Recently, I've been reading Dune whenever I have the chance. I've been waiting years to go through it, after watching the 2021 movie, but since I've been playing Dune: Awakening on my Steam Deck, it's finally given me the push to read the iconic novel. That's because Dune: Awakening is everything I had hoped for in a survival game set on the dangerous world of Arrakis, and right now, you can grab a cheap Steam key for the experience at Fanatical.
For the last few weeks, Dune: Awakening has been my go-to, beating out some of my other favorites from our guide to the best survival games. Sure, Minecraft remains iconic, but Funcom's take on Arrakis is not only a blast on Steam Deck, but it also makes for an absolutely terrifying and exhilarating experience on handheld consoles.
Of course, Dune Awakening is full of times where it's oddly peaceful, rivaling the best cozy games with a variety of building types, whether you pledge your allegiance to House Atreides, the spiteful Harkonnens, or a mix-and-match of both. It's a great experience, and as the action game goes on, you'll fight against enemies and players alike to secure the coveted and valuable Spice, using a huge mixture of tools and weapons.
However, as soon as you step onto the open sands… well, it puts the best horror games to shame. I'm a fanatic when it comes to Resident Evil, Outlast, and the like, but the fear and concern whenever I see the sandworm bar pop up is second-to-none. The inevitable rumblings of an approaching Shai-Hulud send shivers down my spine, with the fear that I'll lose all my hard work, turning me into a cold sweat of a person. That fear never goes away, I'll be honest.
That being said, it's why Dune Awakening is my favorite Steam Deck game at the moment. It balances those typical survival mechanics with a PvP endgame and a solid constant threat that fits Arrakis (of course), as well as the genre itself. That risk-reward of moving to a new rocky 'island' but having to navigate the threat of a sandworm gives you a rush of adrenaline, and it's quickly taken over my daily videogame session slot.
If you're keen to see a world where the iconic Paul Atreides was never born and face the perils of Dune Awakening, you can buy it for just $42.49 / £35.69 right now at Fanatical, a huge discount on the standard price and the first major sale the game has received. You can also save on the more expensive editions of the game, which grant you the Season Pass, as well as cosmetics like the Dune (2021) stillsuit skin or the Caladan Palace building set.
For anyone who is a big fan of the franchise, I'd recommend the deluxe edition at $59.49 / £49.72. That includes the Season Pass, bringing some upcoming DLC to expand the world of Arrakis, which I'm really looking forward to, especially next year's The Water Wars expansion. According to developer Funcom, this will focus on the Water Shipper families, who are actively fighting for control at the Polar Caps of Arrakis.
Before diving into the game on handhelds, I'd recommend reading our Dune: Awakening best settings piece so you can make sure your console gets the best performance possible.
If you enjoy Dune: Awakening, especially on such a sandworm-sized discount, I'd recommend thinking about getting one of the best Steam Deck docks, which will allow you to play Funcom's survival game on a bigger screen. Alternatively, if you want something a little more immersive, our list of the best FPS games is full of titles that put you in the shoes of whichever character.