DUNE 2000

Genre: Strategy (RTS)
Christian Rating: 4 of 5
   (slightly offensive)
Gameplay: 5 of 5
   (excellent)
Violence: 4 of 5
   (barely present)
Adult Content: 4 of 5
   (barely present)

Based on the popular science fiction novel Dune, this game casts you into the distant future as a mercenary who must choose between three royal dynasties in the Galactic Empire to serve as general. The mission is to command the army of your chosen dynasty to strategically defeat the armies of the other two and gain control of a barren desert planet. The planet's only indigenous life form (huge, deadly worms) leaves behind a waste product called “spice.” When human beings snort spice, it produces incredible psychic powers. Whoever controls Arrakis (nicknamed Dune) and the psychic-enhancing worm waste, effectively controls the galaxy.

Since this is the military equivalent of strategy simulation games like "Sim City," you must build military bases with refineries for the worm waste, troop barracks, vehicle factories, star ports, gun turrets, etc. While building you must also fight off angry worms, enemy troops, and send out harvesting vehicles to scoop up the “spice.” To win the game, you must harvest the most spice, destroy the enemy bases, and control all the territory on the planet.

VIOLENCE

The violence is in the third person perspective and is virtually bloodless, save for a little spot of red appearing on the sand when a tank runs over a soldier. The focus is on blowing up enemy vehicles and entire bases while producing as big a military as you can afford (vote Republican!). The more spice you harvest and sell, the more tanks and soldiers you can afford to buy, so economic warfare is vital in order to win. The visual effects and explosions are impressive and meant as a reward for outmaneuvering and annihilating the opposing armies.

ILLEGAL/HARMFUL BEHAVIOR

If you choose the Harkkonen Royal Family, you are ordered to kill of all of the native inhabitants. In other words, genocide is one of the mission objectives of House Harkkonen. If you choose to be the leader of the House of Ordos, you will be ordered to kill your own troops, if they threaten to mutiny.

LANGUAGE

No profanity or harsh language was noticed during the game or cinematic shows, but since an online option exists, players in chat mode can say anything they want.

NUDITY/SEXUAL CONTENT

During game play, no actual nudity or sexual content appears. However, during the cinematic sequences between game levels, the Emperor is shown with his concubine in a sexually suggestive position, and another scene shows a man fondling the breast of a captured prisoner.

OCCULT/SUPERNATURAL

There are no magic weapons or powers for players to use during game play, only ordinary guns and missiles like a modern army. However, the cinematic scenes between the game levels feature the Emperor's concubine (sex slave) using psychic powers such as seeing into the future to advise the Emperor (or the game player) what to do next. Each Royal House also has a spice-enhanced psychic on staff that advises the player what to do to win each new game level.

“Dune 2000” is an exciting strategy game that challenges the player to balance a game strategy with economic and battlefield decisions to win control of the universe. The drawback to the game is that it is based on a book that espouses New Age beliefs and powers. If you skip the movie sequences between game levels and the book it was based on, “Dune 2000” can be a decent game for teenagers (and older) due to the challenging strategic game play. Score:77% (C+)

Year of Release—2000

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