153: Dune

Number 153
(20.8 points)
Dune
1995: 75

The 16-bit machines gave rise to more cinematic games, and Dune was right up there.

If you've read the book, seen the film(s), watched the TV series or any number of media, you'll know the premise, but in short: you are Paul Atreides, on a planet where an important resource known as spice exists, and you have to recruit the locals to harvest it for you, while fending off the rival Harkonnens. The game is a kind of hybrid of playing styles, acting in turns like a graphical adventure and a strategy game. The plot is generally quite straightforward, leading you down a linear path, but the strategic elements make it stand out from the competition.

The graphics and music are top notch for the time, and still hold up well today. I assumed it would be another impenetrable strategy game like I've seen on this list before, but in fact it was a refreshing change, and very easy going at the start. By the time you pull yourself away, you'll be surprised at how much time has passed. Definitely worth a look if you never played it back in the day, though you might prefer the PC or Mega CD versions due to the CD extras you get with it.

Recommended TOSEC disk(s):
Dune (1992)(Virgin)(Disk 1 of 3)[cr FLT]
Dune (1992)(Virgin)(Disk 2 of 3)
Dune (1992)(Virgin)(Disk 3 of 3)