knockback. New additions include a grenade launcher and a saw-blade launcher.
• Beast Mode Abilities: Supernatural
  When in Beast Mode, Crane gains access to powerful new attacks, including a ground slam and the ability to pick up and hurl heavy environmental objects.

• Stillsuit: The most critical piece of gear. Primarily provides thirst reduction by recycling moisture. Different tiers of stillsuits can be crafted, offering better efficiency and some protection.
• Combat Armor: Craftable sets of armor that provide physical damage resistance against creatures and other players. Can be aligned visually with faction styles, such as the Sardaukar Bator Armor from the Deluxe Edition.
• Environmental Gear: Specialized gear designed to offer protection against environmental hazards beyond dehydration, such as the intense heat of the desert or specific storm effects.

• Faction Armor Sets: Players can craft and wear armor that reflects their political allegiance, such as armor in the style of House Atreides or House Harkonnen.
• Cosmetic Outfits: Various cosmetic items are available, including the iconic stillsuit from the 2021 film 'Dune' (part of the Ultimate Edition), allowing for visual customization without affecting stats.
• Dyes: Players can use dyes to change the color of their gear and vehicles, allowing for further personalization. The 'Sunset Dye Global Swatch' is a pre-order bonus.

• Cosmetic Outfits: Players can customize Crane's appearance. The Deluxe Edition includes the 'Castor Woods Prepper Outfit,' and the pre-order bonus includes the 'Ultimate Survivor Outfit.'

Players can learn skills from various iconic schools of the Dune universe. This includes mastering the persuasive 'Voice' of the Bene Gesserit, the lightning-fast calculations of a Mentat, or the deadly blade techniques of a Swordmaster. Progression is also tied to discovering and crafting schematics for better gear, weapons, tools, and base components.

Progression is divided between two distinct skill trees: Survivor and Beast. The Survivor tree enhances parkour, crafting, and combat finishers. The unique Beast tree allows players to unlock devastating abilities tied to Crane's infection, such as a ground slam and the ability to hurl large objects. The stamina system has also been reworked to allow for uninhibited parkour traversal outside of combat.

The world is divided into several large zones. The Hagga Basin is a vast, persistent PvE-focused map where players build their permanent bases. The Deep Desert is an even larger, seamless PvPvE map that is periodically scoured and reshaped by massive Coriolis storms, revealing new resources and points of interest. There are also social hubs like Arrakeen and Harko Village where players from many servers can interact peacefully.

The game is set in a new, handcrafted open-world location called Castor Woods. Inspired by the Swiss Alps, this sprawling valley features diverse biomes, including a tourist town, industrial areas, farmlands, murky swamps, and a national park. The rural setting offers a different parkour and survival experience compared to the dense cities of previous games.

• Ornithopter ('Thopter): Air Vehicle
  An essential flying machine with flapping wings, used for fast transportation across the vast deserts of Arrakis and for scouting from the air.
• Sandbike: Ground Vehicle
  A fast, nimble one-person ground vehicle used for quick traversal over dunes. It's one of the first vehicles a player can craft.
• Spice Harvester: Industrial Vehicle
  A massive, slow-moving factory on tracks used to automatically gather spice from the sand. Its rhythmic vibrations are a dinner bell for nearby sandworms.
• Groundcar: Ground Vehicle
  A multi-person, durable ground vehicle, slower than a sandbike but offering more protection and transport capacity.

• Player Character: Protagonist
  A fully customizable character who survives a 'thopter crash on Arrakis. Players forge their own path, choosing to align with factions, build an empire, or simply survive the desert.
• Duke Leto Atreides: Faction Leader (NPC)
  The head of House Atreides. In this alternate timeline, he survives the initial Harkonnen betrayal, continuing to lead his house and fight for control of Arrakis.
• Baron Vladimir Harkonnen: Faction Leader (NPC)
  The cruel and cunning leader of House Harkonnen, the primary antagonist faction vying for control of the spice trade.
• Bene Gesserit Sisters: Skill Trainers / Political Figures (NPCs)
  Members of the secretive sisterhood who can teach players their powerful mental abilities, like the Voice, while pursuing their own mysterious agenda.

• Kyle Crane: Playable Protagonist
  The returning hero from the original Dying Light, now a darker, hybrid human-monster on a personal quest for revenge.
• The Baron: Antagonist
  A mysterious new villain who captured and experimented on Kyle Crane for 13 years.
• Volatiles: Apex Infected
  The terrifying, hyper-aggressive infected that only come out at night. In The Beast, they are more intelligent, hunt in packs, and communicate with each other.

• Main Questline
  Follow a narrative that explores the mysteries of the alternate timeline, the reason for your character's arrival on Arrakis, and the secrets behind the spice.
• Faction Contracts
  Complete various tasks for the lesser houses to earn their favor and influence their allegiance towards either House Atreides or House Harkonnen in the weekly political struggle.
• Spice Harvesting Operations
  Locate a valuable spice blow, deploy a harvester, defend it against sandworms and other players, and successfully extract the spice for profit and power.
• Base Construction
  Gather resources and use schematics to build and upgrade a personal or guild headquarters, from a simple survival shelter to a massive fortress.

• Main Story Quests
  A focused, linear narrative that follows Kyle Crane's personal quest for vengeance against The Baron, with an emphasis on storytelling and character development.
• Side Quests
  Meaningful, 'bite-sized stories' that contribute to the world's immersion and the grander narrative, rather than feeling like filler content.

The game is a full-fledged MMO. It features large-scale PvP in the Deep Desert over resources and territory, cooperative PvE in the Hagga Basin, a player-driven economy via 'The Exchange', and a political system where player guilds (Houses) can influence server-wide laws by aligning with House Atreides or House Harkonnen in the Landsraad.

The game launched with three editions: Standard Edition ($49.99), Deluxe Edition ($69.99 - includes base game, 5-day early access, Season Pass), and Ultimate Edition ($89.99 - includes Deluxe content plus additional cosmetic items like vehicle swatches, building sets, the Dune (2021) Film Stillsuit, and a digital artbook & soundtrack).

The game is available in a Standard Edition and a Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition includes the Official Soundtrack, a digital artbook, a digital map, and the 'Castor Woods Prepper Bundle' of in-game cosmetic and weapon items. A 'Hero of Harran' bundle is available as a pre-order bonus.

A Season Pass is available, which includes the first four planned DLCs. The first DLC, 'Wildlife of Arrakis', was scheduled to be released shortly after launch, with three more ('Lost Harvest', 'Raiders of the Broken Lands', 'The Water Wars') planned through mid-2026.

• Q: What kind of game is Dune: Awakening?
  A: It's an open-world survival MMO that combines the crafting, building, and survival mechanics of games like Conan Exiles with the large-scale multiplayer, political, and economic systems of an MMO.
• Q: When did Dune: Awakening release for PC?
  A: The full PC release was on June 10, 2025. Early access for Deluxe/Ultimate edition owners began on June 5, 2025.
• Q: Is Dune: Awakening coming to PS5 or Xbox?
  A: Yes, a release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S is planned for 2026.
• Q: Do I need to have read the books or seen the movies?
  A: No, the game is set in an alternate timeline, making it accessible to newcomers. However, fans of the Dune universe will recognize many characters, locations, and concepts.
• Q: Is the whole map PvP?
  A: No. The starting zone, Hagga Basin, is primarily PvE with small, opt-in PvP areas. The endgame zone, the Deep Desert, is where large-scale, open PvP occurs.
• Q: Can I play Dune: Awakening solo?
  A: You can play solo, but as an online MMO, you will share the world with thousands of other players. The game's challenges and political systems are designed to encourage group play and joining guilds.
• Q: What happens to my base when the Coriolis storms hit?
  A: Your main base in the Hagga Basin is permanent and safe from the storms. The storms only affect the Deep Desert, which resets weekly, destroying all player-built structures there and revealing new landscapes to explore.

• Q: Is Dying Light: The Beast a DLC for Dying Light 2?
  A: No. While it was originally planned as a DLC, it has been developed into a full, standalone game. You do not need to own Dying Light 2 to play it.
• Q: Do you play as Aiden from Dying Light 2?
  A: No, the game marks the return of Kyle Crane, the protagonist from the very first Dying Light game.
• Q: What is 'Beast Mode'?
  A: It is a new gameplay mechanic where, after dealing or taking enough damage, Kyle Crane enters a temporary state of rage, gaining superhuman strength, agility, and powerful new abilities.
• Q: Is the game scarier than Dying Light 2?
  A: Yes, the developers have stated their goal was to return to the more gritty, grounded, and terrifying survival horror feel of the original Dying Light, especially during the night.

Built on Unreal Engine 5, the game features a highly detailed and vast Arrakis. Key visual elements include dynamic weather, massive Coriolis storms that physically alter the landscape weekly, realistic sand physics, and awe-inspiring sandworms that can devour players and vehicles.

The sound design emphasizes the harsh environment, with the roar of sandworms and the howling of sandstorms being key audio cues for survival. The musical score is inspired by the cinematic universe, aiming for an epic, atmospheric, and alien soundscape.

The UI is designed around survival, prominently displaying thirst levels. It includes standard MMO features like a map, quest log, and crafting menus, as well as a dedicated interface for the server-wide auction house, The Exchange, and political menus for the Landsraad system.

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for Dune: Awakening (Released June 2025). The game requires an SSD for storage. These specs are for the PC launch; console versions are planned for 2026.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop models of the listed desktop GPUs must have comparable performance, which is highly dependent on the laptop's TGP (Total Graphics Power) and cooling solution. For an MMO with large-scale battles, a robust cooling system is recommended to maintain performance.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Sufficient TGP is crucial for maintaining stable framerates, especially in visually dense areas or large-scale PvP.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Excellent cooling is vital to prevent thermal throttling during long sessions of harvesting, crafting, or fighting.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A strong multi-core CPU is beneficial for handling the large number of players and complex world interactions inherent in an MMO.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended to ensure the dedicated GPU is used directly, reducing latency for better combat responsiveness.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: As a modern Unreal Engine 5 title, support for technologies like NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR is expected, allowing players to boost performance at higher resolutions.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Texture Quality, Shadow Quality, View Distance, and Effects Detail will significantly impact performance. View distance is particularly important in the vast open deserts of Arrakis.
• Game Name: Dune: Awakening

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. These specifications reflect a next-generation title with demanding features like Ray Tracing. An SSD is required for all tiers.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will vary based on the model's cooling and TGP. For a smooth experience, a modern gaming laptop that meets or exceeds the recommended specifications is advised.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features, ray tracing, and dense, visually stunning environments.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's fast-paced parkour and intense combat against hordes will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex enemy AI and physics-based combat.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a fast-paced FPS.
• Game Name: Dying Light: The Beast

• Upscaling Tech: As a modern Unreal Engine 5 title, support for technologies like NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR is expected, allowing players to boost performance at higher resolutions.
• Key Settings Impact: Texture Quality, Shadow Quality, View Distance, and Effects Detail will significantly impact performance. View distance is particularly important in the vast open deserts of Arrakis.

• G P U T G P: Sufficient TGP is crucial for maintaining stable framerates, especially in visually dense areas or large-scale PvP.
• Cooling Thermals: Excellent cooling is vital to prevent thermal throttling during long sessions of harvesting, crafting, or fighting.
• C P U Power Limits: A strong multi-core CPU is beneficial for handling the large number of players and complex world interactions inherent in an MMO.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended to ensure the dedicated GPU is used directly, reducing latency for better combat responsiveness.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features, ray tracing, and dense, visually stunning environments.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's fast-paced parkour and intense combat against hordes will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex enemy AI and physics-based combat.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a fast-paced FPS.