The Art and Making of Dune Awakening Review — The art must flow

This is a bit of a personal one for me as Frank Herbert’s Dune was one of the first sci-fi books I read in my life, shaping my love of the genre and the world of Arrakis. The political intrigue, the plans within plans, the dangers seen and unseen around every corner – this world is easily one of the most well-realized in literature.  When FunCom took on the incredible challenge of bringing this world to life in Dune Awakening, you can bet I sat up and listened.  Thankfully the game turned out pretty great, and now thanks to the team at Insight Editions, we can get a peek behind the shield wall to see the creative process, art, and world-building that is Dune Awakening. 

If you’re unfamiliar with Dune Awakening, it is a PvPvE semi-MMO open world game that blends survival, exploration, and RPG elements.  In it you play…well, it’s more who you don’t play – Paul Atraides.  Instead, as Paul reflects on the Golden Path he looks at the myriad roads not taken.  What if he never became the Kwisatz Haderach - the messiah capable of bridging time and space, accessing genetic memories of both male and female ancestors, and the power to see all possible futures, simultaneously?  What if Jessica Atreides gave birth to a daughter rather than Paul, as she was commanded to by the Bene Gesserit?  What if she stopped the assassination of nearly all of House Atreides?  In Paul’s vision he sees instead a War of Assassins where the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Emperor Shaddam the IV’s Sardukar, and House Ateides instead war for control over Dune.  With the pressure of three warring houses, the Fremen have all but disappeared, leaving nothing but eternal war and conflict, and you as the player must back one of these three warring factions (or play a bit of each, making fools of all of them), finding their own place in the universe.  

First and foremost, whether you’re a fan of the Dune universe, or a fan of Dune Awakening, this book is a gorgeous addition to your collection.  The cover is a gold color evocative of the golden sands of the planet Arrakis, with a Coriolis sand storm raging on the top half, and an angular and sharp settlement providing just enough safety to lull its occupants into a false sense of security.  Opening it, the first thing you’ll notice is that the book is filled with gorgeous concept art, character designs, environment sketches, and so much more. Combined with a forward from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Byron Merritt, and Kim Herbert, and tipping the scales at 224 pages, there’s also a lot of it. 

The book opens with a detailed look at the world of Dune, or more accurately the harsh and unforgiving desert landscape of Arrakis.  The desert is more than a backdrop here; it’s a character in and of itself, and arguably the most dangerous faction of all.  Relentless and deadly, it’ll kill anyone unprepared in a matter of moments, and that’s all without encountering the massive sand worms that patrol, listening for sound and vibration.  The artists have managed to capture the sense of scale and isolation that you’d expect from a planet that’s all about survival.

In the second film, Chani remarks “My planet, Arrakis, is so beautiful when the sun is low”. The artwork for these  environments are breathtaking. There’s this incredible sense of vastness, and the team has used multiple different color palettes of browns, reds, yellows, and more to highlight the beauty and danger of the desert. Warm, golden hues with scattered bits of spice and sand dot the vastness of endless dune cast to the horizon.  Sharper and cooler natural tones are used to show ancient structures fallen to disrepair, cast in the shadows of the withering sun and the harshness of the planet’s natural destructive power. It gives a glimpse into the world of Dune, the land itself, and how people have survived within it.  The Sandworms make an appearance, yes, but they are just one, rather large, element within a massive and secret world. 

From here the book moves into character design, which frankly is more deep than you’d expect.  With multiple factions we see the bleached and white skin of the Harkonnen against well-oiled and pristine armor, as well as the worn and ragtag armor of the Fremen, creating an excellent juxtaposition.  Similarly, we see the heavier armor of the Sardukar contrasted against the adapted armor of the Atraides which blend Fremen stillsuits and their familial armor.  All of these have gotten a shot in the arm from the team at FunCom, re-envisioning how they might have further evolved after a period of constant conflict.  Everything from their distinctive, rugged clothing to their weapons and even the designs for their stillsuits gets the royal treatment, with a ton of background information on all of the elements that bring it all together.  It’s remarkably authentic, and it’s readily apparent that the team are big fans of the source material.  

As you page through the book, you’ll also find a lot of behind-the-scenes info on the creative process, with interviews with the developers, artists, designers, directors, producers, and more.  They talk about their journey with Dune Awakening, getting to visit the movie set for the most recent films, and their own love of the books. It’s clear that the team didn’t just want to make a game — they wanted to bring the world of Arrakis to life. They wanted players to feel the oppressive heat of Arrakis, to understand the politics and danger, the survival elements, and of course, the spice trade that drives all of it. Even if you are a casual fan of the Dune books or movies, you’ll immediately see the love and respect the team brings to the source material, even when they are making it their own.  

It’s safe to say that The Art and Making of Dune Awakening is a must-have for any fan of the Dune universe. It’s a love letter to the world of Arrakis and Frank Herbert’s source material, but with an interesting twist from the team at FunCom. From the artwork to the interviews, this book is a deep dive into the creative process behind their game’s ambition and success, and whether you’re a fan who appreciates the game, the lore, or just enjoys amazing artwork, there’s something here for you.