If you’re on the hunt for a new deck-building game after Balatro and as we await Slay the Spire 2, you can’t go too far wrong with Dune: Imperium. A stellar adaptation of the already excellent board game set in Frank Herbert’s sci-fi universe, it’s quickly earned itself the ‘overwhelmingly positive’ Steam rating with 95% of reviews recommending it. Now, its first expansion pack Rise of Ix has arrived, and a Steam sale lets you snag the base game at a tasty discount, too.
Dune: Imperium is a blend of deck building and worker placement, with games playing out over ten rounds where each stage presents conflicts to deal with. At every turn, you’ll have to determine where best to prioritize your forces, ensuring you can earn the most resources and influence without spreading yourself too thin. Win the favor of the Emperor, the Spacing Guild, the Bene Gesserit, and the Fremen, and you’ll be on your way to success in this space strategy game – but pick your battles wisely, or you’ll fall behind.
Rise of Ix is the first of two expansions for the board game, and it’s just made its way to the digital version. It follows much in the footsteps of its physical equivalent, which was very well received by players at launch. You can expect six more leaders to choose from, along with a range of extra board spaces, cards, and abilities. Among the new features there are opportunities to take advantage of Interstellar Shipping, negotiate for new tech, and even get your hands on some devastating Dreadnoughts.
Alongside this comes the new ‘epic’ mode, which boasts a higher-stakes game where 12 victory points are required for success rather than the standard ten. Developer Dire Wolf has also introduced ten additional challenges with both normal and heroic difficulties to push your strategic skills to their limit. Finally, you can expect improved enemy AI behavior and smoother overall gameplay with some backend tweaks. If that’s got you curious but you don’t own the base game yet, a Steam sale discount is here to help.
Dune Imperium Rise of Ix is out now on Steam, priced at $9.99 / £8.50. To celebrate, the base game is also on sale for 30% off through Saturday August 10, meaning you’ll pay just $16.09 / £13.52 for your copy. If you’re tempted, head right here to get started.
If that’s whet your appetite for interstellar shenanigans, the best space games are the place to be. Or for more ways to go head-to-head with friends and strangers alike, step boldly into the best multiplayer games in 2024.
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